1.5 Audio Principles Flashcards
Logarithms
A logarithm of a number is how many times the number 1Omust be multiplied by itself to get a certain value. For example, the log of 10,000 is
4 and the log of 0.0001 is -4.
Decibel
Decibel (dB) describes a base-ten logarithmic relationship of a power ratio between two numbers .
Decibel Formula for Power
dB= 10 * log (P 1 IP,)
Where:
• dB= The change in decibels
• P 1 = The new or measured power measurement
• P, = The original or reference power measurement
Decibel Formula for Distance
dB= 20 *log (01 I D2)
Where:
• dB= The change in decibels
• 0 1 = The original or reference distance
• D 2 =The new or measured distance
Decibel Formula for Voltage
dB = 20 * log ( V 1 I V,)
Where :
• dB= The change i n decibels
• V 1 = The new or measured voltage
• V, = The original or reference voltage
1Oand 20 Log Formulas
In AV, the “10 log” formula is for power calculations only. The “20 log” formula is for voltage, pressure, and distance calculations. Just remember: 1O for power, 20 for everything else.
Reference Level (Decibels)
- OdB SPL = 0.00002 Pa
- 0 dBV = 1 V
- 0 dBu = 0.775 V
- OdBW= 1 W
- O dBm = 0.001 mW
Sound pressure level should always fall between
O and 140 dB SPL
Microphone level, which is typically measured in dBu, should be
60
to-50 dBu, well below the zero reference of 0.775 volts for the dBu.
Line level on the other hand, should be between
O and +4 dBu for pro
audio.
Consumer audio level is
-10 dBV (0.316 V)
SPL (Sound Pressure Level)
Sound pressure level (SPL} is a measurement of all the
acoustic energy present in an environment. It is typically
expressed in decibels (dB SPL) .
SPL Meter Classes
0- lab reference standard
1- engineering-grade accuracy
2- is for general purpose
3- intended for noise surveys
A Weighting ( dB SPL A wtd)
hearing conservation and noise ordinance enforcement.
C Weighting ( dB SPL C wtd)
More uniform response over the entire frequency
range.
Flat Weighting
no filtering. Sometimes referred to as Z (zero) weighting.
loudspeaker polar
pattern directivity
how much area
each of your selected loudspeakers will cover
Loudspeaker Coverage Area Formula
D = 2 * (H - h) *tan (CL I 2)
Where:
• D is the diameter of the coverage area I
• H is the ceiling height I
• h is the height of the listeners’ ears
• CL is the loudspeaker’s angle of coverage in dergees
Current and Voltage ( Ohm’s Law)
I= VI R I Where: l • I= Current I • V= Voltage • R= Resistance
Ohms Law
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Sensitivity Specification
Sens iti vity specifications are a way to determine a
device’s ability to convert one form of energy into
another form of energy . It is used to define the device’s efficiency in converting from one form to another.
Constant Voltage
- Constant voltage (25V, 70V , 1OOV) is a method of
distributing power to loudspeakers over a large area
with less loss than a typical connection would provide . This can also be called a “high impedance system.”
2 . Also called a high-impedance system, this is a
method of distribution over a large area with less loss
than a typical connection would provide ,
Specifying a Power Amplifier for
Direct Connection Audio
- Determine SPL level at the listener
- Add 1OdB for voice or 20 dB for music
- Find loss over distance in dB (loudspeaker to listener)
- Determine power (watts) required at the loudspeaker using the EPR
formula - Round the result up to an amplifier value that can be readily
purchased
Specifying a Power Amplifier for
Distributed Audio
- Determine SPL level at the listener
- Add 1OdB for voice or 20 dB for music
- Find loss over distance in dB
- Determine watts required at the loudspeaker
- Select appropriate tap value for loudspeaker
- Repeat steps 1-5 for each loudspeaker
- Sum the tap settings from all loudspeakers
- Increase the total tap settings by a factor of 1.5
- Round the result up to an amplifier value that can be readily purchased