Audio Signal Basics

AUDIO SIGNAL BASICS
Audio is defined as sound or sound reproduction. Wave sound is a wave

produced from an object that is vibrate. The picture is that the guitar
strings are picked, the guitar will vibrate and these vibrations propagate in
air, or water, or other material. This vibration causes the air molecules to
move. Each air molecule moves at a small distance as a vibration, causing
adjacent molecules to vibrate, all those affected walk into the ear.
This air vibrations cause the eardrum of the listener

vibrate with the same pattern
Sound wave property
Wavelength: The distance between any point on a wave and the
equivalent point on the next phase. Literally, the length of the wave.
Amplitude: The strength or power of a wave signal. The "height" of a

wave when viewed as a graph.
Higher amplitudes are interpreted as a higher volume, hence the name
"amplifier" for a device that increases amplitude.
Frequency: The number of times the wavelength occurs in one

second. Measured in kilohertz (Khz), or cycles per second. The faster
the sound source vibrates, the higher the frequency.
Higher frequencies are interpreted as a higher pitch. For example,
when you sing in a high-pitched voice you are forcing your vocal
chords to vibrate quickly.
Frequency, perioda, phase
Frequency is the number of vibrations that occur in one time seconds or the
number of electric waves / vibrations produced eachc seconds. The frequency is
represented in the letter f.
The period is the time interval needed to make one perfect vibration. The period is
symbolized by the letter T. The relationship between frequency and period is
inversely proportional to the greater the frequency the period will be smaller.
Mathematically can be written:
Phase difference is the time difference of two waves that have the same frequency
in oscillating. Measurement of phase difference is usually done on the input and
output waves of a circuit. The phase difference of two waves is usually expressed
in degrees.
α ß
How Sound Waves Interact with Each Other
When different waves collide (e.g. sound from different sources) they
interfere with each other. This is called, unsurprisingly, wave interference.
Waves with Various Different Properties
Here are some examples of waves with various properties. These animations
have kindly been supplied by Alexander
Churenkov.
Decibel
In all phases of audio technology the decibel is used to express signal levels and level
differences in sound pressure, power, voltage, and current. The reason the decibel is such a
useful measure is that it enables us to use a comparatively small range of numbers to express
large and often unwieldy quantities. The decibel also makes sense from a psychoacoustical
point of view in that it relates directly to the effect of most sensory stimuli.
Power Relationships
Fundamentally, the bel is defined as the common logarithm of a power ratio:
bel = log (P1/P0)
For convenience, we use the decibel, which is simply one-tenth bel. Thus:
Level in decibels (dB) = 10 log (P1/P0)
The following tabulation illustrates the usefulness of the concept. Letting P0 =
1 watt.
Example
1. What power level is represented by 80 watts? First, locate 8 watts in
the left column and note that the corresponding level is 9 dB.
Then,note that 80 is 10 times 8, giving another 10 dB. Thus: 9 +10 =
19 dB.
2. What power level is represented by 1milliwatt? 0.1 watt represents a
level of minus 10 dB, and 0.01 represents a level 10 dB lower.
Finally, 0.001 represents an additional level decrease of 10dB. Thus: -
10 -10 -10 = -30 dB
Voltage, Current, and Pressure Relationships
Electrical power can be represented as:
Because power is proportional to the square of the voltage, the effect of

doubling the voltage is toquadruple the power,
As an example, let E = 1 volt and Z = 1 ohm.Then, P = E2/Z = 1 watt.

Now, let E = 2 volts; then,P = (2)2/1 = 4watts
The same holds true for current, and the following equations must be used to
express power levels in dB using voltage and current ratios
An extended nomograph for converting power ratios to level
differences in dB is given in Figure below.
1. Find the level difference in dB between 2 volts and 10 volts. Directly from the table
we observe: 20 – 6 = 14 dB.
2. Find the level difference between 1 volt and100 volts. A 10-to-1 ratio corresponds to
a level difference of 20 dB. Since 1-to-100 represents the product of two such ratios
(1-to-10 and 10-to-100),the answer is: 20 +20 = 40 dB.
3. The signal input to an amplifier is 1 volt, and the input impedance is 600 ohms. The
output is also1 volt, and the load impedance is 15 ohms. What is the gain of the
amplifier in dB? Watch this one carefully!.
Sound Pressure and Loudness Contours
We will see the term dB-SPL time and
again in professional sound work. It
refers to sound pressure levels in dB
above the reference of 20 x 10-6 N/m2.
When measuring sound pressure
levels, weighted response may be
employed to more closely approximate
the response of the ear. Working with
sound systems, the most useful scales
on the sound level meter will be the A -
weighting scale and the linear scale,
shown in Figure 2-3.
Inverse Square Relationships
When we move away from a point source
of sound out of doors, or in a free field, we
observe that SPL falls off almost exactly 6
dB for each doubling of distance away
from the source. The reason for this is
shown in Figure 2-5.
At A there is a sphere of radius one meter
surrounding a point source of sound
P1representing the SPL at the surface of
the sphere. At B, we observe a sphere of
twice the radius, 2 meters.The area of the
larger sphere is four times that of the
smaller one, and this means that the
acoustical power passing through a small
area on the larger sphere will be one-
fourth that passing through the same small
area on the smaller sphere.
Let us work a few exercises using the nomograph of Figure 2-6:1. A JBL model 2360
horn with a 2446 HF driver produces an output of 113 dB, 1 watt at 1 meter. What SPL
will be produced by 1 watt at 30 meters? We can solve this by inspection of the
nomograph. Simply read the difference in dB between 1 meter and 30 meters: 29.5 dB.
Now, subtracting this from113 dB: 113 – 29.5 = 83.5 dB
2. The nominal power rating of the JBL model 2446 driver is 100 watts. What
maximum SPL will be produced at a distance of 120 meters in a free field
when this driver is mounted on a JBL model 2366 horn?.
There are three simple steps in solving this problem. First, determine the
inverse square loss from Figure 2-6; it is approximately 42 dB. Next,
determine the level difference between one watt and100 watts. From Figure
2-1 we observe this to be 20dB. Finally, note that the horn-driver sensitivity
is 118 dB, 1 watt at 1 meter. Adding these values:
118 – 42 + 20 = 96 dB-SPL
Calculations such as these are very commonplace in sound reinforcement
work, and qualified sound contractors should be able to make them easily.
Adding Power Levels in dB
What is the resulting level? If we simply add the levels numerically, we get 188 dB-SPL,
clearly an absurd answer! What we must do in effect is convert the levels back to their
actual powers, add them, and then recalculate the level in dB.
Let D be the difference in dB between the two levels, and determine the value N
corresponding to this difference. Now, add N to the higher of the two original values.
As an exercise, let us add two sound fields, 90dB-SPL and 84 dB-SPL. Using Figure 2-
7, a D of 6dB corresponds to an N of about 1 dB. Therefore, the new level will be 91 dB-
SPL.
Reference Levels
 In acoustical measurements, SPL is always measured relative to 20 x 10-6 Pa. An
equivalent expression of this is .0002 dynes/cm2.
 In broadcast transmission work, power is often expressed relative to 1 milliwatt
(.001 watt), and such levels are expressed in dBm.
 The designation dBW refers to levels relative to one watt. Thus, 0 dBW = 30 dBm.
 In signal transmission diagrams, the designation dBu indicates voltage levels
referred to 0.775 volts.
• In other voltage measurements, dBV refers to levels relative to 1 volt. Rarely
encountered by the sound contractor will be acoustical power levels. These are
designated dB-PWL, and the reference power is 10-12 watts.
This is a very small power indeed. It is used in acoustical measurements because such
small amounts of power are normally encountered in acoustics.
Homework assignments
1. Two waves have the form shown in figures a and b:
a. What is the final waveform if the two waves are added together?
b. What is the final waveform if both waves are added and each has a 180 degree
difference?
a. b.
2. What power level is represented by 32 watts?.
15 dB (slide 9)
3. Based on the table, find is the level difference in dB
between 1.25 V and 8 Volt.
1,25 V = 2 dan 8 V = 18
Sehingga perbedaan keduanya = 16 dB
4. The signal input to an amplifier is 2 volt, and the input

impedance is 500 ohms. The output is also 2 volt, and the load
impedance is 8 ohms. What is the gain of the amplifier in dB?
Pi = 4/500 Po = 4/8
P = 4/8 X 500/4= 500/8 = 62,5
62,5 = 1,25 X 5 X 10
= 1 + 7 + 10 = 18 dB (slide 9)
5. Dual sound fields, 100 dB-SPL and 93 dB-SPL were added. Using Figure 2-7 becomes
what a new level ?. 100,8 dB.
6. Complete the equation below:
a. 0 dBV = … dBu
0 dBV = 20 log 1/1
dBu = 20 log 1/0,775 = 2,21
0dBV = 2,21 dBu
b. 2 dBW = … dBm
2 dBW = 32 dBm P (W) = ant log 0.2
2 dBW = 10 log 1,6/1mW = 10 log 1,6/0,001= 10 log 1600 = 32 dBm
4 dBw = … dBm === ant log 0.4 = 2.6 W
4 dBw = 10 log 2,6/0.001 mW = 10 log 2600 = 34.1 dBm
Thank you

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AUDIO SIGNAL BASICS

Audio is defined as sound or sound reproduction. Wave sound is a wave

This air vibrations cause the eardrum of the listener

Amplitude: The strength or power of a wave signal. The "height" of a

Frequency: The number of times the wavelength occurs in one

Because power is proportional to the square of the voltage, the effect of

As an example, let E = 1 volt and Z = 1 ohm.Then, P = E2/Z = 1 watt.

4. The signal input to an amplifier is 2 volt, and the input

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