Glossary: Signal To Noise Ratio

Expert Center > Glossary > Signal To Noise Ratio

«Back to Glossary Menu

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 0-9

Signal To Noise Ratio: In layman's terms this is simply a measurement of a given noise level in a device as compared to the level of the signal. Higher numbers signify a greater difference, which is better. In technical terms it is the ratio of signal power at a reference point in a circuit to the noise power that would exist if the signal were removed (its noise floor). The maximum signal to noise ratio (which in many schools of thought is equivalent to dynamic range) of a given piece of equipment can be an important thing to know. This ratio is how much absolute noise it has compared to the highest signal voltage it can pass without distortion. While signal to noise ratio is often used as a specification to characterize relative quality differences in equipment, the way in which measurements must be done, and the degree to which they can differ, makes the true objectivity of such measurements highly suspect. Factors such as how much distortion can be allowed before you say the signal has reached "maximum" as well as other kinds of noise (like modulation noise) that may only show up when signals are present are just two examples of many variables that affect objective measurements. In digital equalizers the signal to noise ratio is a function of the maximum possible sine wave signal power compared to the quantization noise (a.k.a. quantization error) power. This is a very unambiguous value in linear PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) systems, but in other types of PCM systems the quantization noise (or quantization error) depends strongly on the level of the audio being recorded so it is very difficult to nail down the actual signal to noise ratio. It is sometimes useful to be able to compare S/N Ratio differences between equipment in certain applications, but it is more important to just understand the concept. Signal to noise ratio concerns us every time we pass audio (or video or data) though anything, and knowing what factors in our setup (such as gain structure) affect it is a fundamental part of building clean, quiet systems and mixes.

S-Video	S.M.A.R.T	S/MUX
S/PDIF	S/s	Sabin
SACD (Super Audio Compact Disc)	Saddle	Sag
Samarium-Cobalt Magnet	Samarium-Cobalt Magnet	Sample
Sample-based Synthesis	Sample and Hold	Sample and Hold
Sample CD	Sampler	Sample Rate
Sample Rate Conversion/Converter	Sandbox	Sansa
Sapele	Sapwood	Sarrusophone
SATB	Saturation	Sawtooth Wave
Scale	Scale Length	Scene
Schmitt Trigger	Schroeder Diffusers	SCMS
Scoop	Scooped Mids	Score
Scoring Paper	Scratch	Scratchplate
Scratch Vocal	Screen Saver	Screen Shot
Scribble Strip	Scroll, Scrolling	Scroll Wheel
Scrub	SCSI	SD Card
SDDS	SDIF	SDII (Sound Designer II)
SDMI	SDRAM	Sample Dump Standard (SDS)
SECAM	Sector	Seek Time
Selectivity	Self-Noise	Semi-Open
Semi-Parametric EQ	Semi-Weighted Action	Semiconductor
Semitone	Send	Sensitivity
Sequence	Sequencer	Serial
Serial ATA	Serial Time Code	Series
Server	Serve Shield	Session
Set Neck	Sforzando	SFSK
SFX	Shared Library	Shareware
Sharp	Shedding	Shelf/Shelving
Shell	Shield	Shim
Shockmount	Short	Short-scale Bass
Shortcut	Shotgun Microphone	Shred
Shuffle Mode	Shuffler	Shunt
Shuttle	Sibilance	Side-slipping
Side Address	Sideband	Sidechain
Sidefill	Sideman Clause	Signal
Signal Path	Signal To Noise Ratio	Signature
Silica Gel	Silver Duke	SIMM
Simplex Circuit	Sine Wave	Single
Single-ended	Single Coil	Ska
Skiffle	Skin Effect	Skip Back Sampling
Skirt	Skunk Stripe	Slab Board
Slap Echo	Slash Chord	Slate
Slave	Slave Reel	Sleep
Slew Rate	Slide Guitar	Slim-Taper Neck
Slip Cue	Slip Mode	Slope
Slur	Small Diaphragm	SmartMedia
SmartWood	SMDI	Standard MIDI File (SMF)
SMPTE	SMPTE Time Code	Snake
Snapshot Automation	Soap bar	Soffit
Soft Clipping	SOFT/HARD VACUUM	Soft Knee (Compression)
Soft Limiter	Soft Reset	Soft Sampler
Soft Synth	Software	Software Update
Solder	Solid Body (guitar)	Solid State
Solo	Solo	Sonata Form
Song Form	Song Position Pointer (SPP)	Sony Wave64
Soprano	Sostenuto Pedal	Sound
Soundbite	Soundboard	Sound Card
Sound Check	Sound Designer	Soundette
Sound Field	Sound font	Soundhole
Sound Manager	Soundstage	Sound Transmission Loss
Soundware	Sound Wave	Source
SourceCode	Source Cue/Source Music	SP-MIDI
Space Control Bridge	Spaced Omni	Spaghetti Logo
Spalted Maple	Speaker Cabinet	Speakon
Spectra	Spectrum	Sphere stereo
Spider	Sound Pressure Level (SPL)	Splatter
Splay	Splice/Splicing	Splined
Split Point	Spot Mode	Spotting Session
Song Position Pointer (SPP)	Spread	Spring Claw
Spring Reverb	Spruce	Sputter/Sputtering
signal to quantization noise ratio	Square Wave	Square Wave Response
Squelch	Staccato	Stack
Staff	Stage Monitor	Stair Stepping
Standalone or Stand Alone	Standby-Ferro UPS	Standby On-Line Hybrid
Standby UPS	Standing Wave	Star Ground
Star Network	Star Quad	Start Time
Startup Disk	Status Byte	STC
Steganography	Stem	Stepp DG1
Stepped Attenuator	Stepped Sine Wave	Step Time
Stereo	Stereo Bar	Stochastic Music
Stock	Stompbox	Stop (or Organ Stop)
Stopband	Stoptail Bridge	Stop Tailpiece
Straight 8s (also called Latin)	Strap	Strap Button
Stratabond	Stratitis	Stratosphere Twin
Stream/Streaming	Streamer	Streaming Audio
Streaming Media	Stretch Tuning	String Length
String Retainer Bar	String Tree	String Winder
Stripe	Striping	Strip Silence
Stutter Effect (Stuttering)	Stylus	Sub
Sub-audio	Sub-Octave Generator	Subcode
Subdominant	Subframe	Subgroup
Submediant	Submix	Subtractive Synthesis
Subwoofer	Suite	Sum/Summing
Summing Resistor	Super-Tron	Super Axe
Supercardioid	Superclock	Superheterodyne
Supertonic	SuperTron	Supraaural
Surface Mount	Surround	Surround Sound
Suspension	Suspension Basket	Sustain
Sustained Transfer Rate	Sustain Pedal	SVGA
Sweep	Sweepable Mids	Sweetening
Sweet Spot	Sweet Switch	Swing
Switching Power Supply	Switchmaster	Sympathetic Strings
Sympathetic Vibration	Sync 24	Synchromatic
Synchronization	Synchronization Right	Synchronizer
Synchronous	Synclavier	Syncopation
Syncrosoft Key	Sync Track	Synergy
Synth Action	SynthAxe	Synthesizer
Syquest	System Bus	System Common Message
System Exclusive	System Preferences (Mac OS X)	System Real Time