Glossary: Amplifier | Sweetwater.com

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Expert Center > Glossary > Amplifier

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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

Amplifier: An electronic amplifier is a device for increasing the power of a signal. It does this by taking power from a power supply and shaping the output to match the (relatively low power) input signal. This process invariably introduces some noise and distortion into the signal, and the process cannot be 100% efficient - amplifiers will always produce some waste heat. An idealized amplifier can be said to be "a piece of wire with gain", as the output is an exact replica of the input, but larger. Different designs of amplifier are used for different types of applications and signals. We can broadly divide amplifiers into three categories - small signal amplifiers, low frequency power amplifiers and RF (radio frequency) power amplifiers. Each of these calls for a slightly different design approach, mainly because of the physical limitations of the components used to implement the amplifier, and the efficiencies that can be realized.

A & R

A-B Stereo

A-Time

A-weighted

A/B

A/B/Y

A440

AAC - Advanced Audio Coding (also MPEG-2 AAC)

AAF

Abalam

Abalone

ABS

Absolute Phase

Absorption

Absorption Coefficient

Alternating Current (AC)

AC-1

AC-2

AC-3

Academy Curve

A cappella

Accent

Access Time

Accidental

Accompaniment

Accumulator

Accutronics Reverb

Acetate

Acoustic-electric Guitar

Acoustic Cloud

Acoustic Foam

Acoustic Lens

Acoustics

Acoustic Suspension

Acoustic Treatment

ACPI

Action

Actionflo

Active

Active Monitor

Active Pickup

Active Sensing

Active Speaker

Actuator

Adagio

ADAT

ADAT/FST

ADAT Optical

ADB

A/D Converter (ADC)

Additive Synthesis

Adjusto-Matic

ADPCM

ADR

ADSR

Aeolian Harp

Aerophone

AES

AES/EBU

AES3

AES3id

AES42-2001

AFL

AFM

Aftertouch

AFTRA

Agathis

AGC

Aggregate Device

Aging Toner

Agitato

Agoya

AGP

AHDSFR

AIFF (Audio Interchange File Format)

AIR

AIT

Alder

Alder

Aleatoric Music (Composition)

Algorithm

Alias

Aliasing

Alkaline Battery

All-Button Mode

All-Notes-Off

Allegro

Alnico

Alteration

Altered Chord

Alternate Mix

Alternate Tuning

Alto

AM

Ambience

Ambience Mic

Ambisonics

Amen Break

Amp

Amperage

Ampere

Amp Head

Amplifier

Amplifier, Instrument

Amplitude

Amplitude Modulation

AMS

Analog

Analog Sequencer

Analog Synthesizer

Anamorphic

Andante

Anechoic

Anode

Anodize

Anodized

ANSI

ANSI A-Weighting

Antecedent and Consequence

Antenna

Antenna gain

Anti-Imaging Filter

Anti-Aliasing Filter

Anti-node

Aperiodic

Aperture

API

Apoyando

Apple Talk

Application (Program)

Architecture

Archival Stability

Archive

Archtop Guitar

Arco

ARP Avatar

Arpeggiator

Arpeggio

ARP String Ensemble

Arrangement

Articulation

Artifact

Artificial (or Automated) Double Tracking or ADT)

ASCAP

ASCII

Ash

Ashtray Bridge Cover

ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit)

ASIO

Aspect Ratio

Asperity

ASPI

Asynchronous

ATA

ATA-2

ATA 66/100/120

ATAPI

Absolute Time Code

Atonal Music

ATRAC

ATRAC

Attack

Attenuation

Attenuator

Audio

Audiobook

Audiology

Audio RIP

Audio Suite

AudioUnits

Audiowire

Auditory Cortex

Auditory System

Augmented Interval

Auranomic

Author

Authorization

Authorize

Auto-Glide

Auto Accompaniment

Autolocate/Autolocator

Automata

Automatic Mixer

Automation

Auto Punch

Aux Send

AVI

AWG (American Wire Gauge)

AWM

Axe

Axial Room Mode

Azure Noise

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