Glossary - VINCENT SV-700 Manuel D'utilisation

Audio Sources/Source devices
These are the components of your HiFi system and
all other appliances, whose sound you want to
hear over the system and are thus connected to the
preamplifier, amplifier or receiver. This includes
CD players, DVD players, tuners (radios), cassette
players, DAT recorders, personal computers,
record players, portable audio devices and many
more.
Input sensitivity
Term for the smallest average (RMS) input voltage
which causes the maximum output power at the
maximum volume setting on the amplifier.
Examples: 100 mV to 500 mV (Millivolts) on line
level inputs, 2 mV to 5 mV on the phono MM input
or 0.1 mV to 0.5 mV on the phono MC input.
dB Level
This is a way of describing any physical quantity;
it is a common measurement for signal voltages
and the volume. It is given in decibels (dB).
Alternating signal voltages below 1V (RMS) are
described as "line level" voltages, which are suit-
able as music signals for amplifier inputs. Inputs
on amplifiers (mostly represented by RCA sockets),
which are designed for signals on the CD player,
tape recorder, DVD player etc. are also referred to
as "line level inputs" or "high-level inputs". Those
signal inputs must not be confused with inputs that
accept preamplified signals.
Vincent
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GLOSSARY

RCA
RCA is the American name for coaxial RCA con-
nectors and sockets, originally the abbreviation
for "Radio Corporation of America", the name of
a United States company. Both the plug and cable
consist of a rod-shaped inner lead and a cylindri-
cal-shaped outer lead. This enables a mono audio
signal or a video signal to be transmitted.
Compared to the XLR plug connector, this type of
connection is also called "unbalanced signal con-
nection".
XLR
Also: "Symmetrical Connection" or "balanced". A
plug-and-socket connection for audio devices. It is
round (with approx. 1.5 cm in diameter) and has
3 contacts/pins. XLR is an alternative connection
to RCA used to transmit NF-Signals in professional
audio equipment. The advantage is one additio-
nal transmission path for the same but phase inver-
ted signal. If the receiving device can process this,
all inducted noise received in the cable screen can
be eliminated. The signal voltage level used for
this type of transfer is higher, so it is a more robust
less sensitive signal path.
Dynamic
The volume difference between the quietest and
the loudest sounds possible in audio signals, wit-
hout distortion or transition to noise.