Audio glossary

Receiver terms

Detachable face - A detachable face is a great way to protect your receiver. When you leave the vehicle you remove all the controls, leaving only a blank plate behind for would-be thieves.

Dolby Noise Reduction - Decodes Dolby-encoded tapes during playback to virtually eliminate tape hiss. Dolby B is the most widely used system. Dolby C is even more effective at increasing the signal-to-noise ratio of the deck.

Dynamic Range - A measure in decibels (dB) of how accurately a CD player renders the range of loud and soft sounds on a disc. A higher figure is better.

FM Mono Sensitivity - This figure tells you how well a receiver can pick up FM radio signals. Smaller values are better -they indicate an ability to pick up weaker stations. Expressed in decibel (dBf).

FM Stereo Separation - A measure of the ability of an FM tuner to re-create a vivid stereo effect. Measured, in dB (decibels), the higher the figure the better.

Frequency Response - The range of sounds, bass to treble, a stereo component can reproduce. It's measured in Hertz (Hz), and a wider range is better -the bass will be lower and the treble will be higher. Humans can perceive sounds from 20 to 20,000 Hz. The lowest note on a bass guitar is about 41 Hz. Most male vocalists have a range between 100 and 500 Hz. Cymbals hit about 15,000 Hz.

Illumination - Most in-dash receivers have green or amber illumination which is set by the manufacturer. Models with switchable, 2-way illumination let you select one color or the other in order to match your dash lights. Models with 4-way illumination let you choose the readout or the background in either color.

Install Depth - The length, in inches, of the portion of the stereo that sits behind the dash. It includes an allowance for cables coming out of the unit.

Loudness - This control allows you to boost the lower frequencies in your music to keep it full-sounding, even at lower volumes

Preamp Outputs - Jacks on the rear of the receiver that allow you to use a standard RCA patch cable to add an external amp. Some receivers have two sets, which help if you plan to add a 4-channel amp or a second amp. Some receivers have three sets, one of which is usually intended to be used for a subwoofer amp. In some cases, you can select a low-pass crossover frequency for the second or third set of preamp outputs.

Some receivers offer a "non-fading" set of preamp outputs. Hook your subwoofer amp to the non-fading outputs, and you can fade the regular speakers front to rear without affecting the sound of the subwoofer. Or, if you hook the amp for your main speakers to the non-fading set and your subwoofer amp to the set that fades, you can use the receiver's fader to control the sub's volume.

Preset Scan or Memory Scan - Touch a button and your receiver automatically plays a brief sample of what's on each of your preset radio stations. Touch the button again when you hear something you want to stick with.

RMS Power vs. Peak Power - The amount of continuous power, measured in watts, that an amplifier produces is called RMS power. The higher the RMS figure, the louder and cleaner your music sounds.

Stereo manufacturers often display peak power ratings on the face of their products. Peak power is measured during a brief musical burst, like a dramatic drum accent. The RMS figure is more significant.

In-dash cassette player and CD terms

Auto Music Search - Fast-forwards or rewinds to the next song and begins play automatically. Multi-track search skips forward or backward over multiple tracks -hit the fast-forward button three times to skip forward three songs.

Blank Skip - This feature automatically fast-forwards through any silent spots on your tapes.

Full-logi c Controls - With a full-logic deck you'll enjoy soft-touch electronic controls, instead of the traditional spring-loaded mechanical buttons. When you insert a cassette, the power load feature takes over and automatically moves it into position. No muscle power is need to eject the tape either -just lightly touch a button, and the tape pops out smoothly. Full-logic decks often offer advanced operational features, including multi-track Music Search, Repeat, and Blank Skip.

Intro Scan - Lets you hear the first few seconds of each track on a tape or a CD. Hit the button again when you hear the song you're looking for. The scanning feature will stop, and that track will continue playing. This feature is very common among CD players, and is also available on a few cassette receivers.

Power-off Release or Key-off Release - Disengages the pinchroller from the capstan when you turn off the tape deck or turn off your vehicle's engine without first ejecting the tape. Otherwise a crease might form on the pinchroller which would cause the deck to perform poorly. This also prevents damage to tapes left in the player when the power is turned off.

Radio Recall or Automatic Tuner Activation - Automatically plays the radio when a tape is fast-winding. On some receivers, this feature is automatic. On others it's selectable.

Random Play or Shuffle Play - Mixes up the order of songs during playback. Signal-to-Noise Ratio -A measure of how well a cassette or CD player silences background noise. Higher ratings, in decibels (dB), indicate less noise. Tape EQ or Metal Switch -Selects the best equalization response according to the type of tape -normal or high-bias. In some decks it's automatic. Track Repeat -Plays the same track over and over until you turn the feature off.

Travel Presets or Best Tuning Memory - Engage this feature and the receiver automatically loads your presets with the strongest available signals. It makes finding stations easier when you're d riving through unfamiliar territory. It also makes loading presets a snap when you first install the receiver or any time your battery runs down or gets disconnected (which wipes out the tuner's preset memory).

CD changer terms

FM add-on or FM modulated changers - These are packages that allow you to add a disc changer to any FM vehicle radio, factory systems included. The package consists of a controller and RF (radio frequency) interface and, usually, a changer. By converting the CD audio signal into an FM radio signal, the "station" is simply tuned in on the existing FM radio.

Hideaway Unit - Part of an FM modulator package, this is the RF modulator itself. About the size of a pack of cigarettes, it's typically installed out of sight, behind your receiver.

Intro Scan - This feature lets you press a button to hear the first several seconds of each track on the currently selected disc, or the first several seconds of each disc in the magazine. Depending on its manufacturer, your changer will perform one or both of these tasks.

Repeat - This feature lets you play the currently selected disc track repeatedly or the currently selected disc repeatedly.

Shuffle - This feature lets you play the tracks on the currently selected disc in a random order or play each track on each disc in the changer in a random order.

Custom Programming -Some changer controller combinations let you specify exactly which tracks will play on a CD. Disc title features let you assign each disc a name that will appear on the in-dash display when that disc is loaded. Sony's Custom File Plus systems let you display the titles of all loaded CDs without interrupting playback, and also let you program two separate twelve song sequences.

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