Winn L. Rosch Hardware Bible, Sixth Edition

Analog Audio

As a human sensation, sound is an analog phenomenon. It has two primary characteristics—loudness (or amplitude) and frequency—that vary over a wide range with an infinite range of variations between its limits. Sounds can be loud or soft or any gradation in between. Frequencies can be low or high or anything in between.

Frequency

Sound frequencies are measured in hertz, just like the frequencies of computer clocks or radio signals. The range of frequencies that a human being can hear depends on age and sex. Younger, female ears generally have wider ranges than older, male ears—maybe that's why some older adults miss the nuances of rap music. Maybe not. In any event, most sources ignore individual differences and list the range of ...