Term: Channel (audio)

Note:
 “Search Glossary” button searches only the glossary. Temporary note: search not enabled for two- and three-character terms; browse by alphabet.
 “Search“ button at the top right of the page searches the Web site, not the glossary.

Suggest a term

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

Term: Channel (audio)

Definition:

A single stream of recorded sound with a location in a sound field ("left front loudspeaker"). This definition reflects common (although not universal) usage. Some writers use the term more broadly (no requirement for sound field location) or apply it to a signal that has been stored on media ("a two-channel tape").

Audio professionals sometimes use track for the meanings outlined in the preceding paragraph. In order to distinguish track from channel, however, this working group defines track as a stream of sound with no defined location in a sound field.

Category:

Audio

See also:

Track (audio); Multitrack (audio); Multichannel (audio); Sound field