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Hall Program - A setting of a digital delay/reverb effects unit that approximates concert halls. Hall programs are characterized by pre-delay of up to 25 ms.
Harmonic Distortion - The presence of harmonics in the output signal of a device which were not present in the input signal.
Harmonics - Whole number multiples of the frequency that determines the timbre recognition of an instrument's sound.
Head - 1) In tape recording, the transducer (energy converter) that changes the audio energy from electrical energy to magnetic energy and back; also the devices that apply magnetism to the recording tape for other purposes such as in the erase head. 2) The part of a device that immediately includes the transducer to change sound or audio signals from one energy form to another.
Headroom - 1) The level difference (in dB) between normal operating level and clipping level in an amplifier or audio device. 2) A similar level difference between normal tape operating level and the level where the distortion would be 3%.
Hertz - The unit of frequency. Equivalent to cycles per second. Abbreviation: Hz.
Hi-Z - An abbreviation of the term High Impedance (Impedance of 5000 or more ohms).
High Frequencies - The audio frequencies from 6000 Hz and above.
High Impedance - Impedance of 5000 or more ohms.
High-Impedance Mic - A microphone designed to be fed into an amplifier with input impedance greater than 20 k ohms.
High-Pass Filter - A device that rejects signals that are below a certain frequency (called the cut-off frequency) and passes signals with frequencies that are higher.
Highs - Short for the term High Frequencies (the audio frequencies from 6000 Hz and above).
Horn - A speaker or speaker enclosure where sound waves are put into a narrow opening (by a speaker cone or driver) and the narrow opening flairs out to a larger opening.
Hum - The 60 Hz power line current accidentally induced or fed into electronic equipment.
Hypercardioid Pattern - A microphone pick up sensitivity pattern where the least sensitive pick up point is more than 90 degrees but less than 150 degrees off axis (usually 120 degrees).
Hz - An abbreviation for the term Hertz (the unit of frequency).
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