Learning Library

How many times a sound wave vibrates per second. Low numbers = bass you feel; high numbers = treble you hear as “sparkle.”

The pitch at which a speaker driver naturally “wants” to vibrate. It sets the lowest note that driver can play cleanly.

How loud a speaker plays for a given amount of power, measured in decibels at 1 watt/1 meter. Higher sensitivity means louder sound from the same amp.

How far a speaker cone can move before it distorts or gets damaged — a key spec for how loud and low a subwoofer can go.

The loudest a driver or system can play before distortion or mechanical limits take over — distinct from sensitivity, which measures efficiency.

A single number that summarizes how a driver's suspension and motor control its motion near resonance — a key input for enclosure design.

The power a speaker or amp can handle all day without damage — the number that actually matters more than “peak” watts.

How loud a speaker gets for a given amount of power in — and why matching it to your amp's output matters for clean sound.

The electrical resistance a speaker presents to your amp. Most home speakers run 8Ω; many car subs run 2–4Ω — it changes how much power your amp delivers.

A measure of how well an amplifier controls a speaker cone's motion, particularly the ability to stop it from moving once the signal stops.

The gap between your music and the background hiss a component produces — a higher number means quieter, cleaner playback at idle.

The frequency point where a system hands off duties between two speakers or drivers — for example, from a subwoofer to your main speakers.

A measure of how much a system's output lags behind the input, frequency by frequency — high group delay can make bass sound smeared or detached from the beat.

Making sure sound from multiple drivers or speakers arrives at the listening position at the same time — critical for accurate imaging.

The percentage of unwanted extra tones a system adds to the original signal. Lower THD means cleaner, more accurate sound.

A chart showing how loud a system plays across the audible spectrum — the single most-referenced measurement in any tuning report.