TABLE OF CONTENTS by Pat Brown
Most people get involved in the audio trade prior to experiencing technical training. Those serious about practicing audio "dig in" to the books later to learn the physical principles underlying their craft. This chapter is devoted to establishing a "baseline" of information that will prove invaluable to anyone working in the audio field.
Numerous tools exist for those who work on sound systems. The most important are the mathematical tools. Their application is independent of the type of system or its use. Of course, one must always balance the mathematical approach with real-world experimentation to gain an understanding of the shortcomings and limitations of the formulas. Once the basics have been mastered, sound system work becomes largely intuitive.
Audio practitioners must have a general understanding of many subjects. The information in this chapter has been carefully selected to give the reader the "big picture" of what is important in sound systems. Many of the topics are covered in greater detail in other chapters of this book. In this initial treatment of each subject, the language of mathematics has been kept to a minimum, opting instead for word explanations of the theories and...
