Glossary → Audio fundamentals
Audio fundamentals
Dynamic range
Dynamic range is the span between the quietest and loudest parts of audio — of a performance, a recording, or a format's capability.
Wide dynamic range is dramatic but hard to consume in noisy environments, which is why podcasts compress speech into a narrow, consistent range. Format dynamic range (16-bit ≈ 96 dB) is about the container; delivered dynamic range is a mixing decision.
Related terms
Compression (dynamics)A compressor automatically reduces the level of loud moments, narrowing the gap between quiet and loud so spee…
Bit depthBit depth is how many bits describe each audio sample — 16-bit (CD) gives about 96 dB of dynamic range; 24-bit…
Loudness normalizationLoudness normalization adjusts audio to a target perceived loudness, measured in LUFS, rather than to peak lev…