Gain Structure — Setting Levels Through the Signal Chain
Gain structure is the systematic setting of amplification and attenuation at every stage in an audio signal chain to maximize signal-to-noise ratio while maintaining adequate headroom before clipping.
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SNR — Signal-to-Noise Ratio
SNR quantifies how much stronger the desired signal is than the noise floor — a fundamental specification for microphones, preamps, DSPs, and amplifiers that determines how quiet a system can be before background noise becomes audible.
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