Signal processor

A signal processor is an electronic circuit that removes information from an analog signal as quantifiable units for further analysis. Most modern signal processors are either dedicated microprocessor integrated circuits or general-purpose programmable microprocessors. A DSP (digital signal processor) is an electronic device wnich serves the purpose of signal processing. It can be used for digital to analog and vice versa conversions.

Digital audio

In the realm of digital audio, a signal processor is a device that modifies an audio signal, either electric or digital. It can be a piece of electronic hardware or computer software. A basic example of a signal processor is a high-pass filter, which removes low frequencies from a signal.

Traditionally signal processors were electronic circuits that affected analog signals. In digital audio, signal processors can be software that alter digitized audio information. The term Digital Signal Processing (DSP) usually refers to the processors that are involved in calculating the effect a digital signal processor will have on an audio file. For example, HD Accel cards by Digidesign contain processors that calculate the changes to a digital audio signal.

Types of Signal Processors

• Equalization
• Filters
• Reverberation
• Delay
• Dynamic processing (compression, expansion, limiting, noise gating)
• Noise reduction

References

• Audio in Media, Stanley R. Allen, Thomson Wadsworth, 7th Edition, 2005. ISBN 0-534-63046-4