Glossary
A–C
ADAT
A multichannel digital audio format carried through an optical TOSLINK connection.
ORIA can receive up to eight channels through each ADAT input at 44.1 or 48 kHz, or four channels through each input at 88.2 or 96 kHz using SMUX.
AES/EBU
A professional digital audio format that carries two audio channels through each AES data stream.
ORIA provides eight AES output streams, carrying a total of 16 audio channels.
AoIP
Audio over IP. Audio is transmitted between compatible devices through an Ethernet network.
ORIA supports AoIP through the optional Dante expansion card.
ASIO
Audio Stream Input/Output. A low-latency audio-driver system used by professional audio applications on Windows.
BNC
A locking coaxial connector used for ORIA’s Word Clock Input and Word Clock Output.
Clock Controller
The device that provides the clock signal to the other devices in a connected digital audio system.
Only one device should act as the Clock Controller.
Clock Peripheral
A digital device that synchronises to a clock signal provided by another device.
Clock source
The signal that ORIA uses to determine its digital audio timing.
ORIA can use its internal clock or synchronise to a compatible external source through ADAT, BNC word clock or AoIP.
Core Audio
The audio system built into macOS.
ORIA uses Core Audio on a Mac and does not require a separate audio driver.
Crossover
A filter that divides an audio signal by frequency.
When bass management is enabled, frequencies below the selected crossover point can be removed from a speaker output and redirected to a subwoofer.
Cue mix
A separate monitoring mix normally created for a performer using headphones.
ORIA’s low-latency software mixer provides Cue A and Cue B mixes.
D–F
Dante
An AoIP system developed by Audinate for transmitting digital audio and clock information through an Ethernet network.
Dante Controller
The application used to configure routing, sample rates and other settings for devices on a Dante network.
DAW
Digital Audio Workstation. Software used to record, edit, mix and play audio.
dB
Decibel. A unit used to express a relative change in signal level.
dBFS
Decibels relative to full scale. A measurement used for digital audio levels, where 0 dBFS is the maximum possible digital level.
dBu
A measurement of analogue signal level referenced to 0.775 volts RMS.
Delay
A calibration adjustment that holds back a speaker signal by a specified amount of time.
Delay can be used to align sound arriving from speakers positioned at different distances from the listening position.
DIM
A monitoring function that temporarily reduces ORIA’s speaker level by the amount configured in the System Panel.
Downmix
A version of a multichannel mix reproduced through fewer speaker channels.
For example, a Dolby Atmos mix can be downmixed to 7.1, 5.1, stereo or mono.
DSP
Digital Signal Processing.
ORIA’s onboard DSP applies calibration, routing, level, delay, crossover and monitoring processing within the hardware.
EUCON
A control protocol developed by Avid.
EUCON allows compatible Avid surfaces and the Avid Control app to control ORIA through EuControl.
Favourite Profile
One of four Profiles assigned for immediate access from ORIA’s front panel and supported remote-control integrations.
Firmware
Software stored within ORIA’s hardware.
Firmware updates can add features, resolve problems and maintain compatibility with ORIA Control.
G–M
Global Delay
A delay applied to all speaker outputs.
This can be used to synchronise audio with video playback.
Immersive audio
A multichannel audio format that uses speakers around and above the listening position to create a three-dimensional sound field.
Input source
The audio path currently selected for monitoring through ORIA.
Available sources can include USB, ADAT, Dante and ORIA’s software-mixer outputs.
Latency
The time taken for an audio signal to pass through a system.
ORIA’s low-latency software mixer allows incoming signals to be monitored without first passing through the DAW.
LFE
Low-Frequency Effects. A dedicated channel used for low-frequency content in surround and immersive formats.
The LFE channel is separate from bass redirected to a subwoofer through ORIA’s crossover processing.
Line level
The standard signal level used between professional audio equipment such as interfaces, mixers, monitor controllers and active speakers.
Low-latency software mixer
The mixer built into ORIA Control.
It creates a Master Mix and two Cue mixes while allowing incoming signals to be monitored with minimal latency.
Master Bypass / Global Bypass
Two labels used within ORIA documentation and its remote-control layouts for the overall calibration-bypass function.
The ORIA Control documentation refers to Master Bypass, while the supplied EUCON layout uses Global Bypass.
The function allows the speaker signal to be auditioned with ORIA’s DSP settings bypassed.
Master Mix
The main output mix created in ORIA’s low-latency software mixer.
It is normally used by the engineer for studio monitoring.
Mono
A monitoring function that sums the Left and Right channels for mono-compatibility checking.
The function applies to the Left and Right stereo channels rather than summing every channel in a surround or immersive configuration.
Monitor controller
A device used to select monitoring sources, control speaker volume and perform functions such as mute, DIM, mono and speaker auditioning.
Mute
A control that silences the selected output, speaker or speaker group.
P–R
Phantom power
A DC voltage supplied through an XLR microphone connection to power compatible condenser microphones and other active equipment.
ORIA supplies 48 V phantom power.
Polarity
The positive and negative orientation of an audio signal.
ORIA’s Polarity function reverses the polarity of the Left channel and sums it with the Right channel. This suppresses centrally panned content and allows the stereo difference information to be auditioned.
The function applies to the Left and Right stereo channels.
Some supplied remote-control layouts may label this function Phase.
POST metering
Metering taken after ORIA’s output DSP.
POST metering also reflects changes made using ORIA’s volume control.
PRE metering
Metering of the signals entering ORIA before speaker-calibration and output-volume processing.
Profile
A collection of speaker-configuration, calibration and monitoring-level settings stored on ORIA.
A Profile contains the speaker configuration, each output’s EQ, trim, delay and crossover settings, and its saved output level. ORIA can store up to 32 Profiles.
Reference level
A predefined monitoring volume stored as part of an ORIA Profile.
Renderer
Software or hardware that converts an immersive audio mix into the signals required for the selected speaker configuration.
ORIA can communicate with a compatible Dolby Atmos Renderer for downmix control.
Return to Reference
A monitoring function that returns ORIA to the reference listening level stored in the active Profile.
S–Z
Sample rate
The number of times per second that a digital audio signal is measured.
ORIA supports 44.1, 48, 88.2 and 96 kHz. All digitally connected equipment must operate at the same sample rate.
SMUX
Sample Multiplexing. A method used to carry higher-sample-rate audio through ADAT.
At 88.2 or 96 kHz, each ORIA ADAT input carries four channels instead of eight.
Solo
A control that allows the selected speaker or speaker group to be heard while excluding the other speakers.
SoundID Reference
Speaker and room-calibration software developed by Sonarworks.
Calibration profiles created in SoundID Reference can be transferred to ORIA’s onboard DSP.
Speaker calibration
The process of applying EQ, output trim, delay and crossover settings to compensate for differences between speakers, their positions and the listening environment.
Speaker configuration
The arrangement of speakers used by a monitoring system, such as stereo, 5.1, 7.1.4 or 9.1.6.
In a format written as 9.1.6:
- 9 represents the ear-level speakers.
- 1 represents the LFE channel.
- 6 represents the overhead or height speakers.
Speaker group
A collection of related speaker outputs that can be muted or soloed together.
ORIA groups can include Fronts, Sides, Heights, Subs and Stereo.
TASCAM pinout
A DB25 channel-wiring convention used for multichannel audio connections.
ORIA’s AES DB25 output uses the TASCAM channel pinout.
Termination
An electrical load fitted at the end of a BNC word-clock connection to prevent signal reflections.
Only the final device in a word-clock chain should have 75 Ω termination enabled.
THD+N
Total Harmonic Distortion plus Noise. A measurement of unwanted distortion and noise introduced by audio equipment.
TOSLINK
An optical connector and cable type.
ORIA uses TOSLINK connections for its two ADAT inputs.
Trim
A level adjustment applied to an individual speaker or an entire Profile during calibration.
USB audio
Digital audio transmitted between ORIA and a connected computer through USB.
ORIA’s USB connection also carries control data between the hardware and ORIA Control.
Word clock
A synchronisation signal used to keep digital audio devices operating at the same sample rate and timing.
ORIA provides separate BNC Word Clock Input and Word Clock Output connections.