Definition of Echo
In audio signal processing and acoustics, an echo is a reflection of sound that arrives at the listener with a delay after the direct sound. The delay is directly proportional to the distance of the reflecting surface from the source and the listener. Typical examples are the echo produced by the bottom of a well, a building, or the walls of enclosed and empty rooms.
Terms mentioned above
Related terms
Critical distance
Critical distance is, in acoustics, the distance at which the sound pressure level of…
Pre-echo
In audio signal processing, pre-echo, is a digital audio compression artifact where in…
Distortion (music)
Distortion and overdrive are forms of audio signal processing used to alter the sound of…
Reverb effect
A reverb effect, or reverb, is an audio effect applied to simulate reverberation. It may…
Sonar signal processing
Sonar systems are generally used underwater for range finding and detection. Active…
Echogenicity
Echogenicity (sometimes as echogenecity) or echogeneity is the ability to bounce an…
Insert (effects processing)
In audio processing and sound reinforcement, an insert is an access point built into the…
Auditory masking
In audio signal processing, auditory masking occurs when the perception of one sound is…
Absorption (acoustics)
In acoustics, absorption refers to the process by which a material, structure, or…
Questions people ask
Real questions from the Stack Exchange community – follow a link to read the discussion.
- How can I reduce the echo/reverb in a large room if I can't add physical damping? · Music SE
- Do echo-locating bats experience Terrell effect? · Physics SE
- Avoiding echo/feedback on speaker-phones, how? · Electronics SE
- Cardboard boxes for room echo reduction? · Sound Design SE
- What is that sound effect that they put in almost every movie/TV show now whenever the scene turns dangerous/menacing (an echo-ey metallic scraping sound, 2-4 secs long)? · Sound Design SE
- Reproducing a reverb/echo · Sound Design SE
Further reading
- Anechoic and Reverberation Rooms · Wikibooks: Acoustics
- Anechoic Tiling · Wikibooks: Engineering Acoustics
- Echolocation in Bats and Dolphins · Wikibooks: Engineering Acoustics
Frequently asked questions
What is Echo?
In audio signal processing and acoustics, an echo is a reflection of sound that arrives at the listener with a delay after the direct sound. The delay is directly proportional to the distance of the reflecting surface from the source and the listener.