The Audio Expert: Everything You Need to Know About Audio

by Ethan Winer, Michael Lawrence

Overview

This newly updated third edition of The Audio Expert offers a comprehensive reference book that covers all aspects of audio. The book includes both practical and theoretical explanations, using common sense plain-English explanations and mechanical analogies, with minimal math.

Written for people who want to understand audio at a technical level without needing an engineering degree, it uses an easy-to-read conversational tone as well as more than 400 figures and photos to augment the printed text. Thoroughly revised, the third edition includes updated terminology for clarity and accuracy, refreshed topics that reflect modern workflows, practices and research, and new sections covering topics such as audio myth-busting. Bringing together the concepts of audio, aural perception, musical instrument physics, acoustics, and basic electronics to demonstrate how they’re intimately related, this book describes in detail many of the practices and techniques used by recording and mixing engineers.

The Audio Expert is the ideal resource for intermediate to advanced sound engineers and audiophiles who want to become experts, as well as offering plenty for beginners too.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781032854519
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	08/29/2025
Edition description:	3rd ed.
Pages:	730
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Ethan Winer has, at various times, earned a living as a professional musician, computer programmer, circuit designer, recording engineer, composer/arranger, technical writer, acoustician, and college instructor. Ethan has more than 200 feature articles published in various computer and audio magazines, and his Cello Rondo music video has received nearly two million views on YouTube and other websites. He’s produced dozens of educational and music videos and composed four pieces for full orchestra, all of which have been performed publicly. Ethan is currently a principal at RealTraps Acoustics, a leading manufacturer of acoustic treatment.

Michael Lawrence is a live sound engineer who specializes in designing and tuning sound systems and has published more than 50 technical articles as well as a full-length book on the topic. He has also published research on sound level measurement and sound exposure at live events, and he serves as technical editor for multiple pro audio publications, including the previous edition of The Audio Expert.

Table of Contents

Part 1: Audio Defined  1. Audio Basics  2. Audio Fidelity, Measurements, and Myths  3. Hearing, Perception, and Artifact Audibility  4. Gozintas and Gozoutas  Part 2: Analog and Digital Recording, Processing, and Methods  5. Mixers, Buses, Routing, and Summing  6. Recording Devices and Methods  7. Mixing Devices and Methods  8. Digital Audio Basics  9. Dynamics Processors  10. Frequency Processors  11. Time Domain Processors  12. Pitch and Time Manipulation Processors  13. Other Audio Processors  14. Synthesizers  Part 3: Transducers  15. Microphones and Pickups  16. Loudspeakers and Earphones  Part 4: Room Acoustics, Treatment, and Monitoring  17. Acoustic Basics  18. Room Shapes, Modes, and Isolation  19. Acoustic Treatment  20. Room Measuring  Part 5: Electronics  21. Basic Electronics in 60 Minutes  22. Test Procedures  Part 6: Musical Instruments  23. Musical Instruments