Sampling frequency is how often a digital system takes a sample of an analog signal, and must be at least twice the highest frequency to be captured for accurate recording.
Sampling frequency, also called the sampling rate, is how often a digital system takes a sample, or measurement, of an analog signal such as an audio waveform. The more samples taken per second, the more accurately the digital representation captures the original signal. Sampling frequency is fundamental to digital audio and other analog-to-digital conversion.
A basic principle of sampling holds that the sampling frequency must be at least twice the highest frequency to be captured. For example, the 44.1 kilohertz sampling rate used for the compact disc cannot record sounds above 22.05 kilohertz, half the sampling rate. Choosing an adequate sampling frequency is therefore essential to capturing the full range of a signal.
In commercial and professional audio, sampling frequency determines the fidelity of digital recordings and the bandwidth a system can handle. The signals involved travel on cable that must preserve them cleanly through conversion and transmission.
Because choosing an adequate sampling frequency is essential to capturing the full range of a signal, the concept underlies digital audio fidelity and bandwidth, and the signals involved travel on cable that must preserve them cleanly through conversion and transmission.
At Windy City Wire, the focus on quality low-voltage audio and signal cable supports the clean signal paths that digital audio systems depend on. Supplying dependable cable helps ensure that audio remains clean as it moves through systems that sample and convert it across commercial environments.
Also called sampling rate