Sound Cards
A sound card is a thing that lets you plug sound related devices into it, such as speakers, a microphone, headphones and maybe some other stuff.
Audio Processor - DSP
An audio processor is able to take actual sound (that we hear) and digitize it, so that it can be stored in a computer, it makes recording sound possible. Audio processors take noises and turn them into math, 'Sounds into math? Sounds are way cooler than math! What are you a nerd? Why would I want my sounds to turn into math?' Vibrations in the air cannot actually be stored in a computer, by digitizing sound and then manipulating it, it is possible for a computer to hold a sound in it that you can let out on command. Cool right? Yeah, I know. And it's not only able to store it and then release exactly what it's stored (or recorded - same thing), but it can manipulate the sound and change it, like... you can control the volume, and equalize and stuff. Audio is received by a computer, then it gets to the digital signal processor (or sound processor), the DSP then encodes the sound and saves it to the computers storage, and when you want to play the sound back, the DSP decodes the sound file that it previously encoded so that it can be turned into sound we can hear. That happens by the decoded sound file going through the digital - to - analog converter and into sound that we can hear, (this is after the sound is recorded and has gone through the phase where the analog sound is input through a receiver, where it is then encoded, as mentioned previously)
The recording process and what the audio processor/ sound processor/ DSP does -
And the process of playing the music from the storage of the computer -
MonoMono audio is audio that uses only one channel, this is where all of the audio signals are mixed together and given out all at the same time on the same channel, with the sound hitting everywhere in the room with equal distribution. Even with multiple speakers that are greatly distanced from each other, there is no illusion of the sound coming from different places at different times, it's all just blasted out to you at the same time.
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StereoStereo audio is audio that uses more than one channel, so that sounds can have their own channel, and be distributed independently from each other. This creates the illusion of something audibly moving in a specific direction, it makes it possible for you to know, for instance which way a character is walking, even with your eyes closed (in some instances - It depends on what is being portrayed, stereo speakers just make it possible)
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Surround
Surround sound takes what stereo speakers can do another few steps forward, rather than having channels make the audio sound like it's going right to left and vice versá, surround sound has the sound come from all around you, so sounds can come from behind you and stuff, awesome right? This makes the ultimate illusion of audio spacing possible, it sounds like there is a guy behind you in the game, because you are playing the game with your surround sound system on, and in the game there is a guy trying to creep up behind you so he can get a melee kill and take your digital dog tags, but due to his error of not rushing in to take action before you were able to react, you detected him through sound, because there was literally a sound behind you, (thanks to your surround sound system) and you were able to turn around super quick (because you obviously have the sensitivity on the highest setting because you are a pro) and splatter his digital brains all over the digital wall behind him. But then, you hear more footsteps behind you. This time... you're going to play dumb and then take him by surprise, (because he also isn't running towards you, and therefore taking the stealthy approach) "Hmph! Rookie move" you say with a smirk while teabagging your previous attacker to maintain the illusion of your ignorance that you have created, but then... "WHAT IS THIS!?" you shout to yourself in absolute shock. You just felt something on your neck. At this point you think you have gone insane because of the 9 hour Battlefield 4 marathon, and are now hallucinating, not visually or audibly, but with feelings, you felt a touch, there's no mistaking that. How does that even happen? You didn't even know that people could feel hallucinations like this, is your brain actually breaking? Are you going to have to spend the rest of your life in a padded room when someone eventually finds out how crazy you are? Should you just cut all contact with the outside world? Have you become a Recon class soldier incarnate? Can you function in society anymore? What if you can't walk through the streets without the mentality you have in the game? Are you going to kill someone on reaction and then get violated by inmates at the prison you are sent to because you don't even lift? Is your life as a regular person over? Are you going to have to get used to this reality you know in your heart of hearts isn't real? Are you now as vulnerable as those kids you used to make fun of in the comp? Are you going to be looked down on for the rest of your life? At this point you hear "Are you alright sweetheart? You're scaring me" Your assumptions of hallucination are immediately dismissed when you realize that your girlfriend has brought you a cup of tea, and tried to kiss you on the neck to greet you, and didn't immediately say anything because you had scared her with your sudden reaction. "Sorry bubble butt, I'm just a little high strung from this constant video game grind I've been on for the past 9 hours" Damnit man, you've got to chill out with the amount of time you spend playing video games. You are then killed by the man you teabagged, before he serves you his own revenge teabagging.
Sampling Rate
The sampling rate refers to how frequently samples are taken from an analog signal, that is being converted into digital form, the more frequently samples are taken, or the higher the sample rate (same thing) the higher quality the digitized version will be. The frequency of samples being taken is usually measured in Hertz (Hz) or Kilohertz (kHz) per second. So a sample rate of 20kHz (20kHz of sound sampled per second) would be higher than a sample rate of 19kHz and a sample rate of 20,000Hz is a higher sample rate (and therefore higher quality digitization) than 19,000Hz.