What does the term "gain" refer to in audio mixing?

The term "gain" in audio mixing specifically refers to signal amplification. When you increase the gain on an audio mixer, you are enhancing the amplitude of the audio signal. This can be crucial for ensuring that the signal is strong enough to be processed effectively, avoiding issues like noise or distortion.

In practical terms, gain controls allow sound engineers to adjust the level of the incoming audio signal to an appropriate level for further mixing and processing. Properly setting the gain is vital for good audio quality and ensures that subsequent mixing techniques can be applied effectively without introducing unwanted artifacts.

Understanding gain is important in distinguishing it from volume output, which is often confused with gain but actually refers to how loud the sound is once it is played back. Sound quality and filtering frequency relate to different aspects of audio mixing, focusing more on timbre and frequency response rather than the signal's strength. Thus, gain as signal amplification is a key concept in audio engineering and mixing.