3rd Edition

The Audio Expert Everything You Need to Know About Audio

By Ethan Winer, Michael Lawrence Copyright 2026
730 Pages 411 B/W Illustrations
by Focal Press

730 Pages 411 B/W Illustrations
by Focal Press

730 Pages 411 B/W Illustrations
by Focal Press

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... Read more

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

Biography

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.