Audio vs. Sound: What's the Difference?
Edited by Harlon Moss || By Janet White || Updated on October 6, 2023
Audio refers to recorded, transmitted, or reproduced sound, whereas sound is vibrations that travel through the air or another medium and can be heard when they reach a person's ear.
Key Differences
Audio is a term specifically relating to technology and the electronic representation of sound waves that are recorded, transmitted, or reproduced. It is generally associated with the electrical or digital conversion and representation of sound. On the other hand, sound is a sensory perception caused by the vibration of an object, propagating through a medium like air or water, which is detected by the auditory system. While audio is a technical and mechanical representation, sound is a natural, physical phenomenon and a human sensory experience.
Diving deeper, audio involves various aspects like recording, processing, and reproducing sound waves, often via electronic devices. It pertains to the technology used to store and create sound reproductions, like audio interfaces, mixers, and speakers. Sound, conversely, encompasses all auditory perceptions, from the rustle of leaves to musical notes, occurring naturally or created, irrespective of recording or reproduction. It is a broader term, reflecting any type of auditory sensation perceivable by the ear.
When considering applications, audio is a critical element in media, entertainment, and communication, enabling the conveyance of voice, music, and other sounds in forms like podcasts, songs, and movies. It is integral to the design of audio equipment and software for sound production and manipulation. Conversely, sound in its inherent form, is elemental in various domains such as music, science, and medicine, for understanding acoustic properties, studying sound waves and frequencies, and conducting hearing tests, emphasizing its omnipresence and versatility.
Elaborating further, audio technologies and systems are continuously evolving, fostering advancements in sound quality, formats, and distribution methods, enhancing the audio experience in various media. However, sound, being a fundamental, unalterable aspect of human perception, remains a constant entity in our interaction with the environment, altering only in its form, frequency, and amplitude, highlighting the distinction between the unchanging nature of sound and the progressive development of audio.
Comparison Chart
Definition
Electronic or mechanical representations of sound
Vibrations perceived by the ear through a medium like air
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Application
In technology for recording and reproducing
In various domains as a natural phenomenon
Scope
More specific to electronic representation
Broader, includes all perceivable auditory sensations
Perception
Requires a device for representation
Does not necessarily require a device, can be natural
Creation
Can be synthesized or manipulated electronically
Can be created naturally or mechanically
Audio and Sound Definitions
Audio
The electronic or mechanical representation and reproduction of sound.
The audio in the film was crystal clear, making the dialogue easy to understand.
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Sound
Vibrations that travel through the air or another medium and can be heard.
The sound of the waves crashing on the shore was relaxing.
Audio
The sound elements in recorded or transmitted sound.
The audio clip included background music and dialogue.
Sound
An auditory sensation produced by oscillations in pressure.
The sound of the violin filled the concert hall.
Audio
Pertaining to audible sound waves in the context of recording and reproduction.
The studio specializes in audio engineering and sound design.
Sound
Noise, tone, or note produced by vibrating bodies.
The clock made a ticking sound every second.
Audio
The technology and equipment involved in sound reproduction.
He invested in high-quality audio equipment for his home theater system.
Sound
The particular auditory effect produced by a given source.
The sound of rain on the roof helped her fall asleep.
Audio
Of or relating to recorded, transmitted, or reproduced sound.
Sound
The conveyance of meaning through audible means.
His voice had a calming sound that reassured the listeners.
Audio
Of or relating to humanly audible sound.
Sound
Vibrations transmitted through an elastic solid or a liquid or gas, with frequencies in the approximate range of 20 to 20,000 hertz, capable of being detected by human organs of hearing.
Audio
Recorded or reproduced sound.
Sound
Transmitted vibrations of any frequency.
Audio
Audible sound.
Sound
The sensation stimulated in the organs of hearing by such vibrations in the air or other medium.
Audio
A sound signal or recording.
Sound
Such sensations considered as a group.
Audio
The part of television or movie equipment that has to do with sound.
Sound
A distinctive noise
A hollow sound.
Audio
Focused on audible sound, as opposed to sight.
Sound
The distance over which something can be heard
Within sound of my voice.
Audio
A sound, or a sound signal
Sound
An articulation made by the vocal apparatus
A vowel sound.
Audio
The part of a transmitted signal which conveys the sound of the event represented by the signal, such as that of a television program.
Sound
The distinctive character of such an articulation
The words bear and bare have the same sound.
Audio
An audible acoustic wave frequency.
Sound
A mental impression; an implication
Didn't like the sound of the invitation.
Audio
The sound elements of television.
Sound
Auditory material that is recorded, as for a movie.
Audio
The audible part of a transmitted signal;
They always raise the audio for commercials
Sound
Meaningless noise.
Audio
An audible acoustic wave frequency
Sound
(Music) A distinctive style, as of an orchestra or singer.
Audio
The sound elements of television
Sound
(Archaic) Rumor; report.
Audio
Relating to the broadcasting or reproduction of sound.
The audio settings need adjustment to avoid distortion during playback.
Sound
A long, relatively wide body of water, larger than a strait or a channel, connecting larger bodies of water.
Sound
A long, wide ocean inlet.
Sound
(Archaic) The swim bladder of a fish.
Sound
An instrument used to examine or explore body cavities, as for foreign bodies or other abnormalities, or to dilate strictures in them.
Sound
To make or give forth a sound
The siren sounded.
Sound
To be given forth as a sound
The fanfare sounded.
Sound
To present a particular impression
That argument sounds reasonable.
Sound
To cause to give forth or produce a sound
Sounded the gong.
Sound
To summon, announce, or signal by a sound
Sound a warning.
Sound
(Linguistics) To articulate; pronounce
Sound a vowel.
Sound
To make known; celebrate
"Nations unborn your mighty names shall sound" (Alexander Pope).
Sound
To examine (a body organ or part) by causing to emit sound; auscultate.
Sound
To measure the depth of (water), especially by means of a weighted line; fathom.
Sound
To try to learn the attitudes or opinions of
Sounded out her feelings.
Sound
To probe (a body cavity) with a sound.
Sound
To measure depth.
Sound
To dive swiftly downward. Used of a marine mammal or a fish.
Sound
To look into a possibility; investigate.
Sound
Free from defect, decay, or damage; in good condition
Is the bridge sound?.
Sound
Free from disease or injury.
Sound
Marked by or showing common sense and good judgment; levelheaded
A sound approach to the problem.
Sound
Based on valid reasoning; having no logical flaws
A sound conclusion.
Sound reasoning.
Sound
(Logic) Of or relating to an argument in which all the premises are true and the conclusion follows from the premises.
Sound
Secure or stable
A partnership that started on a sound footing.
Sound
Financially secure or safe
A sound economy.
Sound
Thorough; complete
Gave their rivals a sound thrashing.
Sound
Deep and unbroken; undisturbed
A sound sleep.
Sound
Compatible with an accepted point of view; orthodox
Sound doctrine.
Sound
Thoroughly; deeply
Sound asleep.
Sound
Healthy.
He was safe and sound.
In horse management a sound horse is one with no health problems that might affect its suitability for its intended work.
Sound
Complete, solid, or secure.
Fred assured me the floorboards were sound.
Sound
Having the property of soundness.
Sound
Good; acceptable; decent.
How are you? —I'm sound.
That's a sound track you're playing.
See that man over there? He's sound. You should get to know him.
Sound
(of sleep) Quiet and deep.
Sound asleep means sleeping peacefully, and often deeply.
Her sleep was sound.
Sound
Heavy; laid on with force.
A sound beating
Sound
Founded in law; legal; valid; not defective.
A sound title to land
Sound
Soundly.
Sound
Yes; used to show agreement or understanding, generally without much enthusiasm.
I found my jacket. — Sound.
Sound
A sensation perceived by the ear caused by the vibration of air or some other medium.
He turned when he heard the sound of footsteps behind him.
Nobody made a sound.
Sound
A vibration capable of causing such sensations.
Sound
(music) A distinctive style and sonority of a particular musician, orchestra, &.
Sound
Noise without meaning; empty noise.
Sound
, distance within which a certain noise may be heard.
Stay within the sound of my voice.
Sound
(phonetics) A segment as a part of spoken language, the smallest unit of spoken language, a speech sound.
Sound
A long narrow inlet, or a strait between the mainland and an island; also, a strait connecting two seas, or connecting a sea or lake with the ocean.
Puget Sound; Owen Sound; Long Island Sound
Sound
The air bladder of a fish.
Cod sounds are an esteemed article of food.
Sound
A long, thin probe for sounding or dilating body cavities or canals such as the urethra; a sonde.
Sound
(intransitive) To produce a sound.
When the horn sounds, take cover.
Sound
(copulative) To convey an impression by one's sound.
He sounded good when we last spoke.
That story sounds like a pack of lies!
Sound
(intransitive) To be conveyed in sound; to be spread or published; to convey intelligence by sound.
Sound
To resound.
Sound
To arise or to be recognizable as arising in or from a particular area of law, or as likely to result in a particular kind of legal remedy.
In my opinion this claim sounds in damages rather than in an injunction.
Sound
(transitive) To cause to produce a sound.
Sound the alarm!
He sounds the instrument.
Sound
To pronounce.
The "e" in "house" isn't sounded.
Sound
(intransitive) Dive downwards, used of a whale.
The whale sounded and eight hundred feet of heavy line streaked out of the line tub before he ended his dive.
Sound
To ascertain, or try to ascertain, the thoughts, motives, and purposes of (a person); to examine; to try; to test; to probe.
When I sounded him, he appeared to favor the proposed deal.
Sound
Test; ascertain the depth of water with a sounding line or other device.
Mariners on sailing ships would sound the depth of the water with a weighted rope.
Sound
(medicine) To examine with the instrument called a sound or sonde, or by auscultation or percussion.
To sound a patient, or the bladder or urethra
Sound
The air bladder of a fish; as, cod sounds are an esteemed article of food.
Sound
A cuttlefish.
Sound
A narrow passage of water, or a strait between the mainland and an island; also, a strait connecting two seas, or connecting a sea or lake with the ocean; as, the Sound between the Baltic and the german Ocean; Long Island Sound.
The Sound of Denmark, where ships pay toll.
Sound
Any elongated instrument or probe, usually metallic, by which cavities of the body are sounded or explored, especially the bladder for stone, or the urethra for a stricture.
Sound
The peceived object occasioned by the impulse or vibration of a material substance affecting the ear; a sensation or perception of the mind received through the ear, and produced by the impulse or vibration of the air or other medium with which the ear is in contact; the effect of an impression made on the organs of hearing by an impulse or vibration of the air caused by a collision of bodies, or by other means; noise; report; as, the sound of a drum; the sound of the human voice; a horrid sound; a charming sound; a sharp, high, or shrill sound.
The warlike soundOf trumpets loud and clarions.
Sound
The occasion of sound; the impulse or vibration which would occasion sound to a percipient if present with unimpaired; hence, the theory of vibrations in elastic media such cause sound; as, a treatise on sound.
Sound
Noise without signification; empty noise; noise and nothing else.
Sense and not sound . . . must be the principle.
Sound
Whole; unbroken; unharmed; free from flaw, defect, or decay; perfect of the kind; as, sound timber; sound fruit; a sound tooth; a sound ship.
Sound
Healthy; not diseased; not being in a morbid state; - said of body or mind; as, a sound body; a sound constitution; a sound understanding.
Sound
Firm; strong; safe.
The brasswork here, how rich it is in beams,And how, besides, it makes the whole house sound.
Sound
Free from error; correct; right; honest; true; faithful; orthodox; - said of persons; as, a sound lawyer; a sound thinker.
Do not I know you a favorerOf this new seat? Ye are nor sound.
Sound
Founded in truth or right; supported by justice; not to be overthrown on refuted; not fallacious; as, sound argument or reasoning; a sound objection; sound doctrine; sound principles.
Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me.
Sound
Heavy; laid on with force; as, a sound beating.
Sound
Undisturbed; deep; profound; as, sound sleep.
Sound
Founded in law; legal; valid; not defective; as, a sound title to land.
Sound
Soundly.
So sound he slept that naught might him awake.
Sound
To measure the depth of; to fathom; especially, to ascertain the depth of by means of a line and plummet.
Sound
Fig.: To ascertain, or try to ascertain, the thoughts, motives, and purposes of (a person); to examine; to try; to test; to probe.
I was in jest,And by that offer meant to sound your breast.
I've sounded my Numidians man by man.
Sound
To explore, as the bladder or urethra, with a sound; to examine with a sound; also, to examine by auscultation or percussion; as, to sound a patient.
Sound
To ascertain the depth of water with a sounding line or other device.
I sound as a shipman soundeth in the sea with his plummet to know the depth of sea.
Sound
To make a noise; to utter a voice; to make an impulse of the air that shall strike the organs of hearing with a perceptible effect.
How silver-sweet sound lovers' tongues!
Sound
To be conveyed in sound; to be spread or published; to convey intelligence by sound.
From you sounded out the word of the Lord.
Sound
To make or convey a certain impression, or to have a certain import, when heard; hence, to seem; to appear; as, this reproof sounds harsh; the story sounds like an invention.
Good sir, why do you start, and seem to fearThings that do sound so fair?
Soun[d]ing in moral virtue was his speech.
Sound
To cause to make a noise; to play on; as, to sound a trumpet or a horn; to sound an alarm.
A bagpipe well could he play and soun[d].
Sound
To cause to exit as a sound; as, to sound a note with the voice, or on an instrument.
Sound
To order, direct, indicate, or proclain by a sound, or sounds; to give a signal for by a certain sound; as, to sound a retreat; to sound a parley.
The clock sounded the hour of noon.
Sound
To celebrate or honor by sounds; to cause to be reported; to publish or proclaim; as, to sound the praises of fame of a great man or a great exploit.
Sound
To examine the condition of (anything) by causing the same to emit sounds and noting their character; as, to sound a piece of timber; to sound a vase; to sound the lungs of a patient.
Sound
To signify; to import; to denote.
Soun[d]ing alway the increase of his winning.
Sound
The particular auditory effect produced by a given cause;
The sound of rain on the roof
The beautiful sound of music
Sound
The subjective sensation of hearing something;
He strained to hear the faint sounds
Sound
Mechanical vibrations transmitted by an elastic medium;
Falling trees make a sound in the forest even when no one is there to hear them
Sound
The sudden occurrence of an audible event;
The sound awakened them
Sound
The audible part of a transmitted signal;
They always raise the audio for commercials
Sound
(phonetics) an individual sound unit of speech without concern as to whether or not it is a phoneme of some language
Sound
A narrow channel of the sea joining two larger bodies of water
Sound
A large ocean inlet or deep bay;
The main body of the sound ran parallel to the coast
Sound
Appear in a certain way;
This sounds interesting
Sound
Make a certain noise or sound;
She went `Mmmmm'
The gun went `bang'
Sound
Give off a certain sound or sounds;
This record sounds scratchy
Sound
Announce by means of a sound;
Sound the alarm
Sound
Utter with vibrating vocal chords
Sound
Cause to sound;
Sound the bell
Sound a certain note
Sound
Measure the depth of (a body of water) with a sounding line
Sound
Financially secure and safe;
Sound investments
A sound economy
Sound
Exercising or showing good judgment;
Healthy scepticism
A healthy fear of rattlesnakes
The healthy attitude of French laws
Healthy relations between labor and management
An intelligent solution
A sound approach to the problem
Sound advice
No sound explanation for his decision
Sound
In good condition; free from defect or damage or decay;
A sound timber
The wall is sound
A sound foundation
Sound
In excellent physical condition;
Good teeth
I still have one good leg
A sound mind in a sound body
Sound
Reflects weight of sound argument or evidence;
A sound argument
Sound
Having legal efficacy or force;
A sound title to the property
Sound
Free from moral defect;
A man of sound character
Sound
(of sleep) deep and complete;
A heavy sleep
Fell into a profound sleep
A sound sleeper
Deep wakeless sleep
Sound
Thorough;
A sound thrashing
Sound
Deeply or completely;
Slept soundly through the storm
Is sound asleep
FAQs
Does audio always require a playback device?
Yes, audio, being a representation of sound, requires a device for playback or transmission.
Is audio only related to music?
No, audio relates to all recorded, transmitted, or reproduced sound, not just music.
Is audio quality lossless?
Not always; some audio formats and transmissions lose data and quality, called lossy, while others are lossless.
What is audio?
Audio refers to the technology and systems used for recording, transmitting, and reproducing sound.
What does sound represent?
Sound represents vibrations that travel through a medium, perceived by the ear as auditory sensations.
Can sound exist in a vacuum?
No, sound requires a medium like air, water, or a solid to propagate.
Can we see sound?
No, sound is a form of energy that we can hear but cannot see.
Can audio signals be amplified?
Yes, audio signals can be amplified to increase their amplitude or loudness.
Is sound always audible?
No, some sound frequencies are beyond the human range of hearing, like ultrasonic and infrasonic sounds.
How is audio stored?
Audio can be stored in various formats like MP3, WAV, or AAC, on different storage media.
Can sound be measured?
Yes, sound is measured in decibels (dB), reflecting its amplitude or loudness.
Can sound travel underwater?
Yes, sound travels faster in water than in air.
Is sound a form of energy?
Yes, sound is a form of mechanical energy that travels in waves through a medium.
Can audio be converted to different formats?
Yes, audio can be converted between various formats, but it may affect quality.
Are audio cables important for sound quality?
Yes, the quality of audio cables can impact the accuracy and quality of sound transmission.
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Harlon MossHarlon is a seasoned quality moderator and accomplished content writer for Difference Wiki. An alumnus of the prestigious University of California, he earned his degree in Computer Science. Leveraging his academic background, Harlon brings a meticulous and informed perspective to his work, ensuring content accuracy and excellence.
