SPEECH, MUSIC, AND NOISE MM White and Pink Noise References to white noise and pink noise are common and sometimes confusing, What is the difference? White noise is analogous to white light in that the energy of both is distributed uniformly throughout the spectrum. In other words, white noise energy exhibits a flat distribu- tion of energy with trequency (Fig. 5-18). While light sont through a prism is broken down into a range of colors. The red color is associated with the longer wavelengths of light, that is, light in the lower frequency region. Pink noise is noise Lieviny ligher egy ia the luw fequeucies, Lu fact, pik uvise Las come to be identified specifically as noise exhibiting high energy in the low frequency region with a apocific downward slope of 3 dB por octave (Fig. 5-18C). There is a practical reason for this specific slope. These two colorful terms arose because there are two types of spectrum analyzers in common use. One is the constant bandwidth Pink noise filter characteristic 10 Fiz 20 Ha Frequency - Hz CTE Random noise has constant energy per Hz. If the spectrum of random noise is measured (white) with a wave analyzer of fixed bandwidth, the resulting spectrum will be flat with frequency as in A. If measured with an analyzer whose passband width is a given percentage of the frequency to which it is tuned, the spectrum will slope upward at 3 4B per octave, as in B. By processing the white noise spectrum of A with a filter that slopes downward at 3 dB per octave, such as in C, a flat response results when constant percentage bandwidth filters are used such as octave or one-third octave filters. In mea suring a system, pink noise is applied to the input and, if the system is flat, the read out response will be flat if one-third octave filters, for example, are used.112 CHAPTER Five analyzer, which has a passband of fixed width as it is tuned through- out the spectrum. One well-known analyzer of this type has a band- width of 5 Hz. If white noise with its flat spectrum were measured wilh & Coustanl-bandwidth analyzer, auoler flat specirum would. result because the fixed bandwidth would measure a constant energy throughout the band shown in Fig. 5-18 A. Another very populer and convenient spectrum analyzer is the constant percentage bandwidth analyzer. In this instrument the band- width changes with frequency. An example of this is the one-third- octave analyzer, commonly used hecanse its handwidth follaws reasonably well with the critical bandwidth of the human ear through- out the audible frequency range. At 100 Hz the bandwidth of the one- third-octave analyzer is only 23 Hz but at 10 kilz the bandwidth is 2,300 Hz. Obviously, it intercepts much greater noise energy in a one- third octave band centered at 10 kllz than one centered at 100 Hz. Measuring white noise with a constant-percentage analyzer would give an upward-sloping result with a slope of 3 dB/octave, as shown in Fig. 5-18B. In audio-frequency measurements, the desired characteristic of many instruments, rooms, etc. is a flat response throughout the frequency range. Assume that the system to be measured has a characteristic almost flat with frequency. If this system is excited with white noise and mea- sured with the very cuuve 1 cuustan-perceutaye analyzer, Une wesull would have an upward slope of 3 dB/octave. It would be far more desir- able if tho measured result would be close to flat so that deviations from flatness would be very apparent. This can be accomplished by using a noise with a downward slope of 3 dB/octave. By passing white noise through a filter, such as that of Fig, 5-19, such a downward sloping exci- lation noise can be oblained. Such a noise, sloping downward at 3 dB/octave, is called pink noise. A close-to-flat system (amplifier, room) excited with this pink noise would yield a close-to-flat response, which would make deviations from flatness very obvious. For such reasons pink noise is here to stay. Signal Distorti Our discussion of the various signals encountered in audio is incomplete without at least an acknowledgment of what can happen‘SPEECH, MUSIC, AND NOISE 113 COTE A simple filter for changing white noise to pink noise. It changes random noise of con- stant energy per H2 to pink noise of constant energy per octave. Pink noise is useful in acoustical measurements utitizing analyzers having passbands with bandwidth of a con- stant percentage of the center frequency. General Radio Company! to the precious signal in passing through transducers, amplifiers, and various forms of signal processing gear. Here is an incomplete Tist:820 Bandwidth limitation Lf the passband of an amplifier cuts lows or highs, the signal output is different from the input. If the scratch filter reduces record surface noise, the overall effect can be improved, but basically the signal itself is the poorer for it Nonuniform response Peaks aud valleys williu the passband lsu alter the signal waveshape. Distortions in time If tape travels across the head at any other hifted up or down in frequency. If there are slow or fast fluctuations in that speed, wow and flutter are introduced and the signal is degraded. Ph jortion Any phase shifts introduced upset the time rela- tionship between signal components Dynamic distortion A compressor or expander changing the original dynamic range of a signal is a form of distortion. Crossover distortion In class-B amplifiers, in which the output devices conduct for only half of the cycle, any discontinuities near zero output result in what is called crossover distortion Nonlinear distortion If an amplifier is truly linear, there is a one-to-one relationship between input and output. Feedback helps to control nonlinear tendencies. The human ear is not linear. When than the recording speed, the frequency components are