Q (upper-case) Quality factor. Filters. The selectivity factor, defined to be the ratio of the center frequency f divided by the bandwidth BW.

QOS (Quality of Service)  Broad term to describe various methods used to provide for different prioritization levels for different types of traffic over a digital network such as Ethernet.  See RSVP protocol.

QSound The name of a Canadian company and its proprietary and patented 3D sound technology. Designed for two channel playback systems, QSound finds success in the computer and arcade game markets, as well as movie theaters. Using advanced signal processing techniques, QSound adds localization cues to the original material. Since loudspeakers and headphones create quite different playback environments, different algorithms exist for each. Qsound allows the music producer to locate specific sound events in virtual positions outside the physical locations of the two loudspeakers. The effect is primarily one of widening the soundfield. QSound works best when the listener is positioned in the sweet spot, located equidistant between the speakers.

Quad Based on the number 4

quantization error Error resulting from quantizing an analog waveform to a discrete level. In general the longer the word length, the less the error.

quantization The process of converting, or digitizing, the almost infinitely variable amplitude of an analog waveform to one of a finite series of discrete levels. Performed by the A/D converter.

quasi-balanced line See: floating unbalanced line

quasi-parametric See: parametric equalizer