Sample frequency

Definition

The speed at which an A/D converter takes snapshots of the incoming signal in a second.

The more samples it can take in a second the greater the increase in the frequency response and therefore the better the quality of the A/D converter.

CDs feature a sample rate of 44.1kHz, or 44,100 individual snapshots in any 1 second, DVDs feature a sample rate of 48kHz, but it is not unusual to find digital recording systems and hardware with sample rates up to 192kHz.