Simple Explanation

A way to apply the sound character of one thing (like a room or speaker) onto another audio signal.

Concise Technical Definition

A mathematical operation that combines two signals to produce a third signal that reflects the characteristics of both. In audio, it’s used to apply the impulse response of one signal (e.g., a room or reverb) to another.

Layman-Friendly Analogy

Like putting a photo through a specific filter to make it look like it was taken in a different place—convolution “filters” one sound to behave like another environment.

Industry Usage Summary

Convolution is common in digital audio for adding realistic reverb or simulating specific gear (like vintage speakers or amps). Impulse responses (IRs) are captured from spaces or devices and applied to audio signals. Used in mixing consoles, plugins, and room correction systems to simulate acoustic spaces or hardware characteristics.

Engineering Shortcut

Convolution = signal × impulse response (sample by sample).

Full Technical Explanation

Convolution in audio processing involves taking a source signal and mathematically combining it with an impulse response (IR)—a representation of how an environment or device responds to a brief input. This is done by multiplying and summing samples across time, resulting in a new signal that inherits both the original and the IR’s traits. It's widely used for applying spatial effects like reverbs, simulating speaker cabinets, and performing room correction. Implemented digitally via fast convolution algorithms (e.g., FFT-based), it is foundational in DSP-based acoustic modeling.