Meaning & use
audio in
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountableinformaltechnical
A socket or connection on a device that receives sound signals from another piece of equipment.
Grammar: Countable: you can say an audio in or the audio in, and the plural is audio ins, though it is rare.
Patterns
- the audio in on something
- plug something into the audio in
Plug the microphone cable into the audio in on the back of the speaker.
The audio in is the small round hole next to the headphone socket.
If you use the audio in, the sound comes from your laptop instead of the TV.
noununcountabletechnical
The act of bringing sound into a computer or recording device from an external source.
Grammar: Uncountable: used like a process, often after a preposition such as for or during.
Patterns
- for audio in
- used for audio in
This cable is for audio in, not for sending sound out.
The software lets you switch between audio in and audio out with one click.
Word forms
| plural | audio ins |
|---|
Common combinations
- audio in socket
- The audio in socket is marked with a small microphone symbol.
- audio in port
- Connect the mixer to the audio in port on your interface.
- audio in jack
- A 3.5 mm audio in jack is standard on most laptops.
- plug into the audio in
- Plug the guitar lead into the audio in and turn the volume down.
Synonyms and how they differ
- input
- Input is the general word for any signal or socket that receives something; audio in is specifically for sound.
- line in
- Line in is a type of audio in for higher-level signals from equipment, not for microphones.
Opposites
Word family
- audio noun
- Sound, especially when recorded, transmitted, or played back.
- audio out noun
- A socket that sends sound signals out to another device.
Commonly confused: audio in or audio in?
audio in vs audio in
Do not confuse audio in with audio out. Audio in receives sound; audio out sends it to speakers or headphones.
Practice
You want to record your voice into a laptop. Which socket should you use?
Choose one answer.
The audio in receives sound from a microphone, so it is correct for recording. The audio out sends sound to speakers or headphones, which is the opposite direction.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “audio in”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.