Test your basic knowledge |

Digital Audio

Subject : engineering
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. Signal that uses variable voltage to create continuous waves resulting in an inexact transmission






2. Waveform of a pure tone showing simple harmonic motion






3. Multi-Bit Words; (Pulse Code Modulation)






4. More accuracy in low amplitudes and less in higher amplitudes






5. Represents the amplitude component of the digital sampling process; Technique of incrementing a continuous analog event into a discrete set of binary digits (bits)






6. MPEG; Standardizing body of audio coding






7. The continuous loss of signal strengths as a signal travels through a medium






8. Playback; I/O Connections; CPU (Streaming); Conversion from DAW or Software






9. Father of modern information theory; Solidified the Nyquist Theory by adding the concept that bits per second (binary representation of audio signals) must be at equal intervals to accurately represent data






10. Unit of measurement that is equal to one millionth of a meter






11. Digital (binary) measurements of how long each pulse is either on or off; Width of increasing voltage or decreasing voltage is assigned a 1 or 0 respectively






12. Anytime bit depth is reduced the gap gets bigger so more dithering is required






13. Process of building a complex tone by starting with the fundamental frequency and adding pure tone harmonics






14. A situation where a calculated value cannot fit into the number of digits reserved for it






15. Also known as equal loudness curves; Graph that indicates the average ear sensitivity to different frequencies at different SPL levels (as volume increases - these curves flatten out)






16. In order to play multiple channels at one time data is buffered as read to disk; Latency happens between play command & beginning of playback






17. As sample rate is increased more room is created for a smoother slope of the attenuation band because Nyquist limit extends well beyond range of hearing with each increase






18. Number of bits per second processed when sampling sound; (Sampling Rate x Bit Depth) = Resolution






19. The set of rules that computers use to move files from one computer to another on an internet






20. Apple Lossless; Windows Media Lossless; DTS HD Master Audio; Dolby True HD; FLAC






21. Removes high frequency images and noise and smoothes the stair case output coming from of the sample and hold circuit; Also called a SMOOTHING FILTER






22. Serial Copy Management System; main difference between AES3 & S/PIDF






23. Leaving space at beginning and ending of song for data crunching during mastering; Last step in mastering process






24. The mathematics - algorithms - and the techniques used to manipulate signals after they have been converted to digital form






25. Smallest interval measurable by a scientific instrument; Defined by bit rate (sample rate x bit depth)






26. Specific set of instructions for carrying out a data reduction technique that determines how to 'save' binary data information efficiently






27. The more bits allocated during quantization - the more accurate the measurement






28. Method used in digital recording and reproduction in which a signal is sampled at various points and the resulting value is translated into binary numbers






29. Only 2 digits used; The value of each place (ones - hundreds - etc.) are as follows from greatest to least: 128 - 64 - 32 - 16 - 8 - 4 - 2 - 1






30. 16-Bit; 44.1 kHz; PCM; Stereo






31. High channel count; 64 channels on one cable; Coaxial cable with BNC connector or fiber optic with ST1 connector






32. The loudest point of a Full Scale system






33. A method of representing real numbers using a mantissa and an exponent






34. Data transmission protocol over which computer network traffic travels; Poorly suited to real- time transmission but numerous attempts have been made to harness the technology because of its flexible routing; Uses simple Cat5 cabling; Resists interfe






35. Data reduction technique that selectively removes original information in order to significantly reduce the file size; Some data is lost; Files can be reduced up to 99% in size (90% with no perceived sound quality loss); Bit rate effects the perceive






36. The amount of energy at each wavelength






37. Sony and Philips optical disc format; Utilizes sigma delta DSD to offer higher resolution; 1- bit; 2.8224 MHz; 6-Channel






38. Take up half as many bits (50%); Algorithm can keep same quality by lossing the stereo track






39. Amplitude meter that takes the square root of all instantaneous amplitudes and averages them to find a mean and squares that value; Useful with particularly complex waveforms






40. Having a repeated succession of waves or curves as in a sound waveform






41. Reduces the percieved distortion due to quantization error; Low level white noise source is introduced to make the profile of the quantization 'noise' more irregular; Useful when reducing the number of bits per word in a signal (i.e. when converting






42. ADAT Optcal; 8- in/8- out on two cables; Fiber- optic - TOSLINK connector






43. French mathematician that noted that any complex sound can be broken down into a series of component pure tones






44. The number of compressions or rarefactions in one second; The higher the frequency the more compressions & rarefactions per second; Measured in Hertz






45. HD Audio format; Lossless Compression; 24- bit/96 kHz; 5.1 Surround or 24- bit / 192 kHz stereo sound






46. Allows for an internal sample rate at multiples of the input and output rates; Alleviates the need for steep 'brickwall' filters; Often combined with internal '1- bit' processing; Increases smoothing effect






47. CBR; Codecs encodes data at a constant rate regardless of density of the audio file






48. Rate at which energy is drawn from a source that produces a flow of electricity in a circuit; Expressed in volts






49. Six channel (five speakers and one subwoofer for bass) digital surround sound system by Dolby






50. Digital and analog processing capability is combined on a single microchip allowing for 1- bit resolution at high sample rates