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. Describes acceptable data - performances both offered and essential for a disc player - and the complete user experience






2. Each bit in the bit depth is equal to a _____ increase in dynamic range






3. Eight channel digital surround sound system by Dolby






4. Reference voltage determined by summing the voltage values of a predetermined number of previous samples; Numbers of 1 in row = waveform peak; Numbers of 0 in row = waveform trough; Basis of Sony's Direct Stream Digital (DSD)






5. Perceptual coding technique that uses louder sounds of a similar frequency to decide what information is to be saved during data reduction






6. The art of deciding where to place a processor in signal flow based on how that processor will be influenced by the other processors in the path






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






8. Measurement at regular intervals of the amplitude of a varying waveform (in order to convert it to digital form); There must be a minimum of 2 samples for each cycle in a waveform






9. The elapsed time it takes for a packet of data to arrive at its destination; Lagging or pause of an audio signal as digital processing occurs; Can be managed utilizing several forms of 'audio monitoring'






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






11. Occurs as data is assembled into meaningful bits or information and as left & right channels are separated






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






13. Discrete incremental distinctions made between the value of one sample and the next; Breaks down bit depth into a series of evenly spaced intervals






14. Waveform of a pure tone showing simple harmonic motion






15. Based on Full Scale (dB/FS); -6dB represents a loss of one bit so account for this when calculating






16. Used as the main disc from which other discs are made; Composed of ground glass with a very fine photoresistor layer; An imaging laser burns pit and land patterns in preparation for duplication






17. High Pressure - Part of a longitudinal wave where the particles of the medium are close together






18. 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)






19. Industry Standards: -6 dB Peak = -20 RMS Meter






20. A sample- by- sample operation on two signals






21. Reduces A/D sample rate from the oversampled rate to nominal rate by turning series of one- bit samples into a series of multi- bit PCM samples; (ex. => 2.8MHz sample rate converted to 44.1kHz and simultaneously converts 1-Bit samples to multi- bit);






22. 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






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






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






25. Contains all even and odd harmonics associated with a fundamental tone - making it a rich source for modeling other sounds; Amplitude of each overtone decreases exponentially as a ratio of the harmonic's frequency to that of the fundamental






26. CobraNet; EtherSound; Dante; AVB (currently under development)






27. Improper (false) sampling of high frequencies that cause much lower frequencies to be produced when the audio is reconstructed; Foldover happens at higher frequencies as harmonics reach levels that exceed the Nyquist limit.






28. Mixing data and control characters in a single operation






29. 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






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






31. Level above which audible sounds are painful (125 - 130 db)






32. Decibels Full Scale






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






34. Softest sound that can be heard by the average human ear (0 dB)






35. Pertaining to hearing or sound; Combination of the intensity of air pressure molecules with amplitude






36. Method of sampling data at a higher resolution (higher sample rate) as a means of reducing harmonic content during D/A conversion; (x2) oversampling gets rid of all odd harmonic content






37. If a signal is sampled at a rate higher than twice the highest significant signal frequency and at evenly spaced intervals - then the samples contain all the information of the original signal






38. Data is transmitted over fiber optic lines; Uses a TOSLINK connecter instead of an RCA type; Can transmit multi- channel audio; Not susceptible to ground hum and loops; Able to support far higher rates of data transfer over greater distances than coa






39. The difference in volume between the loudest and quietest sounds of a source






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






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






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






43. Process that begins with a fast FFT analysis of the spectra of two input signals - then the multiplication of like frequencies - and IFFT to finalize the process






44. Circuit that seizes voltage values with each tick of an A/D device's internal clock






45. Measure of sound pressure over the frequency spectrum - for which a listener perceives a constant loudness when presented with pure steady tones






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. Electromagnetic receptor that detects the radiation known as visible light






48. Have odd numbered harmonics






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






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