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. 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






3. (Amplitude Based) Amplitude: Voltage; Quantization; Bit Depth; Quantization Intervals; Quantization Noise; [Signal:Quantization Noise Ratio]; Dither; Dynamic Range






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






5. 8- in/8- out on one cable; 25- pin D- sub connector






6. Most significant lossless coding technique in current use; Measure of disorder in which long strings of data are represented by short symbols and uses the shortest symbols to represent the most common repetitive audio data maximizing data reduction






7. Number of bits used to represent the smallest unit of information in an audio file; Greater bit depth = better quality audio






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






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






10. Roughly around 1 -130 ft/s






11. Same as 'aliasing'






12. 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






13. Ultra low- latency - 512- channel (on a gigabit network) - less flexible AoE format; Routed like audio cables...not network cables






14. Built into DAWs; Bits are added when signals are mixed together to avoid clipping






15. 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






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






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






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






19. 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






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






21. 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






22. 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






23. A digital filter's time domain output sequence when the input is a single sample is input






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






25. 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)






26. A time regulator that makes all samples and bits to align when working with interconnected digital devices; Basically a signal that all of the digital devices refer to when operating.






27. Toshiba developed digital audio interface utilizes fiber optics as a transmission medium.






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






29. Unit of measurement that is equal to one billionth of a meter






30. Defines the number of sample per second taken from a continuous signal to make a discrete signal; Governs the frequency response of digital audio






31. Eliminates frequencies above the Nyquist limit from becoming samples; Occurs prior to quantization






32. More aggressive lossy data reduction techniques that require further manipulation of the stereo field; Examples are 'Intensity' & 'M-S'






33. Low Pressure; Part in a longitudinal wave where the particles are spread apart






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






35. Accuracy with which an electronic system reproduces the sound or image of its input signal






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






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






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






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






40. Root Mean Square; Refers to taking the square root of all instantaneous amplitudes; Takes the average of those squares; (-6 Peak Level is approximately equal to -20 RMS)






41. Inner ear component that attaches to the stapes and helps to decrease the amplitude of vibrations; Causes the masking phenomenon






42. Used when the reference pressure of a sound is 20 microPa (0.00002); Sound Pressure Level; Measure of amplitude






43. Increases or decreases the digital signal so that the loudest sample is brought up to 0dBfs; Uses all bits from dynamic range and makes it even from track to track






44. Cable used to transmit data; Inner cable is surrounded by a plastic insulator - which is surrounded by a wire mesh conductor that insulates the internal signal wire from external interference and an outer casing that functions as a ground






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






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






47. RAM holds in memory audio data before it is transferred to the memory controller; Certain amount of data is processed before large amounts of data are streamed to prevent latency






48. DAW's and software must buffer when converting or bouncing and this latency can add up if not monitored






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






50. Very selective method of lowering buffer levels by halting different levels of audio processing