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






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






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






5. A network communications protocol that specifies how machines will exchange data; Uses a broadcast system in which one machine transmits its message on the communication medium and the other machines listen for messages directed to them






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






7. Subtract place values from the decimal number and place ones or zeros in the correct places






8. Describes various optical disc characteristics including the size and shape of the disc - the size of pits - the speed at which the disc spins - and a multitude of aspects regarding the specifications of the player itself






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






10. Fractional part of a floating- point number; Also called the mantissa; Defines precision






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






12. 8.75 GB; DS/SL






13. The act of a frequency swinging back and forth with a steady - uninterrupted rhythm






14. When recording you want the smallest buffer available; When mixing you want the largest buffer available






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






16. 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






17. 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






18. The process of reducing the space required to store data by efficiently encoding the content.






19. 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.






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






21. Single- pin RCA cable or fiber- optic TOSLINK connector used for digital transfer; 75O coaxial - 2- channel unbalanced; 'Consumer' format of AES3






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






23. The frequency above or below which attenuation begins in a filter circuit






24. Deviation from a normal - steady pulse or tick of a clock that contributes to misrepresentation of a signal; Result of small timing irregularities that become magnified during the transmission of digital signals as the signals are passed from one dev






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






26. Samples are duplicated and the playback sampling rate correspondingly increased; Significantly raises the Nyquist limit to a range well beyond human hearing; Processing 'pushes' the distortion resulting from quantization error into these higher frequ






27. Voltage -> Dither -> Anti-Aliasing (Low Pass Filter) -> Sample & Hold Circuit -> Successive Approximation/Quantizer --) 100111010 (PCM Audio File)






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






29. The loudest point of a Full Scale system






30. (AES/EBU); 110O - 2- channel balanced digital audio cable with an XLR connection; NOT a mic cable!!






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






32. EDL; Final list of samples used in the audio editing process; Identified by time code






33. 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'






34. Waveform of a pure tone showing simple harmonic motion






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






36. 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






37. Have odd numbered harmonics






38. The difference between the analog value and the approximated digital value due to the 'rounding' that occurs while converting the analog signal to digital






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






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






41. Channels are processed one at a time and the results are stored on multiple CPU buffers that alternately send data as DAW requests the data for playback; First few seconds are relayed to the buffer prior to processing and playback and it continuously






42. Measures the highest levels of a signal being recorded or mixed; Monitors for clipping - which occurs at 0dBFS); Does not always reflect perceived volume of signal






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






44. Same as 'aliasing'






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






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






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






48. EBU






49. 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






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