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. Digital Word -> Series of Resistors (each with assigned charges) -> Sample- and-Hold Circuit -> Anti-Imaging Filter (Smoothing Filter) -> Reconstructed Sample






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






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






4. 12cm plastic disc; 1.2mm thick; One- sided; Red Laser; 1.6 microns between tracks; 125 nanometer pits






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






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






7. Full Scale; Type of metering that measures level in digital recording system; Recording and Mixing levels should NEVER exceed 0dB FS in digital audio or clipping will occur






8. Circuit that interprets the meaning of the symbols as they were chosen and arranged by the encode






9. Measure of the amplitude of a longitudinal wave






10. 15.9 GB; DS/DL






11. 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






12. 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






13. Visual graph that shows how loud a sound is at different frequencies






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






15. Found that aliasing was always a problem no matter how fast you sample; Less data recorded but more accurate; 2 samples per wave length.






16. Increases D/A sample rate from nominal rate to oversampling rate by turning series multi- bit PCM samples into 1- bit samples; (ex. => 44.1kHz sample rate converted to 2.8MHz and simultaneously converts multi- bit samples to 1- bit); Low Pass Filter






17. AES






18. Signal that uses variable voltage to create continuous waves resulting in an inexact transmission






19. 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






20. The ability of a digital system to perform complex DSP without running into problems with overflow or loss of resolution






21. 'Reconstructing' part of digital audio






22. 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)






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






24. 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'






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






26. A frequency specified for a filter (digital or electronic) the marks the point at which the frequency content of a signal is altered +/- 3dB






27. Waveform of a pure tone showing simple harmonic motion






28. Overtones that contribute to the timbre of a sound and make up a complex waveform's physical characteristics






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






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






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






32. Signal voltage is relayed to a register from sample- and - hold circuit; Holds reference frequencies in binary form that decrease in value; Finds approximated value & assigns binary number accordingly






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






34. Have odd numbered harmonics






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






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






37. Number or variable that represents the number of times the base of a power is used as a factor; Defines magnitude






38. 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






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






40. Lossless Format; Can hold up to 25GB on a single- layer disc and 50GB on a dual- layer disc






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. Branch of psychology concerned with the subjective perception of sound






43. 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






44. 7.95 GB; SS/DL






45. 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






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






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






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






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






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