Audio Engineering Principles Flashcards
7 cards from real CEA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Audio Engineering Principles flashcards as text
What is the primary function of a high-pass filter in audio processing?
Answer: Attenuates frequencies below a set cutoff frequency
A high-pass filter allows high frequencies to pass through while attenuating frequencies below the cutoff point.
In acoustics, what is the 'critical distance' in a room?
Answer: The point where direct and reverberant sound fields are equal in level
Critical distance is where the direct sound level equals the reverberant sound level, beyond which the room acoustics dominate perception.
Which compressor parameter controls how quickly the compressor stops reducing gain after the signal falls below the threshold?
Answer: Release
Release time determines how fast the compressor returns to unity gain after the signal drops below the threshold.
What does the term 'latency' refer to in digital audio production?
Answer: The delay introduced by analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog conversion and processing
Latency is the time delay that occurs as audio passes through digital conversion and processing, critical to manage in real-time recording scenarios.
What is Fletcher-Munson (equal-loudness) curves used to describe?
Answer: The variation in human hearing sensitivity across frequencies at different loudness levels
Fletcher-Munson curves show that human hearing is less sensitive to low and high frequencies at lower listening levels compared to midrange.
In a balanced audio connection, how is noise rejection achieved?
Answer: By carrying the signal on two conductors in opposite polarity and subtracting them at the destination
Balanced lines carry equal and opposite signals; any interference affects both equally, and the differential receiver subtracts them, canceling the noise.
What is acoustic absorption coefficient, and a value of 1.0 represents what?
Answer: Total absorption of incident sound energy
Absorption coefficient ranges from 0 (perfect reflector) to 1.0 (perfect absorber), with 1.0 meaning all incident sound energy is absorbed.