Sound Design Sound 3

Question 1

In the context of room acoustics, what does RT60 measure?

Accepted Answer

The time for sound to decay by 60 dB after a source stops

Answer

RT60 (reverberation time) is the duration required for a sound in a room to decrease in intensity by 60 decibels after the sound source ceases.

Question 2

Which acoustic treatment material is most effective at absorbing low-frequency sound energy?

Accepted Answer

Bass traps

Answer

Bass traps are thick, dense absorptive panels designed specifically to attenuate low-frequency buildup, which thinner materials cannot effectively address.

Question 3

What is a standing wave in a room, and why is it problematic for sound design?

Accepted Answer

A resonant pattern where certain frequencies are boosted or cancelled at fixed positions

Answer

Standing waves form when reflected waves interact with incoming waves to create fixed nodes (cancellations) and antinodes (peaks), causing uneven frequency response that varies by listener position.

Question 4

The Haas effect (precedence effect) states that when two identical sounds arrive within roughly 40 ms, the listener:

Accepted Answer

Fuses them into one sound localized toward the first arrival

Answer

Within approximately 40 ms, the auditory system fuses early reflections with the direct sound and perceives the combined sound as coming from the direction of the first arrival.

Question 5

Which of the following materials would be LEAST effective as an acoustic absorber?

Accepted Answer

Concrete walls

Answer

Concrete is a hard, dense, non-porous surface that reflects sound rather than absorbing it, making it acoustically reflective.

Sound Design Practice Test

Sound Design Practice Test

Sound Design Sound 3