Voice Over Home Studio Setup and Equipment 3

Question 1

What is 'LUFS' a measurement of in professional voice over delivery standards?

Accepted Answer

Loudness Units relative to Full Scale — a broadcast loudness standard

Answer

LUFS measures perceived loudness in audio files; broadcasters and streaming platforms specify target LUFS levels (e.g., -23 LUFS for EBU R128) for consistent volume.

Question 2

What is a 'noise floor' in a home recording studio?

Accepted Answer

The baseline level of ambient and electronic noise present in the room and equipment

Answer

The noise floor is the combined level of all background sounds and electronic hiss in your recording chain, ideally as low as possible for clean audio.

Question 3

What does 'balanced cable' mean in audio recording?

Accepted Answer

A cable with three conductors that cancels out electrical interference via common-mode rejection

Answer

A balanced cable uses three conductors (positive, negative, ground) to cancel noise picked up along the cable run through phase-inversion.

Question 4

What is 'gain staging' in voice over recording?

Accepted Answer

Setting appropriate signal levels at each stage of the recording chain to avoid clipping or noise

Answer

Proper gain staging ensures a strong, clean signal passes through each device in the chain — interface, preamp, DAW — without distortion or excessive noise.

Question 5

What is a 'reflection filter' or 'portable vocal shield' used for in voice over?

Accepted Answer

Absorbing sound reflections from behind and around the microphone to reduce room sound

Answer

A portable reflection filter wraps around the back of the microphone to absorb reflections from the room, giving a drier sound without a full treated booth.

Voice Over Practice Test

Voice Over Practice Test

Voice Over Home Studio Setup and Equipment 3