Name three pieces of information that are always included in a good input list
Mic name
instrument mic
spitter channle
(F) What is the purpose of setting good console and system gain structure?
prevent clipping
reduce sys noise
______________ are used to control one or more input channel faders from one master fader
matrixces
(F) Describe two ways that signal polarity can be reversed besides the polarity button on amixing console
wiring with in a speaker cabniate (pos to neg)
balanced line wired wrong (pins)
(f) How much additional amplifier power is required to double the loudness of a loudspeaker system?
10 times more
What are the three steps to expressing a power change in dB?
compare
compress
scale
(f) What is the +4dBu standard, and what equipment uses this standard?
pro line level
What is the -10dBV standard, and what equipment uses this standard?
Consumer line leve
(f) When adjusting a level control on a sound system, a change in _________________ is being made
voltage
Describe what the term “ring out” refers to
(f) Describe the inverse square law
effect of amplitude changes on sound pressure levels
(f) ? The decibel can be used to express _________ or __________ levels within an audio system
loudness
distance
0dBm =
1 mw (.001w)
dBu =
.775 v
0dBSPL=
.00002 pa
There is a fixed relationship between dBu and dBV. For any dBV value, add __________ tofind the corresponding dBu value
2.21 dB
(f) Name three pieces of sound system design criteria
(f)Define the term “acoustic gain”
the amount of gain a system provides to an UN-amplified sound source
(f)Define the term “potential acoustic gain”
the amount of acoustic gain a system can achieve before feedback
(f)Define the term “loop unity gain”
when the source & the loudspeaker reinforcing the source are = in level at the mic capsule
(f)Name three things that factor into the potential for feedback
loud speaker response
mic response
acoustic environment
(f)How does changing the distance between the source and the mic affect acoustic gain?
half the distance gain 6bd before feedback
(f)How does changing the number of open microphones on stage affect acoustic gain?
double mics lose 3db
(f)Define the term “loudspeaker Q”
a measure of the directional properties of a mic or loudspeaker
What are two options at a sound engineer’s disposal when dealing with difficult acoustic environments?
c-ducer
helpinstill piano sensor
(f)Name 3 ways that you can improve gain before feedback
use fewer mics
close mic
close mic speaker (talker)
mic & speaker directionality
max distance between mic & speakers
(f)What attributes of a loudspeaker affect acoustic gain?
frequency response
sensitivity
coverage
(f)What attributes of a microphone affect acoustic gain?
frequency response
sensitivity
polar patten
When ringing out a monitor wedge, the first two cuts should be done on the __________
?? console channel
Describe the primary difference between an “all in one” digital console and a “ component based” digital console
(f)What type of cabling does an Avid Venue system use to connect the stage rack to the FOH rack?
75 ohm coax w/ BNC connector
(f)What type of cabling does an Avid Venue system use to connect the FOH rack to the worksurface?
FOH link
What type of cabling does a Venue system use to connect the FOH rack to a Pro Tools HD system?
??? fire wire ieee
A stock Avid Venue stage rack is configured with ________ analog inputs and _______ analog outputs
A stock Avid Venue FOH Rack is loaded with ________ DSP cards, and can be upgraded to _________ total DSP cards
3
5
A stock Avid Venue Mix Rack is loaded with ________ DSP cards, and can be upgraded to________ total DSP cards
2
3
(T/F) Changing the number of graphic EQ’s configured on Venue affects the systems available DSP resources
true
(T/F) Changing the number of FX returns configured on Venue affects the system’s available DSP resources
false
(f)Digico consoles use the __________ protocol for digital audio transmission
a-net
(f)Multiple Digico consoles can share a single stage rack using a system called ______________ _____________
gain tracking
Name two companies that make personal monitor mixing systems
avion
avid PQ
(f)A single Avid HDx card can output _______ channels of digital audio into a Pro Tools HD2 system
64
A Venue system loaded with an FWx firewire card can output _______ channels of digital audio into a Pro Tools LE system
18
(f)In order to connect a second stage rack to an Avid Venue system, you must add a______________ card to your __________ rack
snake2
FOH
What two pieces of equipment can be used to record MADI digital audio into a Pro Tools system?
SSL x logic delta
avid HD madi
(f)What is a “virtual soundcheck?”
using pre recorded mulitracks for sound check
(f)What are the four primary components of a passive analog splitter system?
sub snake
splitter
muti pin cable
fanout
(f)What are the four primary types of signal splitting?
parallel (y)
transformer iso
active
digtal
(f)(T/F) A Y cable can be used to connect a single microphone to two or more console inputs
F
(f)(T/F) A Y cable can be used to connect a single loudspeaker processor output to multiple amplifier inputs
T
Permanent installation splitter systems often use a series of ______ _________and ___________ ______________ for input patching, rather than a single splitter box
Floor boxes
input panels
(f)List two potential problems with passive analog splitter systems
heavy copper cabel
limited spits (4)
EMI
GND loops
(f)The term “DA” stands for….
distribution amplifier
(f)Cobranet digital audio networks can handle up to __________ audio channels on a single________ mb network
64
100
(f)Most consoles fix the slope of a HPF at _______ or ________ dB/Octave
1218
(f)The frequency setting on a high pass filter can also be called the ___________________
corner feq
On a proportional Q equalizer, the bandwidth changes as a function of the amount of_______________ or ______________
Q
bandwith
(f)What are the three parameters of a parametric EQ?
center feq
gain
ratio
(f)What are the two parameters on a traditional shelving EQ?
gain
knee
(f)What is the one parameter of a high pass filter?
knee ?
Define the term octave
2 to 1 feq ratio
The octave below 1kHz is…
8900Hz
Pro Tools firewire interface card (18 channels)
FWx
AES/EBU digtal audio ouputcard
DSO
Analog Insert / AES Card
MADI
8 channels of analog input
SRI
64 channels of digital I/O overcoax or optical
HDx
Pro Tools digilink interfacecard (64 channels)
IOx
Stage Rack 2 expansion card(allows for up to 96 inputs)
Snake 2
8 channels of analog output
SRO
Ethernet connectivity card
ECx
Aviom personal monitoring interface card
A-Net
Processing horsepower for additional plugins
DSP mix engine
AES/EBU digital audio inputcard
DSI
(f)What is the most common device to clip in a sound reinforcement system?
amp
(f)The frequency at which a system crosses over from one driver to another is called the __________
crossover point
(f)The area in which two drivers’ frequency response overlaps is called the __________
crossover region
(f)Crossover filter slopes are described in orders. Fill in the slope in dB/Octave for the following filter orders….
1st Order: _______/Octave
5th Order: _______/Octave
8th Order: _______/Octave
(order # x 6 = slope in db per octive)
6
30
48
(f)List the three most common crossover filter shapes/topologies
Linkwitz-riley
bessel
butterworth
(f)The term summing response describes the…
(f)A passive crossover network divides frequency ________________ the amplifier
after
(f)An active crossover network divides frequency ________________ the amplifier
before
(f)A simple stereo 3-Way system with bi-amped front fills would require a crossover with aminimum of _______ inputs and _______ outputs
3
8
(f)A stereo 4-way system with mono tri-amped delays would require a crossover with a minimum of ________ inputs and ________ outputs
3
11
(f)A loudspeaker’s nominal impedance is an _________________ across its usable frequency range
average
(f)A loudspeaker’s axial sensitivity is defined as the….
dBspl output @ 1 watt 1 meter
(f)All loudspeakers suffer from power compression which is the product of….
vice coil heat
(f)Name three types of amplifier input connectors?
xlr
TRS
phoenix
network
(f)Name three types of amplifier output connectors
nl2 /4 /8
5 way binding post
barrier strips
TS
(f)Name the three most common amplifier operating modes
stereo
parallel
bridge
(f)Define the term “input sensitivity”
(f)If your amplifier’s input sensitivity is set too low (relative to the actual input level), what will most likely happen?
x
(f)If your amplifier’s input sensitivity is set too high (relative to the actual input level), whatwill most likely happen?
x
(f)What does the term system drive refer to?
choosing what output busses on console will feed loudspeaker systems
(f)Describe two benefits of driving subwoofers from an aux send
control what goes to subs
decease potential for low feq feedback
(f)List three purposes for using a center cluster of loudspeakers
vocals
speech
surround cnt ch
(f)There are two different ways to use front fills, describe one of these methods in as much detail as you can…
-matrax sum of L/R
-vocals only sub mix using aux
(f)When wiring loudspeakers via Neutrik speakon connectors, the highest numbered pin is wired to the….
highest feq driver
(f)Define the term “bi-amped loudspeaker”
a monitor that is actively crossed over & power by two separate amp channels
(f)What is the purpose of a paralleled input panel on an amplifier rack?
jump signal from 1 mix to anthor
(f)What is the purpose of a paralleled output panel on an amplifier rack?
parallel mulit speakers on to same amp output
(f)The differences between active and passive crossovers
(f)The differences between powered and unpowered loudspeaker cabinets
(f)Driving loudspeaker subsystems off of the console vs. having them fed directly off of theloudspeaker processor
(f)Common drive techniques for subsystems such as front fills, delays, side hangs, rear hangs etc
