RECA 250 - Quiz 3 REVIEW Actual
Questions and Answers 2026
expanders -
correct answer ✅used in film mixing to help reduce background
noise
- they are designed to pass strong signals through at normal level,
but to reduce the output level when the input signal level drops
below a certain threshold
- ex. strong dialog would play normally, but during pauses in the
dialog the background noise, which is at a lower level, would be
lowered still further
- some types of expanders are designed to focus on specific
frequency ranges, much like a graphic equalizer, rather than simply
adjusting overall level
Compressors -
correct answer ✅used to reduce the level of loud peaks that rise
above a certain threshold
- by carefully increasing the level of the sound that goes into the
compressor, the net result is to increase the level of the softer
portions of the sound relative to the louder portions
- this has uses in making dialog or music sound louder or "fuller"
overall
, RECA 250 - Quiz 3 REVIEW Actual
Questions and Answers 2026
Suppose the engineers at SMPTE decided on a reference level of -
14 dB instead of -20 dB. If they played it back at a loudness of 85 dB
SPL, how could that affect the playback loudness of the loudest
sounds in a digital release? -
correct answer ✅the loudest parts of the movie would not sound
as loud, because you have reduced the headroom by 6 dB. the
"normal" parts of the movie would still play at their "normal"
loudness, but the loudest parts would not be 20 dB louder than
normal, they'd only be 14 dB
Name the "5.1" channels in the 5.1 sound format -
correct answer ✅left, center, right; left surround, right surround;
and the "LFE" (subwoofer) channel
In which channel does dialog almost always play? -
correct answer ✅center
which had more headroom, a film release print with a Dolby Digital
soundtrack or an analog Dolby Stereo Optical soundtrack -
correct answer ✅Dolby Digital has around 6 dB more headroom
if you always have a stereo's "loudness" switch turned on,
regardless of how loud you're playing music, what are you
Questions and Answers 2026
expanders -
correct answer ✅used in film mixing to help reduce background
noise
- they are designed to pass strong signals through at normal level,
but to reduce the output level when the input signal level drops
below a certain threshold
- ex. strong dialog would play normally, but during pauses in the
dialog the background noise, which is at a lower level, would be
lowered still further
- some types of expanders are designed to focus on specific
frequency ranges, much like a graphic equalizer, rather than simply
adjusting overall level
Compressors -
correct answer ✅used to reduce the level of loud peaks that rise
above a certain threshold
- by carefully increasing the level of the sound that goes into the
compressor, the net result is to increase the level of the softer
portions of the sound relative to the louder portions
- this has uses in making dialog or music sound louder or "fuller"
overall
, RECA 250 - Quiz 3 REVIEW Actual
Questions and Answers 2026
Suppose the engineers at SMPTE decided on a reference level of -
14 dB instead of -20 dB. If they played it back at a loudness of 85 dB
SPL, how could that affect the playback loudness of the loudest
sounds in a digital release? -
correct answer ✅the loudest parts of the movie would not sound
as loud, because you have reduced the headroom by 6 dB. the
"normal" parts of the movie would still play at their "normal"
loudness, but the loudest parts would not be 20 dB louder than
normal, they'd only be 14 dB
Name the "5.1" channels in the 5.1 sound format -
correct answer ✅left, center, right; left surround, right surround;
and the "LFE" (subwoofer) channel
In which channel does dialog almost always play? -
correct answer ✅center
which had more headroom, a film release print with a Dolby Digital
soundtrack or an analog Dolby Stereo Optical soundtrack -
correct answer ✅Dolby Digital has around 6 dB more headroom
if you always have a stereo's "loudness" switch turned on,
regardless of how loud you're playing music, what are you
