CER CER Audio Technology & Sound Quality Management

Question 1

What is the recommended minimum sample rate for courtroom audio recordings to ensure acceptable speech intelligibility?

Accepted Answer

44,100 Hz

Answer

8,000 Hz

Answer

22,050 Hz

Answer

96,000 Hz

Question 2

Which microphone polar pattern is MOST effective for minimizing ambient courtroom noise while recording a single witness?

Accepted Answer

Hypercardioid

Answer

Omnidirectional

Answer

Cardioid

Answer

Figure-8 (bidirectional)

Question 3

What does 'clipping' refer to in audio recording, and why is it critical to avoid during court proceedings?

Accepted Answer

Distortion caused by an audio signal exceeding the recorder's maximum input level

Answer

Cutting out background noise with software filters

Answer

The physical trimming of audio files during editing

Answer

Reducing the bit depth of a recording to save storage space

Question 4

A court electronic reporter notices a consistent 60 Hz hum on the recording. What is the MOST likely cause?

Accepted Answer

Electrical interference from nearby AC power lines or equipment

Answer

A failing microphone capsule

Answer

Excessive room reverberation

Answer

A misconfigured sample rate on the digital recorder

Question 5

What is the purpose of using a low-cut (high-pass) filter on courtroom microphones?

Accepted Answer

To eliminate low-frequency rumble, HVAC noise, and handling vibrations that muddy speech recordings

Answer

To boost the clarity of high-frequency consonants in speech

Answer

To increase the gain of the microphone signal before it reaches the recorder

Answer

To convert analog audio signals to digital format

Question 6

Which file format is generally PREFERRED for archiving official court audio recordings due to its lossless compression?

Accepted Answer

FLAC

Answer

MP3

Answer

AAC

Answer

OGG Vorbis