VO-BB - 19 YEARS OLD!

Philip Banks · Posted: Mon Oct 30, 2006 8:49 am Post subject:

Tea anyone? I'm just about to make a pot. Twinnings English Breakfast.

Deirdre · Posted: Mon Oct 30, 2006 8:58 am Post subject:

Count me in.

Bruce · Posted: Mon Oct 30, 2006 5:29 pm Post subject:

Certainly! Irish breakfast tea for me every morning, something interesting every afternoon, and a cuppa chamomile on many an evening. I loves me tea.

B

(However Earl Grey and Gun Powder tea aren't on my list of faves)

Jowillie · Posted: Mon Oct 30, 2006 5:36 pm Post subject:

Thanks again for the examples.
There are a couple of heavy hitters that are members (although quiet) of this board that use or used the Focusrite Voice master pro.
Could you share your experiences, likes, dislikes, or examples.
Thanks
WE

Oh yes, I once predicted that AAC H2 would be the pro production file transfer protocol of choice. I guess only Orban was listening.
AAC = fat files at low bandwidth.

brianforrester · Posted: Mon Oct 30, 2006 9:09 pm Post subject:

TC · Posted: Mon Oct 30, 2006 11:47 pm Post subject:

Green tea for me, please.

And thanks to those of you who are taking the time to record these comparisons for us. I realize there are tons of caveats regarding what mic or what pre works with what other mic, what other pre, in what kind of a room, with what kind of a voice, on what day of the week, in what phase of the moon, etc. But it's interesting to be able to hear and discern differences between these files and then have experts like Frank and others come in and point out in technical terms what we're hearing and why. It's a good learning experience.

Frank F · Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 1:55 am Post subject:

Thank you for the kudos TC.

Depending upon your settings as you encode an .mp3 file, there should be NO discernable difference between the original file (.wav or .aiff) and the .mp3. As has been noted, each sound card may add some 'color", but even more importantly is the "audio engine" of the playback program or system.

Until recently I had 'forgiven' some of the color in the Sony Vegas DAW, as I had decided it was 'pretty darn good'. Then I heard and played with the new Vegas 7 with my Apogeee Rosetta 800's. Wow, what a difference. The new audio engine is flawless. The sound was similar to that of what I would hear when recording Analog audio on 2" tape years ago - only no hiss or tape rumble. It was amazing.

So I went back to my MOTU 828 MKII's, again the audio was superb. it also sounded great on my new ProTools HD system using the Rosetta's

I digress. When comparing .mp3's to the original audio, one must take several factors into consideration. Is the codec lossless or lossy (.mp3) (best is lossless)? Is the audio peaking at or above 100% db (85% is optimum)? Is it stereo or mono, what is the bit depth, CBR, VBR? What is the bandwidth, and padding, are there checksums, Mid-Side Joint, Intensity Joint stereo, how wide is the stereo image? And so many more items I do not have space to write.

Are you listening to a 'streamaing audio file' or a 'downloaded file' (best quality - downloaded)?

O.K., now that I have confused you... consider this, to the human ear and for playback on the radio, TV, or most home systems... an .mp3 is just fine - you will not likely hear any differences. If you do, you probably have better ears than I.

If there is 'color' or other artifacts other than those which were recorded on the original file - it is most likely coming from one of two sources, your playback engine (DSP, DAW or player) or your sound card/system.

The most likely culprit is the playback system or "audio engine".

We ALL set our systems perfomance to our own ears and to our own values at the time we set it up, True performance comes from setting your system to playback audio with optimum values which are predetermined by the other issues.

So-o-o-o, each project is going to sound different to each listener, as it relies on subjective hearing qualities. Or, stated otherwise as: to each their own.

Toodles

Frank F

Diane Maggipinto · Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 8:07 am Post subject:

I just spent some time over the course of an hour here and an hour there and then some advice from an old friend tweaking my dbx 586. Suddenly to my ears it was waaay sibilant and bassy. Ick. So I too appreciate these comparisons (and I liked the Firefox file best!). This and the "Mikes Mics" threads are great fun and good exercise for the ears. It compels me to come back for more, like Hart's voice box building thread and the updates. Living vicariously....?

Deirdre · Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 9:05 am Post subject:

I love the tech shoot-outs and appreciate the time you guys are putting into the prep and recording of these exercises.

It's a constant reminder of the possibilites for the "construction" of one's sound.

Philip Banks · Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 10:44 am Post subject:

Quality is fairly easy to evaluate whereas as preference is precisely that. Clean audio? Yes it is. Too much compression? Yes there is. The latter statement should really be "for my taste, very probably".

Lots of qualified ears on here and very helpful they are too.

A few months ago I posted some audio because I had moved some things around in my "wee huttie". It's very easy to ask a loaded question so I simply asked for comments. The audio was given a clean bill of health. Did I hear something? No, I was hearing things and that's wasn't the first time I assure you.

Jowillie · Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 4:01 pm Post subject:

HUH??

No, really. It is amazing the things the good ears on this forum can point out. And after they do...I realize, "oh yeah, I hear that."
Would you agree that critical listening (hearing) is just as important to our final product as our vocal talents?

Philip Banks · Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 4:17 pm Post subject:

jrkaiser · Guest

The firebox sounds quieter... in my opinion...

kgenus · Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2006 9:24 pm Post subject:

..
_________________
Genus

Jowillie · Posted: Sat Nov 04, 2006 4:37 am Post subject:

Genus,
I'm not hearing the file. It plays through--just no audio. Anyone else hear it?

Oh, I get it-- A Really Quiet Pre! Confused

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Wild Willie Edwards
www.hometowntvtoday.com
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