Videos of Acoustically-Coupled Audio Recordings

[Ron Resnick]

Yes I'm cheating!

Here is the piano intro taken from a tablet (not even sure the microphones were facing the speakers...). I don't find that the overall sound signature changes.

The phone is not as quiet, and there is more distortion.
The recorded level seems to be higher in the video.

Commenting on Ron's video, for example, I would say that the bass has a nice quality, but maybe simply the level is a little high ?

On a quick listen I feel like the tablet sounds noticeably more digital to me. It has the sonic signature that makes me diss generally video recordings of audio on iPhones.

I think the microphone into the Tascam sounds wholly more organic and less digital-y.

The woofer towers are controlled by a remote control. When you visit you can dial the bass level down however you wish!

 

[Ron Resnick]

True, but it still sounds good, and many would consider the system modest by WBF standards. For that, it is revealing. Ron's videos are not on YouTube either. I presume Ron uses an iPhone, but not certain about the mic. I agree that a standard is useful for these kinds of comparisons.

Every video I have posted was recorded by an iPhone using the built-in mic. I think some standardization like that makes sense (even if that standardization is pretty much the lowest recording quality imaginable).

 

[Ron Resnick]

I’m still waiting for all the Horizon/Taiko-Extreme and Wadax dac/server owners to step up to the plate with their videos but so far no one has stepped up. I would have thought that the elite would have welcomed this opportunity to show off and showcase their mighty systems, but I guess not, at least so far.

Perhaps people don't want to indulge and reward your condescending and sarcastic demeanor.

 

[Ron Resnick]

Every comparison must have a datum, or reference point.

+1

 

[PeterA]

Perhaps people don't want to indulge and reward your condescending and sarcastic demeanor.

i’m here to learn. Results matter more than presentation. People will post if they want to. I hope they do.

 

[Carlos269]

Perhaps people don't want to indulge and reward your condescending and sarcastic demeanor.

This is not for me, an audience of one, they would be submitting their video for the entire forum to listen to and share their thoughts. I will not be ruthless or unkind. Don’t let me stand in the way of a little fun.

I’m not sure if you noticed but I have not said a word about the sound of your or Michael Fremer’s system videos. So please don’t make me a scapegoat and give those owners an excuse not to post videos of their system, playing the common track over YouTube.

 

[Rexp]

I was streaming the Tidal 16/44.1 track when I recorded those videos. The higher resolution source file 24/192 track from Qobuz should make a positive difference. I do not subscribe to Qobuz or buy their files. Please share a video of your system playing back the 24/192KHz source file. Those of us that do not do Qobuz would all like to listen to what the higher resolution track sounds like in comparison to the Tidal 16/44.1KHz track for this recording since you say that it “fixed things”, whatever that means, care to elaborate?

Interesting, guess upsampling works? Currently I only listen on headphones, my speaker system is in storage in another country.

 

[the sound of Tao]

But lori Lieberman aint much of a system challenge , its audiophile show music afaik
Lets do a digital Organ recording comparison for a full system work out

For example :

Big +1… engaging also in large scale symphonic orchestral works or a larger scale piano, violin or cello concerto and some fierce driving rock tunes rather than just constantly hiding behind unchallenging smaller scale pretty ‘audiophile’ recordings (especially on genre limited kinds of setups) is important to get a more true perspective.

 

[bonzo75]

Yes I'm cheating!

Here is the piano intro taken from a tablet (not even sure the microphones were facing the speakers...). I don't find that the overall sound signature changes.

The phone is not as quiet, and there is more distortion.
The recorded level seems to be higher in the video.

It is interesting to watch the other 3 videos posted. There is more bass in all 3 other systems, that's obvious, but the quality of the bass varies as well - is it "tight", does it have good definition ? In spite of a phone's lower quality, you can still get a sense of this. Commenting on Ron's video, for example, I would say that the bass has a nice quality, but maybe simply the level is a little high ?

hi the tascam video is extremely good but when I play the phone video it is stopping after the initial notes? Can you do a longer recording with your mobile and post to YT please? The initial piano notes on the mobile sounded equally promising, and more depicting of the listener seat’s perspective than the Tascam

 

[hopkins]

hi the tascam video is extremely good but when I play the phone video it is stopping after the initial notes? Can you do a longer recording with your mobile and post to YT please? The initial piano notes on the mobile sounded equally promising, and more depicting of the listener seat’s perspective than the Tascam

Here is a link to the raw video (taken with my tablet (Galaxy Tab S6 lite): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VuprcJuMwJ9AhXsWRq-upVA6NJwGAakv/view?usp=drivesdk

I don't feel like uploading this one to YouTube. In a few weeks I'll give it another go perhaps, as I will be making changes to my setup which should improve things noticeably.

In both cases, I recorded from my seating position. The Superlux microphones I use with the Tascam recorder require to be positioned differently, I believe. When using these types of microphones (ORTF) the best thing is to listen with headphones while recording to figure out the best position, and I have not taken the time to do so.

Could someone post a link to the Michael Fermer video,? Now I am curious to listen to it.

 

[bonzo75]

Here is a link to the raw video (taken with my tablet (Galaxy Tab S6 lite): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VuprcJuMwJ9AhXsWRq-upVA6NJwGAakv/view?usp=drivesdk

I don't feel like uploading this one to YouTube. In a few weeks I'll give it another go perhaps, as I will be making changes to my setup which should improve things noticeably.

In both cases, I recorded from my seating position. The Superlux microphones I use with the Tascam recorder require to be positioned differently, I believe. When using these types of microphones (ORTF) the best thing is to listen with headphones while recording to figure out the best position, and I have not taken the time to do so.

Could someone post a link to the Michael Fermer video,? Now I am curious to listen to it.

This is excellent, thanks. What are the drivers and the amps?

Very good lesson on how simple systems and medium sized speakers can sound better than complicated systems with giant sized speakers. So you have no analog? Would like you to play some concertos

 

[hopkins]

This is excellent, thanks. What are the drivers and the amps?

Very good lesson on how simple systems and medium sized speakers can sound better than complicated systems with giant sized speakers. So you have no analog? Would like you to play some concertos

Details are on my blog in my signature.

Every system sounds different, and I would definitely not say that it sounds "better" - I personally hear many deficiencies in my system (lack of deep bass being only one of them, but there is also a bug in the amp that affects some aspects and will be fixed soon, it was an early prototype, and the room is quite challenging - still working on that).

The system does have its strengths, which I miss when listening to other systems (and when I listen to other systems, I can see which aspects of mine are perfectible), but it is far from being "universal". It is work in progress.

I do have a turntable, but essentially for records which have never been released in a digital format. 99% of my collection is digital, and that's how I intend to keep it.

Hopefully others will partake in this fun little game!

 

[Alrainbow]

I’ve taken many videos in many methods
iPhone models do sound different on playback
I have used an app to record it allowed for many settings , but rate and bit depth
I also used a mic into the iPhone
outside mic beats an iPhone internal mic
phone videos may not be all we need but does have some interesting information
for me to hear others video on playback I use two phones not the same model the newer iPhones 14 to me has a better speaker
But earbuds are much better. I use two models
Earbuds pro 2 and Sony ear buds.
in doing so I can get a better understanding of the video.
kedar to me makes excellent videos and to me really shows off systems to amazing results
how he does them I don’t know but they are great anyway I play them back.

 

[bonzo75]

kedar to me makes excellent videos and to me really shows off systems to amazing results
how he does them I don’t know but they are great anyway I play them back.

Thanks. I use iPhone 11 since august 2022 and iPhone 8+ before that. They sound great because the systems are great and the music played back is. The video should get the musical message and not just the high low dense thin sound. They capture sound from listener seat with room ambience so sound more real (to me) than sophisticated mics which make the sound better but do not give that listener seat feeling.

 

[bonzo75]

There is a very good Vitenamese forum on FB that shares videos playing classical. I listen to some and check with a Vietnamese forum member who knows many of these systems as these are local to him. So far my video assessments have possibly a 100% strike rate with what he confirms. The systems are often digital and SS, so not that they I am assessing purely from a SET tone perspective.

These are two examples of Goldmund systems, quite different sounding.

Th?y Anh Ph?m Quân ??ng “Carmen “ em c?ng ké ? | By Nguy?n Quy Duong | Facebook

Th?y Anh Ph?m Quân ??ng “Carmen “ em c?ng ké ?

fb.watch

High-End Club | Tôi đi tìm không gian mà tại đó.. | Facebook

Tôi đi tìm không gian mà tại đó... khoảng cách giữa tôi và nghệ sĩ chỉ còn là những cây đàn.... Sử dụng 2 dây loa cho hiệu quả hơn nối cầu rất nhiều. Nếu loa có 2 cầu thì nên chơi 2 dây loa hơn là up...

www.facebook.com

 

[hopkins]

So I found Michael Fremer's video, watched it, and there is no way he is using his phone's built in microphones. He does state in the comments that he is using an iPhone, but with a special app, and from what I understand, with external microphones...

Here is one comment he "liked":

 

[bonzo75]

He explains what he is doing at minute 32 approx onwards before he plays it. It is also in this thread

 

[hopkins]

He explains what he is doing at minute 32 approx onwards before he plays it. It is also in this thread

Missed that. Makes sense. These types of microphones are much better than the phone's build-in microphones.
Here are the specs:

Binaural Microphones for Everyone

Easily make brilliant Spatial Audio recordings with SonicPresence® binaural microphones. Compatible with iPhone, Android, Mac/PC, and XLR devices. Ideal for musicians, content creators, and filmmakers. Designed and built in New York City.

www.sonicpresence.com

I searched quickly but could not find a "technical" review of the microphone's characteristics. Here is another review:

The wearable spatial microphone Sonic Presence SP15 - Mathis Nitschke

With the Sonic Presence SP15 microphone, high-quality sound recordings can be made without effort: you always have the microphone with you, you don't need a tripod, your smartphone serves as a recorder. It captures the sound impression at the position of the listener in a credible way. A review.

mathis-nitschke.com

 

[Carlos269]

Here is a link to the raw video (taken with my tablet (Galaxy Tab S6 lite): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VuprcJuMwJ9AhXsWRq-upVA6NJwGAakv/view?usp=drivesdk

I don't feel like uploading this one to YouTube. In a few weeks I'll give it another go perhaps, as I will be making changes to my setup which should improve things noticeably.

In both cases, I recorded from my seating position. The Superlux microphones I use with the Tascam recorder require to be positioned differently, I believe. When using these types of microphones (ORTF) the best thing is to listen with headphones while recording to figure out the best position, and I have not taken the time to do so.

Could someone post a link to the Michael Fermer video,? Now I am curious to listen to it.

Hopkins, you have a YouTube channel, why the hesitation of uploading the tablet video to YouTube so that it can be compared through the same platform? You know that YouTube compresses the audio down to 256 kbps AAC. I’m just trying to understand why you are trying to avoid normalizing your video to the same platform as the others who have and those that will submit a video for comparison. Maybe you can explain why you refuse this. If we all start uploading raw audio WAV files then there will be no standardization, no confirmation that the video was captured from the listening position or edited prior to uploading. To make this a fun exercise things should be kept simple and as consistent as possible to allow comparisons under the same playback conditions.

 

[PeterA]

Hopkins, you have a YouTube channel, why the hesitation of uploading the tablet video to YouTube so that it can be compared through the same platform? You know that YouTube compresses the audio down to 256 kbps AAC. I’m just trying to understand why you are trying to avoid normalizing your video to the same platform as the others who have and those that will submit a video for comparison. Maybe you can explain why you refuse this. If we all start uploading raw audio WAV files then there will be no standardization, no confirmation that the video was captured from the listening position or edited prior to uploading. To make this a fun exercise things should be kept simple and as consistent as possible to allow comparisons under the same playback conditions.

This is why I usually show the LP cover and needle drop and hand hold the phone so there is no doubt what I am doing.