COMPLETE [Group] Microphone Showdown 3 - RuthieG

Solo or group recordings that are finished and fully available for listeners
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Algy Pug
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Post by Algy Pug »

PL for Section 13 and 39

Thank you for the reminder. Sorry about the long delay.

Both readings are PL OK.

The Olympus DM-620 sounds quite impressive, especially for a hand held device - the sound is quite open and detailed, not boxy like that you would expect from a hand held. The Blue Snowball IMHO is quite overrated, and has become popular because of the maker's name, rather than the quality of the microphone.

Cheers
Algy Pug

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Retswerb
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Location: Tacoma, WA

Post by Retswerb »

Still looking for contributions to this project? If so I'll claim a section, would like to read Longfellow's "The Broken Oar" on my Behringer C-1.
Algy Pug
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Post by Algy Pug »

Retswerb wrote:Still looking for contributions to this project? If so I'll claim a section, would like to read Longfellow's "The Broken Oar" on my Behringer C-1.
Thank you

Section 41 is yours.

Regards
Algy Pug

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barleyguy
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Post by barleyguy »

Hi. I would enjoy participating in this. I could do 3 of these if it's OK.

I'm thinking Robert Frost, the first 3 poems of Mountain Interval.

Road Not Taken, ElectroVoice ND767a microphone, Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 interface
Christmas Trees, Studio Projects B3, RME Octamic
An Old Man's Winter Night, Shure SM57, Midas VeniceU

Thanks,

Harley.
So that's what an invisible barrier looks like... (Time Bandits)
Algy Pug
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Location: Perth, Western Australia

Post by Algy Pug »

barleyguy wrote:Hi. I would enjoy participating in this. I could do 3 of these if it's OK.

Thanks,

Harley.
Thank you

You have been allocated sections 42, 43 and 44. Enjoy.

Cheers
Algy Pug

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barleyguy
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Post by barleyguy »

sjmarky wrote:
I have heard a couple of negative things about the Yeti Pro:
1) It's output is quite low;
2) The higher bit rates and sampling rates don't really translate to better quality sound.
24 bit recording means nothing, really. If you record at 24 bits all that happens is you use a third more disc space in your initial recording, then when it gets converted to 16 bit MP3, the additional bits are simply discarded by the software. Only high-end recording software like ProTools and Logic make any use of these extra bits, and even then would only matter if producing audio of at least CD quality. That's why it doesn't sound any better.
I couldn't resist replying to this...

I concur that for a single track of voice there's not much advantage to recording in 24-bit. But it does have advantages for larger recordings:

1. The digital noise floor of 16-bit is -96 dB, whereas the digital noise floor of 24-bit is -144 dB. This will not matter at all for a single voice track unless you're in an impossbly quiet room and your listeners are listening very loudly on large expensive speakers. But on multitrack recordings such as modern music production, every track that gets summed together brings up the digital noise floor another couple of decibels, so it can eventually decrease the fidelity of the recording. It's extremely common nowadays to sum 48 tracks or more together when producing music. (it's also more common with music for people to listen loudly on large speakers.)

2. Fidelity starts to decrease around 11 or 12 bits, and makes things sound "robotic". The reason this is relevant is because if you record a very soft signal at 16-bit, every 6 dB below your headroom you are makes you lose another bit. Therefore, if you're 24 dB down from the top at 16-bit, you're only using 12 bits. On 24-bit, if you're 24 dB down from the top, you still have 20-bits of resolution, which willl still sound great.

3. Digital effects on computers are performed in at least 32-bit. If your recording is 16-bit, the computer has to convert the audio from 16-bit to 32-bit, perform the effect, and convert it back. This takes more processor power, and can also result in rounding errors, which can reduce fidelity in a way that makes things sound unnatural. This is why most "pro" audio programs just convert to 32-bit when you load up at the start. Even with software where this is true, you can still get rounding errors when you save in 16-bit, exit the program, load back up and continue editing. So IMO if you're going to be doing a lot of effects, such as noise reduction, amplification, reverbs etc. it's better to record in 24-bit and convert to 16-bit at the very end.

In summary, 24-bit really is better, but for a single voice track recorded at good volume with minimal effects, I concur that you're not going to notice any difference.

Cheers,

Harley.
So that's what an invisible barrier looks like... (Time Bandits)
barleyguy
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Joined: July 23rd, 2014, 1:56 pm

Post by barleyguy »

Hi. Section 44 is uploaded. Length is 1:57:

https://librivox.org/uploads/ruthieg/microphoneshowdown3_44_various_128kb.mp3

Title: An Old Man's Winter Night (from Mountain Interval)
Author: Robert Frost 1874-1963
Text URL: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/29345

Microphone: Shure SM57, XLR
Interface: Midas VeniceU 24 console
Software: Reaper
OS: Windows 7

Thanks,

Harley.
So that's what an invisible barrier looks like... (Time Bandits)
Algy Pug
Posts: 6966
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Location: Perth, Western Australia

Post by Algy Pug »

barleyguy wrote:Hi. Section 44 is uploaded. Length is 1:57:

https://librivox.org/uploads/ruthieg/microphoneshowdown3_44_various_128kb.mp3

Harley.
Thank you

Reading is PL OK. :thumbs:

Very nice smooth sound - I didn't realize that the venerable SM57 could sound so sweet.

Cheers
Algy Pug

My Librivox page



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barleyguy
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Post by barleyguy »

Algy Pug wrote: Thank you

Reading is PL OK. :thumbs:

Very nice smooth sound - I didn't realize that the venerable SM57 could sound so sweet.

Cheers
I'm probably at least the millionth person to plug an SM57 into a Midas. There's a reason for that. :)

I plan to do my other two sections this coming weekend... Tonight the sound of my neighborhood is a mixture of fireworks and fire trucks.

Cheers.
So that's what an invisible barrier looks like... (Time Bandits)
barleyguy
Posts: 261
Joined: July 23rd, 2014, 1:56 pm

Post by barleyguy »

Hi. Section 42 is uploaded here, length is 1:14:

https://librivox.org/uploads/ruthieg/microphoneshowdown3_42_various_128kb.mp3

Title: The Road Not Taken (from Mountain Interval)
Author: Robert Frost 1874-1963
Text URL: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/29345

Microphone: ElectroVoice ND767a, XLR (with mini pop filter)
Interface: Focusrite Scarlett 18i8
Software: Reaper
OS: Windows 10


Section 43 is also uploaded, here, length is 3:23:

https://librivox.org/uploads/ruthieg/microphoneshowdown3_43_various_128kb.mp3

Title: Christmas Trees (from Mountain Interval)
Author: Robert Frost 1874-1963
Text URL: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/29345

Microphone: Studio Projects B3, XLR (with pop filter)
Interface: RME OctaMic
Software: Reaper
OS: Windows 7

------------------------------------------

Also, I'd love your opinion on which of the 3 microphones you like the best with my voice. It may influence which one I use in the future.

Thanks,

Harley.
So that's what an invisible barrier looks like... (Time Bandits)
Algy Pug
Posts: 6966
Joined: December 26th, 2009, 10:07 pm
Location: Perth, Western Australia

Post by Algy Pug »

barleyguy wrote:Hi. Section 42 is uploaded here, length is 1:14:
PL OK. :thumbs:
barleyguy wrote:Section 43 is also uploaded, here, length is 3:23:

https://librivox.org/uploads/ruthieg/microphoneshowdown3_43_various_128kb.mp3
One small correction required:

2:10
I thought so too, but wasn’t there to say so.
I heard
I thought so too, but there wasn’t there to say so
------------------------------------------
barleyguy wrote:Also, I'd love your opinion on which of the 3 microphones you like the best with my voice. It may influence which one I use in the future.
Just my opinion.

In order of preference:
1) ElectroVoice ND767a - smooth and detailed, with a good bass response - very pleasant to listen to;
2) Shure SM57 - smooth rich sound, but perhaps not quite as much detail as the Electrovoice;
3) Studio Projects B3 - I thought the sound was a little edgy and crisp - could be trying on the ear in long narrations.

There is not much in it between 1) and 2). I think that 3) is a fair way behind in terms of quality.

Cheers
Algy Pug

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barleyguy
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Post by barleyguy »

Algy Pug wrote:
One small correction required
I re-uploaded section 43 with that one word trimmed out:

https://librivox.org/uploads/ruthieg/microphoneshowdown3_43_various_128kb.mp3
Algy Pug wrote:
Just my opinion.

In order of preference:
1) ElectroVoice ND767a - smooth and detailed, with a good bass response - very pleasant to listen to;
2) Shure SM57 - smooth rich sound, but perhaps not quite as much detail as the Electrovoice;
3) Studio Projects B3 - I thought the sound was a little edgy and crisp - could be trying on the ear in long narrations.

There is not much in it between 1) and 2). I think that 3) is a fair way behind in terms of quality.

Cheers
Thanks. I agree with your perspective. The ND767a is my favorite of the three.
So that's what an invisible barrier looks like... (Time Bandits)
Algy Pug
Posts: 6966
Joined: December 26th, 2009, 10:07 pm
Location: Perth, Western Australia

Post by Algy Pug »

barleyguy wrote: I re-uploaded section 43 with that one word trimmed out:

https://librivox.org/uploads/ruthieg/microphoneshowdown3_43_various_128kb.mp3
Thank you

Section 43 is now PL OK. :thumbs:

Cheers
Algy Pug

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andrewfrueh
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Post by andrewfrueh »

I'd like to do a series of 4 tests please.

Thanks,
Andrew
Algy Pug
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Post by Algy Pug »

andrewfrueh wrote:I'd like to do a series of 4 tests please.

Thanks,
Andrew

Thanks Andrew

Sections 45 through 48 have been allocated to you. Enjoy!

I noticed that you are using the Rode NT1A. I use one myself - most of the time.

Cheers
Algy Pug

My Librivox page



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