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Author Topic: Sennheiser AMBEO SMART HEADSET  (Read 36446 times)

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Offline Ozpeter

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Re: Sennheiser AMBEO SMART HEADSET
« Reply #90 on: October 16, 2022, 06:26:52 PM »
Hmm... the Cure video sound... a fair bit of distortion at the bottom end (from the bass drum?), but it's impossible to judge whether that's actually in the band's sound system in the first place.  As noted, the recording was made from perhaps the worst possible spot, too close to the band, and way off to one side, so the stereo image is seriously skewed as well.  At one point the image suddenly shifted as the guy turned his head - another hazard of binaural recordings of this sort.  So, despite being a fan of the Ambeo myself, I'd not consider this to be a good example of what it can do.  But interesting.

Offline Massive Dynamic

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Re: Sennheiser AMBEO SMART HEADSET
« Reply #91 on: October 24, 2022, 09:39:30 PM »
I have a newer iPhone without a headphone jack, so I picked up a black Ambeo partly for that reason and partly to add a second recorder to the bag. I have a few questions (see below) that may not have been answered in the thread already. Feedback appreciated.

I made some test recordings to compare the Ambeo's sensitivity to my Naiant X-X omnis. Turns out they are much more sensitive than the X-X, but since they seem designed to record spoken word or other lower SPL sources, that makes sense.

The M10 unity gain has been accepted to be at about rec level 4 which is where I start at most club shows. Recording the stereo in my living room test, rec level 4 only got peak levels to about -24db.

With the same playback source, the Ambeo recording peaked at -12.9 db (Reduce Level). In the Natural Level setting, the Ambeo clipped once and the low end was noticeably distorted.
To get a comparable level from the M10>X-X rig, I had to turn the rec level up to 9.

Naiant X-X > SP-SPSB-1 > M10, rec level at 4   -23.6 db
Naiant X-X > SP-SPSB-1 > M10, rec level at 9   -11.0 db
Ambeo > iPhone XR > Metarecorder (Reduce Level)   -12.9 db
Ambeo > iPhone XR > Metarecorder (Natural Level)   clipped/brickwalled


Any advice on which settings anyone has found to be best would be appreciated.

Ambeo app settings
Situational Awareness:   Off
Recording level:   Reduce Level
Smart slider:   Launch Apogee Metarecorder
Voice Prompts:   Toggled off

Apogee MetaRecorder app
Settings:
Prevent Screen Lock: Toggle off?
Meter over hold:   Prefer "infinite" to observe at end of recording? Looks like there is a red line on the Take waveform file showing any overs.
Show intro at start: Toggled off

Scenes:
Can multiple scene folders be created? Seems not.
With the iPhone connected to my Mac mini, I can see the Scene_X folder, but am unable to open the folder in order to select only the audio file to transfer - I must copy the entire folder to my Mac.


Ambeo Headset
Do any of the inline controller buttons have any effect on the recording or settings, or do the apps control it all?
One annoying feature not related to recording is the "play" button skipping from watching a video to the only music I've ever bought from Apple music. Weird.


Might also try to put black nail polish on the chrome screens.
Naiant X-X > SP-SPSB-1 > M10
Superlux S502 > Denecke PS-2 > Hosa MIT-435 > M10

Offline rhinowing

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Re: Sennheiser AMBEO SMART HEADSET
« Reply #92 on: February 25, 2023, 06:54:53 PM »
bumping. a couple questions:

1. which models of iphone is the headset compatible with?

2. I see something about an android version "coming soon" in the first few posts in the thread. did this ever happen?
Please contact me if you've ever taped the Smashing Pumpkins or a related group!

Offline Fatah Ruark (aka MIKE B)

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Re: Sennheiser AMBEO SMART HEADSET
« Reply #93 on: February 25, 2023, 08:11:46 PM »
bumping. a couple questions:

1. which models of iphone is the headset compatible with?

2. I see something about an android version "coming soon" in the first few posts in the thread. did this ever happen?

1. Should be anything with a lightning input. Certainly anything made since this came out.

2. AFAIK they never came out with anything that works with Android. I tried a lightning > USB-C adapter. Worked, but you couldn't control levels, so any recording is going to be overloaded.
||| MICS:  Beyer CK930 | DPA 4022 | DPA 4080 | Nevaton MCE400 | Sennheiser Ambeo Headset |||
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Offline fotoralf.be

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Re: Sennheiser AMBEO SMART HEADSET
« Reply #94 on: February 26, 2023, 02:51:21 PM »
2. I see something about an android version "coming soon" in the first few posts in the thread. did this ever happen?

Never did and never will.

Ralf
Photography and industrial audioscapes from Western Europe. - Sound examples: http://aporee.org/maps/projects/fotoralf - Blog (German): http://the-real-fotoralf.blogspot.com

Offline DMLiveWiki

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Re: Sennheiser AMBEO SMART HEADSET
« Reply #95 on: October 11, 2023, 06:07:15 PM »
I used an Ambeo headset with MetaRecorder yesterday to record Depeche Mode in Orlando. The headset was set to "reduce level", however the microphones were completely overloaded and the recording is totally unusable. I have more suitable equipment, but it's been ten years since I've stealth taped and wanted something of a "safer" option. Honestly, the white headset probably stands out more than my other setup anyway... I've attached an image of the resulting waveform as well as a very short audio sample to exhibit how bad my recording turned out. Warning: prepare your ears.
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Offline heva

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Re: Sennheiser AMBEO SMART HEADSET
« Reply #96 on: October 13, 2023, 01:22:50 AM »
For reference: with the new Apple ‘usb-c to lightning’ adapter I can use the Ambeo headset on my macBook Air (m1). No Sennheiser app available to control settings, but the controller seems to work (volume/noisecancelling).
« Last Edit: October 14, 2023, 03:55:37 PM by heva »

Offline Niels

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Re: Sennheiser AMBEO SMART HEADSET
« Reply #97 on: October 13, 2023, 01:29:36 AM »
For reference: with the new Apple ‘usb-c to lightning’ adapter I can use the Ambeo headset on my macBook Air (m1). No Sennheiser app available to control settings, but the controller seems to to work (volume/noisecancelling).
Interesting. I was kind of expecting the device to possibly stop working from iPhone 15 and forward due to the change, but this gives me hope.
Roland R-07 -> FEL Communications Clippy EM172 Omnis or pair of RØDE Lavaliers.
iPhone 14 -> Shure MV88 or Sennheiser AMBEO Smart Headset

Offline jielkade

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Re: Sennheiser AMBEO SMART HEADSET
« Reply #98 on: October 13, 2023, 05:38:01 AM »
I use the Ambeo Headset with an adapter on my Huawei Mate20 android smartphone. A real joy.
The FIELD RECORDER application allows all input and output settings.

Offline Niels

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Re: Sennheiser AMBEO SMART HEADSET
« Reply #99 on: October 13, 2023, 07:57:56 AM »
I use the Ambeo Headset with an adapter on my Huawei Mate20 android smartphone. A real joy.
The FIELD RECORDER application allows all input and output settings.
I don’t really understand how it is possible to configure the headset functions in the Apogee hardware without the iOS Apogee SmartHeadset App? How would you swap recording input settings between “reduced level” and “normal level” for example?
Roland R-07 -> FEL Communications Clippy EM172 Omnis or pair of RØDE Lavaliers.
iPhone 14 -> Shure MV88 or Sennheiser AMBEO Smart Headset

Offline fotoralf.be

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Re: Sennheiser AMBEO SMART HEADSET
« Reply #100 on: October 15, 2023, 06:51:34 PM »
For reference: with the new Apple ‘usb-c to lightning’ adapter I can use the Ambeo headset on my macBook Air (m1).

There are (were?) similar adapters by Anker. Lightning to USB-C and USB-A. Haven't been able to find them on their website now. I've been using the USB-A version to connect the Ambeo to my various Mac computers. Works like a charm.

Ralf
Photography and industrial audioscapes from Western Europe. - Sound examples: http://aporee.org/maps/projects/fotoralf - Blog (German): http://the-real-fotoralf.blogspot.com

Offline heva

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Re: Sennheiser AMBEO SMART HEADSET
« Reply #101 on: October 16, 2023, 10:14:40 AM »
I've got one from Amazon, like the Anker, it was supposed to work with Ambeo headset.
I didn't work. At all
It only got hot. Quite hot.

Offline jielkade

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Re: Sennheiser AMBEO SMART HEADSET
« Reply #102 on: October 16, 2023, 10:45:41 AM »
I did the same thing, it didn't work and I found the
"UGREEN USB C Lightning Header Adapter Typ c auf Lightning Audio Adapter"
 which works very well with my huawei mate20
plus Field Recorder app which is really great with all its settings.

Offline Paul

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Re: Sennheiser AMBEO SMART HEADSET
« Reply #103 on: October 16, 2023, 11:16:29 PM »
I used an Ambeo headset with MetaRecorder yesterday to record Depeche Mode in Orlando. The headset was set to "reduce level", however the microphones were completely overloaded and the recording is totally unusable. I have more suitable equipment, but it's been ten years since I've stealth taped and wanted something of a "safer" option. Honestly, the white headset probably stands out more than my other setup anyway... I've attached an image of the resulting waveform as well as a very short audio sample to exhibit how bad my recording turned out. Warning: prepare your ears.
yes, that was my experience, as noted somewhere back in this thread. IMO Apogee dropped the ball by not having a gain attenuator built-in... any ½-way serious recording device has that.
my 2¢...

Offline DMLiveWiki

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Re: Sennheiser AMBEO SMART HEADSET
« Reply #104 on: October 17, 2023, 07:13:58 PM »
I used an Ambeo headset with MetaRecorder yesterday to record Depeche Mode in Orlando. The headset was set to "reduce level", however the microphones were completely overloaded and the recording is totally unusable. I have more suitable equipment, but it's been ten years since I've stealth taped and wanted something of a "safer" option. Honestly, the white headset probably stands out more than my other setup anyway... I've attached an image of the resulting waveform as well as a very short audio sample to exhibit how bad my recording turned out. Warning: prepare your ears.
yes, that was my experience, as noted somewhere back in this thread. IMO Apogee dropped the ball by not having a gain attenuator built-in... any ½-way serious recording device has that.
Indeed - I read this thread over a few times before deciding to try this but glossed over it appparently. Definitely regret it and ended up returning it.

I should have brought my SP-CMC-2 setup since I got significantly better results at the Depeche Mode concert in Miami two nights later: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvkytBVbcNw
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