Topic: Sennheiser AMBEO SMART HEADSET

[tonyjuliano]

when I unplugged the ambisonics, the internal mic was clipping hotter than the ambisonics. My brother, recorded video, using the internal iPhone mic & had zero distortion...

That kind of says it all, doesn't it?  You overloaded the mic. The iPhone has a huge limiter on audio when recording video, it also sounds poor as a result.  If it didn't there would be zero aftermarket for external mics for iPhone.

The headset, is made w/ a collaboration between Sennheiser & Apogee. Sennheiser did the mic's/buds & possibly the shell for the earpiece. Apogee did the electronics, the app's, interface, etc.

Not sure how Apogee is absent from any blame...

Both Sennheiser and Apogee market this product as a device to record ambient sound levels, less than 118 SPL.  I can't fault them for anything in this scenario.

Maybe if someone devised a battery box w/ a signal attenuator, these things would be really good.

The Zoom H2n would have handled this w/o batting an eye, w/ it's internal mic's...

That's exactly what would be necessary for any mic to work properly given the volume of what you were trying to record.  And that's exactly what zoom does with the H2N too. Provide enough power to the capsules to prevent clipping, which the iphone on its own cannot.

[Niels]

I don't know what you tape, but my last recording from a couple of month ago. Elvis Costello & The Imposters in a 1000 person venue. Centred between sound board and stage with the Ambeo app set to low level: It was no-way-near clipping.
To me the Ambeo Smart Headset deliver way above its current price.
Horses for courses.

well, you can say what you want but...

when I unplugged the ambisonics, the internal mic was clipping hotter than the ambisonics. My brother, recorded video, using the internal iPhone mic & had zero distortion...

The headset, is made w/ a collaboration between Sennheiser & Apogee. Sennheiser did the mic's/buds & possibly the shell for the earpiece. Apogee did the electronics, the app's, interface, etc.

Not sure how Apogee is absent from any blame...

The clipping is definitely internal, & not necessarily from the capsule overloading.

It bugs me, that Apple can do it right, but Apogee/Sennheiser can not.

I used to record band music w/ a $15 Radio Shack electret mic (back in the '80s) & didn't get any distortion like this. This is clipping, plain & simple. Apogee decided that an internal pad of so many db was sufficient, it says "for concerts", but it falls short. They also have some sort of soft compression/limiting, but, it also isn't good enough...

Still, $50, you get what you pay for...

Maybe if someone devised a battery box w/ a signal attenuator, these things would be really good.

The Zoom H2n would have handled this w/o batting an eye, w/ it's internal mic's...

[tonyjuliano]

Have listen to the sound clip he linked to, you’ll understand what happened - very high SPL.

I don't know what you tape, but my last recording from a couple of month ago. Elvis Costello & The Imposters in a 1000 person venue. Centred between sound board and stage with the Ambeo app set to low level: It was no-way-near clipping.
To me the Ambeo Smart Headset deliver way above its current price.
Horses for courses.

well, you can say what you want but...

when I unplugged the ambisonics, the internal mic was clipping hotter than the ambisonics. My brother, recorded video, using the internal iPhone mic & had zero distortion...

The headset, is made w/ a collaboration between Sennheiser & Apogee. Sennheiser did the mic's/buds & possibly the shell for the earpiece. Apogee did the electronics, the app's, interface, etc.

Not sure how Apogee is absent from any blame...

The clipping is definitely internal, & not necessarily from the capsule overloading.

It bugs me, that Apple can do it right, but Apogee/Sennheiser can not.

I used to record band music w/ a $15 Radio Shack electret mic (back in the '80s) & didn't get any distortion like this. This is clipping, plain & simple. Apogee decided that an internal pad of so many db was sufficient, it says "for concerts", but it falls short. They also have some sort of soft compression/limiting, but, it also isn't good enough...

Still, $50, you get what you pay for...

Maybe if someone devised a battery box w/ a signal attenuator, these things would be really good.

The Zoom H2n would have handled this w/o batting an eye, w/ it's internal mic's...

[mountainhop]

ive got two of these new in box if anyone wants. $50?

[Paul]

Have listen to the sound clip he linked to, you’ll understand what happened - very high SPL.

yes, high SPL, w/ no pre-amp gain control, through the Apogee Ambisonics app. I used the low level "concert" setting, & it's still way too hot...

I took them to another show, indoors, at an old theatre, & it was even worse. Luckily I recorded w/ the ZoomH2n & got some sound...

All it needs is a gain control, that really should not be too much to ask for, but apparently is...  I wonder if Apple has these companies hamstringed, because I downloaded another app, supposedly made by the same dev that makes Audacity, & same thing, no input control. It would be best though, to have an inline gain attenuator, to lower the gain going in to the Apple pre-amp...

[Ozpeter]

I wouldn't have thought the Apple preamp was involved - it's a digital signal chain.

[fotoralf.be]

I wouldn't have thought the Apple preamp was involved - it's a digital signal chain.

Indeed. The A/D conversion happens inside the Ambeos. The iPhone's audio hardware has nothing to do with htis.

Ralf

[Paul]

I wouldn't have thought the Apple preamp was involved - it's a digital signal chain.

Indeed. The A/D conversion happens inside the Ambeos. The iPhone's audio hardware has nothing to do with htis.

Ralf

so, then, as I originally said, it's poor design by Apogee, as it lays squarely on them...

but also, you get what you pay for ($50), although, I've seen it listed for some $279 abroad... (scary thought) Concert mode, definitely isn't concert mode, unless you are recording a child's recital or something, & calling it a concert...

[Ozpeter]

I would be surprised if it couldn't cope with a symphonic concert - but I admit I never tried.

[Niels]

I wouldn't have thought the Apple preamp was involved - it's a digital signal chain.

Indeed. The A/D conversion happens inside the Ambeos. The iPhone's audio hardware has nothing to do with htis.

Ralf

so, then, as I originally said, it's poor design by Apogee, as it lays squarely on them...

but also, you get what you pay for ($50), although, I've seen it listed for some $279 abroad... (scary thought) Concert mode, definitely isn't concert mode, unless you are recording a child's recital or something, & calling it a concert...

I understand you are disappointed and find comfort in trashing it, but your repeated exaggeration is unhelpful and down right wrong.
I routinely record amplified rock with this headset with plenty of headroom, and I think many will find it useful if they just read the label and understands its limitations.

[mountainhop]

yeah that does sound like an exaggeration. its not amazing, but not awful either

[Fatah Ruark (aka MIKE B)]

No issues here recording a "regular loud" rock concert here. I could see some issues at some super loud metal show.

The point of these is not to make the best possible recording at all costs, it's to either make a decent and listenable recording at a low budget, or if you're in a high security situation, or don't feel like putting much effort into a recording for whatever reason.

The "your mics don't sound as good as my $10k rig" attitude is one of my biggest annoyances from other tapers. No shit they don't sound as good, but these do the job under many circumstances, and a recording made with these mics is infinitely better than no recording at all.

[Fatah Ruark (aka MIKE B)]

I think this sounds (and looks) pretty good. Ambeo + iPhone video.

Recordist is front row, so sound levels were probably pretty high (although this isn't a particularly loud song).

https://youtu.be/yQDRzxIi4Uw

Seriously, for $50...can't go wrong IMO.

[mountainhop]

I think this sounds (and looks) pretty good. Ambeo + iPhone video.

Recordist is front row, so sound levels were probably pretty high (although this isn't a particularly loud song).

https://youtu.be/yQDRzxIi4Uw

Seriously, for $50...can't go wrong IMO.

even if the elements were only as good as the phone itself (and lets face it, phone audio has come a long way in the last few years), the fact that youre recording a true binaural pattern makes it infinitely more listenable

[fotoralf.be]

I think this sounds (and looks) pretty good. Ambeo + iPhone video.

Recordist is front row, so sound levels were probably pretty high (although this isn't a particularly loud song).

Nothing wrong with it. With the obvious exception of the music, of course... ;-)

Technicaly fine with me and...

Seriously, for $50...can't go wrong IMO.

I've heard much worse recordings made with equipment 1000 times more expensive.

Ralf