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Gear / Technical Help => Post-Processing, Computer / Streaming / Internet Devices & Related Activity => Topic started by: airbladder on May 13, 2016, 10:27:23 AM

Title: Correct protocols for source comps.
Post by: airbladder on May 13, 2016, 10:27:23 AM
I think this is more of a computer than playback question.  I like to record comps from time to time, especially when I get new gear.  I like to have some overlap between when I get something new before I sell the thing I am replacing.  Recently I sold my Apogee minime and got a Zoom F8.  I have always been a big Apogee fan but I understand that the new all in one decks have much better ADC then the decks of years past.  I wanted to compare the two ADCs before I got rid of the Apogee to see which ADC I liked better, and how much of a difference there was between the two.  So I recorded a show like this:

Neumann U89> PSP-3> Splitter> Apogee Minime> Microtrak
Neumann U89> PSP-3> Splitter> Zoom F8. 

Then I put all the tracks into Audacity in raw 24/48 and make them close in 'volume'.  I start by listening to source A while source B is muted.  I listen for about 30 seconds, I mute source A, then un-mute source B, listen for 30 seconds, and repeat.  I don't have a golden ear or any real education in sound other than being a taper.  So I will listen one round for the lows, one for mids, one for highs, and one for the overall soundstage.  These are all 24 bit files and I use an Ecentrance DAC mini and AKG K271 headphones; I get better details out of my headphones than my monitors.   

My question is this: does the program you use for something like this make a difference?  To me it seems that things don't sound as good when I play back in Audacity compared to when played back in a straight playback program; I use VLC.  Aren't the files in 32 bit float for editing, does that change how things sound?  The files haven't been bounced yet so is there some quick and dirty dither/resampling that is happening before playback in these kinds of programs?  I just feel like I get more detail in other programs.  However, it's easiest to do the comp in a multitrack program as apposed to editing it all down so if flips back between each source every 30 seconds; that is just too much work.  But I feel like I have had the same issue in Reaper when I try to do comps in that program.  Maybe there just isn't that much of a difference between the different source's I A/B.  I am normally trying to compare subtle things like two different microphones that are the same brand or two different pre amps with the same microphone.  Any thoughts on this process would be great.
Thanks,
Ed   
Title: Re: Correct protocols for source comps.
Post by: Life In Rewind on May 13, 2016, 11:38:47 AM
I think there are some real-time dither options in Preferences -- might want to play with those.