*Muffled audio, need opinions on whether it's useable

[tduhamel]

Hey all. I did a recording with my phone for a research project but I think my audio recorder might be seriously broken. Anyway, I want to ask your opinions if there is something I can do to make it understandable (at least a bit). The original language is in Dutch so it might be hard to figure out what we are seeking, but I’m looking for an option to make the recording more clear. Any tips are welcome.

[kozikowski]

Was this a phone call? If it was you didn’t record the far-side voice. You recorded the phone echo and noise cancellation errors. Unless the recording app says so specifically, you never get both sides.

Just laying the phone on the table between several people speaking should come out way better than that.

If you’re trying to record a lecture, you need to be in the front of the hall or in front of the sound system speakers.

What were you doing?

I use a special microphone and separate, stand-alone recorder for phone conversation interviews on both sides.

Koz

[kozikowski]

No, I don’t think it’s recoverable. Have you tried this before?

Koz

[tduhamel]

Was this a phone call? If it was you didn’t record the far-side voice. You recorded the phone echo and noise cancellation errors. Unless the recording app says so specifically, you never get both sides.

Just laying the phone on the table between several people speaking should come out way better than that.

If you’re trying to record a lecture, you need to be in the front of the hall or in front of the sound system speakers.

What were you doing?

I use a special microphone and separate, stand-alone recorder for phone conversation interviews on both sides.

Koz

It was a conversation with my phone layed out on the table, so that’s why I assume the sound recorder on my phone is broken. It wasn’t covered by anything at all…
Anything I can do to make it a bit clear at least?
Thanks in advance for the help

[tduhamel]

Was this a phone call? If it was you didn’t record the far-side voice. You recorded the phone echo and noise cancellation errors. Unless the recording app says so specifically, you never get both sides.

Just laying the phone on the table between several people speaking should come out way better than that.

If you’re trying to record a lecture, you need to be in the front of the hall or in front of the sound system speakers.

What were you doing?

I use a special microphone and separate, stand-alone recorder for phone conversation interviews on both sides.

Koz

It was a recording with my phone on the table. Since my phone wasn’t covered by anything, I assume something is seriously wrong with the recording device.

Would you have any tips to at least make the one voice a bit clearer? If I can make out the words, even in shitty quality, it would help me a lot. Thanks in advance

[kozikowski]

I’m still fascinated how you got a cellphone recording that bad.

Got it. It’s not just sound quality. The recorder seems to have created a really bad data format. The clip was fighting me every step of the way during production and then at the end, it wouldn’t let me export as a good sound file.

What the…*

Bottom line, I think we can make it very slightly better, and by better, I mean louder. No clearer.

You made a 8000 sample rate sound file, not 44100 which is Audio CD standard. So that’s where the muffled distortion is coming from. I can’t reveal the good quality voice because there is no good quality voice.

What is the recorder and what are you running it on?



Koz