For some reason when I play my recordings through PC speakers it sounds distorted, like it’s too loud.
Through any other device, it sounds fine.
I never hear this distortion on anything else I listen to.
When I send my files to others, they don’t seem to notice it.
I tried throwing filters at it.
When I threw “Hi Pass Filter” the distortion was gone, but sounded very tinny.T
I’m 99% sure it’s my PC speakers, but why do only my files sound like this?
Mic is NT1 through Scarlett.
Audacity 2.33
Windows 7
It’s a new mic, so I’m pretty damn confused.
This is raw recording no filters or anything on it.
Does it sound normal to you?
Thanks! 
Does it sound normal to you?
It does, but this microphone and preamp combination has a habit of including very low pitch errors, rumble, and thunder. Most speakers and headphones won’t care, but the tiny speakers in a laptop may go nuts.
Try the equalizer step from Audiobook Mastering. It’s designed to get rid of problems like this.
Select the piece with the Select button on the left. Effect > Filter Curve > Manage > Factory Presets > Low Rolloff for Speech > OK.
You have a perfect voice for reading. I can listen to a story in that voice.
Koz
Aw! You’re so sweet! Just started diving into ACX and not been sure about my quality of voice. Thanks for the boost of confidence! 
Will try that out! Was wondering wtf was going on!
Woulda never guessed it was the combo of mic / pre-amp.
Thanks a lot! 
Ah! Read carefully, lol, I’ve been using that a lot (I made a chain – I mean macro (lol) and everything.)
Problem persists 
That article Audiobook Mastering is fantastic, I’ve been using i
I’d been using the roll off in the Audiobook Mastering recipe (which is MAGIC), so I know what you are talking about.
Tried roll off on its own…didn’t seem to do anything.
Interestingly, I sent it to my 3 different phones, and it sounds fine BUT if I listen to it with my skullcandy Ink’d 2 earbuds…it’s a horrorshow.
Sounds like someone turned the bass up full max.
I also tried treble boost (6db) and that fixed it to sound okay on my speakers, but in the headphones, sounds like a tin can.
It makes so much sense that that is what the problem is.
At least I have a starting point to figure out how to fix it, and know that I’m not going crazy.
Thanks again for pointing me in the right direction.
Plain Voice, Presenting/Announcing Voice, Theater Voice. You have the expressive theater voice.
I think we’re at full stop. Without hearing it in real life, all we can do is go with your description. That ultra-low pitch processing was the easy, low-hanging fruit. I’m going to go straight to broken speakers or speaker system. You talked yourself into that. The distortion only happens on your machine and only if you allow normal low pitch sounds in.
Koz
p.s.
So yes, when using little earbuds, like the Ink’d, it did indeed go nuts, which supports what you say!
Competing posts.
It’s possible you can have Windows “helping you” by boosting bass notes, and then only in certain conditions.
Turn off any “Windows Enhancements.” I had a machine from the Systems people where they accidentally left “Cathedral Effects” running on playback. No matter what I did, the machine would not pass Quality Control.
https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=byhlXrKlG5H_-gSI6KnYCw&q=windows+sound+enhancements&oq=windows+sound+enhancements&gs_l=psy-ab.1.0.0l3j0i22i30l7.487.5573..8840...1.0..0.146.2138.24j3......0....1..gws-wiz.......0i131j0i13j0i8i13i30.MW2fvaVbrxg
https://www.intowindows.com/turn-on-or-off-audio-enhancements-in-windows-10/
Koz
Yyyyyeah. I was pretty happy when I found that solution a while back. I did have loudness on. No change after I turned it off.
I have to find my external speakers I have around here somewhere. lol.
You’re so awesome to help me! Thank you!
It does, but this microphone and preamp combination has a habit of including very low pitch errors, rumble, and thunder.
I’ve seen some .xml files for equalization effect for rumble, unfortunately I have 2.3.3 and don’t have equalization effect (have graphic eq & filter curve). Also, can’t import curves (Sorry if this is wrong technically, not that bright about this stuff)
My question is, is there a curve/setting I could get to reduce this type of sound? (low pitch errors, rumble, and thunder)
If you have 2.3.3, the effect is built-in.
Effect > Filter Curve > Manage > Factory Presets > Low Rolloff for Speech > OK.
That removes most low pitched sound below around 100 Hz. The broadcast and movie people who have to record outside use it to help with wind, handling, and wild rumble noises.
This is what the important part of the effect looks like.
From here to the right—the rest of the audio range—it’s just flat.
The older version of this tool had settings and sliders. The new one doesn’t. It just does what it’s supposed to do.
Koz
And just to close the loop, you haven’t yet talked me out of broken laptop speakers.
Koz
Thanks koz!
Yeah I use that already for ACX Mastering.
One day I will find my external speakers. They are in a box somewhere lol.
…and its not a laptop I’m using, but yeah the speakers are messed up, but it is only my recordings that sound horrible. (but only on that computer).
Obsessive Engineer says: You do number and log your storage boxes, right?
Let’s see. Walnut Pick. Box 92, West Garage Wall, Third Shelf.
Koz
So that’s the answer to what you’re going to do now that you have to say home for six months.
Koz
You been spying on me? Pretty much yes. But I use letters. W for Wires/Electronix