Opinion, please?

[fredericamg]

Here are a short recording from my H2 and my desktop C-1U, of the same 2 sentences.

A new complication is that it's a hot afternoon and the attic fan is going, right above my office. I left a little room-noise and the beginning and end of each recording in hopes it could be discounted; if not, I can record again tonight once it cools off.

Koz, when I get rid of all the cables, etc, attached to the H2, how should I record the clip? Just record it to the SD card, and upload it to you from there?

I never could get Audacity to recognize the H2 when using the mini plug-to-pc USB connection.

[kozikowski]

I suppose the first step is getting the operating manual if you don't already have it. Unless somebody stops me, I'm going to reference pages in that thing.

Operating Data Management is a big deal always but it's especially critical in older equipment. There is an internal system that remembers Date, Time, and other settings for a short time even if the batteries are taken out and with no other connection. Hopefully, it's long enough for you to change the batteries with no disruption, and it is in a new recorder.

It would be good to know if yours is OK. If it's not, where you set the recorder and where it is may be very different.

I had a system that deteriorated to the point that changing batteries was no longer possible. I rejoiced in the opportunity get out my tools and rip it apart under strong light and fix it. Normal people throw it out and get something else.

The manual claims two AA batteries. Can you get two new ones? Any 7-Eleven or Tesco should do it.

Koz

[kozikowski]

Dueling Posts (that's actually more normal). I need to go back over that and see where you dropped back in again.

There's another item in the arsenal. If you have enough problems recording on the computer, stop recording on the computer. You have a (potentially) delightful stand-alone recorder and you can create terrific voice recordings all day long with the computer turned off. Then connect the computer and shuffle the sound files over for editing.

Koz

[fredericamg]

Ohhhhh...that's a really good idea. I never thought of that.
I was thinking "But I have to edit it in Audacity!" -- right, after I upload it from the SD card.

But it would be just that one little step faster if I could be using Audacity while I record.

Those recordings I sent earlier today, one from the H2 and one from the C-1U--do they sound fairly normal? You said it sounded like there was something seriously wrong with my voice, after hearing the earlier recording.

I love the idea of ripping it open under strong light and doing surgery. I never learned how to do that (never was any good with my hands) but I admire it.

[kozikowski]

They both sound perfectly normal now. I like the quality of the C-1U. Further, I was able to apply our Audiobook Mastering tools and it passes ACX technical quality control right out of the gate.

Screen Shot 2021-06-14 at 3.12.53 PM.png (28.76 KiB) Viewed 1301 times

I applied very gentle "Noise Reduction of the Beast" (6, 6, 6) and it's good to go for submission almost anywhere, not just Audible.

Screen Shot 2021-06-14 at 3.12.33 PM.png (27.83 KiB) Viewed 1301 times

C-1U_Mastered.mp3

(796.89 KiB) Downloaded 42 times

I would have no trouble listening to a story in that voice.

One note. You should not be saying the "MP3 Word" anywhere in your production pathway. Export a WAV (Microsoft) 16-bit sound file of raw readings, and then again for your own personal Edit Master before shipping it off to a client. Then you make the MP3 if the client demands it (Audible/ACX) or to listen to the work on your personal music player while running on the beach.


Being professionally obsessive. I also applied "DeEsser" correction in the forum of Trebor's DeSibilator.

This gets rid of the slightly harsh SS sounds in your reading. It returns them back to normal speech. Compare.

"To compile groupSS that were exSStremely resiSStent..."

I applied the tool at the default settings after mastering. I don't think it makes any difference before or after Noise Reduction.

viewtopic.php?p=404021#p404021

It's much more smooth and pleasant In My Opinion.

Koz

[kozikowski]

I love the idea of ripping it open under strong light and doing surgery.

You wouldn't like the collection of stuff I have waiting for ripping. That's the down side.

"I really need to fix that shaver power switch...."

Koz

[fredericamg]

Whew. It's amazing it passed the ACX test, right off; when I was working on a book a year ago, I had a heck of a time trying to get voice volume and noise floor to meet in the right place simultaneously.

And I used the de-esser and de-clicker for that book. I'm so grateful for them and all the other magical tools here.

Y'know why I exported as mp3--when I sent the first clip (a few days ago) I exported it as a wav, but when I tried to submit it, the system rejected it as being too large. So I thought I needed to submit mp3s. But that clip I sent the first day was also a good bit longer than the ones I sent yesterday (I didn't know how much / how little to send).

So do you think it's better to use the C-1U? What did you think of the H2, actually?

I've recorded all my books on the C-1U till now. But the problem with using it for an interview is that I make a lot of hand gestures while i'm talking, and I'll bump into it. (With an audiobook, my hands are attached to the sides of a book.)

I'd like to use the H2 for interviews, because it is smaller and less likely to get bumped by flying hands. But what do you think of the quality?

BTW wish I had your ripping skills. I actually like doing home repairs, but I'm clumsy. At present I need to find a Maker who can repair the collection of midcentury tin toys that I got when we sold my grandparents' house.

Wanted to send yall a donation, but I see the link is temporarily down; I'll be back with more problems in the future, no doubt, and donate then.

Let me know what you think of the H2, for interviews--

[Trebor]

Here are a short recording from my H2 and my desktop C-1U, of the same 2 sentences ...

Attachments
H2 mp3.mp3 (344.97 KiB)
C-1U mp3.mp3 (313.73 KiB)

Both of those sound like processing has been applied, (rather than being raw recordings).

C-1U has louder noise-floor at the start than at the end, as if a compressor (or AGC) is in operation.
H2 has a tremulous quality, e.g. particularly noticeable when you inhale at 2.0-2.5 sec, like a noise-gate kicking-in.

If the Windows audio enhancements in the recording* tab of windows sound have been disabled,
then there is another layer of audio enhancements in effect which needs to be disabled,
( I had this problem myself with a new Dell-Windows computer ).

[ * as opposed to the playback Tab, where enhancements should also be disabled ].

[fredericamg]

Oh, I hadn't checked the Recordings Tab. I only unchecked Playback.
For both mics, under Mic Properties > Advanced, it did have Audio Enhancements checked, so I unchecked it.
There are two other things checked under "Exclusive Mode" --should I uncheck them?

I will make recordings again and send them over for comparison.

Below, a recording I made for grandkids a few years ago, the Hans Christian Andersen story, "The Snow Queen." A somewhat strange story.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/42x56wizl42ya ... 3.mp3?dl=0

[kozikowski]

Y'know why I exported as mp3

Twenty seconds of perfect quality Mono WAV (one blue wave) should fit. Ten seconds of perfect quality Stereo WAV (two blue waves) should work. You can submit any lesser quality MP3 smaller than 2MB.

We're not crazy about MP3 for troubleshooting and analysis because it has built-in distortion, it's gets worse through production, and you can't stop it.

I picked ten seconds for the forum voice test because then I didn't have to explain about the stereo/mono thing. They both fit.

As we go.

Koz