DAN:
> >If 65dB SPL is -15dBFS (VU averaging), 20dB SPL is -60dBFS. I rest my c=
ase.
ROB:
>It could be a difference in the objectives of our recordings.
Of course, a matter of style. I like to make ambient recordings that
reflect natural dynamics as much as possible. That makes them
unplayable if they include anything loud.
>To
>enjoy the sound elements that make up "ambience" in a quiet setting,
>considerable amplification in post is unavoidable for me.
I too like to listen to natural ambiences boosted 15-20dB.
>I would
>not elect to saturate the background at -45dB in the field if I could
>help it. For example, if the background ambience peaks are -40dB
>relative to my loudest sound and I set the record level for
>saturating the loudest sound near 100%, the background peaks will
>receive about 1% sound file saturation. If I recall correctly, 1%
>saturation is resolved with about 5 of the 16 bits. When I take this
>1% original and amplify it so that I can hear what is going on at a
>distance, I'll get a lot more noise (primarily grunge and very
>audible hiss about 2K) compared to an original field saturation of 6%
>or even 3%.
I don't think there's much point in worrying about the number of bits
in low-level sounds unless you're doing theater or film and they
become high-level sounds.
>Placed in practical context, I was recording all afternoon and all
>night in an old growth forest two weeks ago. There were 2-4 sound
>events per hour that reached 45 dB SPL. I choose to use a gain about
>20dB above your peak voice ref of 65dB which, by pure chance,
>rendered the peak events very near full saturation and gave me right
>around 5% saturation for the background. Its my reasoning that even
>if I get over-modulation a couple of seconds an hour, for the vast
>majority of seconds, I'll have more data to resolve the background
>ambience with. Rob D.
Ah, but when that raven or owl calls right over your head, do you
want it lost forever in distortion? Again, a matter of style. Having
grown up on analog=A2>=DB=8Freally enjoy -using- the dynamic range of
digital.
-Dan
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