At 8:21 PM -0600 11/5/05, Curt Olson wrote:
<snip>
>when I'm standing there taking the
>headphones on and off, comparing what I hear with "naked" ears to what
>I hear through the recording chain, I realize that the mics are often
>picking up and amplifying a whole lot more low end than my "naked" ears
>ever perceive.
Yes, the lowest 3-4 octaves often seem disproportionately amplified--
especially when the headphone volume is up (as it often is). All mics
I've tried exhibit this accentuation including some praised for very
smooth, extended low end response. Frequency response for mics is
measured at much higher sound levels than those we record in quiet
settings. I suspect that low frequency response and distortion is
quite irregular for low sound levels and that some odd things are
going on.
The sound energy from a distance that is ~30 Hz and lower is
perceived as a "heaviness" more than traditional tones. Lots of the
energy is down here and when the gain goes up, this content does too.
Does the undesirable bass occur as sustained tones (drones) between
~80-200Hz or does the offensive bass vary in frequency and amplitude?
Variation would be expected with recordings from natural settings.
If the offensive bass occurs as a constant, low, chord and it sounds
the same with recordings from several locations, it may be a fixed
tonal structure and not a boost in low end amplitude. Sustained
tones stand out to the ears and efficiently mask adjacent tones with
more dynamic. If you suspect the boundary is creating exaggerated low
Hz chords, you can sweep a narrow band of parametric EQ across the
bottom end of files that were recorded with the boundary and then
with the mics in the open. If the same bands are accentuated, its not
the boundary. Rob D.
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