Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Sound Science › So who can ABX this recording, from the source?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

So who can ABX this recording, from the source?

post #1 of 23
7/18/10 at 8:58pm
Thread Starter 

One is the source file, one is colored by Essence STX's DAC and ADC.

(new upload, almost level matched) http://www.mediafire.com/?pmgpnlpfefvlp9b

 

ABX plugin (required! no subjective tests): http://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_abx

 

Edit: Still not completely matched, but close enough.

 

If you can't tell the difference, then you shouldn't worry about DACs in the least bit.


Edited by Dalamar - 7/19/10 at 12:19am
Reply

Head-Fi's Best Sellers

post #2 of 23
7/18/10 at 9:48pm

if the files are different volume then the test just wont work... you simply cant be objective when you know which file is which right from the start,

Reply
post #3 of 23
7/18/10 at 9:51pm
Thread Starter 

Did you check the volume difference yourself? it's pretty small.

Replaygain marks a .5 db difference.

 

If you want to do the level matching for me, be my guest?

After fussing with Adobe's garbage Audition, and failedit 2.0, for an hour, trying to figure out that the app's coding was ruining the recording. In the end I had to grab Sound Forge, and I just didn't feel like spending anymore time. >_<


Edited by Dalamar - 7/18/10 at 9:53pm
Reply
post #4 of 23
7/18/10 at 10:46pm

i didnt mean my response as a put down.. just noticed what you said and my red flag came out ;-)

 

i havent listened yet.. got distracted by another thread...

 

i know there is a way to make 2 files that greatly differ into wav files with exact volumes, sizes, and so on... if it wasnt 2 in the morning i could probably remember the answer, but right now my brains are mush..

 

by the way, how do you get a file to be 'colored'  what was the process for making the file?

im asking b/c ive never hears of such a thing

Reply
post #5 of 23
7/18/10 at 10:50pm

well i just a/b them... there was a difference, but i quickly realized that the volume difference was audible between the 2 so i cant say if thats why they sounded different or not...

 

update: its late, im really out of it, and in a way thats probably the best time to try this... i dont even know which file i was listening to, i just randomly changed the volume slightly on both tracks several times, and i definately noticed that one of them, regardless of volume being higher or lower, sounded more full and spacious... like the difference between a cheap solid state amp and a diecent tube hybrid...

so what was the question again...*checking OP now*.,..

 

ok so one file is colored by the dac.. well i dont know which one is supposed to be which, and whether or not the colored one is supposed to sound better.. all i know is one sounds better than the other.. and i dont know which one it is b/c i just kept switching back and forth without looking...

 

ok so file 1 sounds better.. but again it is louder, so its really hard to say...  

 

i really couldnt decide with any certainty unless i had the two files at exact same volume


Edited by Br777 - 7/18/10 at 11:00pm
Reply
post #6 of 23
7/19/10 at 12:03am
Thread Starter 

File 1.wav is roughly .5db louder according to both foobar and Audition amplitude statistics, so I'll lower it to make it easier on you lazy bums. Don't think I can get it any finer tuned with crappy Audition.

I may or may not have switched the filenames around.

 

ETA on upload 10 mins . . .


Edited by Dalamar - 7/19/10 at 12:06am
Reply
post #7 of 23
7/19/10 at 12:07am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dalamar View Post

File 1.wav is roughly .5db louder according to both foobar and Audition amplitude statistics, so I'll lower it to make it easier on you lazy bums. Don't think I can get it any finer tuned with crappy Audition.

I may or may not have switched the filenames around.


It's not about being lazy bums, but you are trying to propose a test when it's not even set up right.

Reply
post #8 of 23
7/19/10 at 12:25am
Thread Starter 

Reuploaded, volume mismatch is under .1 db.

 

@ "by the way, how do you get a file to be 'colored'  what was the process for making the file?"

 

Cropped source file. Playback cropped source file with ASIO (24/96 source and output), record with Sound Forge (24/96), make sure the music is synched or cropped properly, and now I adjusted the volume. Nothing else.

Don't mind me, just making fun of audiophile terms. Since they like to say that DACs, ADCs, cables, have color and all.

 

BTW: cables used: crappy rca to 3.5mm adapter cable supplied with card -> crappy 3.5mm male to 3.5mm male cable supplied with my iaudio -> 1/4" trs adapter supplied with card.

Yeah baby, pure cheap "junk cables" and excessive adapter use. No audiophoolery here.


Edited by Dalamar - 7/19/10 at 12:28am
Reply
post #9 of 23
7/19/10 at 7:50am

foo_abx 1.3.4 report
foobar2000 v1.0.3
2010/07/19 07:35:31

File A: C:\Users\Hybrys\Desktop\00.wav
File B: C:\Users\Hybrys\Desktop\01.wav

07:35:31 : Test started.
07:39:04 : 01/01  50.0%
07:39:18 : 01/02  75.0%
07:39:42 : 02/03  50.0%
07:39:55 : 03/04  31.3%
07:40:13 : 04/05  18.8%
07:40:52 : 05/06  10.9%
07:41:43 : 06/07  6.3%
07:41:59 : 07/08  3.5%
07:42:17 : 08/09  2.0%
07:42:53 : 09/10  1.1%
07:43:00 : Test finished.

 ----------
Total: 9/10 (1.1%)

 

Owned.  As a note, about 20 sighted tests to get a feel of the material before the ABX run.  Now, PM me the answer to these two questions:

 

What's the source material?

 

And is 00.wav the original?

Reply
post #10 of 23
7/19/10 at 9:20am

Can you describe the play and record processes in more details. What software was used to play the source file, what software was used to record it what were the settings and so on, the play output was a line level/headphone out and the record back was a line-in from the same card?

 

There are all sorts of variables that make the play/record DA/AD process flawed I did a DA/AD recording with my setup and there was a lot of difference both in channel balance and overall noise which made the DBT easier

 

thanks !

 

 Wel I failed anyway !


Edited by nick_charles - 7/19/10 at 10:00am
Reply
post #11 of 23
7/19/10 at 10:04am
Quote:
Originally Posted by nick_charles View Post

Can you describe the play and record processes in more details. What software was used to play the source file, what software was used to record it what were the settings and so on, the play output was a line level/headphone out and the record back was a line-in from the same card?

 

There are all sorts of variables that make the play/record DA/AD process flawed I did a DA/AD recording with my setup and there was a lot of difference both in channel balance and overall noise which made the DBT easier

 

thanks !

 

 Wel I failed anyway !


Having cracked the files open in Audacity after my test, they're very very close in waveform.  I'm actually impressed and curious to how he got it so close to the original.

 

Meh.  Focus on the bass drums.  That did it for me.  They have a tiny bit more punch in the original. (or maybe induced by the STX? o.O)

Reply
post #12 of 23
7/19/10 at 10:35am
Thread Starter 

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by nick_charles View Post

Can you describe the play and record processes in more details. What software was used to play the source file, what software was used to record it what were the settings and so on, the play output was a line level/headphone out and the record back was a line-in from the same card?

 

There are all sorts of variables that make the play/record DA/AD process flawed I did a DA/AD recording with my setup and there was a lot of difference both in channel balance and overall noise which made the DBT easier

 

thanks !

 

 Wel I failed anyway !


Source file was a 24/96 vinyl rip. Dirty I know, but all the 24/96 I have is vinyl rips.
foobar2000 (100% vol, no rg, no dsp, output was set to either wasapi or asio and 24 bit) -> Essence line out -> Essence line in -> Sound Forge (audacity and cooledit wouldn't record properly) -> cropped to 29 secs -> raised or lowered volume of one file. Last 2 steps done in Audition. Did NOT change the channel volumes seperately, if there was an imbalance, it's still there.

 

There's a .05db volume difference between the files still, Audition would not let me change it any finer.


Edited by Dalamar - 7/19/10 at 10:41am
Reply
post #13 of 23
7/19/10 at 1:23pm

I always fail DBT for some reason, but to my ears: 

Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)

 

01 sounds MUCH clearer than 00

 

the SS is wider/clearer, the guitar is less mushy and the kick drum sounds dull and colored to death in 00

Whether the 5532 on the STX input added this color to this vynil rip is open for debate I guess. The drums definitely don't sound the same on both samples.

 

Maybe I could provide a song everyone knows, here's a 29 secs sample: http://www.mediafire.com/?c6oq4c07yb2orrw


Edited by leeperry - 7/19/10 at 1:43pm
Reply
post #14 of 23
7/19/10 at 2:51pm
Thread Starter 

Like I told Hybrys in pm, 01.wav was the original (0.wav in the first upload).

If he didn't tell you that, good job noticing I guess?

 

Still, the change is pretty insignificant. And it probably was the 5532's fault, IMO.


Edited by Dalamar - 7/19/10 at 2:54pm
Reply
post #15 of 23
7/19/10 at 3:02pm

hah! the first DBT I don't fail

 

yes, the drums sound colored to death in 00, clearly 5532'ish..and nope, noone told me.

Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Sound Science

Head-Fi's Best Sellers

Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Sound Science › So who can ABX this recording, from the source?