Measuring the Sound Quality

Brands or Names or Personal taste




There's not often a moment passes in the audio world when the one subject that burns a question in competing artists pockets arrises. It brings those talking about it to logger heads and it is ultimately the last stage before the item or piece listened to. (FYI Breitling is a classic example of branding breaking English Grammatical standards)

So should it really matter if the one on the left is 33% better than the one on the right or the one above is 80% more expensive than the one below but brings only 19% more definition to the final item ?

Well in many ways it is a closed topic between the budget holder and the purchaser, there's not many people who don't ask for advice or read if one brand is probably still going to be offering technical help or spare parts in 6 months time or support. Thus it falls to me to finish with this, " It is what is taught by experience," the audience attracted by brand A may of been the right decision initially but if you were careful elaborated that brand C was what you needed then time, is your next hurdle. A quick decision doesn't always mean another stitch with a fresh needle if you can plan a way of learning if box 1 is better than box 2 then you'll have walked a similar path to the journey i undertook in the last decade.

Left Centre Right Mixing

From the outset of listening to music, if it's in stereo LCR mixes are a lively discussion. For the play along session musician or the musician who wants to keep his chops in but not listen to the instrument he or she plays whilst jamming with the recording it offers some freedom that LR mixes do not offer. To audio engineers it offers separation but also an avenue for elements of the mix to be analysed in a degree of isolation.

LCR was once described as hearing different recording booths auxiliary mixes individually by Bill Glastonbury from Henries Studio. There were three rooms or more accurately two rooms and a drum or vocal booth for several musicians to record together and yet maintain clarity from the microphones.

The last few weeks i've been mixing in LCR with the bass being fed from a woofer to my left under the table and the main LCR close together in front of me, the bass is deceptive i'm sure if I closed my eyes I would believe it was from the front monitors, its from the left though and that matters in proving that under 150hz the direction of the feed matters less than above 150hz.

Fixing poor or difficult to listen to fades.



The issue of resolving a poor fade begins with deciding if the fade would be okay starting earlier


If that is an issue (making the problem worse by shortening the program material to be unusable) Izotopes RX contains 'Spectral Repair'


This feature mirrors the material creating a copy which can be used to extend time where previously it wasn't possible or was damaged


Thats it for now, without an actual example its safest not to waste words on advice that may not match the problem



(This post is focusing upon the final fade out of program material , of course within the material many fades may exist.)

Bought a new album or single and need an idea where to listen to it ?

5 Listening Location Ideas

1. Beside a lake or waterfront.

Water is a key element in soothing, offering perception and serene shimmers through its reaction to breezes and nature

2. A Rooftop balcony

Cities with tall buildings may not be the oldest in England (see Colchester) but they are certainly the most developed, industrious and a thriving community below inspires where a blue Dalton China mug may fail.

3. Under an elevated motorway section

The urban decay often attributed to vehicle use , exhaust fumes etc is distinguished in these hard to turn around areas, if you've new metal or perhaps Nicholas Maw these galleries of social space provide shelter from the elements a different angle on modern routines and are not always safe places , so please be observant, if you do not feel safe, leave.

4. The local Library

Isolation from noise has been a priority for reading rooms from the outset, take close backed headphones to minimise the transfer of your enjoyment to those wishing to maintain their own privacy.

5. An out of hours nightclub

During the daytime very little occurs in most night clubs, yet a lot of effort goes into installing a sound system into the venue. Contacting the booking office in advance is essential , disappointment is quite likely due to insurance, but if you do manage to get into a nightclub the mono summed bass and the installations stereo options provide yet more versions of your purchase.

Why include a blog on a business commercial web site ?


1. It offers a sense of realism about who you will be paying

2. It may demonstrate flaws and imply another business is more suitable

3. You (i hope) used plenty of attention in earning the money you are using for the item, service, artwork, recording, title, etc it is likely you will want a critical option of the 'person' you are paying

4. its a word count that google absorbs then moves your output nearer the end users search.

5. Kids have mood swings, as do adults who appear young at heart, something to think about

6. A tree does have more uses dead than alive

7. It takes all sorts to make music, beware of Walter Mittys.

8. There is music everywhere now, even in the jail house bogs.