iRig test recording and shoot out

DownUpDave

DownUpDave

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SPOILER ALERT****** RESULTS ARE ON POST #31

This is such a great community and forum. Thanks to Jim Hanks we were made aware of the new iRig acoustic clip on mic. So I got one for Christmas and I was thrilled until I discovered the app "Amplitude Acoustic" was for IOS only. So I sent out a cry for help and along come Booli with a big helping hand......one he is justly famous for.

So as a pay back I thought I would do a recording sample for you......with a twist. First off the app I am using is just an audio recorder so this is clean and raw, no effects. The device used is just my Samsung Galaxy S4 phone. The twist is this is a back to back blind mic test.

One mic is the iRig the other is a Zoom Hn2, I have recorded three seperate pieces. I play one piece through mic A, hit pause unplug mic A plug in mic B then play the same piece. This way you hear each piece back to back through the different mics.

See which one you like and see if you can guess which one is which. After a day or two I will reveal which one is the iRig. I will say it is an excellent product and I glad I figured out how to use it, was stupid simple really

Sorry having trouble downloading. Nothing yet, will keep trying. This is a wav file 13.68MB. I have tried loading it through Box, Drop Box, Soundcloud and other and I keep getting the message "invalid file". Anybody got any ideas.

*****SAMPLE IS UP ON POST #4*******
 
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Convert it to .mp3, that's what I do for all the m4p files I record with my Mac, iPhone, iPad. You can use Audacity for that on Windows if I'm not mistaken.
 
DownUpDave said:
Sorry having trouble downloading. Nothing yet, will keep trying. This is a wav file 13.68MB. I have tried loading it through Box, Drop Box, Soundcloud and other and I keep getting the message "invalid file". Anybody got any ideas.
Click to expand...

If the WAV file has more than one period in it's filename, or anything other than letters and numbers (no quotes or !@#$%^&*(+=) characters), or more than one consecutive blank space between the words of the filename, it will choke most programs that are not perfectly compatible with 'long filenames'.

Could also be the web uploader for those various services also choking on 'invalid characters' in the filename.

Try renaming the WAV file to something simple like:

micsoundtest.wav

and then retry the upload and see if that works.

Also, thanks for doing this :), as I just haven't got the time yet to do a proper audio sample with my own iRig Acoustic vs. my other recording equipment.
 
Thanks very much for doing this Dave.
The sound samples all sound great. I think I like mic A in each set better but it's close.
If I had to guess I'd say mic B is the iRig.


Mike
 
I'm only listening on my iPad speaker so Im not going to make my guess yet but I am leaning one way already.

How did you record the Zoom into the Galaxy? Line out into headphone jack?
 
Jim Hanks said:
Ok,here we go folks. Hopefully the SoundCloud compression doesn't do enough to invalidate the comparison:
https://soundcloud.com/jim-hanks/downupdave-irig-vs-zoom-h2n
Click to expand...

Thanks so much for helping me out with this Jim, you're the best. The sound has not changed at all compared to my original recording, good job.

To answer your question regarding hooking up the Zoom Hn2 to the Galaxy S4 phone. I used a 1/8" male to male cable from the Zoom line out into the headphone jack in the Galaxy, the Zoom then acts as an external mic.
 
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photoshooter said:
If I had to guess I'd say mic B is the iRig.
Click to expand...

I agree. As in the second time each song is played. Mic A seems to have more 'air', but Mic B seems to have a warmer tone, which I would attribute to the iRig Acoustic being much closer to the sound source and picking up the lower frequencies better since it is inside the soundhole.

This is also a good demonstration of 'proximity effect' - see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proximity_effect_(audio) for full details, but the summary is "The proximity effect in audio is an increase in bass or low frequency response when a sound source is close to a microphone."

So I am guessing that DownUpDave emailed his WAV file to Jim, and Jim is hosting it on his SoundCloud due to the hurdles DownUpDave had to upload the file previously? If so, then kudos and huge brownie points to Jim for being kind enough to take the time and to get this up for us to hear. YAY!

Thanks to both Dave and Jim! :) :music:
 
No trouble. Glad to help.

I'm still on iPad with no headphones, but I'll go ahead with what I was thinking since it is the opposite of what you're thinking - so one of us is gonna get schooled. :eek:

I was thinking mic B is the Zoom, sounding warmer due to more room sound and irig/mic A getting more of the direct string attack.
 
Jim Hanks said:
... but I'll go ahead with what I was thinking since it is the opposite of what you're thinking - so one of us is gonna get schooled. :eek:
Click to expand...

Either way, we will all learn something, so there is definitely value in such an experiment as this. :)

And what is with that random 'drums & bass' techno track that gets auto-played? (Don't worry, I know it's not your song, Jim)

I was like pissed off because I was all mellowed out with the uke sound, and then this skippy techno beat comes on a just kills the mood - LOL.

Mind you, I like certain electronic music, but the segue does NOT work, and SoundCloud needs to improve the algorithms in their suggestion 'engine' for 'related' music...

I need some ear-bleach now. Time for some Eine Kleine Nachtmusik! :eek:ld: LOL.
 
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Fun Stuff, DownUpDave. The B recording is definitely "warmer" to my ear. I'd be interested to know:

1. How far was the Zoom from the sound hole?
2. Did you have the Zoom set on XY?
 
Ukulele Eddie said:
Fun Stuff, DownUpDave. The B recording is definitely "warmer" to my ear. I'd be interested to know:

1. How far was the Zoom from the sound hole?
2. Did you have the Zoom set on XY?
Click to expand...


Very astute questions Eddie. Both those factors do influence the character of the recorded sound. I messed around and settled on about 2ft from the sound hole and mic set on 4ch, thought that sounded the best.

Here is more food for thought. I used my LfdM with D shaped sound hole (see pictures) this created an issue. If I place the mic on the treble side I have issues when I rest my anchor finger while picking. I recorded it with the mic on the bass side so it was out of the way. Then I thought maybe it would be too bassy. I recorded in both positions and could not hear a difference.

20160110_202239.jpg20160110_202314.jpg
 
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DownUpDave said:
Very astute questions Eddie. Both those factors do influence the character of the recorded sound. I messed around and settled on about 3 ft from the sound hole and mic set on 4ch, thought that sounded the best.
Click to expand...

Given that, then I would guess A is the iRig.

I have zero recording experience except for a couple of sound samples using my Zoom, but two very experienced musician friends showed me how to position the Zoom and they both had me position it about 8-10 inches from the sound hole and set it on X/Y. I defer to Messrs. Hanks, Booli and others and look forward to their thoughts, but I'd love to hear it again with the Zoom much closer (and whatever mode they recommend).

Fun thread, Dave, and a chance for lots of us to learn!
 
Here the thing Eddie I had it set on XY to begin with and closer which I agree is usually the best set up. But it did sound best to me set up the way I did it??? It was too DIFFERENT sounding than the iRig set up at XY and closer. So I tried to get them to sound a little more similar......right or wrong. I don't have much recording experience either.
 
I'm not too keen on using the h2n for close in micing. Seems to be a better "area" mic and I think good at recording grand piano when placed above the curve. I think double miccing, one close pointing at the soundhole, another pointed at the fretboard, seems to provide the nicest sound.
 
I haven't had a chance to read the whole thread ... but I liked:
Pattern 1: First
Pattern 2: Second
Pattern 3: First

Not sure what it means ... just liked what I heard in those better.
 
sam13 said:
I haven't had a chance to read the whole thread ... but I liked:
Pattern 1: First
Pattern 2: Second
Pattern 3: First

Not sure what it means ... just liked what I heard in those better.
Click to expand...

Ok your a friend and you did use a disclaimer.......BUT there are only two mics. A and B so try to guess which one of those is the iRig.There is no third choice......see what I gotta deal with Eddie.:biglaugh:
 
DownUpDave said:
... I used my LfdM with D shaped sound hole (see pictures) this created an issue. If I place the mic on the treble side I have issues when I rest my anchor finger while picking. I recorded it with the mic on the bass side so it was out of the way. Then I thought maybe it would be too bassy. I recorded in both positions and could not hear a difference.

View attachment 87256View attachment 87257
Click to expand...

I tried both positions as well and found similar results, i.e., no emphasis of treble or bass, despite the mounting position, which tells me that the MEMS mic element inside is either a truly an omnidirectional mic, or acts as a PZM mic (& more info) with how it is mounted, meaning that it is primarily picking up the sound reflected from the INSIDE of the soundboard, as opposed to the sound bouncing off the inside of the back of the instrument...I could be wrong though since I have not yet taken mine apart to see exactly which direction the mic element is facing.
 
Booli said:
I tried both positions as well and found similar results, i.e., no emphasis of treble or bass, despite the mounting position, which tells me that the MEMS mic element inside is either a truly an omnidirectional mic, or acts as a PZM mic (& more info) with how it is mounted, meaning that it is primarily picking up the sound reflected from the INSIDE of the soundboard, as opposed to the sound bouncing off the inside of the back of the instrument...I could be wrong though since I have not yet taken mine apart to see exactly which direction the mic element is facing.
Click to expand...

Thanks for keeps us informed. Will be cool when you "take it apart" , love doing the mad scientist thing as well. Use to:)make my mom crazy when I was a kid.
 
DownUpDave said:
Thanks for keeps us informed. Will be cool when you "take it apart" , love doing the mad scientist thing as well. Use to:)make my mom crazy when I was a kid.
Click to expand...

Yes, I plan to do a full teardown with pictures. Just need to carve out some time. This week is very busy.

There is a Hacker saying, and this is Hacker in the classic 1970's 'hardware hacker' sense whereby Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak created the first Apple computers in a garage, that is: "You don't own your device unless you can open it / take it apart."

I'd say that about 85% of my learning how things work is by taking them apart, and also how I taught myself about electronics, since sometimes taking things apart breaks them, and then I can learn how to repair them (which was my very first motivation for learning how to use a soldering iron and a multimeter).

The true fun is when there are no schematics, datasheet or other technical reference available, and you get to create your own by probing circuits with a logic tester, and hopefully can avoid creating that fatal wisp of white smoke while doing so.

The big difference now is that I have to wear one of these OptiVisor things in addition to eyeglasses since all the surface-mount electronics are so tiny. :eek:ld:

thumbnail.asp


http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tool...Maintenance/OptiVISOR_Headband_Magnifier.html

But the one I have is a cheap copy that I got at a flea market like 20 yrs ago for $8.
 
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