Mics blind test

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Emmathom

Emmathom

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 15, 2024
Messages
690
Location
France
Hi !
I'm opening a new thread for a blind microphone comparison. I hope you'll appreciate that...

I edited a sound file of around 5 minutes made up of completely different extracts. This file consists of:
- 15 seconds of pink noise
- acoustic drum solo sample
- acoustic cello solo
- processed jazz-rock-world-fusion (anyway it's "recent music" but with dynamics)
- acoustic vocal jazz (recorded by David Chelsky)

I normalized manualy (with faders) the levels of each extract to get a coherent audio file.
This sample is played from a PC in an ESS9018 DAC > a Mosfet 2*50w DIY amp (2SK1058 + 2SJ162) > a pair of (rather high-end) JVC SX911 speakers.
The diffusion level is not loud (hard to discribe... -24dB in Foobar and 2*50w...) and the microphones are placed in the center of the speakers, forming a triangle with sides of 2.3m.
This is a fairly dull living room with a bookcase, furniture, etc. so no suspicious reverb or echo.

What you ear has been recorded thru a DIY tube mic pre in a true line input (no gain stage on line in) Presonus 1810C audio card at 24-88,2 and then converted to 16-44 (for file weight)

So the idea is you do your choice list from the one you like the most to the one you like the least and then I'll reveal which mic it is !
Of course your comments are more than welcome.
Thanks to all in adavance and have fun (y)
 
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Philbo King said:
The acoustics of the room you used and the fidelity of the speakers that fed the mic will have a huge influence on what the mics pick up.
Click to expand...
Yes but since it's a A-B-C test every mic is in the same environment... The room is matt and speakers & mics are relativly close (2,2m triangle)
 
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Philbo King said:
The acoustics of the room you used and the fidelity of the speakers that fed the mic will have a huge influence on what the mics pick up.
Click to expand...
I agree with that. In contrast to a purely technical comparison, the signature of the speakers (and the room) is too dominant for me with this test setup.

I went for a comparison listening anyway, since I didn't have that much time, I reduced it to the song "Spanish Harlem".

There are audible differences under these conditions.

RuudNL said:
I have the impression the A is the most neutral. B boosts the midrange a bit and C has a high frequency boost.
Click to expand...

With my monitoring system I come to a slightly different result,
A has more low mids and tends to have some audible resonances in this frequency range. I like B better and I find it somewhat more balanced. With C I agree with Ruud, the sound is a little more treble-emphasized and therefore more tidy in the low mids, which makes the imaging a tick better.


As I said, I would much prefer real instruments as a test, but I still thank emmathom for his efforts (y) .


I'm therefore deliberately walking on thin ice and making the following statement: (which is very brave...😂)

A: SA47 FET mic
B: I hope its the tube mic
C: Oktava
 
I listened on my smartphone
I agree with @RuudNL
A: it sounds more neutral, more natural, even the room space sounds more realistic
B: has a boost in the midrange, over a wider range (small Q)
C: it has less low-end, less low-mids and maybe that's why the highs stand out just a little more
 
micolas said:
I listened on my smartphone
I agree with @RuudNL
A: it sounds more neutral, more natural, even the room space sounds more realistic
B: has a boost in the midrange, over a wider range (small Q)
C: it has less low-end, less low-mids and maybe that's why the highs stand out just a little more
Click to expand...
Thanks you @micolas for your participation 😉
 
RuudNL said:
I'm still waiting for someone who uses terms that are reminiscent of wine connoisseurs! :)
When I still worked for a major record company, there were also people who had the most strange terms to describe sound nuances: the bass sounds a bit 'square'. The high end sounds a bit 'abrasive'... 😅
Click to expand...
Ruud,
I find your post a bit fruitty, though it has a nice robe and a bit of deposits.
Very noble.
M 😉
 
RuudNL said:
I'm still waiting for someone who uses terms that are reminiscent of wine connoisseurs! :)
When I still worked for a major record company, there were also people who had the most strange terms to describe sound nuances: the bass sounds a bit 'square'. The high end sounds a bit 'abrasive'... 😅
Click to expand...
I have a link on this topic, unfortunately only in German. Someone compares 5654/6AK5w tubes and it sounds very much like a wine card in a restaurant or like an art critic after a visit to the theater. 😂

https://www.audionist.de/2019/01/05/5654-tube-rolling/
 
RuudNL said:
I'm still waiting for someone who uses terms that are reminiscent of wine connoisseurs! :)
When I still worked for a major record company, there were also people who had the most strange terms to describe sound nuances: the bass sounds a bit 'square'. The high end sounds a bit 'abrasive'... 😅
Click to expand...
I am that type, with extrapolated psychoacoustics, with metaphors from technique, culinary art, wines, painting, sculpture, other arts, etc. But listening only on the tiny speakers in the phone that reproduce a restricted range of frequencies and obviously altered, I did not risk eccentric, exotic descriptions 🤣
 
micolas said:
I am that type, with extrapolated psychoacoustics, with metaphors from technique, culinary art, wines, painting, sculpture, other arts, etc. But listening only on the tiny speakers in the phone that reproduce a restricted range of frequencies and obviously altered, I did not risk eccentric, exotic descriptions 🤣
Click to expand...
Don't you have a "little something sound system" ? Even a Scott 70's amplifier + a Kef pair to listen to music ???
 
Emmathom said:
Don't you have a "little something sound system" ? Even a Scott 70's amplifier + a Kef pair to listen to music ???
Click to expand...
I noticed that most of those close to me, friends, acquaintances, were listening to everything on their smartphone. Young or older. Probably out of convenience, we've gotten used to wanting something "Now". We have no more patience. The phone has become our multimedia center and often even a substitute for physical interaction with others.
And I started to train my ears for mixing and even mastering especially for online platforms.
Recently, at a small live event, I found myself disturbed by the SPL, by the bass and treble, by the modern "smile" curve.
 

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