Quote: “every couple of years I go to an audiologist to get an audiogram for both my ears.”
I sometimes wonder whether those quick to find fault, putting audio hardware on the test bench, would do themselves and everyone else a great favour, if they put themselves on the test bench, and had their hearing tested, instead.
It’s surprising how bad the hearing of many professionals in the music industry, those involved in producing, recording engineering, live sound as well as some musicians actually is. Many have significant gaps where their hearing has been damaged by ill-advised exposure.
What’s even more surprising, is that often, they none the less remain highly capable of excellent work. I will spare you the theorising of how that is accomplished but note that in Massachusetts; scientists believe they are paving the way for the possibility that eventually, successful therapies may be developed that result in entirely restoring damaged hearing.
They have already achieved that with particular creatures successfully.
Quote: ”Anechoic Chamber is a nice to have, and for some type of acoustics work indispensable."
Yes, my reason for posting the link to BAF was to underline the essential importance to manufacturers of measurement and testing.
Individuals to whom such testing appears an anathema would do well to reflect, manufacturers are obliged to expend great efforts ensuring their products comply with current legislation, not the least of which is safety related, and which can inconveniently vary, from country to country.
Comparison charts and technical specifications widely utilised for purposes of comparison, focus upon specific areas of performance felt to be of fundamental interest to consumers. Supplying every performance parameter would overwhelm most users, who prefer simple, clear, answers to life complexities and would fail to appreciate the expended effort.
Yet there are many aspects to class leading product design that it remains an impossibility to detail on a chart or graph.
Details that one instinctively senses, feels, understands and appreciates, but which cannot be easily explained with words, and for which, no charts or graphs exist.
By using those products, be it listening, looking, touching, feeling etc. we experience the subtle qualities that actively contribute to their distinctive stature and finer calibre.
The more experience we have, the better placed to judge equipment we are evaluating. So for me, people such as yourself that see “both sides of the coin” so to speak, and can fully appreciate both those aspects commonly measured and those that cannot be, are very important.
Quote: “if London A is in England, but nothing found ...."
Location is important.
I was interested to observe that RME headquarters in Bavaria, is located in an industrial building, in a good area.
A well-designed, modern building in a pleasant setting, a good size for small product research and development, adjacent to widespread open fields, directly behind the building.
As you may be aware, microphone location and placement is fundamental to the quality of a recording. Sometimes mics are located in the ever critical “near field”, (often to avoid spill from other sound sources).
Contra wise, at times mics are located in the “far field”, where the environment in which the recording takes place, enjoys a rather greater role. If you utilise the link below, you may find the audible comparisons between near field and far field located mics, informative.
http://www1.icsi.berkeley.edu/Speech/mr/nearfar.html
You will note that whether testing equipment and recording with mics in the near field or far field, the location of the RME headquarters places them in an ideal position to utilise either field to good effect.
Most especially so, with such a good choice of fields, readily available, behind the building.
Quote: “A possible reason could be bad ground (TRS sleeve) connection.” - “Wiping the plug can help.”
Quote: “high humidity and sudden temperature change, it is about dew point. Here in Hongkong, after a thunderstom, when we back home and switch on the air-con, some interconnect might fail, have to unplug it and put it back after a wipe with dry cloth or with alcohol.”
It may be entirely coincidental, but I find it interesting that the original post was raised, precisely at the start of a recent dramatic heatwave that was acutely focussed upon London quite intensely, at that time.
In major recording studios, it was common practice for ¼” jack plugs and sockets, patch bays etc. to be regularly cleaned, often with a special product ideal for the task, to ensure perfect connectivity, via all such connections.
Although I hadn’t thought about it prior this thread. I do myself actually clean all such jacks etc. routinely, usually without even thinking about it, just prior to using them. For me, it is an instilled, routine and discipline. Exactly as is advised above.
A studio protocol I learnt from my betters, absorbed by osmosis.
