Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with audio and digital

What's the best wireless audio bridge / networked digital audio receiver that works on the Mac?

nitsuj — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 08:27:10 -0800

What's the best wireless audio bridge / networked digital audio receiver that works on the Mac? I'm looking for a simple hardware solution that will allow me to bridge my Macbook Pro's audio-out source to my home theater amplifier. Many products like the WMB54G and Sirocco either have no Mac support at all, or have very poor reviews and cost way too much.

The Airport Express seems decent if I only wanted to stream iTunes, but I'd also like to stream from other sources, like Spotify, which it won't support.

Is there a simple, under-$100 (or close to it) solution out there?

Best digital audio recording device for elderly people?

1001 questions — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 10:27:10 -0800

Best digital audio recording device for elderly people? I'd like to start recording some family history via digital audio devices. The recording will be done by the person speaking so I'd like to find one that is fairly simply to operate.

Some requirements:

- Easy to make recordings (i.e. no super tiny buttons that are hard to figure out).
- Doesn't matter if it's "hard" to delete a recording as they can just avoid doing deletions.
- Non-removable storage might be fine (they could simply mail me the device) but there needs to be a method for me to download the files to a Mac. Removable storage would be preferred though.
- Ability to make/record lengthy files (i.e. an hour or more).
- Decent sound quality. It doesn't have to be pro-quality audio, but on the other hand I want a fair amount of clarity. I imagine most (or all) of the recordings will take place in a fairly quiet interior location, so the device's mic will likely be used. If sound quality results are poor (or if it's easier for the person speaking) I may get an external mic.

Other options I have tossed out:

- Using a video camera. May be used in the future for scheduled interviews, but not worth the hassle for on-the-spot memory recordings when the speaker is worried about how they look.
- Recording via phone (either to voice mail or during a conversation being recorded on the other end). Sound quality is a bit lower (especially if they are using a cell phone). Recording phone conversations have their place, but it's not what I'm going for here.
- Recording to a pc. Not too convenient as they'd have to boot it up, sit in a certain spot, etc. A cheap laptop may work better, but then there are user interface issues.

I've read some past threads/questions about digital audio recorders, but they are from some years ago and I know a host of newer equipment has some out since then. So what are some good devices to look at?

Should I buy a suspension mount for my Blue Snowball microphone?

Ian A.T. — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 06:27:33 -0800

I'm about to start recording an audiobook / podcast. I've settled on Blue's Snowball microphone, and thanks to previous questions here I know that a pop filter is vital. Should I also buy the Snowball's suspension mount? I'll be recording with the microphone on my desk or possibly my kitchen table. On my desk is an external hard drive, which I'll of course be unplugging during recording, though I should point out that my desk backs up to an exterior wall. I'll also be the only speaker on the recording, if that matters.

It's not terribly expensive and there are bundles available, so I don't mind spending the extra money if it'll improve the quality of my recording. Will it?

Is there a radio to receive DTV audio?

ThyroidBob — Thu, 28 May 2009 15:49:45 -0800

Posting for a friend:

"I own a Sony ICF-C113V bedside clock-radio that receives television signals from the soon to be obsolete VHF channels (2-13). Does anyone know if there is a clock-radio solution on the market yet that receives the audio portion of the DTV television signals in a clock-radio footprint? I have an iHome which I use as my primary clock-radio for alarms and music (iPod), but would still like the option to listen to television periodically."

The sound from a movie download comes out of two speakers, but what about 5.1?

skylar — Mon, 04 May 2009 03:29:35 -0800

These days a lot of movie viewing takes place from digital files sitting on a computer and downloaded from BitTorrent. In this environment, is it worth having a 5.1 type surround sound audio decoder? Do most of the movie files on BitTorrent come encoded as multi-channel surround sound these days? And to output 5.1 digital surround from a computer what does one need? A special sound card? Some kind of surround sound decoder separate attached to the computer via its optical out?

The route to better transcription

low_horrible_immoral — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 06:19:27 -0800

Looking for your transcription hints and tips! I've just starting transcription (ie, typing from digital files) on a freelance basis. I'm doing fairly well but I'm sure there are load of ways I could work faster and more accurately - Word shortcuts, playback software (at the moment I use ExpressScribe), optimising the time it takes me to check things.

Are there any transcribers out there willing to share their hints and tips? Anything at all would be useful.

Thanks!

Accessible playlists

miss_scarlett — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 12:46:22 -0800

How would one go about creating a playlist akin to a mixtape (ie with specifically ordered songs), to share with a friend via thumb drive/zip file? I know this is possible using iTunes, but what if the recipient doesn't use iTunes?

I want to make a universally accessible playlist, which can be 'zipped' together with notes and images...Is there a software program that will do this for me? Some way I can attach data or formatting to a list of individual files?

Digital noise recording to Mac Pro

wubbie — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 19:24:44 -0800

I'm trying to record audio on my Mac Pro from a hardware source using the digital Line In on the Mac, but am only getting "digital noise" as the recording. I'm trying to record audio from a hardware source (in this case, an Xbox 360) by hooking up the Xbox's digital Audio Out to the Mac Pro's digital Line In via optical cable.

However, when I set the Mac's Input to Digital In and record, only noise is recorded (it's a loud, fast-tempo clicking sound, like a baseball card flapping in a bicycle spoke.)

I've tried recording with a few different apps, including Audacity, Garageband, and Audio Hijack Pro, all with the same result.

The strange thing is that Audio Hijack's preview (and a shareware app like LineIn's) passthrough "preview" of the input is fine. I can hear the audio source from the Xbox 360 playing through the Mac, but the recording is still just digital noise, with no sign of the actual audio intended to be recorded.

Is there some reason this shouldn't work? Do I need to use specific frequency settings for the recording? Is there some sort of "protection" in OS X (or 360) in place to prevent this sort of recording? Or is it a bug in the Mac Pro and/or OS X?

Transcribe to Mac

segatakai — Sat, 17 May 2008 00:17:41 -0800

Please recommend a solution for transcribing voice to text on my Mac. Ok. What I want to do is to have a (relatively small) device that I can carry with me, and, when the mood hits, speak into the device and have it record my voice. Later, I want to have my voice transcribed into editable text on my (PowerPC) PowerBook G4, which is running OS 10.5.2. Ideally (though perhaps unrealistically) I'd like to not spend more than about $250. Questions like this have been asked before, but are either outdated, inconclusive, or recommend $400 and up machines without really addressing the transcription issue (or all or the above).

I thought that this would be relatively simple (though I guessed the transcription might be somewhat less than 100% accurate), but I'm having trouble finding any clear-cut solution. I'm willing to be open-minded about solutions, including jerry-rigging (sp?) something. What exactly are my choices here?

First I looked at speech recognition/transcribing software for the Mac. It appears that IBM's Via Voice was discontinued some time ago, and anyway it seems to only be compatible up to OS 10.3 (maybe it was discontinued before 10.4?). MacSpeech seems to have replaced iListen with Dictate, which is apparently not-compatible with PowerPC macs (like mine). iListen, from what I can tell, would work with my Mac. However, my Googling has come up short; where can one find iListen for purchase (or steal)?

Next I looked at digital voice recorders. Wow, what a swamp! Only a few products specifically mention that they are compatible with Macs, but ultimately I'm not even sure what that means. Does this mean that the recorder and the Mac can't communicate at all (like the Mac won't recognize the recorder when its plugged into USB)? Or is it just that the included software is not compatible (i.e. the Mac will recognize the recorder, but you have to use some other software to listen/transcribe the files)?

One last side note: My wife has an old micro-cassette Olympus recorder. I presume that if I could get iListen (or something similar) working on my Mac, I could sit the recorder next to the built-in mic on my laptop (or buy a line-in adapter??) and proceed from there. Any thoughts on that?

A digital version of Janis Ian's "Ginny the Flying Girl"

suimin — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 22:25:01 -0800

Anyone know where I can get the song "Ginny the Flying Girl" by Janis Ian, short of buying an out-of-print Sesame Street LP? Once upon a time Janis Ian sang a song called "Ginny the Flying Girl" for Sesame Street. Considering it was nominated for a Best Children's Recording in 1981, it's pretty frustrating that I can't find the song in any format, for love or money, except on an old out-of-print LP. If I collected LPs, or if I even owned a record player, this wouldn't be so bad. But I don't. Does anyone know where I can get this song in a digital format?

Help me pick an audio workstation

fourcheesemac — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 06:53:43 -0800

So I want to buy a standalone digital audio workstation for a small but serious project studio, and I'd love feedback from folks with hands-on experience. I've narrowed the choices to Yamaha's AW1600, the Boss BR-1600CD, and the newish Zoom HD16CD. Of course there is . . . We've got all kinds of computer-based gear (mostly MOTU), but looking at the options for 16-20 track standalones I see all kinds of reasons to want one, the primary reason being ease of use by a variety of different folks who will be using this studio to record everything from bluegrass to avant-garde jazz, and the portability factor as well.

As far as I can tell, these three units are quite comparable, with the Boss having what most people call the best effects processing, the Yamaha having the longest pedigree and maybe the best preamps (and we have had nice Yamaha digital I/O gear in the past, so I know it), and the Zoom being the most fully featured for the lowest price. The Zoom has not been widely reviewed yet, but we've been really impressed with their handheld digital recorders (they are branch of Samson).

Ease of use is a huge thing here. Musicians who don't know much about computer-based recording will be using it. Quality of mic preamps also, since we will be recording a lot of acoustic music (and using high quality mics). We don't need to record more than 8 channels simultaneously. A computer interface is necessary. Durability is also a real value to us.

So have you used or bought any of these models (or comparables from Tascam, Fostex, Edirol, and Korg)? Anything awful I should know about? Anything new coming right down the road? Thanks!

My ears! My ears!

Blazecock Pileon — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 14:20:59 -0800

Some sound design questions to follow up on this golden moldy oldie... Red Book standard CDs seem to offer an output range of 20 to 20000 Hz.

• Can I publish a CD which can output mono frequencies between 20 kHz to 48 kHz through common CD players?
• Would I have to use SACD? In general, what would I use (hw/sw) to author an SACD?
• Are standard consumer speakers incapable of playing back > 20 kHz, or is it just that speakers aren't tested any higher for obvious reasons? (If I distributed a CD/SACD with said high frequencies, would consistent playback be impossible?)
• If no, would audiophiles have speakers capable of said playback range?
• If I used Max/MSP to generate pure tones, is my only frequency output limitation the audio adapter?
• If I recorded those (inaudible) pure tones to a sound file, what file formats could I use for storage?
• Are there caveats about the cycle~ MSP object with respect to generating tones > 20 kHz?
• If I wrote a Max/MSP Runtime program to generate tones, what sound adapter/speaker combination could I use for testing which would work with both Windows XP and Mac OS X, which would reliably output 20 - 48000 Hz?

Sorry if some or all of these are dumb questions. Thanks for your help!

Digital voice recording

SirStan — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 12:52:39 -0800

Recommendations for mobile sound recording on the cheap? This weekend I am participating in a non-profit fundraiser called PaddlePower(.org). It is a two day suicide awareness event. We would like to record short interviews (30 seconds - 5 minutes) with participants to use in a promotional slideshow/dvd that we produce each year.

Given the conditions (kayaks on water, possibly rainy, no direct A/c power) what is the most economical way to get a good recording?

My thought was to just use a standard Dell laptop (complete care, so if it takes a drink, oh well) with a nice microphone (ie, whatever best buy sells).

Someone else recommended a digital voice recorder, but I have never been impressed by the recordings. I also have an ipod with the voice recorder addon that has a microphone port, would that work well (i've never used it, bought it for class and didnt touch the thing).

Recording Phone Interviews

aaronwsj — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 01:01:07 -0800

Advice on a portable digital recording device. Mostly for recording phone interviews (and not for broadcast), but I'd like something easy to mic, Mac compatible, and not overly complicated or fussy. (Not the first time asked, I know, but the state of the art does change so fast.) I was leaning towards Sony Hi-MD. Should I pay for the RH1? Are there any big drawbacks in opting for an older model, given my fairly limited demands and expectations? Is Flash better than MD? If I ever wanted to edit the sounds files, does one device spit out a preferable file type?

-thanks-

CORRR-ECT!

phrontist — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 12:20:28 -0800

I'm looking for a sample pack of all of the words/letters/numbers/phonemes from a Speak n' Spell (and/or derivatives). I'm not looking for crazy circuit bent samples... just something I can piece together words/phrases out of. Surely someone has done this. Failing that, a list of all the words it could say would be cool as well.

I'd like English the most, but German/French would be cool as well.

Why Are My Headphones Picking Up Digital TV?

RokkitNite — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 07:48:32 -0800

I hear voices in the static... and they're laughing. I've got a pair of Sony wireless headphones connected to my PC. They've got an active range of about ten metres from the transmitter, and if there's nothing coming out of the PC soundcard then after a couple of minutes the transmitter switches off and they revert to white noise. So...
I was doing some writing with the headphones on and the sound on low. I wasn't listening to music so the headphones were just giving out a low, sibilant hiss. I started to hear voices under the static - faint at first, but gradually getting louder. I tried to turn up the volume on the headphones themselves, but then the hiss drowned out the speakers altogether. As I strained to listen, I struggled to discern specific words, but there was something strangely... familiar about the rhythms. Then I caught the words 'Nils' and 'radio show' and realised I was listening to an episode of Frasier.
I know I wasn't listening to a clip on a radio station because it immediately cut to an ad break, and since they turn the sound up at the transmitter I was able to figure out I was listening to the Paramount Comedy channel.
How am I receiving the audio for Paramount on my headphones? We don't get Paramount, and neither do our immediate neighbours. I've heard of amplifiers sometimes picking up police radio and suchlike, but how am I managing to receive the audio from a subscribers-only digital broadcast? Is there a stupidly simple explanation?

Spoken-Word-Audio-Filter: What is the best way to get audio from tapes to my Powerbook?

plemeljr — Mon, 09 Oct 2006 11:23:40 -0800

Spoken-Word-Audio-Filter: What is the best way to get audio from tapes to my Powerbook? Here's the deal: I'm using a Marantx PMD222 cassette analog recorder to field record interviews (and sometimes sounds) of New Yorker's for a project of mine. I want to use the original tapes as masters, but then convert them to a .wav file in order to create a digital master. I can then downsample it to whatever I need. The intended output is primarily through the web, but with a view toward compiling a CD for distribution.

The PMD222 has a RCA jack out (mono) so I figured I could use the Edirol UA-1EX connected to my PowerBook as the input. I'm not looking for 100% studio sound, nor could I afford it - I would be willing to spend about $200.

Are there any other ways I could convert the analog to digital using my powerbook? Is the Edirol UA-1EX a good product? Are there any other proiducts out there which would be better?

Thanks!

how do I best get static off old tapes that I can't let out of my sight?

Izzmeister — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 16:15:56 -0800

How do I best convert borrowed valuable audiotapes into a hiss and static reduced output? I have recieved on loan from a relative some old family audio recordings- I am looking to make them clearer and copy them for my own use. However, the owner does not allow me to mail them away for fear they would get lost or damaged somehow.

How would I best (in the NYC area) have them converted to mp3 or other format and have the static reduced? I don;t mind either getting the software and doing it myself if that is the best way to do it (Audible?) or giving it to a professional (who? where? any recommendations)?

I could make copies of the tapes and then return the originals and THEN go and get them sent away to get it done- but i assume that a copy of these old tapes would be even a generation less clear then the "original copies" I am using.

Audio Interface for Mac G5

captainscared — Thu, 10 Nov 2005 08:56:15 -0800

AudioFilter:Looking for a high-quality audio interface to receive two mics in to my Mac. I'm looking for an external audio interface for my mac. It needs to have at leat two seperate XLR mic inputs that can be recieved in to Soundtracl Pro or Logic as distinct/seperate stereo channels, not simply left and right. This is a must. Other than that I'm open to suggestions and experiences.

Please note if the interface is USB or firewire. Thanks a bunch.

How do I get a digital recording to sound like the original?

scazza — Thu, 15 Sep 2005 08:11:01 -0800

How do I get a digital recording to sound like the original? I am converting cassette tapes of my voice lessons to mp3 for storage and use. This means a recording of spoken word, piano, and opera singing. Because the tapes are instructional, I am listening for nuance, it is important that they are as close to identical to the original as possible.

On my first try I recorded with Audio Recorder and edited on Audacity. That turned out impossibly quiet and crappy. I recently tried recording directly into Audacity and that resulted in a totally flat sound quality. I am not an audiophile in the least, and even I can see that the digital file lacks any resonance at all. Since there is such an obvious difference to such an amateur, I assume there is something wrong in my methods.

What could I be neglecting to adjust in my equipment? What is causing the sound difference?
Is this just what the difference between film and digital? Even if I recorded directly to mp3 wouldn't I get the same result?
I am poor so I couldn't really pay someone to convert it for me; do people do that?
What are my options for getting digital files that are identical to the original tape recordings?

Please don't tell me I am condemned to accumulate drawers full of tapes for the rest of my life. Please help!

mov to mp3

Mean Mr. Bucket — Fri, 18 Mar 2005 13:34:19 -0800

Anyone know how I can create an .mp3 of the audio from a .mov video file on the same pc?

Which manufacturers make well-built home theater equipment at a reasonable price?

danwalker — Fri, 04 Feb 2005 19:21:06 -0800

Over the past several years, I have been burned by poor quality in home electronics from various manufacturers. I have purchased pieces by Sony (home stereo), Panasonic (theatre-in-a-box) and RCA (various pieces of junk), and all have given out in one way or another far too quickly for my liking. In a renewed attempt to build a proper home theatre system (DVD/CD, receiver, speakers, etc), and recognizing that I haven't the money for really high-end stuff but will avoid anything cheap, I seek outside opinions as to which manufacturers are making products that are of reasonable quality, and reasonably priced. Your experiences, please.

I need a low-end digital voice recorder!

naxosaxur — Thu, 09 Dec 2004 08:42:37 -0800

Please help me purchase a reasonably priced, low-end digital voice recorder [m.i.] I am looking to purchase (before Monday) a low-end, no frills, digital voice recorder, but research is difficult online because the spec descriptions are limited, and I’m unfamiliar with the product.

We are a scrappy non-profit, so we just need the basics. I am allowed to spend between $50-$100 USD. I will need it for work to record 1-2 hour interviews with around 12 authors over the next 2 years. The interviews will then be transferred to my computer, edited, and used as mp3 files to put on our website.

I'm lamely unfamiliar with voice recorder technology, so a bonus would be towards ease of file transfer to my computer. We don't have an IT department either, so I need to be able to troubleshoot myself. Should I look for specifically a flash card or a USB option? Specific bundled software? How exactly do these things work? HALP!

Real media streams: Saving, splitting, converting to mp3?

dobbs — Sun, 19 Sep 2004 23:10:31 -0800

My own blue thread makes me want to know how I can record these concerts (Real media streams) to my hard drive and then convert to MP3 and then break them up into individual tracks. I'm on OS X Panther and prefer iTunes but will download whatever.

Merging Video and Sound

scarabic — Wed, 11 Aug 2004 18:24:13 -0800

How do I merge an .m2v video file and a .wav sound file into a single, coherent MPG2 file? [more inside] I began all this by plugging an avi into TMPGEnc DVD Source Creator, and encoding to MPG2, but setting it to "save audio and video as seperate, elementary streams." I've done corrective surgery on the .wav file, and now I'd like to get my movie back together.

I've hunted and pecked all over videohelp.com, and posted in the forums there, with no responses. Please help!