Comments

farss wrote on 10/6/2010, 5:25 AM
No surprise to me. The most impressive acoustic trick I've heard is surround sound from a single speaker. To be honest though when you look closely at the box creating the sound, it houses over 100 tiny speakers.

For anyone that wants to play around with some 'interesting' faux surround sound there's Q Sound. I seem to have missplaced my licence a few years back but last time I tried it, it worked a treat with Vegas.

Bob.
Jay Gladwell wrote on 10/6/2010, 6:58 AM

It's a shame Q Sound doesn't provide any sound demos on their site or any demo version of their software.

farss wrote on 10/6/2010, 7:43 AM
"It's a shame Q Sound doesn't provide any sound demos on their site or any demo version of their software."

Here you go: http://www.qsound.com/demos/3d-audio.htm.

I do hear it used a fair amount on TV. I would say just how effective it is depends on many factors. Regardless it's a great way to demonstrate how we localise sound. The trick comes from manipulating phase as well as amplitude.

Bob.
Jay Gladwell wrote on 10/6/2010, 10:00 AM

Thanks for the link, Bob.

Those examples were far from stellar--not enough to get me to part with $80.


farss wrote on 10/6/2010, 7:54 PM
The result that you'll hear is totally dependant on speaker and head placement. When it works well it is pretty danged amazing that it can be done at all. It will not work for some viewers so indeed, bit of a gimmick really. Still useful if you want to demo human sound perception

Bob.
musicvid10 wrote on 10/6/2010, 8:29 PM
BTW, the microphones on the Zoom H4 are better than the stock elements from microphone madness, in my opinion.

That doesn't mean I have anything against the modestly priced mics from microphone madness. I have purchased and also recommended them.
PeterDuke wrote on 10/6/2010, 8:48 PM
I tried listening with headphones (for which it is obviously not intended). I thought Qsound improved the first two samples (less disjoint left and right sound), whereas the Rock Star sounded disjoint and needed Qsound which it had already. Britain was just too confusing.
Laurence wrote on 10/7/2010, 1:36 PM
Does this recorder record 24bit audio with it's HD video? Does it record 24 bit audio without video?
musicvid10 wrote on 10/7/2010, 1:53 PM
Yes and yes, from the Zoom site. Up to 15 hours 24/96 in audio mode.
Rumored release date late fall.
Laurence wrote on 10/7/2010, 2:25 PM
Aside from video, I do solo fingerstyle guitar. This sounds really cool except that I usually put the mics a lot closer. Still, this sure would make things easy! Obviously the market here is mostly musicians that want to record themselves playing. Boy does this look good for that target audience!

Anyone know if the mic input has dc bias power?
ChristoC wrote on 10/7/2010, 2:32 PM
There does not appear to be a Mic Input, only Line In.
musicvid10 wrote on 10/7/2010, 4:11 PM
From Samsontech:

"Use the Line In to record sound from an external mic."

So it obviously takes mic levels. Whether or not it throws a dc bias wasn't stated (the H4n does).
PeterDuke wrote on 10/7/2010, 8:19 PM
I think Line-in means just that. The H2 has separate mic and line input jacks. You would therefore need an external mic preamp.
musicvid10 wrote on 10/7/2010, 8:42 PM
"therefore"?

we'll just have to wait and see . . .
Laurence wrote on 10/7/2010, 9:01 PM
Right above the line input is a mic gain switch. Obviously there is a common line / mic input with a mic preamp that engages the preamp.
musicvid10 wrote on 10/7/2010, 9:16 PM
Peter Duke,
Do you actually own an h4 or h2?
Or are you just pushing our buttons?
PeterDuke wrote on 10/7/2010, 10:30 PM
I have an H2.

Between the two input jacks (ext mic in and line in) there is a mic gain switch. It has no effect on line in, only the internal and external mics.

PeterWright wrote on 10/7/2010, 10:36 PM
>"Obviously the market here is mostly musicians that want to record themselves playing."

Laurence, one feature my Bloggie has which this doesn't is being able to flip the lens over so it's the same side as the monitor - very useful if self recording, to keep an eye on the frame.
PeterDuke wrote on 10/7/2010, 11:17 PM
From the Zoom site
http://www.zoom.co.jp/english/products/q3hd/index.php

it says

"Audio input jack
The Q3HD's audio input jack allows for external recording devices to capture video and stereo recordings to the unit. Combined with a mixer, you can use this recorder to capture sound through multiple microphones for sophisticated recordings."
ChristoC wrote on 10/7/2010, 11:46 PM
The 'blurb' also says -
"With two on-board, studio-quality condenser mics configured in a wide 120° X/Y pattern, the Q3HD gives you true depth and stereo imaging, making your movies sound as if they were recorded on a Hollywood soundstage."

Really? ..... That should see a few Hollywood soundstage owners quivering in their boots!

Randy Brown wrote on 10/8/2010, 12:08 PM
The 'blurb' also says -

LMAO...I have the Q3...the sound is indeed surprisingly good (but Hollywood has nothing to fear) but the SD video is not as good as a lot of phone cams....hopefully "HD" will make a huge difference.