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Personal sound
On 13 Sep 2003 15:57:04 GMT, "All Ears" wrote:
Did anybody try to place microphones in test persons ears, to see if shape/mass of cranium and "ear layout" changes the physical reception of sound? That certainly has been done, and is the basis of several binaural systems, but of course whatever the sape of your ears, you hear both live and recorded sound with the same pair! -- Stewart Pinkerton | Music is Art - Audio is Engineering |
#2
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Personal sound
In article , All Ears wrote:
Did anybody try to place microphones in test persons ears, to see if shape/mass of cranium and "ear layout" changes the physical reception of sound? Yes. It does. Read up on binaural recording techniques. The problems: - To do it right, you need to measure a person's head very well. - Then, you build a dummy head, and place the microphones inside. - Playback has to be through earphones; speakers won't sound right. - When you move your head while listening, there is a conflict between what your ears are telling you and what your vestibular canals are telling you. - The best sound is heard by the person whose head was measured for the recording. Listening to a generic binaural recording is apparently more realistic than more normal stereo techniques, but not anywhere near as good as being the model for the dummy. -dsr- -- Network engineer / sales engineer available in the Boston area. http://tao.merseine.nu/~dsr |
#3
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Personal sound
Ref: cranium ear variables...ear shape..ear wax, etc.
All Ears.. Drat! you're digging into the beginning of a myriad of variables. I'm sure that the tunnel with air in it does cause variables. Now back up a bit in the audio chain.. 1. Recording variables based on preferences of the recording engineer/director, etc. 2. Amplifier variables..based on the Designers concept of how the amp should sound based on his setup at the time of development. Cost considerations, etc 3. Wiring variables going to the speakers. 4. Varying concepts on speaker design. Each design has its own audio signature. 5. The utilization of air to transport the audio output of the speaker to the individual. Literally fraught with variables...atmospheric pressure, humidity and others factors not well understood at this time. 6. Acoustic reflective issues of the room itself in relation to the individual's sitting location. Changeable with a slight move of the head or chair location. 7. Your point of ear-cranium variable. One might add the "ear-shape" to this. Slow accumulation of ear wax. 8. The real "biggie" is the next step.. ..the ear-mind complex where, after all the variables external to the ear impulse to the brain occur..then, the ear/mind must interpret what is is receiving..I contend this is based on such a mass of variables that no two humans have the same setup. It has to do with previous listening experience and the mind and its ability to compare what is being sensed at the moment with what is remembered. An unknown pit of variables. See the following point. 9. Mental process of making comparative judgements on what it has heard in the past and what is currently being heard in a real-time environment. This element probably varies greatly from person to person. It is this process that is not well grasped or acknowledged by some in this audio domain. I contend this "comparative process" is going on when you listen closely..the air around a flute..the blare of trumpet bell and the timbre of it. It is close to your memory of what the instrument "should" sound like or is preferred by you. 10. Other variables not known at our present state of development. Mental processes out of balance due to chemical balances in the body...other unknowns that reflect the non-linearity of the frequency response of the ear itself. Now, accepting that these and many others are present out there in the audio chain...is it a mystery that some individuals hear more, some less and some interpret what they hear entirely differently? The group that contends "all is the same" are closing their eyes to many of these variables. This ole audio domain is not fully grasped at this point in time. The upshot of all of this is: Select the components that you prefer, be it cables, amps or speakers. Always, the key factor here is that "you" select what is best to your sense of good audio. Be wary of those that know what is best for "you". Accept their strange "sense of humor". Then go buy what you prefer!! You will be happier with your audio system! Leonard... __________________________________________________ _____________ On Sat, 13 Sep 2003 15:57:04 +0000, All Ears wrote: Did anybody try to place microphones in test persons ears, to see if shape/mass of cranium and "ear layout" changes the physical reception of sound? KE |
#4
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Personal sound
"Dan Ritter" wrote in message
... In article , All Ears wrote: Did anybody try to place microphones in test persons ears, to see if shape/mass of cranium and "ear layout" changes the physical reception of sound? Yes. It does. Read up on binaural recording techniques. The problems: - To do it right, you need to measure a person's head very well. - Then, you build a dummy head, and place the microphones inside. - Playback has to be through earphones; speakers won't sound right. - When you move your head while listening, there is a conflict between what your ears are telling you and what your vestibular canals are telling you. - The best sound is heard by the person whose head was measured for the recording. Listening to a generic binaural recording is apparently more realistic than more normal stereo techniques, but not anywhere near as good as being the model for the dummy. This is quite interesting. If it could be possible to place some small measurement mics. inside a persons ear and capture the physical frq. attenuation in the ear. It would also be possible to make a model of how to equalize a "standard" or " generic" binaural recording to fit individual ears. Going even further, this "personal sound model" could even be combined with the result of a hearing test. It seems like these digital room correction systems are on their way anyway, so why not go further in the adaption of the sound? KE -dsr- -- Network engineer / sales engineer available in the Boston area. http://tao.merseine.nu/~dsr |
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