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Author Topic: Chicago Test Files available here  (Read 22797 times)

azuolas

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Chicago Test Files available here
« on: November 19, 2005, 11:02:10 PM »

Hello,
I uploaded the clips that were used during the blind ABX test yesterday on the CRC FTP site. For the sake of simplicity I would recommend everybody to post short and simple answers and defer discussions to other threads.
e.g. "Number x has a loss of low octave plain as a day" or "I can not hear any loss in any of them" or whatever.
All files are 24 bit 96 KHz WAV. These are 15 second clips.
I labeled all configurations randomly as 1-9. Unless there are objections I will post the answers to what these numbers are on November 23rd at 11:00 PM CST.

To download:

go to: http://www.chicagorecording.com/
Click on icon CLIENT FTP (3rd from the right)
username: chicagotest
password: prosoundweb
Then click on folder named "15 second clips 2496"
Download all 9 and test away

Azuolas
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minister

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Re: Chicago Test Files available here
« Reply #1 on: November 19, 2005, 11:33:59 PM »

hi,

tried this link in safari and IE, didn't work.

launcghed TRANSMIT and tried to do it that way.  no luck...
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tom hambleton C.A.S.
minister of fancy noises
ministry of fancy noises

IMDb

CaptainHook

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Re: Chicago Test Files available here
« Reply #2 on: November 19, 2005, 11:43:11 PM »

Put a 'www' infront of it.

I.e http://www.chicagorecording.com/

minister

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Re: Chicago Test Files available here
« Reply #3 on: November 20, 2005, 12:01:09 AM »

workin' now, thanks!
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tom hambleton C.A.S.
minister of fancy noises
ministry of fancy noises

IMDb

groucho

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Re: Chicago Test Files available here
« Reply #4 on: November 20, 2005, 01:42:48 AM »

So... one of these files is supposed to be missing an octave of low end?

Mixerman has got to get credit for the longest-running practical joke in the history of the world. Orson Wells ain't got nothing on him.Smile

What's funniest is he'll find a way to continue it even given the evidence. I can't wait to see how he does it. The guy's a genius.

Enjoying every minute,
Chris
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azuolas

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Re: Chicago Test Files available here
« Reply #5 on: November 20, 2005, 01:50:03 AM »

groucho wrote on Sun, 20 November 2005 00:42

So... one of these files is supposed to be missing an octave of low end?


If mixerman's claim is correct 6 of 9 of these files should have the bottom octave missing.
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RKrizman

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Re: Chicago Test Files available here
« Reply #6 on: November 20, 2005, 02:02:35 AM »

azuolas wrote on Sun, 20 November 2005 01:50

groucho wrote on Sun, 20 November 2005 00:42

So... one of these files is supposed to be missing an octave of low end?


If mixerman's claim is correct 6 of 9 of these files should have the bottom octave missing.


You mean 0 - 20 hz?

-R
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azuolas

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Re: Chicago Test Files available here
« Reply #7 on: November 20, 2005, 02:32:42 AM »

RKrizman wrote on Sun, 20 November 2005 01:02

azuolas wrote on Sun, 20 November 2005 01:50

groucho wrote on Sun, 20 November 2005 00:42

So... one of these files is supposed to be missing an octave of low end?


If mixerman's claim is correct 6 of 9 of these files should have the bottom octave missing.


You mean 0 - 20 hz?

-R


No I mean whatever the mixerman's claim was. 50Hz or 60Hz? Whoever was a part of pretest discussion please jump in and correct me if I am wrong.
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RKrizman

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Re: Chicago Test Files available here
« Reply #8 on: November 20, 2005, 02:41:41 AM »

azuolas wrote on Sun, 20 November 2005 02:32

RKrizman wrote on Sun, 20 November 2005 01:02

azuolas wrote on Sun, 20 November 2005 01:50

groucho wrote on Sun, 20 November 2005 00:42

So... one of these files is supposed to be missing an octave of low end?


If mixerman's claim is correct 6 of 9 of these files should have the bottom octave missing.


You mean 0 - 20 hz?

-R


No I mean whatever the mixerman's claim was. 50Hz or 60Hz? Whoever was a part of pretest discussion please jump in and correct me if I am wrong.


You're quite right.  I was making a joke ( I mean, what is the bottom octave anyway?)  The claim was that there was a "glaring" low end deficiency, such that even your grandmother would agree that the converter was broken.  A loss of the bottom octave or minus 6 db @ 50 hz were a couple ways it was characterized.  Even allowing for the entertaining hyperbole, the claim was that there was a palpable loss of low end that pretty much anybody could hear.  

-R
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Extreme Mixing

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Re: Chicago Test Files available here
« Reply #9 on: November 20, 2005, 03:14:07 AM »

I listened to the clips.  Here is my view.  None of the differences in sound that I could perceive,or think I might have perceived, would make any difference as to whether I liked a mix or a recording of a musical performance.  The playing field seems pretty level to me.

Steve

Barry Hufker

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Re: Chicago Test Files available here
« Reply #10 on: November 20, 2005, 11:19:14 AM »

No discussion for now.

I believe 7 had, for me, the best sense of space, inner detail, punch and high frequency clarity.

Barry

EDIT: I should have said also that 8 and 9 were also very good.

After a while, it all becomes a blur...
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smazur

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Re: Chicago Test Files available here
« Reply #11 on: November 20, 2005, 03:43:46 PM »

I predict the following are the bass-light, Digi converters: 1,2,4,5,6,7. The bass guitar has a slightly nasal, pointy, "boingy", artificial quality in these clips. The guitars are not as lush and creamy.

3,8 and 9 have a more blooming low end and seem both wider and deeper to me. If one of these clips is the straight 2", I'll go out on a limb and say it's #3.

-Steve Mazur

Edit: On second thought, forget all of the above. With repeated listening, I arrive at a different perspective each time. I would likely fail miserably at a blind test with all nine files, as did most of the original testers, and my initial, reactionary predictions are probably completely wrong. They all sound close enough to sufficiently confuse me.
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In-house engineers have home field advantage

The Resonater

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Re: Chicago Test Files available here
« Reply #12 on: November 20, 2005, 07:15:28 PM »

I've listened on my Sony headphones.  Through them, all of the clips sound damned close.  (Great sound, Steve!).  To my ears, 8 sounds the best in terms of fullness of low end.  Files 5 and 2 also sounded better than the others.

I'll put the files up over speakers this week.
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The Resonater

Curve Dominant

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Re: Chicago Test Files available here
« Reply #13 on: November 20, 2005, 08:05:32 PM »

I just spent about one hour downloading the files, listening to them on speakers twice (once very soft, then somewhat loud), and then listening to them on flat-response headphones (many times each).

My response:

I would like that hour of my life back.

Just kidding (sort of).

[line deleted by moderator- deemed irrelevant]

One thing I definitely noticed, in all the files: Mixerman's claim turned out to be complete rubbish.

[line deleted by moderator- deemed irrelevant]

But the bottom octave was there, albeit in varying arrays of "definition" in the various files.

Not only would the cleaning lady have not heard the "bass-loss," she most likely would not have bothered to pay attention to the programme material in the first place. WTF was Albini thinking??

[paragraph deleted by moderator- deemed irrelevant]

[line deleted by moderator- deemed irrelevant]

tmheli

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Re: Chicago Test Files available here
« Reply #14 on: November 20, 2005, 08:53:52 PM »

Per an FFT analysis, Tracks 1 and 2 have the most low-frequency content.

Track 2 has the most.

Track 6 has the least.

Tracks 3,4,5,7,8, and 9 are all practically identical to each other, with less bass than 1 and 2, and more bass than 6.

The difference at any given frequency between Track 2 and Track 6 is roughly 0.3dB at the most.  Many folks might argue this difference should be imperceptible.

A/B'ing the first four bars of Track 2 against the first four bars of Track 6, blind, I've been able to correctly identify as "having more bass" the one that the FFT said had the most bass, which is Track 2; I'm up to 7 correct guesses out of 8 at this point.  

I have an infinite loop playing, and I know which track is the first half and which track is the second in that loop.  I let it play for a minute or so, without my earbuds in, with the screen off, so I have no idea where it is in the loop.  Then I listen long enough to differentiate which has a more full bottom on the kick drum (I found it easiest to identify the bottom of the kick in its relationship to the attack of the kick) and say "this is the thin one" "this is the heavier one" as it switches back and forth, until I can bring up the screen and verify if I have it right.  I'm at 7/8 right now, so I have a good amount of confidence in these results as "not just lucky guessing".

As far as which sounds best or worst or whatnot, I can't get into that because I have nowhere near a reference-quality system to listen on right now.

Based on Steve's assertion that he could hear a difference, and that the difference included more bass on the analog tape, I will posit that Tracks 1 and 2 represent the analog tape.

Scott
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