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  • Showing only topics with the tag "audio". Back to normal view
    1. Headphone recommends that actually block out voices

      I'm on the search for a good, over-the-ear headphones that actually blocks out background voices (not just noise). My wife and I share a home office and she is on a lot of calls. I'm looking for...

      I'm on the search for a good, over-the-ear headphones that actually blocks out background voices (not just noise). My wife and I share a home office and she is on a lot of calls. I'm looking for headphones that are comfortable to listen to for long periods of time and really muffle the outside world. I have two headphones I've been using, Sony MDR-7506 and Bose QC45. The Bose does great with blocking out ambient background noise like fan hum. However this has the effect of accentuating my wife's voice. Her voice is tinny but more clear even when listening to music. The Sony does a better job of blocking all noise and attenuating her voice, but I can still hear it.

      Wired is better since I run multiple computer through a mixer so I can hear all the computers at once when I have the headphones on.

      25 votes
    2. Songs or albums to push headphones or speakers to their limit

      This was a challenge to summarise in a title, but what I am after is a discussion of songs or albums with sound detail and design with high complexity that is also enjoyable to listen to....

      This was a challenge to summarise in a title, but what I am after is a discussion of songs or albums with sound detail and design with high complexity that is also enjoyable to listen to. Listening to songs that really push the speakers to their limit in terms of detail is a joy, one could argue that all music does this, but from my perspective some recordings really shine through when you listen to them with proper high-quality high fidelity speakers or headphones. Most classical music fall within this genres but there are plenty of other genres which are interesting.

      Some examples:
      CLARITY - Jacob Collier
      Hand Covers Bruise - Trent Razor and Atticus Ross
      Dream of Arrakis - Hans Zimmer
      Eyjafjallajökull - Nordlight

      I hope I managed to make myself understood, if not I will try again! Anyways, what are your favourite complex pieces of music?

      27 votes
    3. Which audio drama podcasts do you recommend?

      You might be able to tell by my username which is my favorite audio drama. If you haven't heard of it, Wolf 359 is a space opera dramedy focused on a cast of deeply likable characters who find...

      You might be able to tell by my username which is my favorite audio drama. If you haven't heard of it, Wolf 359 is a space opera dramedy focused on a cast of deeply likable characters who find themselves carrying out mysterious research onboard a space station owned by a soulless corporation. Heads up, the whole thing is very enjoyable but the creators say the real story doesn't get going for real until about episode 9 and I would agree. It's funny and entertaining but gets pretty serious around there. Don't worry, the early episodes are super short and still good.

      Other audio dramas I highly recommend are:

      Bronzetown
      1865
      Limetown
      Edict Zero FIS
      Station 151
      Archive 81
      The Magnus Archives
      Theater of Tomorrow
      The Hyacinth Disaster
      Life After / The Message

      37 votes
    4. Recommendations for finding a local('ish?) repair for name brand quality headset?

      Hiya - I'm looking for some help because despite a lot of Google quality time, I'm sincerely struggling to get a solution. I have a Plantronics 4220 wireless headset that I use for work (and also...

      Hiya -

      I'm looking for some help because despite a lot of Google quality time, I'm sincerely struggling to get a solution.

      I have a Plantronics 4220 wireless headset that I use for work (and also to connect with Bluetooth to my PC at the same time between calls), and somehow the audio is starting to flake out. It's like it only gets audio in one ear, but if I tilt my head slightly it'll get into the other ear or sometimes both. Pretty weird... it's something I might expect from a wired headset where the cord itself is dying, but not on a wireless one like this.

      Anyhow, I'm very comfortable with tech stuff (building my own rigs for like 20 years now), but I've never really felt comfortable about iFixit kind of solutions where tools or hardware is involved with the hardware. I'd pretty much just rather throw a little money at a pro who can fix it in 5 minutes and charge me $50 or whatever, lol.

      However when I am going to look for places that might offer repair services, all I'm getting are locations in the US... but I'm in Canada. Specifically Ontario. Anyone have a source (from personal experience or otherwise) on how I might best look up a place I can get this fixed at? Figuring out what to search for on this subject seems oddly arcane!

      6 votes
    5. Looking for a wired gaming headset (preferably with mic) that works for many ear piercings

      I game a lot, and I have many ear piercings (the troublesome ones are industrial and cartilage and for ear buds, both tragus, but I'm looking for just normal headsets). Most headsets make my ears...

      I game a lot, and I have many ear piercings (the troublesome ones are industrial and cartilage and for ear buds, both tragus, but I'm looking for just normal headsets). Most headsets make my ears ache after 20-45 minutes. I can almost pick out how much they're going to hurt when I try them on, and nothing at my local Best Buy has anything available that feels right. Additionally, many are heavy and sit on the top of my head like a brick - before I completed my ear decorations, that was usually my peeve.

      Currently, the only headset I adore is SteelSeries Siberia (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002SN9RN8). I can wear them for hours. Sadly, I cannot get a replacement. I tried their Arctis 5 and immediately sent it back. The Siberia does not have a mic, so that's basically the only reason I am wanting to get another set.

      If anyone can recommend something with the following characteristics, I'd be willing to drop a pretty penny on them... not that I can afford to, but it'll be an investment if it lasts as long as these Siberia have!

      • Preferably cloth ear surface texture;
      • Preferably something that doesn't sit heavily on the head - though the ones I've tried that clamped for staying on my ears would give me headaches as well;
      • Must be wired. No bluetooth. Caveat: if it has a usb dongle, could be doable. (My computer does not have BT capabilities.) I hate things running out of battery though, so it will have to be good;
      • Must have extendable head band up top, if its method is not gripping on your ears without head support;

      I'm sure I've missed something, but if there's a fellow ear-pierced gamer whose had issues with many headsets but found the perfect one, please recommend! Thanks!

      10 votes
    6. Using in-ear monitors with active noise-cancelling on the street

      Using iem with ANC on the street Hello! I'd appreciate knowing how is it to go out on the street using an iem with ANC. Especially when you are on a sidewalk next to a heavy-traffic street or when...

      Using iem with ANC on the street

      Hello!

      I'd appreciate knowing how is it to go out on the street using an iem with ANC. Especially when you are on a sidewalk next to a heavy-traffic street or when you are on the subway for example. Does the ANC eliminate completely those types of loud sounds? Or they are still present but just not on the same level?
      I ask this because I use IEM with foam ear tips but with no ANC. I feel that the foam ear tips normally makes a good seal and isolate conversations next to me or other sounds in my house. But when I go to the street in those places I mentioned the sounds are still somewhat present, although not at the same level as the music I hear. So I was thinking if I could achieve more isolation using for example a ANC iem.
      Any insight would be much appreciated thank you!

      12 votes
    7. In the market for new bluetooth headphones, suggestions?

      Does anyone know of a good pair? or where I might find more info on the matter, like a comparison website with in-depth reviews? My previous ones (Nokia BH 905i) are still fine although they are...

      Does anyone know of a good pair? or where I might find more info on the matter, like a comparison website with in-depth reviews?

      My previous ones (Nokia BH 905i) are still fine although they are showing heavy signs of wear and don't support the latest features, like LE etc.

      I might want to look into something potentially smaller, like in-ears with a flat surface on the outside so I might be able to use them in my motorcycle helmet. ANC is prefered and so is good sound quality. Price is about 250-300eu max.

      14 votes
    8. What, in your opinion, are the best true wireless earbuds for the price?

      My Soundcore earbuds recently kicked the bucket a bit too quickly for my taste, so I'm looking to spend more than $40 on my next pair. However, I'm not enough of an audiophile to get top of the...

      My Soundcore earbuds recently kicked the bucket a bit too quickly for my taste, so I'm looking to spend more than $40 on my next pair. However, I'm not enough of an audiophile to get top of the line Bose/Sony ones. What is the best mix of good price and quality you've found out there?

      41 votes
    9. Low/no latency wireless headphones for PC - Recommendations

      I need to replace my Logitech G935s, the plastic on the top broke on me. Ideally I would replace with something with: more battery life better sound stage well built/premium feel It's very hard to...

      I need to replace my Logitech G935s, the plastic on the top broke on me. Ideally I would replace with something with:

      • more battery life
      • better sound stage
      • well built/premium feel

      It's very hard to tell what is good out there - with so many options, and my concern is if I just buy any bluetooth enabled headset it will introduce audio latency which isn't something I can live with in games. But I cannot stand having a cord attached that gets all twisted up.

      I'm not tied to it having an attached mic, as I can buy one separately but its a plus.

      Anyone out there have any good recommendations? What does everyone else use?

      19 votes
    10. High quality USB-C in-ear monitors or good aux-to-USB-C adapters?

      I recently upgraded my phone and to my dismay everyone followed apples moronic choice to remove aux ports. I want to keep using my KZ in ears, and while they have bluetooth adapters I rarely like...

      I recently upgraded my phone and to my dismay everyone followed apples moronic choice to remove aux ports.

      I want to keep using my KZ in ears, and while they have bluetooth adapters I rarely like how bluetooth sounds and also don't want to worry about having to charge them either.

      Both adapters I've bought either buzz like crazy or my phone is convinced is constantly disconnecting and pausing my music. Anyone know of anything in the budget range thats as good as KZ or good adapters?

      14 votes
    11. Headphone/earbud recommendation - Is there one product that fits all my needs?

      For the past week, I have been researching headphones/earbuds, buying them, and then cancelling the order immediately because I realized I was making a compromise on what I am wanting. Not a crazy...

      For the past week, I have been researching headphones/earbuds, buying them, and then cancelling the order immediately because I realized I was making a compromise on what I am wanting. Not a crazy amount of cancelled purchases, just maybe...three.

      Anyways, I am in the market for the holy grail of headphones or earbuds that fits my needs but I am thinking I might have to buy multiple for the different scenarios that I am looking for. Which are:

      • Preferably earbuds so I can take one out if I need to have an ear free for something.
      • Great mic quality - I want to be able to use these for work call and when I go outside to walk. Really need something that handles wind and background noise pretty well that doesn't leave the other person on the phone annoyed talking to me. I don't want to walk around with a boom mic in front of face though.
      • No preference on wired or wireless. If wired, I would like direct USB-C so I don't have to think about dongles or anything. I also read that mic quality degrades with Bluetooth? Not sure how accurate that is but the consensus I have read was that wired earbuds have better mics than Bluetooth. Wireless would be amazing if I knew that everything else worked well. I would take a short battery life to have top notch everything else.
      • Decent sound quality for music. I already have a pair of aftershokz that I use for working out so I'm not stranger to compromised sound quality. But when I go out on walks I want to listen to language podcasts so I can hear clearly.
      • Active noise cancelling - longshot but this would just be nice to have since I have gotten a taste for these with my Sony headphones.

      I would be interested to hear your product recommendations or solutions to my wants. I have a feeling that the perfect product doesn't exist but at the bare minimum I would take something that sounds decent and has a good mic that handles outdoor sounds well. ANC and wireless are optional but would be very amazing to have.

      I would be using these with a Samsung S22.

      9 votes
    12. Tildes Tech Support: Two audio devices, keyboard volume control will only control one and it's not the default device

      For the first time in what feels like decades, I have been unable to find a solution myself or via the ol' googling so I turn to the wonderful people of Tildes for assistance with a clearly...

      For the first time in what feels like decades, I have been unable to find a solution myself or via the ol' googling so I turn to the wonderful people of Tildes for assistance with a clearly critical issue...

      Background Information:
      Newly built gaming PC (a day old, the reason I've been gone from Tildes for the last week, I know you all missed me, I missed you too)
      Windows 10
      HyperX headphones plugged in via USB
      5.1 speaker setup plugged in via back panel and set as default audio device
      Logitech G910 keyboard

      Issue:
      Volume control knob on keyboard will only control headphones volume despite headphones not being the default device.
      Knob will control speakers if I unplug the USB to the headphones or disable the headphones in control panel.
      Previous build had the same speakers, headphones, and keyboard setup and worked with no issue, volume knob would control whatever audio device was in use/selected in the taskbar "Select Playback Device" dropdown. I'd swap to headphones during a call/gaming with friends, swap back to speakers for normal day to day use.

      Ideas? I've already tried all of the uninstall/reinstall driver options I can think of.

      9 votes
    13. How to edit a podcast on Linux?

      Looking at the available options, I see many programs such as Ardour and Audacity that seems to focus on recording, mixing, streaming, etc. But what should use it to actually edit the thing? By...

      Looking at the available options, I see many programs such as Ardour and Audacity that seems to focus on recording, mixing, streaming, etc. But what should use it to actually edit the thing?

      By that I mean changing the order of things, removing silences, involuntary sounds, and noises, adding music and sound effects, as well as making what I'm saying more concise and intelligible.

      I have a background in video editing, and I'm used to working in the "timeline paradigm" that is common to Adobe Premiere and older versions of Final Cut (I have no idea what Final Cut looks like now...). But I have no idea how to edit stuff using actual audio software, I've only used those to treat audio and then finish editing on other programs.

      I'd use a video editor for that, but I currently don't own any machine powerful enough to use a video editor software comfortably.

      7 votes
    14. Does anybody have any experience with switching to pipewire?

      I'm considering making the switch to pipewire, as my current setup involving a bridge between JACK and PulseAudio is growing frustrating. Even on a fresh boot, Spotify won't play until Pulse has...

      I'm considering making the switch to pipewire, as my current setup involving a bridge between JACK and PulseAudio is growing frustrating. Even on a fresh boot, Spotify won't play until Pulse has been killed and restarted, and the same goes for games through Steam. All the while, Firefox audio works perfectly without doing so, and I can jump straight into recording with reaper without any issues from the get-go.

      I've been reading through the Arch wiki to get a feel for what the process should be like, and it seems like it'll be relatively straightforward, but given that I do a lot of music recording on my computer, I don't want to experience a total breakage of my sound setup. I'm planning to make a full backup of my system before making any changes, so I can roll it back if need be, but if anybody has any experience with switching to pipewire on a production system, I'd be grateful to hear about any pitfalls or problems that you ran into which I should be aware of in advance!

      10 votes
    15. What noise canceling headphones can block?

      One of the greatest sources of stress in my life right now is noise. This is consistent with the (presently unconfirmed) hypothesis that I'm probably on the spectrum. I live in a very noisy...

      One of the greatest sources of stress in my life right now is noise. This is consistent with the (presently unconfirmed) hypothesis that I'm probably on the spectrum.

      I live in a very noisy neighborhood, with many sources of loud music several days a week. I use a regular headphone to try to isolate myself, but they're not always effective. I was thinking of purchasing a noise canceling headphone (NCH). I'd listen mostly to podcasts and white noise. Hence the title question: can these headphones cancel variable non-regular noises like loud music around me? And to what degree?

      Product recommendations are welcomed, with a focus on great noise canceling. I have a preference for over the ear headphones, but that's not a hard requirement. Other than that I don't have any requirements.

      Thanks!

      11 votes
    16. Product recommendation request: low latency wireless earbuds

      Alright, so I fell down a rabbit hole of trying to understand a whole bunch of techy things that I don't fully understand and could use some help: What I'm looking for: a pair of Bluetooth...

      Alright, so I fell down a rabbit hole of trying to understand a whole bunch of techy things that I don't fully understand and could use some help:


      What I'm looking for: a pair of Bluetooth wireless earbuds that I can pair with my computer, with low enough latency that it won't impair my enjoyment in casual gaming/video watching


      What I understand so far: Almost nothing. 😔 I get that Bluetooth will always have some level of latency, but, beyond that, I've got nothing. I'm so confused.

      There are lots of different versions of Bluetooth, and then there are different Bluetooth protocols within that, and then different audio codecs, and each piece of hardware seems to support completely different combinations of those, and I'm not sure if the devices have to match configurations or even how to figure out what my computer supports? It seems Bluetooth will gracefully fall back to worse codecs/protocols if better ones are incompatible, but I don't really want to buy something that's just going to fall back to its worst usecase.

      I also don't know what's an "acceptable" level of latency. What's reasonable versus what's intolerable?

      It also seems like the information I read online is subject to rapid decay. I read a bunch of stuff only a few years old saying I should look for aptX Low Latency capability, but then I read very recent posts saying that's dead and to go with aptX Adaptive instead. Meanwhile there are a handful of gaming-focused headsets that say they're low latency but don't really say how (e.g. Razer's Hammerhead). And some, like Samsung's buds, having a "gaming mode" but it only works on special hardware.

      Also, how do I know what my computer itself will support? Is there anything I can do from the computer side to reduce latency, or is that strictly a function of what my hardware supports and which earbuds I buy?


      My usecase:

      My computer is a System 76 Oryx Pro (5) running Pop!_OS 21.10. I think its Bluetooth adapter is version 5.1 (though I'm not confident on that). I do not know which protocols/codecs it supports, nor how to find that out.

      Audio quality isn't too important. These will be for everyday video-watching and gaming, which is what's prompting the latency requirement. I'd rather them be responsive than rich.

      Active noise cancelling would be nice to have (especially if it has a toggleable transparency mode), but I don't know if ANC adds latency and is therefore incompatible with what I'm wanting.

      I don't have a specific budget for it, and that's honestly the least important requirement. If the solution exists I'm fine paying for it (within reason, of course). These will end up getting used for thousands of hours, so even a big price difference upfront will even out over time.

      I'd appreciate any help anyone can offer in pointing me in the right direction on this!

      12 votes
    17. Hitachi Rear Projection TV - No audio on inputs, except Static on Antenna

      So I rescued an old TV from the trash, appears to be a Hitachi Rear Projection TV, no obvious model number available, and when I try to power it on, it will display just fine, but it has no audio...

      So I rescued an old TV from the trash, appears to be a Hitachi Rear Projection TV, no obvious model number available, and when I try to power it on, it will display just fine, but it has no audio coming out UNLESS I turn it over to antenna input, in which case it has bone rattling analog static. This is the US where everyone changed over to digital television, so not super helpful, and while I could do some sound splitting magic, that seems like a waste if there are already good speakers. So I have come to you, honored Tildos, for assistance in pointing me in the right direction on whether or not this television's speakers can be saved.

      6 votes
    18. What should I look for in a headset?

      I am looking to buy a headset. It's for my child to use on PS4, and when stock comes back in on PS5. Which models have you used and liked? Are there any you'd avoid? I think I'd prefer either USB,...

      I am looking to buy a headset. It's for my child to use on PS4, and when stock comes back in on PS5.

      Which models have you used and liked? Are there any you'd avoid?

      I think I'd prefer either USB, or something easy to repair, or cheap so I can just buy a new set of this one breaks.

      7 votes