# What software



## Foglght (Aug 2, 2007)

I was listening to the newish Timberland Album and the song "apologize."

On my headphones AND in my car it sounds distorted with the bass. Is there any way to tell if the recording is just crappy, or its the broadcast, or my equipment?

Any way to analyze the recording to see if its distorted or clipping?


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## Foglght (Aug 2, 2007)

Hmm, I thought I always saw people on here with clips from audio tracks, showing us how "loud" they were. That isn't the stuff?


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## Austin (Mar 12, 2009)

if your good at looking at the signal waves then try audacity. its free and it shows you the sound image. not sure if that will tell you if its clipping or distorted but its worth a look. you can zoom in a bunch into the wave for a closer look also.
Audacity: Free Audio Editor and Recorder


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## ehkewley (Jul 19, 2008)

Austin said:


> if your good at looking at the signal waves then try audacity. its free and it shows you the sound image. not sure if that will tell you if its clipping or distorted but its worth a look. you can zoom in a bunch into the wave for a closer look also.
> Audacity: Free Audio Editor and Recorder


+1

Audacity has VU meters at the top of the screen. They will display a red line (to the right of the meter) if your source is clipping.

You can also click on "analyze - plot spectrum" and it will show you a frequency analysis for a given period of time. Anything above 0db will be clipped.


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## Foglght (Aug 2, 2007)

Source as in the song itself, not the equipment, right?


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## 240sxguy (May 28, 2009)

Everytime I have heard that song it is distored. Are you listening to a compressed form? I found that it sounds even worse then.


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## Foglght (Aug 2, 2007)

240sxguy said:


> Everytime I have heard that song it is distored. Are you listening to a compressed form? I found that it sounds even worse then.


It is in .mp3 format, but I've heard it on pandora, and on CD and it always sounds the same. I just want to find out if its clipped, or it was specifically recorded that way on purpose, because it sounds like arse. There are a few other CDs that I have with similar issues, and I want to rule out my ears and equipment.


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## 240sxguy (May 28, 2009)

It isn't your ears or equipment. The recording is garbage, and I am not sure if it was done that way on purpose.


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## ehkewley (Jul 19, 2008)

Foglght said:


> Source as in the song itself, not the equipment, right?


Correct. It should be able to import most audio formats with not problem. The analyzer will tell you where it's going over 0 db as well. You can deduce whether or not it's distorting in the lower frequencies like you suspect.


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## Foglght (Aug 2, 2007)

Sweet, that's what I was looking for. There are a bunch of recordings that I'm very suspect of. 

Now the question becomes.....if there is clipping, does it sound like distortion?

Along the same lines, if it is clipping in the recording, does that have a negative effect on the rest of the system, besides obvious sound quality?


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## ehkewley (Jul 19, 2008)

I'm not sure if clipping affects the rest of the system, but it certainly won't help it. Yes distortion is how I perceive clipping of a signal. 

I'm listening to californication right now... it's distorting like crazy.


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## Foglght (Aug 2, 2007)

Ok downloaded it, and it appears that anything below 86hz is clipped to hell.

Any reason it won't go below 86 hz?


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## TorkGuy (Jul 5, 2009)

Foglght said:


> Ok downloaded it, and it appears that anything below 86hz is clipped to hell.
> 
> Any reason it won't go below 86 hz?



it is probably heavily compressed since the low frenquency are what take more "room" in term of musical information. I use Adobe Audition and there is clip restoration and stuff like that. If you like that particular sound, you might give it a try.

The last Metallica Album sound really distorted, almost clipping. First, I toought my speakers were blown. Then I checked with Audition, then I downloaded the incompressed guitar hero mix...


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