March 30, 2019 at 17:35“Sound”: discussing a podcast about audio technology
Earlier we talked about how to start a podcast . Today - we will share the experience of preparing our own program - “ Sound ” - we will discuss the choice of topics and the experience of interacting with speakers. Photo MaxPixel / PD
The podcast “Sound” appeared in 2013. His task was to talk about audio technology and the ecosystem of sound to a wide audience. During the existence of the project, we recorded 43 episodes of approximately 30 minutes each.
We discussed the differences between different devices and talked about what it is important to pay attention to when buying speakers. We also managed to debunk several myths and talk about the trends of the Hi-Fi industry.
Next, consider some of the most significant topics.
The first issue of the [ listen , read ] podcast dealt with misconceptions related to portable and stationary audio systems. One of the most common myths is that small in-ear headphones reproduce bass worse than overhead.
In fact, low-frequency transmission does not depend on the size of the ear pads, and some “gags” are comparable in bass power to large headphones. The main reason for the “loss” of low frequencies is poor insulation. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the interchangeable nozzles of the in-ear headphones - if they are not suitable in size, then the sound may not seem good enough to you.
Another misconception that we talked about in the first issue is related to the use of “wrong” materials for column production. Allegedly, acoustics made of glass or metal sound worse than wood. It is believed that in "unconventional" materials there is an excessive amount of resonances and vibrations that distort the sound.
This opinion is due to the erroneous idea of the speaker casing as a plain “box” that supports speakers. In reality, the case is a complex system that is developed specifically for specific speakers and their features. For this reason, the material in the design of the column does not play such a big role as the experience of the engineers involved in this.
In the third episode [ listen , read] we have disproved the view that professional audio equipment is more expensive than home. Misconception is associated with confusion in the concepts of “home” and “professional”. They do not mean that the second sounds better than the first, "amateur" technique.
In the fourth and thirteenth episodes, we talked about the misconceptions associated with home theaters. The first of these is the desire to install as many speakers as possible in the living room. In practice, the optimal number of speakers for a home theater system depends on the size of the room. In most cases, a four-speaker system is sufficient without a subwoofer or 5.1 speakers.
We talked about some other myths in the following issues of the podcast:
A frequent guest of our podcast was Yuri Stanislavovich Fomin, a design engineer, sound engineer and entrepreneur. In one of the [ listen ] issues, he described how amateurs can create their own acoustics. In his opinion, turnkey speaker schemes and DIY kits will be a win-win option. We talked about these sets in more detail in another issue of the podcast [ listen , read ]. He also shared his knowledge of how the product circuit is developed: how much time and money it takes, and what exactly acoustic engineers do.
In addition to Yuri Fomin, the list of invited experts includes the founder and CEO of Audiomania Artyom Faermark. In the twentieth [ listen , read] and the thirty-fourth [ listen , read ] issues, he talked about the history of creation and production features of the company's own brands.
In one of the issues, we talked with sound engineer Evgeny Pereyaslavtsev. With him, we discussed the process of making audio films. Eugene spoke about one of the unusual aspects of his work - the creation of sounds that do not exist in nature. At one of the projects, he had to synthesize the sound of vines suddenly growing out of the ground - it was generated from the sounds of pouring water, fried eggs and the rustle of paper.
Other issues with invited experts:
Photo: large cinema hall in the office of Audiomania
Some episodes of the podcast are devoted to installations of Audiomania. In the twelfth issue of [ listen , read ], we talked about our own experience with installing audio systems and the difficulties that arise. We also gave some tips to help you get the best sound from your speakers.
One of them is to consider the placement of the audio system at the stage of planning the interior of the house with the installation specialist, if possible. The expert will take into account the nuances that the designer might not think about, for example, the placement of wires for acoustics or the cooling of equipment during operation.
In another episode [ listen , read] we talked about how two cinema halls were created in the showrooms of the Audiomania office. The first of these is the “room in room” design - a sound-absorbing multilayer modular structure that is not tied to the walls and ceiling of the original office space. This isolates the room from noise and solves the problem of acoustic processing. We recorded one of the podcasts in this showroom:
The second room is designed to showcase the “invisible” Cerasonar speakers. They are invisible in the interior, but at the same time they are not inferior in sound quality to standard systems - acoustics support Dolby Atmos effects and include built-in subwoofers.
Issues about Audiomania projects:
We also talked about vinyl. Two episodes of the podcast “Sound” are completely devoted to the plates and their place in modern times. In the eighteenth issue [ listen ], we discussed vinyl players - how much they cost, how to choose them, and how to set up a turntable. In the issue, the difference between the MC and the MM pickup heads is explained in simple words: the former are distinguished by greater detail in sound, and the latter by higher volume.
In the thirty-fifth episode [ listen , read ] we discussed the purchase of records and the care of the players. In the issue you will find information about accessories for the maintenance of the “turntable” and vinyl - devices for washing plates, brushes and antistatic envelopes.
Further reading from our blog:
Myths and reality: what you need to know about modern audio
headphones with the bass: the benefits and harms of low frequencies
when needed subwoofer
How to choose a speaker system
A method for noise reduction, quenching up to 94% noise
Vinyl is back, and it's different
Briefly about the "Sound"
The podcast “Sound” appeared in 2013. His task was to talk about audio technology and the ecosystem of sound to a wide audience. During the existence of the project, we recorded 43 episodes of approximately 30 minutes each.
We discussed the differences between different devices and talked about what it is important to pay attention to when buying speakers. We also managed to debunk several myths and talk about the trends of the Hi-Fi industry.
Next, consider some of the most significant topics.
About myths
The first issue of the [ listen , read ] podcast dealt with misconceptions related to portable and stationary audio systems. One of the most common myths is that small in-ear headphones reproduce bass worse than overhead.
In fact, low-frequency transmission does not depend on the size of the ear pads, and some “gags” are comparable in bass power to large headphones. The main reason for the “loss” of low frequencies is poor insulation. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the interchangeable nozzles of the in-ear headphones - if they are not suitable in size, then the sound may not seem good enough to you.
Another misconception that we talked about in the first issue is related to the use of “wrong” materials for column production. Allegedly, acoustics made of glass or metal sound worse than wood. It is believed that in "unconventional" materials there is an excessive amount of resonances and vibrations that distort the sound.
This opinion is due to the erroneous idea of the speaker casing as a plain “box” that supports speakers. In reality, the case is a complex system that is developed specifically for specific speakers and their features. For this reason, the material in the design of the column does not play such a big role as the experience of the engineers involved in this.
In the third episode [ listen , read] we have disproved the view that professional audio equipment is more expensive than home. Misconception is associated with confusion in the concepts of “home” and “professional”. They do not mean that the second sounds better than the first, "amateur" technique.
Professional equipment has other tasks - from such acoustics they expect a neutral and “unemotional” sound that is suitable for any institution (restaurant or cafe). Therefore, systems for events are not suitable for home, and it is not worth comparing these segments with each other.
In the fourth and thirteenth episodes, we talked about the misconceptions associated with home theaters. The first of these is the desire to install as many speakers as possible in the living room. In practice, the optimal number of speakers for a home theater system depends on the size of the room. In most cases, a four-speaker system is sufficient without a subwoofer or 5.1 speakers.
We talked about some other myths in the following issues of the podcast:
- The 2nd issue [ listen , read ] is devoted to digital-to-analog converters - in it we also discussed the myths associated with headphones and professional audio equipment.
- In the 5th issue [ listen , read ], we refuted the misconceptions about playing bass.
- The 7th edition [ listen , read ] tells why you should not trust only technical specifications and graphics when choosing acoustics.
Meetings with experts
A frequent guest of our podcast was Yuri Stanislavovich Fomin, a design engineer, sound engineer and entrepreneur. In one of the [ listen ] issues, he described how amateurs can create their own acoustics. In his opinion, turnkey speaker schemes and DIY kits will be a win-win option. We talked about these sets in more detail in another issue of the podcast [ listen , read ]. He also shared his knowledge of how the product circuit is developed: how much time and money it takes, and what exactly acoustic engineers do.
In addition to Yuri Fomin, the list of invited experts includes the founder and CEO of Audiomania Artyom Faermark. In the twentieth [ listen , read] and the thirty-fourth [ listen , read ] issues, he talked about the history of creation and production features of the company's own brands.
In one of the issues, we talked with sound engineer Evgeny Pereyaslavtsev. With him, we discussed the process of making audio films. Eugene spoke about one of the unusual aspects of his work - the creation of sounds that do not exist in nature. At one of the projects, he had to synthesize the sound of vines suddenly growing out of the ground - it was generated from the sounds of pouring water, fried eggs and the rustle of paper.
Other issues with invited experts:
- The guest of the tenth episode of “Sound” [ listen , read ] was F-Lab engineer Anatoly Dmitrievich Arsenov. In a podcast, he talked about the history of the emergence of digital formats and the principles of audio compression.
- The twenty-fourth [ listen to ] issue was attended by a specialist in Hi-Fi and Hi-End equipment Alexey Shubin. We discussed audio formats - FLAC, MP3, DSF - and video, talked about 4K movies and why it is better to watch movies in home theaters without dubbing.
Photo: large cinema hall in the office of Audiomania
About Audiomania projects
Some episodes of the podcast are devoted to installations of Audiomania. In the twelfth issue of [ listen , read ], we talked about our own experience with installing audio systems and the difficulties that arise. We also gave some tips to help you get the best sound from your speakers.
One of them is to consider the placement of the audio system at the stage of planning the interior of the house with the installation specialist, if possible. The expert will take into account the nuances that the designer might not think about, for example, the placement of wires for acoustics or the cooling of equipment during operation.
In another episode [ listen , read] we talked about how two cinema halls were created in the showrooms of the Audiomania office. The first of these is the “room in room” design - a sound-absorbing multilayer modular structure that is not tied to the walls and ceiling of the original office space. This isolates the room from noise and solves the problem of acoustic processing. We recorded one of the podcasts in this showroom:
The second room is designed to showcase the “invisible” Cerasonar speakers. They are invisible in the interior, but at the same time they are not inferior in sound quality to standard systems - acoustics support Dolby Atmos effects and include built-in subwoofers.
Issues about Audiomania projects:
- The forty-first issue [ listen , read ] is devoted to the results of work on cinema halls - in it we discussed the process of their design and impressions of the result.
About vinyl
We also talked about vinyl. Two episodes of the podcast “Sound” are completely devoted to the plates and their place in modern times. In the eighteenth issue [ listen ], we discussed vinyl players - how much they cost, how to choose them, and how to set up a turntable. In the issue, the difference between the MC and the MM pickup heads is explained in simple words: the former are distinguished by greater detail in sound, and the latter by higher volume.
In the thirty-fifth episode [ listen , read ] we discussed the purchase of records and the care of the players. In the issue you will find information about accessories for the maintenance of the “turntable” and vinyl - devices for washing plates, brushes and antistatic envelopes.
Further reading from our blog:
Myths and reality: what you need to know about modern audio headphones with the bass: the benefits and harms of low frequencies when needed subwoofer How to choose a speaker system A method for noise reduction, quenching up to 94% noise Vinyl is back, and it's differentOnly registered users can participate in the survey. Please come in.
Would you like to hear the continuation of the program in one form or another?
- 47% Yes, podcast is an interesting format 8
- 5.8% Yes, but I would like a video version 1
- 41.1% Yes, but better in text format 7
- 0% No, I'm listening to other shows 0
- 5.8% No, podcasts don't interest me 1