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MSF17 · Posted: Fri Dec 17, 2010 11:25 pm Post subject: Hiss, obstructed audio

Would you like for us to write down the programs which are hard to hear or listening is not audible?

Am currently listening to the Inner Sanctum episode 'The Doomed', and it sounds doomed. Hard to hear, sounds like hiss or 'rain drops' interfering this episode Crying or Very sad

Jimbo · Joined: 12 Sep 2010 Posts: 190 Location: Georgia, USA

Brad · Posted: Sat Dec 18, 2010 12:24 pm Post subject:

Sometimes we do get shows that are hard to hear. It all depends on the quality of the original recording and the process used to convert it from real tape to digital.

When we do run into bad shows, sometimes I'm able to find a better replacement as I do have several version of some series in my database.

Unfortunately, some are the only copies made and there's no replacement available. If you do find some bad ones, you can list them here and I'll try to find better copies of them.

Back when most of these shows were being converted they were made in low bitrates like 12kbps or 16kbps. 32kbps mono and up is best for voice shows. Most of these old shows were recorded in mono so it doesn't do any good to try and convert them to stereo.

We actually have some shows as low as 8kbps that sound very good. I think they must have real high quality masters to work with.

Also, when you record something to 16kbps the rest of the data is gone. If you try to convert it to a higher bitrate it usually makes the shows sound worse and it increases the file size too.

This isn't the fault of anyone. The technology was limited at the time. Now we're all used to 256kbps music files and it's hard to remember the days when they didn't have high fidelity audio recordings.

Brad
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Jimbo · Joined: 12 Sep 2010 Posts: 190 Location: Georgia, USA

All great points, Brad. In the 70's , during the "re-boom" of otr, there was a lot of duplicating taking place that went from speaker to microphone as well - and even generations of that. I feel were are fortunate to have what we have remaining, to be honest.
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crich70 · Joined: 19 Sep 2008 Posts: 316 Location: Monroe Wisconsin

I can remember my dad having audio tapes of OTR episodes that he'd bought at the store in the late 70's or early 80's in which there was an audio note before the episodes began that spoke of the occasional surface noise or volume drop due to the equipment used back before High Fidelity was invented. As far as that goes I can only imagine if he were still around that I'd have to have made up copies for him of the various OTR that I've downloaded for listening. lol.