8D Audio??? -- WhyWhy??? -- Because I can??? -- But Do I Like It???
If you are in this community I am sure I am preaching to the choir, and why would I want to do that?
The answer is simple, I don´t.
Then whywhy are you here?
Because I finally had a long enough holiday to have some fun with my new gadget.
New?
Not really I have it since X-Mas but I did not put one and one together till a week or two ago.
First of all 8D Music, is it the new holy grail of audio? Let me answer that at the end of this post.
Just in case you have been too caught up in the rat race and never listened to an 8D track.
8D audio is an effect applied to a stereo track where songs have been edited with special reverb and mixing to make it seem like the audio moving in a circle around your head.
Lovely, I can put on my huge headphones, cancel out all the worldly noises, and enjoy these tunes spinning in my mind. But I am going to take it one step beyond.
My headset is a nice gadget, but I got it last year for X-Mas this year I got a headset stand......
Seriously, a headset stand that charges iPhones and Samsungs, while I have a cheap ass Xiaomi. It also has some lights at the bottom that you can play with.
But the piece de resistance is this:
You can already create a surround sound audio setup in your headset settings.
You do not need any 8D tracks to do so. But what happens if I use those settings on an 8D track & what if I don´t?
That is what I plan to find out today.
How Awesome is 8D?
Now not every song is really better in 8D, for example, this Imagine Dragon song makes me nauseous because they just keep switching the angles around.
Then again this 12D song was really awesome
And with this next song, I really felt like Chester was in my ear.
Does the headset's virtual speaker placement help at all?
Yes, but it´s not making the same difference as it does in normal songs. In a normal song like this, it just adds so much more depth and warmth.
But I think those layers are already mixed in in the 8D songs, but what the freckle is 12D?
8D music moves from left-to-right because of the stereo panning done to the music.
9D and 12D audio have some more specific features. The instrument track and vocal tracks are separated and each of the tracks is added with the panning effects.
I would describe it as if you are lying on a spinning bed that is passing by those speakers.
Just try it yourself:
Adele in 8 D
& Adele in 24D
8D feels so cheap and simple already, this 24D is much better balanced while still, the sound comes at you from all directions.
It´s Madness I know, but let´s go one step beyond!
Adele in 32D
I really tried, I close my eyes and let it flow, but no. I guess I am getting too old for this poo. I get motion sickness from all the musical movement that takes place in my head.
Bottom Line
I love my huge-ass, world-cancelling, headphones, especially with that overpriced headset stand that allows me to set the headphones to surround sound.
But that whole 1000D stuff is lost on me. I so much more prefer this (even that little crackle the needle makes sometimes).
This sounds like music to my ears:
But I guess if you would grow up listening to 32D all day long you would find this flat and boring.
Thank goodness you made it till the end peace, love and I am out of here!
Source Pic Adele
Source Pic Headset
All other pics are mine
I really want to get a new turntable, but the one I have is working fine, so I can't really justify it. Maybe I just need to look for a new needle. That might make a difference. I have never heard of 8D audio before. I will have to check it out! Will it work with any headphones?
Yes any headphones will do, it´s a cool experience but cant say that for me this is how I would like to experience all music
Yeah, I just checked it out with my Sony studio phones. That is definitely wild. It sent chills down my spine!
In my opinion, the quality of audio in music or in general is directly related to the quality of the equipment we use. Not the configuration of the tracks or the audio itself. Still, it's an interesting post that presents an interesting idea. Excellent.
I think it´s not only the quality of the equipment but also the type of equipment, analog vs digital vs Live Music. On top of that the "configuration" mixing and recording techniques definitely impact the audio that ends up on the track. And of course then there is the output method that will always be enhanced by using quality products, but the output on a headset, soundbar, or Dolby surround will also impact the experience.....but what really matters most ....is the quality of the artist and it´s song😂
I mentioned the audio configuration because it is a reality. Just as it is more noticeable and evident, that when producing the music, the result is more filled with noise rather than the music itself. And this characteristic can be evidenced in measurable audio waveform terms. Where electronic noise is more and more harmful and usual in music composed since more than 30 years. But this is another topic, I will surely deal with it someday in q-inspired.
Love to read that, so feel free to tag me that day.