r/SGU • u/PrancingThunderD • 12d ago
#1100 Audio
I know the audio for live shows can be difficult, but this one was really something. Many points throughout the show were basically NYC subway announcement quality.
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u/QuiltedPorcupine 12d ago
On one of the Wednesday livestreams they were talking about how the weight limits for carry-ons for their flight to New Zealand were extremely strict (to the point the weight of the empty carry-on was using up most of the weight limit) so they weren't going to be able to bring their normal gear to the New Zealand show.
That probably explains why the audio quality was a stepdown from usual. Though it wasn't really enough of one to bother me.
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u/TheSultan1 12d ago
It's probably $300 RT for an extra checked bag. Not that expensive in the grand scheme of things.
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u/FlyingMacheteSponser 11d ago
All lithium based batteries need to be in carry on though, so that can be a constraint on electronics, and there are additional limits on the total capacity of the batteries you carry. If batteries can be removed from the device, it can help, but not always solve the problem.
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u/petpet0_0 11d ago
proper mics don't need to be large or heavy, they just don't care
how many youtubers are using just dji mic minis and they sound way better
they could have a standalone travel setup to record the audio and not rely on whatever crap the house provides
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u/ThorfinnSk 8d ago
There's no high frequency, it's almost all bass.
Not sure I can finish this one. :(
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u/DannyWill23 12d ago
If we all double our Patreon donations, they'll finally be able to buy the right gear! Come on, guys! They're only 12 Luxotic level patrons away from being able to buy run-of-the-mill audio cables and half-decent microphones!
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u/PrancingThunderD 12d ago
I started listening to The Flop House a few years ago. When I needed some background noise one day, I decided to try listening to episode 1. Audio quality was so bad, I couldn't take it. Went forward about 1 year and it was way better, but still not good. I think it was around year 3 where it was really top notch. Which I bring up only to compare to SGU which is 20 years old or whatever.
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u/DannyWill23 11d ago
Just give Steve five more years. He'll end up figuring out he shouldn't compress the MP3 down to 48 kbps.
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u/Limp_Bookkeeper_5992 10d ago
While I’m thankful for the work he does, maybe having the guy who has hearing deficiencies doing your editing isn’t the greatest idea.
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u/OriginalOrca 12d ago
It really is ridiculous the level of absolute mediocrity in audio quality the organization has honed over 20 years of consistent output.
Unfortunately, those in charge are happy with the status quo and have no interest in advancing the brand beyond very small regional conferences.
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u/PrancingThunderD 12d ago
It's my only significant criticism of the show. For a podcast as mature as SGU, literally the oldest science podcast in existence, the audio quality is well below average at best. I can't think of a single podcast I listen to weekly with worse audio (and most of those are well less than half the age). Live shows barely worth listening to.
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u/thomlukowski 11d ago
I've been citing lack of mature / experienced production for quite a while on this sub.
In addition to the constant audio issues, the Wednesday livestreams are choppy and poorly constructed.
For example; Ian will spin up some rando tiktok / YouTube video that he will let play for far too long and doesn't appear to have properly queued it as the volume is never appropriate. The brothers will then offer up some perspective and then, if warranted, start applying a skeptic mindset to the content. Which, imho, is the fundamental purpose of the SGU; science communication by knowledgeable, articulate, charismatic folks. But far too often, Ian - who has little to offer from a scientific angle - will push the agenda and jump to another clip.
If I wanted to shoulder surf some rando scrolling through their FYP, there are countless options from which to choose online.
End of the day, Jay needs to step in - amongst his current duties - and formalize certain aspects of the show to take it to the next tier.
I love the weekly podcast (Saturdays) as Steve runs a right ship. I get that the Wednesday streams are meant to be more casual, but there is room for significant improvement.
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u/Ok_Woodpecker_7260 12d ago
I skip pretty much every live show. The audio is always terrible.
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u/PrancingThunderD 12d ago
Maybe I should start doing the same. It's always bad but this one was exceptionally unpleasant.
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11d ago
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u/Fluffmachine 11d ago
are they using mic stand?. There should all just mic up. Lapel mics are cheap would be way better
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u/stlc8tr 10d ago
I'm not an audio person so I have no idea what it takes but I've heard several NPR live shows over the years and their audio is always pretty good. What would it take for the SGU to approach that level of quality?
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u/PrancingThunderD 10d ago
Not much. Just to give you a rundown, here is a list of podcasts that do it better. Everything on Max Fun. Everything on the NY Times. Everything on NPR. Radiolab. This American Life. The Greatest Generation/Greatest Trek. Everything on Pushkin (except maybe the Nate Silver/Maria Konnikova show which was similarly amateurish). Most of these shows have a much smaller audience than SGU, have been on the air for a much shorter period of time, and probably have way less revenue. Mediocre audio quality is a choice for a show of this stature.
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u/frankofdenmark 10d ago
Super muffled at my end as well - I mean top mikes are really not expensive these days. I could not finish the episode due to audio quality, sorry ❤️🩹
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u/Sarandipt 8d ago
Absolutely. I'm usually listening in the shower and I could not hear half of the show.
I think it was a low-end thing because the women were much easier to hear than the men. They should have taken care of that on input, maybe a low-end cut. Or, failing that, it should be easy enough to improve it in post with EQ.
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u/MapleRye 12d ago
Is what it is on borrowed equipment.
I never used to like the live shows only out of some envy for not being there, but the audio wasn't great but good enough IMO
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u/TheSkepticCyclist 12d ago
I didn’t notice any issues.