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Higher quality audio makes people sound smarter

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Re: Higher quality audio makes people sound smarter

#191

Post by fullstop »

benkuhn wrote: post #13

It's also really easy to have high quality audio! The author recommends a "podcasting" microphone, but a $35 standalone headset mic[1] is almost as good and much easier to use. If you want to hear a comparison, I got kind of obsessed with this problem at one point and took some comparison recordings here[2]. (You need a standalone mic since most headsets, even really nice ones, have really bad mics because most heads…

I have one of these and have been very impressed with the output.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QVNXBDL

It was ~$50.

Re: Higher quality audio makes people sound smarter

#192

Post by ballenf »

benkuhn wrote: post #13

It's also really easy to have high quality audio! The author recommends a "podcasting" microphone, but a $35 standalone headset mic[1] is almost as good and much easier to use. If you want to hear a comparison, I got kind of obsessed with this problem at one point and took some comparison recordings here[2]. (You need a standalone mic since most headsets, even really nice ones, have really bad mics because most heads…

Physical mute button with red LED mute status is a killer feature.

Got a wired Plantronics headset with USB-C that I'm happy with. Not sure if the above products have this feature, but I recommend checking for it.

Re: Higher quality audio makes people sound smarter

#193

Post by stefandesu »

ricardobayes wrote: post #171
benkuhn wrote: post #13

It's also really easy to have high quality audio! The author recommends a "podcasting" microphone, but a $35 standalone headset mic[1] is almost as good and much easier to use. If you want to hear a comparison, I got kind of obsessed with this problem at one point and took some comparison recordings here[2]. (You need a standalone mic since most headsets, even really nice ones, have really bad mics because most heads…

For those who are not looking to spend a fortune, a simple Apple earpod (wired) is still better than most headsets out there. And it costs 20 bucks. I think my yeti actually sounds worse at it cost 3 times as much.

Totally agree. I've been using my old Apple EarPods and I'm always told that I sound great.

Re: Higher quality audio makes people sound smarter

#194

Post by Hitton »

The paper doesn't say that higher audio makes people sound smarter. It basically says that it high fidelity audio makes smart people sound smarter than they do with low fidelity audio. It's quite possible that it just allows people digest content better or perceive more subtle nuances and that high fidelity audio would make dumb people sound dumber than low fidelity audio.

Re: Higher quality audio makes people sound smarter

#195

Post by ferongr »

XorNot wrote: post #139
baxuz wrote: post #137

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not really easy to be honest. Depending on the day, I am getting horrible static in my desktop microphone(s). This might be caused by no grounding in the outlet. I'm living in a really old house with no ground for most rooms (yes, I know), with only a bootleg ground to prevent _really_ bad noise and occasional static zaps. Though I've read of many people having the same issues with properly grounded machines (as far…

This shouldn't be a problem from what I understand: "real" ground is just tied off to a rod buried in your backyard, but it's also bonded to neutral at the switchboard anyway.

>but it's also bonded to neutral at the switchboard anyway

Depends on the country. Over here protective earth is entirely separate from neutral, and there's a separate earth stake for each consumer. This is the TT system.

Re: Higher quality audio makes people sound smarter

#196

Post by jakebasile »

I have no evidence to back this up, but I strongly believe that video quality would have similar effects. I am a hobbyist photographer and began using my gear to improve my video quality on calls 6-8 months ago and people have continually commented on it, from executives to regular schmucks like me. We're a visual species and having a better view of the person you are talking with will help form connections.

It doesn't take a lot, but it will take a bit more cash outlay than improving your audio. You can get a cheap camera capture card for ~$15, a tripod for ~$50, a quality camera that supports running indefinitely on power with clean HDMI out (I use a Nikon Z5), and of course a compatible lens (I use a Nikon 50mm/f1.8 Z). The camera and lens you use will vary considerably in cost and quality, so you'll need to do some research to see if it will work for this. The result is amazingly clear video.

Re: Higher quality audio makes people sound smarter

#197

Post by Someone1234 »

wombatmobile wrote: post #177
pa9am wrote: post #149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The most important thing is to have the microphone close to your mouth. There is nothing more annoying than listening to echo-y voice. The mic even have to be that expensive. I use a cheap dynamic mic from ebay with a windscreen and a mic arm and it sounds fine.

> I use a cheap dynamic mic from ebay with a windscreen and a mic arm and it sounds fine. How do you know what it sounds like? How do you know how good you sound to other people compared to if you were speaking through a good condenser mic?

Open voice recorder, record, say things, listen.

Plus multiple services now offer test calls/contacts where you can open a voice call, say things, and then listen back to how the other side hears it.

Re: Higher quality audio makes people sound smarter

#198

Post by nishparadox »

benkuhn wrote: post #13

It's also really easy to have high quality audio! The author recommends a "podcasting" microphone, but a $35 standalone headset mic[1] is almost as good and much easier to use. If you want to hear a comparison, I got kind of obsessed with this problem at one point and took some comparison recordings here[2]. (You need a standalone mic since most headsets, even really nice ones, have really bad mics because most heads…

I recently bought a new dynamic mic. And it has absolutely changed the way I do WFH. No more crappy noises. No more background sounds. In fact, I believe that having a good microphone is a good initiative to seriously start a better workflow for WFH.

Re: Higher quality audio makes people sound smarter

#199

Post by MattGaiser »

fooblat wrote: post #51

It is amazing to me that we still have such a distance between people on this. Some people have basically created a tv studio at home with a nice set, good lighting, nice background, quality camera, and mic. Having a video call with these people is a nice and smooth. And somehow we still have people that think sitting in a noisy, messy room with the sun at their back and using their laptop's built-in mic/speakers is…

It will encourage you to send things though Slack.

Re: Higher quality audio makes people sound smarter

#200

Post by [deleted] »

Hitton wrote: post #194

The paper doesn't say that higher audio makes people sound smarter. It basically says that it high fidelity audio makes smart people sound smarter than they do with low fidelity audio. It's quite possible that it just allows people digest content better or perceive more subtle nuances and that high fidelity audio would make dumb people sound dumber than low fidelity audio.

[deleted]
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