VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[tackerman]

A studio that is "Audition quality" and/or "Broadcast Quality" for me?
The meaning seems to vary and I was wondering what your take was...

[Frank F]

Although what I write should not be considered the "dictionary" usage of the terms as listed, it is in all likelyhood a good example, specific only to audio and NOT video. So here goes:

Audition quality (a very esoteric term) means: That which is synonymous with "Broadcast Quality"

Broadcast Quality: Now here is term that has no real definition as there is a difference between TV broadcast audio/video (not including HiDef) and radio - AM or FM "broadcast quality" due to the constraints of their techniques and technologies. The term "broadcast quality" was coined as a way of discerning consumer products from the more robust and costly "professional" and "industrial" audio and video equipment, as well as the level of lines in a video frame.

Not withstanding those limitations here is a fair general definition: Must be capable of 16 or 24 bit, 44.1 or 48 kHz, stereo audio - with a very low noise floor.

Some "broadcast" engineers think that balanced audio I/O's are required, thus saying a mid-level sound-card or input device with XLR connectors, a professional microphone (not a PC headset or "toy" microphone), and output to the various formats of audio such as CD, DVD, .mp3, m4a, aiff, .wav, and others are the minimum requirments regarding equipment for "broadcast quality".

Now you have an understanding of what little is known about these ambiguous terms.

The best thing anyone can suggest to you when these concepts come up in conversation are: have the best studio you can afford, delivering the best audio you are able with the lowest noise floor your equipment can muster, to the best of your abilities. And, "yes, I have that"....

Toodles

Frank F
_________________
Be thankful for the bad things in life. They opened your eyes to the good things you weren't paying attention to before. email: thevoice@usa.com

[tackerman]

[Deirdre]

Doesn't it kinda follow that if a studio can produce "broadcast quality" audio it can produce "audition quality"?

"Broadcast Quality" has always meant the same thing as "CD-Quality" as far as I know , i.e. 16-bit @ 44.1.

I've never heard anyone use the term "audition quality". My own experience tells me it's a file like an MP3 @ 96K or 128K mono, that kind of thing.

But then. . .I'm no Frank Frederick.


Kevin? What do you say?
_________________
DBCooperVO.com
IMDB

[Bruce]

"Broadcast quality" means use of a good mic, the virtual absence of "room noise" due to sufficient sound proofing on critical surfaces, and the near absence of extraneous noises such as farm animals and construction projects.

"Audition quality" means use of any mic better than the pinhole mic on your computer monitor, the room bounce doesn't prevent them from understanding what you're saying, and that a certain number of odd noises are allowed in the background (for example, with animals: 3 sheep bleats in a :30, two low mooo's in a :60). The listener just has to be able to imagine what you'd sound like without the competing locutions.

I have the list around here somwhere. I'll wire it if you'd like.

B
_________________
VO-BB Member #31 Enlisted June, 2005

I'm not a Zoo, but over the years I've played one on radio/TV. .

[davediamondprovo]

Many of the studios around town in which I record auditions are "audition quality." Most if not all of them use Shure KSM141's to record "dish."
_________________
David

[Frank F]