#dB meter

[onosokkiindia]

Exploring the Functionality of Chassis Dynamometers

Chassis dynamometers are sophisticated testing tools that simulate real-world driving conditions in a controlled environment. They calculate performance parameters for a car, such as torque, horsepower, and fuel economy. The dynamometer replicates various driving scenarios by placing the motorcycle's driven wheels on rollers, allowing for detailed performance analysis.

The Two Wheeler Chassis Dynamometer has just undergone an upgrade, increasing its capacity to accommodate a wider variety of motorcycle testing. This system is designed to deliver precise and comprehensive data for performance, endurance, and exhaust gas emission tests, making it a versatile tool for manufacturers, researchers, and performance tuners.

Key Features

AC Dynamometer with Electrical Inertia Control: This feature allows for the precise simulation of riding conditions by controlling the inertia electrically. It ensures accurate performance and endurance testing by replicating real-world scenarios with high fidelity.

High-Accuracy Torque Detector: Equipped with a high-accuracy torque detector, the system provides precise data for control and measurement purposes. This is essential for detailed analysis and optimization of the motorcycle's performance.

Comprehensive Testing Components: The system includes necessary components for performance and endurance tests, such as a front wheel holding unit, a driver's display, and a driver's aid. These components enhance the testing process, making it more efficient and user-friendly.

Optional Emission Testing Software: The system offers optional software for emission data processing, which is crucial for analyzing exhaust gases and ensuring motorcycles meet environmental standards.

Conformance to Global Regulations: The dynamometer system conforms to various international regulations, ensuring its applicability in different regulatory environments.

Peripheral Equipment and Technical Support: Ono Sokki provides a full line of peripheral equipment and technical support for testing room design, ensuring users can create an optimal testing environment.

Applications of the System

The usage in various sectors:

Performance Testing: By simulating different riding conditions, the dynamometer measures the motorcycle's power, torque, and overall performance. This helps identify areas for improvement and ensures that the bike performs optimally under various conditions.

Endurance Testing: The system replicates long-term riding conditions to test the motorcycle's durability and reliability. This helps manufacturers identify potential issues affecting the motorcycle's longevity and performance.

Exhaust Gas Emission Testing: With the optional emission testing software, the dynamometer analyzes exhaust gases to ensure the bike complies with environmental regulations. This is particularly important given the increasing focus on reducing vehicle emissions.

Benefits of Using the Chassis Dynamometers

The system offers several significant benefits:

Precision and Accuracy: The high-accuracy torque detector and electrical inertia control provide precise data essential for detailed analysis and optimization.

Versatility: The system's ability to handle performance, endurance, and emission tests makes it a versatile tool for various applications.

Regulatory Compliance: Conforming to international regulations ensures the system can be used globally, facilitating market entry in different regions.

Efficiency: Comprehensive testing components and optional emission software streamline the testing process, saving time and resources.

Support and Customization: Technical support for testing room design and peripheral equipment availability allows users to customize their testing environment according to their specific needs.

The two-wheeler chassis Dynamometer system represents a significant advancement in motorcycle testing technology. This system provides precise, reliable, and comprehensive data by addressing diverse testing needs and incorporating superior technology. Its conformance to global regulations and technical support for testing room design make it an invaluable tool for manufacturers, researchers, and performance tuners.

The demand for accurate and trustworthy testing instruments will only increase as the automotive sector develops. With its advanced features and comprehensive support, the dynamometer system is well-positioned to meet these needs, ensuring that motorcycles are safe, high-performing, and environmentally compliant.

For any clarifications or queries, please feel free to contact us:

Mobile: +91–92055–92194 or +91–92055–92195

Email ID: osid@onosokki.co.in

Website: www.onosokki.co.in

[spectechnology]

[biscuit-munchies]

great Zeno someone save him

[candidoptronix]

Authorized Service Centers for Deviser products

For specific information on authorized service centers for Deviser products like the DVB-C Meter, Signal Level Meter, QAM Analysis, and Optical Meter in Head Office, Delhi, and Branch Office-Chennai, India.

Get more info on our website - https://www.optronix.in/Deviser-service-center.php

[everyoneforgetsme]

Guys I love OSHA so much, as a person with sensory issues the Decibel meter and scale has helped me out SO. MUCH.

[fivefeetfangirl]

Germany, i love you. But wtf is your railway system

[bethanythebogwitch]

Wet Beast Wednesday: pistol shrimp

Oh snap, it's the snapping shrimp post for Wet Beast Wednesday! Snapping shrimp or pistol shrimp are loud little critters that have evolves a very useful and fascinating tool in their pincers. Let's not waste time and shoot off to learn about these little gunslingers.

(Image: a pistol shrimp. It is a mostly white shrimp with red stripes. One of its claws is considerably larger than the other. It is standing on gravel and next to some seaweed. End ID)

Pistol shrimp are over 1,000 members of the family Alpheidae, which is part of the infraorder Caridea. This means they are true shrimp, not to be confused with superficially similar animals like brine shrimp, mantis shrimp, tadpole shrimp, and prawns. Yeah, I only recently learned that prawns and shrimp aren't a language difference between British English and American English like chips vs fries. They're not even that closely related. As true shrimp, pistol shrimp have two main body parts: the cephalothorax and abdomen, which are composed of 19 body segments. The abdomen forms a flexible tail with a fin on the end. When startled, the fin can rapidly curl under the body, propelling the shrimp backwards. Like other decapods, there are 10 limbs. The front pair of limbs have evolved into claws used to manipulate objects. The claws are the most distinguishing feature of pistol shrimp. They are asymmetrical, with one growing extremely large, over half the size of the body. The big claw has a modified version of the typical pincer. This pincer has an upper claw that can open up at a right angle. Under the claw is a pocket in the lower pincer, into which water flows. The upper pincer then slams down into this pocket, forcing the water out. The pressure of the pincer closing water in the pocket creates a cavitation bubble that is forced away from the claw at up to 26.8 meters per second. This is enough force to seriously wound small animals and hurt larger ones into leaving the shrimp alone. The cavitation bubbles can reach up to 4,427 degrees C (8,000 F) . For comparison, the surface of the sun is about 1,000 decrees (C) hotter. When the bubble pops, it creates a snapping sound that can reach 218 decibels. For comparison, most gunshots max out at around 170 db. This puts pistol shrimp is the running for the loudest ocean animals, with whales being the other main competitors. If that all sounds like a lot, the whole event happens so fast that the heat doesn't have time to affect much and the noise sounds like a moderately loud snap to us. Adults can snap their claws shut with an acceleration of up to 30 meters per second squared and juveniles can do it up to 20 times faster. The whole process takes less than a millisecond. When the cavitation bubble collapses, it can produce light. This is called sonoluminescence and nobody knows how it happens. If a pistol shrimp loses its large claw, the small claw will grow into a new large one while the missing limb will regenerate into a small claw. Adult pistol shrimp average between 3 and 5 cm long.

(Image: a drawing showing the process of a pistol shrimp snapping its claw. In the first panel, the claw is closed. In the second, the upper claw opens at a 90 degree angle, revealing a cavity. In the third panel, the cavity fills with water. In the final panel, the claw is closed again and a jet of water is ejected from the claw. End ID. Source: Wikipedia user Carermyers)

(Gif: black and white, slow-motion video of a pistol shrimp's claw snapping shut and creating a cavitation bubble. End ID. Source)

Pistol shrimp live worldwide, though most species live in tropical or temperate water. There are some cold water species and even freshwater species. Most prefer habitats where they can make burrows and where there are plenty of other animals. Coral reefs, oyster reefs, seagrass beds, mangrove groves are common habitats. Snapping is used for hunting and communication. They typically hide in burrows, waiting for fish or other small animals to pass by. When prey passes, the shrimp will snap to stun or seriously wound the prey, then drag it into the burrow. Some social species actually form eusocial hives with a single queen who produces all offspring. These shrimp are the only known marine eusocial species and all occur within the same genus (Synalpheus), though not every member of that genus is eusocial and eusociality appears to have evolved at least 3 times within that genus. It appears that a reason why only this genus developed eusociality is their larvae do not disperse, instead staying in the same area as the parents. The hives are usually located within sponges. Other social species are not eusocial, but still live together in colonies. Many less social species have formed a symbiotic relationship with gobies. Both species live in burrows, but gobies are bad at digging while the shrimp have poor eyesight. The goby will protect the shrimp while it digs a burrow, then the two live together. They will forage together, with the goby using its superior eyesight to watch for predators and warn the shrimp to get back to the burrow. Pistol shrimp are monogamous, the same pair coming back to mate over and over again (this does not apply to the eusocial species in which only the colony's queen is permitted to mate). The female is only fertile during a short period after molting. The male will stay with the female and protect her during the vulnerable period after mating and some species will remain with each other until the eggs hatch or permanently.

(Image: a eusocial pistol shrimp queen with eggs. Her body is translucent and multiple eggs are attached to her abdomen. The eggs look like translucent balls. The is inside of an orange sponge. End ID)

(Image: a pistol shrimp and goby emerging from a burrow in the sand. The shrimp is a mottled green and white. The body is a bright yellow fish covered with blue spots. End ID)

Pistol shrimp are a major source of noise in the places where they live. If you've ever been swimming and can hear repeated cracking noises, that may have been a bunch of pistol shrimp. Some scientists monitor the level of pistol shrimp noises as a method of monitoring the ecosystem. If the noise level drops, that is an indicator that the local ecosystem is suffering. The noise of the shrimps can get so loud that it actually interferes with sonar and forms of underwater communication. During World War II, members of the navy realized that the shrimp disrupted sonar enough to hide submarines, so they started hiding submarines near reefs with lots of the shrimp to keep them from being found by enemy subs. Weirdly not the only small marine animals to mess with submarines. I'll get the the other major one soon. The largest threats to pistol shrimp come from habitat destruction. Some species of pistol shrimp have entered the pet trade. As coral reefs, seagrass beds, and other habitats are destroyed, the shrimp that rely on them will suffer as well.

Yet another time I get to use one of these cards in a post

(Image: the Weird n' Wild Creatures card featuring pistol shrimp. End ID)

[kenora-pizza]

Musical musings - TTTE edition

One of the things that got me back into TTTE was the banger soundtrack and character themes. Music has always been a huge part of my life, I have classical training for the piano and an in-depth knowledge of musical theory and harmonic practices for classical music. So here are some of the things I noticed about various character themes and some of the engines' whistles.

Gordon is considered to be the biggest engine out of the main 12, and this could be reflected in his whistle, as it has the greatest interval between the two notes which make it up, that being a minor seventh between C and Bb.

James' whistle (G - C#/Db) is a tritone/Augmented 4th/Diminished 5th. In medieval times, this interval was considered to be a representation of conflict, discord (no, not THAT Discord) instability and danger. You can hear it in pieces like the iconic opening to Camille Saint-Seans' Danse Macabre, and in Hector Berlioz's La damnation de Faust to represent the titular character's arrival in Hell. James, I've noticed, is pretty damn insecure. He clings to his red paint like a lifeline and hides behind a veneer of arrogance and vanity. He can be quite boastful, to the detriment of his relationships with other engines, with him usually being the aggressor in conflicts with them. So I suppose the use of a tritone for his whistle is appropriate.

Percy appears to (mentally) be the youngest of the main 12, and this could be represented by having the highest whistle out of all of them.

Thomas' character theme and Edward's Series 2 theme both feature modulations to the parallel major of the initial key's relative minor, with Thomas' theme starting in F major and ending in D major, and Edward's theme starting in C major and ending in A major. The "relative minor" of a major key is the minor key which shares its key signature (ex. the relative minor of F major is D minor since they share the same key signature of one flat, likewise with C major, A minor and a key signature of no accidentals). The "parallel major" of a minor key is the major key which shares its 1st note (AKA, the tonic). So....like mentor, like mentee. Or like Father, like Son, in terms of musical themes.

Henry's theme is in a quadruple meter (following an 8-measure phrasing pattern, likely 12/8 time), meaning that there are 4 beats to a measure. However, each one of these "beats" consists of a triplet(If you were to count out a measure, it'd be 1-2-3 4-5-6 7-8-9 10-11-12, and you'd conduct it like 4 beats instead of each of the 12 individual notes) And Henry is the number 3 engine. Hmm.......

If I think of any more, I'll post 'em. If anyone even reads this lol

P.S: One of my favourite OSTs is Kingdom Dance from Tangled, and every time I listen it, I think of the twins. Probably because it uses the E Dorian mode (with a dash of E Mixolydian) which is common in Scottish music. Just in case anyone's confused, the "Dorian" mode is an 8-note scale which starts on the second note of a given major scale. (e.g, E is the 2nd note of a D major scale, so its Dorian mode uses the same signature of 2 sharps). The Mixolydian mode is an 8-note scale which starts on the 5th note of a given major scale. (e.g, E is the 5th note of an A major scale and thus, its Mixolydian mode uses the same key signature of 3 sharps).

[sirfrogsworth]

Investigating Olympic Hearing Protection

I need to respond to one last thing just because I want to make sure the information I posted earlier was accurate.

Some are disputing my claim that you don't need hearing protection for Olympic air pistols.

From what I originally read, hearing protection was mostly to prevent distraction and help concentration and not required to protect from hearing damage.

So I tried to extra super double check that claim.

The easiest way to verify would be to get a decibel rating of the ISSF 10 meter pistols that are used in competition.

I looked up each of the models used.

But I cannot find any official documentation stating their volume output.

ChatGPT claims they can reach 100 dB. Which would be in the range where you might want to use hearing protection. However, when I asked about the decibel rating of those specific models of air pistols, it claims they only reach 70 to 80 dB which would not be concerning at all.

That said, if we believe the 100 dB claim, that is not a sustained volume and hearing damage in that range would typically only occur from prolonged exposure. We hear noises with 100 dB peaks all the time (clapping, for instance) and you'd need 15 minutes of exposure to get hearing damage.

Wikipedia says that the Olympics "suggest" hearing protection and cites this rule.

And ChatGPT seems to concur.

So I'm pretty sure my original fact check was correct. The use of the word "urge" in the rule book seems like a suggestion and not a requirement.

If the guns do actually reach 100 dB they are louder than I thought and hearing protection is probably still a good idea even if the chances of hearing damage are minimal.

Also, the air pistol shooters in a forum I was just reading said the pellet contacting the paper target is actually louder than the gun. But with the inverse square law I don't think anyone is close enough to get hearing damage from that either.

That is probably way more than you wanted to know, but I get panic attacks if I have inaccurate information on a post and I just wanted to be sure.

[onosokkiindia]

The Benefits of Ono Sokki's Sound Testing

In today's noisy world, where loud sounds are everywhere, finding moments of peace and quiet isn't just a nice idea—it's really important. Companies, engineers, and researchers are always looking for ways to reduce noise, not just to make people more comfortable but also to keep our communities and environment healthy. This is where Ono Sokki comes in. We're leaders in creating testing solutions that bring a lot of benefits to anyone who wants to achieve top-notch sound quality.

Understanding the Essence

Sound measurement is all about measuring how loud things are in different places. It's super important for lots of industries like cars, airplanes, building stuff, and making things. The main aim is simple: make sure things follow the rules, make products better, give people a good experience, and lessen how noise affects people and nature.

With many years of experience, we are a top provider of testing tools and solutions, especially for sound and vibration inspection. Let's explore the many advantages their advanced technologies offer.

Precision and Accuracy

We focus on being very precise and accurate with what we offer. Our instruments are designed using the newest technologies, which means you can rely on them to give consistent and trustworthy measurements. Whether you're checking how loud a car engine is, testing how well building blocks sound, or keeping an eye on vibrations in machines, our tools give engineers and researchers the exact data they need.

Comprehensive Solutions for Diverse Needs

Every testing need is different, and we understand that. That's why we provide a variety of tools and solutions designed for different industries. Whether you need a simple handheld sound level meter for quick checks on-site or a more advanced FFT analyzer for detailed frequency analysis, our range of products covers a wide range of requirements. This means that no matter if you're doing basic noise checks or complex acoustic research, we have the perfect tool for you.

Efficiency in Testing Processes

In any industry, time is really important, and we've made sure that our solutions are all about being efficient. Our tools are easy to use, so engineers and technicians can run tests quickly and precisely. This efficiency not only saves time, but it also helps boost productivity. This means faster decision-making based on test results.

Ensuring Regulatory Compliance

In lots of businesses, it's really important to follow the rules about how much noise things can make and how well we block sound. If you don't follow these rules, it can lead to big problems like getting into trouble with the law, having to pay fines, and even damaging your reputation. Our sound solutions are really useful here because we help companies check everything properly to make sure their products and buildings meet the rules.

Optimizing Product Design and Performance

For companies that make things, knowing how their products sound is really important. Our tools help engineers really get into the details of how their creations sound. We can find ways to make them better and more innovative. Whether it's making a car sound just right, making a household appliance quieter, or making a building more comfortable for the people inside, our tools are the key to making products really great.

Enhancing User Experience

In today's world filled with noise, having a quieter space usually means a better quality of life. The constant buzz of home gadgets or the loud sounds of engines can be really irritating and stressful. When companies use our sound solutions, we can make products that focus on making users feel more comfortable and relaxed. Whether it's making HVAC systems quieter, adjusting the volume of electronic devices, or enhancing the sound quality of buildings, these efforts help create calmer and more pleasant places to live and work.

Environmental Stewardship

Testing is not only important for our own comfort but also for taking care of our environment. Loud noises can really harm animals and their homes, messing up the balance of nature and changing how animals act. When companies use our ideas to make less noise from things like factories, cars, and building sites, we're helping keep our planet healthier for everyone.

Innovative Research and Development

The study of sounds is always changing, with new problems and chances coming up all the time. Our dedication to creating new ideas means that our solutions always use the latest technology. This doesn't just help industries now; it also sets the stage for amazing research and progress in the future. Whether it's making better noise-cancelling technology or finding new ways to block sound, there's a lot we can do.

Efficiency and Time-Saving

One big benefit of our products is that we make things run smoother and better. These tools are designed to make testing much faster without sacrificing accuracy. We have a wide range of products for all kinds of testing needs, including sound testing.

Industry-Leading Expertise

Since 1954, Ono Sokki has been a top manufacturer in the measurement and testing equipment industry. We are known for their high-quality products, especially in the automotive engineering sector, showing their dedication to providing excellent tools and systems.

Considerations for Sound Evaluation

Real-Time Frequency Analysis: This feature allows you to see and analyze the frequency of sounds as they happen. You can observe how the sound changes across different pitches instantly.

Customizable Test Parameters: You have the ability to adjust and tailor the testing settings according to your specific needs. This means you can set up the tests exactly as required for your project or research.

Data Logging Capabilities: With this feature, all the results and findings from the tests are recorded and saved automatically. This makes it easy to review past tests, track changes over time, and compare different scenarios.

Conclusion

In the world of sound, we are proud to be known for our excellence. Our precise tools, all-encompassing solutions, and dedication to innovation bring numerous advantages to various industries, researchers, and communities globally. Whether it's ensuring that rules are followed, improving product designs, making user experiences better, or helping with environmental protection, the impact of our Sound and Vibration Analyzer  is felt far and wide.

As we live in a world full of sound, the need for accurate, dependable, and efficient testing is incredibly important. In this mix of noise and quiet, our instruments play a crucial role, blending industry, innovation, and environmental care.

By embracing the benefits of testing, we not only create more peaceful and comfortable spaces for ourselves but also set the stage for a better, more harmonious relationship with the world around us. In our pursuit of acoustic perfection, we stand as a steadfast partner, magnifying the advantages of testing for a future that's both brighter and quieter. 

 For any clarifications or queries, please feel free to contact us:Mobile: +91–92055–92194 or +91–92055–92195

Email ID: osid@onosokki.co.in

Website: www.onosokki.co.in

[ginger-and-mint]

Myx, if there was a tummy/stuffing related mod for Sky/rim, what do you think would be the most important things to include, and what would you personally want to see included? No wrong answers and be as specific as you like.

[SWEATS]

omg anon.... this is such a fun question and I've been gnawing it happily like a dog with a bone! under a cut because you did say that I could be as specific as I liked and I definitely took you up on that :]

I think a Tummy Meter mod would be super fun! Kind of similar to your carrying capacity, but for tracking the amount of food you've eaten. Each food item could have a "weight" value that counts towards your fullness for a set number of hours, and if you eat beyond this capacity, you become.... over-encumbered....

The most important thing to include would be a mechanism to prevent you from chugging cheese wheels in battle! ^^' There would have to be a penalty for overstuffing yourself -- possibly limited movement speed like when you exceed your carrying capacity, and/or maybe your stamina bar is halved, or something else!

In terms of what I would personally enjoy... you know those little text notifications that inform you that you're carrying too much to run or that you've contracted rockjoint? ^^'' well... a notification like "your stomach is very full" or "you've eaten to your limit" would Destroy me. also NPCs noticing!! even the same "you don't look so good" dialogue that you get when you have a disease would be so so illegal.

Other misc fun ideas:

Having a progression mechanic, sorta like how vampirism has different stages. The further you've exceeded your stomach capacity, the more intense the penalties get.

Changes to food to encourage more eating. ^^' Possibly giving food items small buffs or other effects.

Exceeding your stomach capacity could give you a chance to contract a disease that's essentially a Big Tummyache, which has to be cured with a potion or shrine like other diseases.

completely separate from the Tummy Meter Idea, in my wildest crazy thoughts... a tummy/stuffing themed mod that adds a new side quest. the plot could be absolutely silly -- maybe you're hired to infiltrate a fancy party and eat all the food to embarrass the hosts, or you gain an innkeeper's favor by sampling all their cooking, or hell, maybe the DB is challenged to an eating contest. (normally I don't like eating contests as a trope but this setting is an exception, you can't tell me that No//rds don't brag about how much they can eat....)

my main point is -- if there was a quest where the DB had to go around one of those lavishly-supplied banquet halls that are everywhere in Sky//rim and eat a LOT of food... and if there was one of those quick third-person animations of them clutching their tummy afterwards... and maybe an NPC expressing concern or making comments on the state that you're in.... That Sure Would Be Something.

[vyl3tpwny]

loudness in music.

you may be listening to music that is lesser in quality than artists really intend.

(pictured: a visual guide of FabFilter Pro L2's metering section)

this post is mainly aimed to talk to non-musicians and non-audio engineers, but if you're one of those and also feel for this post, cool. but i want to put this into perspective for people who aren't in music (recording and production in specific). i'm going to attempt to explain a very complicated concept as simply as i can fathom.

there's a lot of stages to the creation of a song or album. there's the writing, recording, production, mixing, and mastering (to simplify). what i'm going to be talking about has to do with "mastering", the final stage a song goes through before it's considered 'final' (in a sense).

mastering, in short, is the process of taking a fully recorded, produced, and mixed song; cleaning it up and preparing it for people to listen to it. a mastering engineer will often add some equalization adjustments to the overall song, adding some compression to bring things together and unify elements, and other stuff like that.

but the duty of establishing the "perceived loudness" is imparted on the mastering engineer.

loudness ≠ amplitude. amplitude is the true measurement of an audio's volume. but "loudness" is a measurement of how loud we actually perceive something. there are technically quiet songs that you perceive as louder than they are, and loud songs that you actually perceive as quiet. this is because loudness ≠ actual technical volume. amplitude is measured in Decibels (db) and perceived loudness is measured in Loudness Units Full Scale (LUFS).

audio processing and transmission always has a limit. for example, if you turn up the volume up too high while listening to music on your headphones, distortion and crackling may occur. this is called "clipping". the threshold for clipping varies from one device to another. cheap earbuds may distort without you even pushing the volume much. other headphones may be really hard to even get audio to clip.

(image source: MTX)

thus, because of the limitations of how audio works — both in the digital and analog domains — the mastering process of music seeks to finalize a song to be loud enough, but not so loud that it clips in a way artists and listeners don't want.

enter: The Loudness War

in the 90's when digital music studios started to become a thing, people started mastering songs louder and louder because things didn't distort as much when you pushed them in digital spaces. you can get stuff to clip in the digital world, yes, but it was much easier to push things louder than on purely analog equipment. ever since then, songs have been getting mastered louder and louder. we've called this "The Loudness War", because people compete to have the loudest mastered songs.

something you must understand is that the louder you try to master a song (without it clipping above a digital threshold) the more squashed the song gets. the methods for mastering a song really loud often make it lose quality and fidelity. for some people this is fine. stuff like dubstep usually benefits from the squash and the distortion (although it's a personal preference). nonetheless, people have actively chosen to master songs loudly to compete with each other, but at the cost of a song's quality and dynamics.

quick side note: a song's dynamic's is a measurement of how quiet the quiet parts are, how loud the loud parts are, and what the ratio is between these are. so a VERY dynamic song will have very quiet parts and very loud parts. a NOT VERY dynamic song will have mostly everything in the same volume range at all times.

so ok. artists and engineers have been fighting in this loudness war. everyone wants to have loudly mastered songs even though the more you try to push a song to be loud the more it will lose fidelity and the more compressed it will become.

below is a video containing three versions of my song "bonnie". the first version is the original master. the second version is being pushed into a mastering limiter hard. and the third version is being pushed into a mastering limiter VERY hard. a mastering limiter is usually the last part of the signal path of a song's master. i've (very roughly) gain matched the examples so that instead of hearing the loudness differences, you will hear the quality differences. they should be roughly the same volume, but the quality differences will be what you hear. pay close attention to the waveforms getting progressively more squashed the more the song is being pushed into the limiter.

keep in mind, this example is extreme and unscientific, only meant to demonstrate the kind of quality deterioration that occurs when you try to push a song to be potentially too loud. these quality issues often exist at least a tiny bit in songs that are mastered to be really loud.

so we know that trying to master something loud comes with tradeoffs. but people still really like to do it and sometimes it can be pulled off just fine. but not every song handles these treatments equally.

but what i really want to get at here is the fact that mastering things super loudly in the modern day is kind of pointless! the main exception i can think of is club mixes, DJ's really like to have loud stuff to work with because of the complications that come with DJing in venues. but aside from that, there kind of isn't a point to mastering that loudly anymore.

streaming services like spotify and youtube follow broadcasting standards and automatically adjust music to be roughly in the same range. this is so people listening to music on these platforms, especially through playlists, won't be bothered by a discrepancy in REALLY LOUD songs and really quiet songs being in the same space.

i've been thinking about all of this for a long time. i've been learning how to master my own music for maybe 4-5 years now? but recently an audio engineering youtuber, white sea studio, came out with this video:

i highly recommend you watch it if you have the time and are interested in learning more on this aspect of music. but to divulge upon the points and information they talk about...

...it's unanimously recommended to master your music to be at least ABOVE -14 LUFS. there are two kinds of misconceptions. the first being that you should try to have your song reach EXACTLY -14 LUFS. wytse explains in the video how this is wrong, and that experts instead recommend you master just to be above -14 LUFS, not exactly and certainly not lower. popular and loud music is being delivered at around -5 and -4 LUFS even. this is really loud and you can imagine there are lots of compromises to quality to get songs to be that loud. but as wytse continues to explain, there's clearly not much point in doing this if streaming services are going to be turning loud songs down anyway.

we're in an age where the loudness war really shouldn't exist. not only has it caused lots of songs (including my own) to be finalized and delivered with compromises to quality and dynamics as well as unfavourable distortion, but it's established this misconception that songs need to be mastered super loudly in the first place.

if it were so simple though, i don't think we'd be talking about this at all. to speak from personal experience, i actually feel self conscious if my music isn't as loud as other songs in the same genre that i'm making. i've found myself not even checking if i'm making it above -14 LUFS, often times i'm just trying to get everything to be as loud as possible. and this is a huge problem for me because i make music in every genre. period. my album CUTIEMARKS mixed dubstep, pop, rock, acoustic, ambient, and so many other genres in one place; but i worked so hard to get everything to be consistently the same loudness. the reality is that it's so hard to pull that off and i'm pretty sure the album is lesser in quality because of it. i already have frustrations listening back to things like "nonexistent meet-cute" and "how to kill a monster" from that album because i tried to push them to close enough loudness to a dubstep song lol.

but despite knowing all of these things very transparently, i still feel very self conscious about it. and i feel like this conversation actually needs to extend beyond musicians and engineers. that's why i'm writing this. i want listeners and fans to know that there's this thing going on and it's been going on for a while and it causes a lot of stress and misconceptions. i'm especially self conscious because i'm actually going to try to actively master my next album quieter than all my other ones on purpose. to try and combat all of this. even if it makes me self conscious to listen to some of my favourite albums of this year and know how much louder they've been mastered compared to mine. but i think it's really important we let songs breathe and not try to compromise quality anymore. it would relieve a lot of stress from me personally to be able to know this is all ok.

if you ended up reading this whole thing, thanks so much. this is a thing that's actually been affecting a lot of musicians who do their own engineering a lot. and it's been affecting all audio engineers anyway. this is an extremely complex topic and to anyone who knows as much as i do about it, trust me i KNOW this post is EXTREMELY simplified. but i want to speak to listeners and fans, not musicians and engineers specifically.

[tobiasdrake]

Hello! I've been following a bunch of your Dragon Ball stuff, and I really find a lot of your DB stuff fascinating to read! If you don't mind, I'd like to ask…

Basically, I've always wondered… do you think Videl has ever felt some level of regretful guilt over blackmailing Gohan into entering the W.M.A.T.? ESPECIALLY after learning about his already-horrifying childhood.

Like, we all know it's not HER fault that Buu attacked Earth, but maybe she feels like if she hadn't bugged Gohan into entering, he wouldn't have been separated from his family for so long, and (on some level), maybe Babidi would have been all-the-less closer to reviving Buu with Gohan's energy.

Obviously, Gohan wouldn't blame her in the slightest. Heck, he'll most likely admit that it's HIS own fault for barely training to keep himself in shape for 7 whole years and in some messed-up way, he deserved what Buu did to him, but Videl will still feel that even if that WAS the case, the way she went about treating him and his family leading up to that point was pretty inexcusable.

She'd also probably strongly disagree with him over the idea that he 'deserved what Buu did to him' just because he didn't train for a while.

This sounds very hurt/comfort fic but no, I do not think either Videl or Gohan would blame themselves for Majin Buu.

Also, Gohan wasn't separated from his family for very long. The entire Buu arc takes place over the course of about two days. Gohan was away from his mom for ~20 hours, though his dad was there with him the whole time. I don't think Videl would be cursed with remorse because of Gohan having a sleepover with Kaioshin.

Neither Gohan letting his training slide nor Videl blackmailing him into entering has much effect on whether or not the arc happens. If Gohan had kept up his training, he could have beaten Dabra and thwarted stage one. But also, if Goku or Vegeta fought Dabra instead of Gohan, they could have made short work of him too. Gohan didn't need to fight at all.

As for the blackmail, if Gohan and the others hadn't attended the tournament, it would have been harder for Babidi to have gotten the energy he needed. But that just means he would have had to attack a larger group of people, the way Cell did, to get his energy.

In the end, it wasn't the big sum of energy he got from Gohan that awoke Majin Buu. Vegeta and Goku's fight fills the meter to its brim within like a minute of them starting to throw punches. Even if he hadn't gotten Gohan's energy, once he was discovered, Goku and Vegeta still would have overflowed the pod.

There's blame to go around with regard to Majin Buu's awakening. Kaioshin underestimated the Super Saiyans while Goku and Vegeta didn't take the threat of Buu seriously enough. A lot of mistakes were made based off these assumptions. But neither Gohan nor Videl deserve much of it.

[cityobjects]

Noise meters next to construction site in Tokyo neighborhood. The sound ordinance in Japan states that noise levels should be 60 dB during the day and 50 dB at night.

[techniktagebuch]

29. August 2023

Worin ich mich blöd anstelle, was das Bezahlen im öffentlichen Nahverkehr der Niederlande angeht. Aber zum letzten Mal!

Ich will vom Amsterdamer Hauptbahnhof zum Fährhafen in Ijmuiden, und zwar mit öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln, weil der Shuttlebus der Fähre erst in vielen Stunden geht. Ich habe das schon gemacht und kenne die Strecke, ich brauche nur erst mal ein Ticket von Amsterdam Centraal nach Amsterdam Sloterdijk. Der Zug, mit dem ich direkt dorthin weiterfahren könnte, steht am Bahnsteig gegenüber, ich habe zwei Minuten Zeit, es könnte klappen.

Ich öffne den DB Navigator und gebe Abfahrts- und Zielbahnhof ein. Der DB Navigator leitet mich weiter zu einer Bahn-International-Seite, die nach meinem Geburtsdatum und meiner Bahncard fragt, um mir dann mitzuteilen, dass sie mir kein Ticket verkaufen kann. Das sagt sie immer. Ich habe mir bisher nicht die Mühe gemacht, rauszufinden, ob es auch Fälle gibt, in denen sie hilfreich ist. Der Zug fährt ohne mich ab.

W. ist dieselbe Strecke vor drei Wochen gefahren und hat im Chat berichtet: "Ich kann im Zug ein Ticket kaufen, mit EC Karte bezahlen und dann ist die EC Karte meine Fahrkarte." Ich habe aber leider nicht nachgefragt, wie sie das gemeint hat, und außerdem gibt es EC-Karten seit 2007 nicht mehr und meine Kreditkarte war immer dann, wenn es drauf ankam, keine solche nicht mehr existierende EC-Karte.

Ich gehe nach unten in die Bahnhofshalle, auf der Suche nach einem Ticketautomaten. In der Bahnhofshalle gibt es keine Ticketautomaten.

Ich verlasse den inneren Bahnhof durch die Schranke, die meinen deutschen QR-Code heute willig akzeptiert. Das ist manchmal so, aber nicht immer. Ich finde einen Ticketautomaten. Auf dem Automaten steht, dass man sich auch an gvb.nl/ovpay wenden könnte. Eine App, die dieses Problem ein für allemal für mich lösen würde, fände ich gut. Ich sehe mir das an. Die niederländische Erklärung ist sehr kurz und deutet irgendwas mit Karte oder Handy und Ein- und Auschecken an. Aber wie es genau funktioniert, kann ich mir nicht vorstellen, und ich möchte ungern ausgerechnet beim Einsteigen in den Bus alle aufhalten mit meiner Ahnungslosigkeit.

Ich denke, dass man bestimmt eine App dafür brauchen wird, suche im Play Store nach OV-Irgendwas und lade mir die "OVpay"-App herunter. Ich gebe meine Mailadresse ein und muss auf eine Bestätigungsmail warten.

Weil ich eine Mailweiterleitung von meiner eigenen Domain zu Gmail habe und Gmail nicht besonders oft nach neuen Mails sieht, wird das mindestens eine Viertelstunde dauern. Nach zehn Minuten verliere ich die Geduld und gehe doch zum Ticketautomaten. Es ist kein Automat, an dem man alle Tickets bekommen kann, zum Beispiel eines nach Sloterdijk oder eines nach Ijmuiden. Er kann nur Tourismus-Spezialtickets. Ich glaube, die Einheimischen brauchen schon lange keine Papiertickets mehr und deshalb auch keinen Automaten, der alles kann. Für 6,50 € bekomme ich ein Ticket aus Papier, mit dem ich anderthalb Stunden lang mit drei verschiedenen Verkehrsmitteln der Amsterdamer Region fahren darf. In Berlin habe ich gestern auch BVG-Tickets aus Papier am Automaten gekauft, weil das jetzt gerade am schnellsten und am einfachsten für mich geht.

Ich halte das Papierticket an mehrere Einlassschranken, die sich nicht öffnen, und bekomme von der Schranken-Erklärperson erklärt, dass zu diesen drei verschiedenen Verkehrsmitteln keineswegs die Bahn gehört.

Ich suche nach einer anderen App und installiere eine namens "NS" wie "Nederlandse Spoorwegen". Sie hat keine Ticketfunktion, bietet mir aber von sich aus eine Verbindung an, die ohne Bahn auskommt. Sogar den Weg zur Bushaltestelle zeigt sie mir auf leicht verständliche Weise in Google Maps. Die Haltestelle ist wenige Meter von mir entfernt, jedenfalls sieht es so aus.

Nachdem ich eine Viertelstunde verwirrt herumgelaufen bin, finde ich die Haltestelle auch, eine Ebene über mir. Von übereinanderliegenden Ebenen ahnt Google Maps nichts. Ich zeige dem Fahrer mein Papierticket und er deutet auf den Scanner. Ich halte das Ticket an verschiedene Stellen des Scanners und es funktioniert, obwohl auf dem Ticket weder ein QR-Code noch ein Barcode noch ein Magnetstreifen ist. Es muss aber wohl doch was im Inneren des Papiertickets existieren, man kann es erahnen, wenn man es gegen das Licht hält.

Später freigelegt: das RFID-Innenleben des Tickets

Als ich in Amsterdam Sloterdijk in den nächsten Bus einsteige, lehnt der Scanner dasselbe Ticket ab. Ich gucke den Busfahrer fragend an. Er lässt sich das Ticket zeigen und sagt, dass es hier nicht mehr gilt. Stadtgebiet Amsterdam mein Arsch! Beziehungsweise ist der wahrscheinlich sogar größer!

Ich frage den Busfahrer, was es sonst noch so für Optionen gibt. Er fragt, ob ich eine Kreditkarte oder so was habe. Er sagt Kreditkarte, nicht irgendwas vor fünfzehn Jahren Ausgestorbenes. Ich muss die Kreditkarte nur an den Scanner halten. "Muss ich dann auch wieder auschecken?", frage ich, denn erstens hatte ich schon mal eine physische OV-chipkaart, und zweitens können die Kreditkarte und der Scanner ja nicht wissen, wie weit ich fahren will. Ja, sagt der Busfahrer, man muss auch auschecken.

Man braucht nur beim Einsteigen und Aussteigen die Kreditkarte an den Scanner zu halten. Ohne App, ohne Anmeldung, ohne alles. Das Handy ginge auch. Das war es, was mir die OVpay-Seite sagen wollte, ich wollte es nur nicht glauben, weil es zu einfach wirkte. Kann ja niemand ahnen, dass es Verkehrsbetrieben auch manchmal gelingt, etwas Unkompliziertes in die Welt zu setzen. Vorausgesetzt, man denkt ans Auschecken.

Update: Auf dem Rückweg im November kann ich es dann, fühle mich dabei sehr einheimisch und finde außerdem heraus, dass das Verfahren keine privaten Daten erhebt oder Bewegungsprofile erstellt. Man wird trotz Kreditkartengebrauch anonymisiert. Das finde ich sehr gut.

(Kathrin Passig)