Understanding imaging in recordings with Izotope (Erin video)

[Keith_W]

Erin posted another excellent video about imaging in recordings:

In it, he uses Izotope to analyse a couple of recordings. This is the relevant screen shot:

The two yellow arrows indicate that the sound is panned hard left or hard right - so it should sound as if it is coming directly from the speaker if your eyes are closed. In the "out-of-phase" area, the sound appears to emanate lateral to the speaker, sometimes to the side or behind you if the recording was deliberately manipulated (e.g. with Q Sound).

What is really interesting are the recordings that he features. He shows how Rebecca Pidgeon's voice shifts slightly from left to right, and how Dire Straits manages to envelope you in sound when the electric guitar plays. You correlate what you hear with what Izotope tells you, and that tells you how accurately your speakers are imaging.

The video is only 18 minutes long. It is well worth a watch.

Now my question - Izotope is paid software. Is there something free that we can use?

 

[Bow_Wazoo]

Very nice video.
I'll check out the MoFi release from Brother in Arms, to see if it's also out of phase.

 

[Dimitri]

Is there something free that we can use?

Eahs!!!

 

[Dimitri]

I'll elaborate: The sofware is "neat" and it makes good eye-candy.... but c'mon...From the first time I heard the intro to money for nothing and the drum is panned left to right a few times I didn't for a second thought there was something wrong with my ears , headphones or speakers. ( and didn't need any software to show me it was intentional).

I can see it being useful for a track you 've never heard before and that's the only track available AND you only have a specific pair of speakers in front of you for the first time. No other speakers, no headphones. And 75 seconds to figure it out.
In real life, I expect anyone fooling around with a pair of speakers already has some favorites tracks to use as a reference.
( even if it is the first 6 seconds of Hotel California-original release-not the remastered one which is "wrong" )

 

[Tim Link]

I've noticed that wandering in Rebecca's voice before. I just looked at the left right level meters and saw they weren't quite tracking. I look at those a lot when I'm wondering if a person's voice is supposed to be off center like I'm hearing it. Of course it won't tell me out of phase stuff, but I just assume that's the case when stuff sounds out of phase.

Tomita's The Planets sends stuff all around me in stereo. I don't know if it's out of phase or HRTF tricks, or both

 

[Miley_B]

Izotope is the brand (owned by Native instruments), Insight is the plugin.
You own an RME right? Will the RME Digicheck vector scope satisfy your requirements?

 

[MatrixS2000]

Now my question - Izotope is paid software. Is there something free that we can use?

Izotope offers a free plugin called Ozone Imager. You should be able to run that in Audacity via a VST plugin. Also Izotope RX Elements goes on sale for something like $40 quite often. Worth it imo.

 

[Keith_W]

Izotope is the brand (owned by Native instruments), Insight is the plugin.
You own an RME right? Will the RME Digicheck vector scope satisfy your requirements?

I did not know that RME Digicheck could do that. I'll take a look. Thanks!

Izotope offers a free plugin called Ozone Imager. You should be able to run that in Audacity via a VST plugin. Also Izotope RX Elements goes on sale for something like $40 quite often. Worth it imo.

Thank you!

 

[DWPress]

I just installed Izotope Imager for free on Mac, nice plugin. Works with @mitchco's Hang Loose Convolver app and SoundSource too, easy pro install. (on Mac)

 

[kemmler3D]

Is there something free that we can use?

This is what's known as a vectorscope, here is a free one: https://bitbucket.org/Mayae/signalizer/downloads/

Funny enough I suggested using one of these plugins to investigate stereo imagery on here a few weeks ago. I wonder if Erin is still lurking around here or maybe it's a great minds think alike thing.