[access-uk] Re: Aftershokz; was: Re: Accessible and easy Converting epub to audio?

  • From: Paul Warner <paul@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Wed, 15 May 2013 15:28:55 +0100

Thanks, Christopher.  I'm glad your set is working fine for you.

Having now tried two separate pairs and having reports of similar issues from two other users, I know it's not just one pair and not just me! I spent a bit of time today listening to audio with the AfterShokz speakers placed directly over my ears like normal headphones and I still perceived the problem with stereo definition. That rules out skull anatomy as the cause of this effect.

I agree with your remarks as regards the frequency response but I think it is generally accepted that these headphones are not meant for serious music listening. The whole purpose of using bone conduction is to enable the user to hear other things at the same time, which means you won't be paying too much attention to the detail of the audio in the phones. As far as I am concerned, I can live with the perceived phase problem since the phones are great for GPS, book reading and anything else while you need to keep an ear out for something else - like traffic, discussions at meetings and the doorbell.

Paul

On 15/05/2013 11:03, Christopher Maule-Oatway wrote:
Hello Paul,

Last week I got a pair of Aftershokz with microphone. I have tried them with the Roberts Concerto (as supplied by the Wireless for the Blind Fund), listening both to stereo and mono DAB radio stations, and also tested them on my Samsung Galaxy S III phone, listening to TalkBack (of course), the phone's FM radio and the Speaking Clock (well, it was after 11 pm, too late to phone a friend)!

I did not hear any out-of-phase sound that you describe. The stereo sound was stable, and the mono sound was in the centre.

The sound lacks depth and body. High and mid-range frequencies are clear enough, but there is little bass. Listening to speech is fine, but I would never use these headphones for a serious music listening experience!

The plug connection with the Galaxy did not seem as solid as it might be. When connected, the plug could be moved slightly in the socket, which made a click sound in the headphones.

I hope that this is helpful.

Regards,

Christopher


At 23:53 14/05/2013 +0100, you wrote:
Not phasing as a musician would know it but, rather, the speakers sound as if they are out of phase. You know the kind of weird stereo you get when you don't wire a speaker correctly - instead of mono vocals and other signals coming from the dead centre, they either lean to one side or appear to spread all over the stereo image. That's exactly what I get with the AfterShokz whether I wear them on the bones or place them over the ears.

The problem in ironing this out as you know is getting opinions from others who know about audio and who speak the lingo. Any audio engineer worth their salt will know how incorrect phasing is caused and how it sounds. Most folk I have immediately to hand just report whether they can hear the sound at all and, if so, whether they like it or not. Frequency response, stereo definition and phasing are not in their vocabulary.

I know you are a musician and I expect that you will detect any strangeness with these phones as well, so it would be good to get your view. I think I'll give Terry (Talking Computers) a nod too since he is a serious engineer.

Regards,

Paul


On 14/05/2013 22:59, Steve Nutt wrote:
Hi Paul,

I don't have them yet, but are you still getting phasing?

All the best

Steve

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Paul Warner VICT Consultancy Software development and assistive technology training www.vict-consultancy.co.uk Sales of vTurbo and vMouse for NVDA trigger donations by our sponsor to NV Access

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