Did Linus just waste $50,000?

an overly-researched response to    • Our MOST Important Purchase - Headpho...  

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⇊ Come look at my own graph database ⇊
1,000+ IEMs measured: https://crinacle.com/graphs/iems
200+ headphones measured: https://crinacle.com/graphs/headphones
IEM Graph Comparison Tool: https://crinacle.com/graphs/iems/grap...
Headphone Graph Comparison Tool: https://crinacle.com/graphs/headphone...

PATREON:   / crinacle  
TWITTER:   / crinacle  
DISCORD:   / discord  
SUBREDDIT:   / inearfidelity  
MERCH: https://merch.crinacle.com

00:00 Intro
01:55 Context
02:10 TL;DR
02:44 How do measuring rigs work
03:08 Head simulations
03:32 Ear canal simulators
03:40 2cc coupler
05:14 Zwislocki coupler
05:51 IEC60711 "711" coupler
06:01 IEC60318-4 (also "711") coupler
06:27 GRAS RA040X
07:00 Head and Torso Simulator (HATS)
03:40 The Big Three
07:53 GRAS KEMAR
08:38 B&K/Head Acoustics
08:51 ITU-T Type 3.3 pinna
09:16 The New Generation
09:28 Why "711" might be wrong
09:52 B&K Type 4620/5128
10:32 Head Acoustics HMS II.3 LN HEC
11:09 LTTLab's final decision
11:29 Type 5128 vs HMS II.3 LN HEC
11:47 Why use a GRAS KEMAR instead
12:15 Cheaper alternatives?
12:27 711 couplers
12:47 2cc couplers
12:55 GRAS 45CA/43AG
13:06 DIY flatplate system
13:22 MiniDSP EARS
13:39 Binaural recording setups
13:52 Chinese clones
14:37 Why so expensive?
15:30 Caveats and warnings
15:35 Distortion graphs
16:02 Time domain stuff
16:27 Actively update the database
17:17 Sound demos

(For the true nerds, please mentally swap any mention of "inner ear simulator" to "occluded ear simulator" because I'm a fraud that got terms mixed up)

CAMERA: Sony a7S III + FE 35mm f/1.8
MICROPHONE: Motu M2 interface + Neumann TLM 102
SPEAKERS: Neumann KH120 + KH750
MONITOR: LG C1 48" OLED

~ CITATIONS ~
Sachs, R. M., & Burkhard, M. D. (1972). Insert earphone pressure response in real ears and couplers. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 52(1A), 183-183.
Burkhard, M. D., & Sachs, R. M. (1975). Anthropometric manikin for acoustic research. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 58(1), 214-222.
Larson, V. D., Studebaker, G. A., & Cox, R. M. (1977). Sound levels in a 2-cc cavity, a Zwislocki coupler, and occluded ear canals. J. Am. Aud. Soc, 3, 63-70.
Snaidero, T., Jacobsen, F., & Buchholz, J. (2011). Measuring HRTFs of Brüel & Kjær Type 4128-C, GRAS KEMAR Type 45BM, and Head Acoustics HMS II. 3 Head and Torso Simulators. Lyngby, Denmark: Technical University of Denmark, Department of Electrical Engineering.
Jønsson, S., Schuhmacher, A., & Jørgensen, H. I. (2018). Wideband impedance measurement in the human ear canal; In vivo study on 32 subjects. arXiv preprint arXiv:1811.03389.
IEC 60318-5:2006
IEC 60711:1981
IEC 60318-4:2010
IEC TR 60595:1990
IEC 60318-7:2022
Recommendation ITU-T P.57 (06/21)
Recommendation ITU-T P.58 (06/21)