how you sound on recording devices

[one.kidney]

isn't it true that a recording on an iPhone tends to deaden and de-volumize our sound, as they don't have good bass implements in their recording equipment. I listen to myself on a consistent basis, and when i listen to it on the iPhone i sound 'not how i would like to sound at all' but when i plug it up to a stereo with the bass at the mid-range, i sound like Gene Pokorny? And, is it possible to sound better on an undoctored or tampered recording than in real life? Thanks.

[Ken Crawford]

The tiny "speaker" in an iPhone isn't going to accurately reproduce the sound of a tuba, not even Gene Pokorny's iPhone.

[GC]

So, how does it sound on the iPhone when you plug in good headphones? And I don't mean the earbuds or earpods Apple supplies with the phone.

If it sounds good that way, it's not the iPhone's recording equipment that's bad, it's the tiny speakers. Either way, though, it's just a handheld computer with cell-phone technology. It was never intended to be a serious, high-fidelity recording device. External microphones can seriously improve its recording capabilities, though.

[one.kidney]

So, how does it sound on the iPhone when you plug in good headphones? And I don't mean the earbuds or earpods Apple supplies with the phone.

If it sounds good that way, it's not the iPhone's recording equipment that's bad, it's the tiny speakers. Either way, though, it's just a handheld computer with cell-phone technology. It was never intended to be a serious, high-fidelity recording device. External microphones can seriously improve its recording capabilities, though.

so tying in with what you've said, is there anyways to sound better on a recording that hasn't been altered or given any (bass boost) than real life?

[tubacorbin]

so tying in with what you've said, is there anyways to sound better on a recording that hasn't been altered or given any (bass boost) than real life?

Practice?

Otherwise: mic placement, quality of mics, and the room you're recording in are all significant factors.

[GC]

Starting with an undoctored recording (which is always at the mercy of microphone, circuitry, audio codec, etc.), there's always doctored playback. Every speaker and amplifier has its own sound. Every headphone type has its own sound. If you add a subwoofer or have bass-heavy speakers, you add booty to the sound. Equalization can help to neutralize the response or tailor response to your own preferences.

If you want a neutral sound, there are always studio monitor phones and speakers. However, many people choose speakers or phones because they like their sound to come as close as possible to their ideal. A lot of phones and speakers nowdays lean toward emphasized bass (sometimes hideously so), and a neutral response currently seems favored only by hi-fi purists.

Maybe I'm going off in a different direction than what you want, but 'real life' situations can vary enormously and can add or detract from the actual sound of an ensemble. Better is in the eye (and ear) of the beholder, and recordists and engineers have fought for their ideal sound for years, no matter what the limitations (or virtues) of live sound.

[Ken Herrick]

By golly, I just can't wait for your YouTube Debut so I can listen to the next Gene Pokorny!!!

Brrrrrrrrrring it on.

[one.kidney]

By golly, I just can't wait for your YouTube Debut so I can listen to the next Gene Pokorny!!!

Brrrrrrrrrring it on.

If I do make one, then I will definitely be buying some good recording equipment but totally. I plan on it next year. It would be fun

[opus37]

If you are looking to just record audio with your iPhone, you can improve the sound quality of the recording by using an auxiliary microphone. Depending on you model of iPhone, there are options from Zoom such as the iQ5 or iQ7. There are other manufacturers too. These items are a significant upgrade to the sound. It may be all you need. If you need more, you can improve the output files with garage band or other programs. If you need more that that, you are looking at something other than an iPhone to be your recording device.