Topic: Relationship between Stereo Width and Sound Speed

Hi all,

I have a question. How do the Stereo Width and Sound Speed relate to one another. It seems that they work together which I guess is why the are positioned together? Thoughts?

Warmest regards,

Chris

Re: Relationship between Stereo Width and Sound Speed

Heya Chris,

I suppose you could say they're technically quite different - but both do alter the stereo field in a few ways which are kind of related.

Maybe the thing which makes them seem most related, is how "speed of sound" might alter acute timings (in things like small mic delays in both Left & Right) - whereas changing Stereo Width whilst also alters a similar sense of width overall, just in a different way (not sure the algorithm for this - but there are various ways a stereo signal can be widened - both might "touch upon" delay timings, as for example echos return slower to our 2nd ear when things are wider apart - our brain tells us "there's a wide room here" if en echo comes back to only our primary ear, with a slower echo in the ear facing away from the echo.. not sure how to make this shorter, and hoping it's possible to follow along when reading it - ahh).


Definitely, these 2 tools go great together.

The speed of sound tool is excellent, if you have an idea that you want to make your preset a little more relaxed, or snappier sounding.. if you "slow down time", or speed it up, then short millisecond mic delays might become a little longer or shorter (as the time calculated for audio takes all this into account). Slowing down particularly may make many presets sound wider, simply from the longer ms stereo delays in mics, and other reverb artifacts and reflections. Just fantastic IMO (iirc it was an internal tool for testing which was made public some time ago since it was harmless, though for some, maybe changing time is kind of cheating

In reality though, different temperatures and humidity do make sound travel differently. So, if you have a precious preset you love, and you play it on a different dpiano somewhere, first consider "What temperature and humidity is it here?".. a small tweak of the speed of sound dial might make it sound like it does at home. Big differences between tropics and the poles

I think Pianoteq's stereo width tool allows really wide fields with little sense of going too far. Some tools can sound horrible, thin, phasing etc. when too wide.

But, I find sticking to small nibbles across a lot of tools adds up better than big single changes - so always worth trying a click up or down on these sliders - you might find in your room "they all sound better by slowing time down and widening a little". Where I am, temperature will have me wanting to speed time up a little.

Cheers!

Pianoteq Studio Bundle (Pro plus all instruments)  - Kawai MP11 digital piano - Yamaha HS8 monitors

Re: Relationship between Stereo Width and Sound Speed

Sound speed, and its relationship to air temperature, was something I got curious about last year: https://forum.modartt.com/viewtopic.php?id=6616
In our virtual studio, we can adjust the sound speed to have the air temperature freezing cold or scorching hot, without adversely affecting the piano (or the pianist)!

Re: Relationship between Stereo Width and Sound Speed

Thank you both dazric and Qexl for your most interesting replies,

Warmest regards,

Chris