Styli
@therealstyli.bsky.social
Audio engineer (Post Production), music writer/producer, graphic artist, gamer, friendly pixel pirate (SOT), humanist, pun maker. He/him. Views are my own.
Twitch: http://www.twitch.tv/styli
Music and stuff can be found on http://www.styli.ie
Twitch: http://www.twitch.tv/styli
Music and stuff can be found on http://www.styli.ie
Any reason why that Treasures For Hope website is triggering my internet security?
November 25, 2025 at 10:29 PM
Any reason why that Treasures For Hope website is triggering my internet security?
Anyway, this has been my coffee thoughts of the day. As always with audio, these are just general tips, and everyone's set up is going to be different.
November 25, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Anyway, this has been my coffee thoughts of the day. As always with audio, these are just general tips, and everyone's set up is going to be different.
... that's better than purely looking at peaks. Again, use the recording function in OBS and record a bit of you playing a game while talking.
Side note: in broadcast, we've moved to using loudness metering (LUFS) over just true peak, and it's generally more consistent and easier to mix to by-ear.
Side note: in broadcast, we've moved to using loudness metering (LUFS) over just true peak, and it's generally more consistent and easier to mix to by-ear.
November 25, 2025 at 1:25 PM
... that's better than purely looking at peaks. Again, use the recording function in OBS and record a bit of you playing a game while talking.
Side note: in broadcast, we've moved to using loudness metering (LUFS) over just true peak, and it's generally more consistent and easier to mix to by-ear.
Side note: in broadcast, we've moved to using loudness metering (LUFS) over just true peak, and it's generally more consistent and easier to mix to by-ear.
... Also, in general, don't use the audio meters to judge "loudness". In OBS they're PPMs, and they show the peaks only (Sample Peak by default). Loudness is more related to an average. It's hard to do well by eye, but if you gauge based on where the levels center...
November 25, 2025 at 1:25 PM
... Also, in general, don't use the audio meters to judge "loudness". In OBS they're PPMs, and they show the peaks only (Sample Peak by default). Loudness is more related to an average. It's hard to do well by eye, but if you gauge based on where the levels center...
... You can also use a side-chained compressor on your game/system channel, with the source being your mic channel. This will also help you cut through. Just be careful not to over-do this or it will sound like it's pumping (ignore the Gain plugin on the left, it's doing nothing unless needed)...
November 25, 2025 at 1:25 PM
... You can also use a side-chained compressor on your game/system channel, with the source being your mic channel. This will also help you cut through. Just be careful not to over-do this or it will sound like it's pumping (ignore the Gain plugin on the left, it's doing nothing unless needed)...
... Make sure to compress (not too much) and EQ your mic, or it's going to struggle to cut through most game audio at reasonable levels. These are my settings, but play around with them to suit YOUR voice (my normal voice lacks presence). Record and playback OBS. (I use Reaper VSTs, they're free)...
November 25, 2025 at 1:25 PM
... Make sure to compress (not too much) and EQ your mic, or it's going to struggle to cut through most game audio at reasonable levels. These are my settings, but play around with them to suit YOUR voice (my normal voice lacks presence). Record and playback OBS. (I use Reaper VSTs, they're free)...
Neither false king nor false lord...
November 23, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Neither false king nor false lord...
And, to be clear, I've heard the same issues with the audio quality on streams, in two separate setups (at home and in the studio) so it's not a local issue. If people cannot hear how it's affecting the audio negatively, that is depressing.
November 19, 2025 at 3:49 PM
And, to be clear, I've heard the same issues with the audio quality on streams, in two separate setups (at home and in the studio) so it's not a local issue. If people cannot hear how it's affecting the audio negatively, that is depressing.
I did all that. And I let them know the issues during testing and was able to even show it with waveforms. I'm an audio engineer with over 2 decades experience, I know what I am talking about. It's not good.
November 19, 2025 at 3:43 PM
I did all that. And I let them know the issues during testing and was able to even show it with waveforms. I'm an audio engineer with over 2 decades experience, I know what I am talking about. It's not good.
Really? Because it sounds awful on a pair of Sennheiser HD 599s and also a pair of Genelec 8341AP studio monitors. The audio is heavily compressed and mushy. I've yet to hear it sound good. Unless the requirements are surround sound systems, in which case it's not marketed that way.
November 18, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Really? Because it sounds awful on a pair of Sennheiser HD 599s and also a pair of Genelec 8341AP studio monitors. The audio is heavily compressed and mushy. I've yet to hear it sound good. Unless the requirements are surround sound systems, in which case it's not marketed that way.
(The irony that Eurogamer just released a video on this topic and actually mentioned SoT is not lost on me! 😂)
November 18, 2025 at 1:32 PM
(The irony that Eurogamer just released a video on this topic and actually mentioned SoT is not lost on me! 😂)
Happy Birthday, pirate! 🎂🎈
November 18, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Happy Birthday, pirate! 🎂🎈
... to the tension and leads to more interesting interactions.
9 times out of 10, if a ship is approaching me in SoT these days, they're going to attack/KOS.
So, yeah, the overlap between the two games struck me.
/opinion
9 times out of 10, if a ship is approaching me in SoT these days, they're going to attack/KOS.
So, yeah, the overlap between the two games struck me.
/opinion
November 18, 2025 at 1:02 PM
... to the tension and leads to more interesting interactions.
9 times out of 10, if a ship is approaching me in SoT these days, they're going to attack/KOS.
So, yeah, the overlap between the two games struck me.
/opinion
9 times out of 10, if a ship is approaching me in SoT these days, they're going to attack/KOS.
So, yeah, the overlap between the two games struck me.
/opinion
... Rare have skewed the PvPvE balance too far to the side of encouraging PvP over co-operation. While co-operation CAN happen, the game theory doesn't really exist anymore, to the detriment of the experience.
Forced co-operation shouldn't happen either, but making the choice less clear cut adds...
Forced co-operation shouldn't happen either, but making the choice less clear cut adds...
November 18, 2025 at 1:02 PM
... Rare have skewed the PvPvE balance too far to the side of encouraging PvP over co-operation. While co-operation CAN happen, the game theory doesn't really exist anymore, to the detriment of the experience.
Forced co-operation shouldn't happen either, but making the choice less clear cut adds...
Forced co-operation shouldn't happen either, but making the choice less clear cut adds...
... They're social sandboxes where the freedom to play how you want is core to the game theory aspect. And, while I do agree that things can be done in terms of balance and fairness, that choice should always be there.
In SoT's case, I think it's suffering because the balance is off...
In SoT's case, I think it's suffering because the balance is off...
November 18, 2025 at 1:02 PM
... They're social sandboxes where the freedom to play how you want is core to the game theory aspect. And, while I do agree that things can be done in terms of balance and fairness, that choice should always be there.
In SoT's case, I think it's suffering because the balance is off...
In SoT's case, I think it's suffering because the balance is off...
People can try it for free and make up their own minds whether the trade off of quality is worth it. I'm purely giving my view as someone who has worked with audio for over 2 decades. But folks are going to have different thresholds for these kinds of things.
November 15, 2025 at 1:12 PM
People can try it for free and make up their own minds whether the trade off of quality is worth it. I'm purely giving my view as someone who has worked with audio for over 2 decades. But folks are going to have different thresholds for these kinds of things.
Here's the same image of the waveform, but I've marked where the dives are. You can see the one on the left looks to be hitting a limiter increasing the sustain and making it sound mushy and undefined, whereas the one on the right has a nice decay and it sounds more natural in-game.
November 15, 2025 at 2:19 AM
Here's the same image of the waveform, but I've marked where the dives are. You can see the one on the left looks to be hitting a limiter increasing the sustain and making it sound mushy and undefined, whereas the one on the right has a nice decay and it sounds more natural in-game.
I still stand by my assertion that a good pair of headphones is a more worthwhile investment.
[I tested using the free trial with a custom headscan profile and the universal open back setting - as they don't list Sennheiser HD 599s.]
[I tested using the free trial with a custom headscan profile and the universal open back setting - as they don't list Sennheiser HD 599s.]
November 15, 2025 at 2:01 AM
I still stand by my assertion that a good pair of headphones is a more worthwhile investment.
[I tested using the free trial with a custom headscan profile and the universal open back setting - as they don't list Sennheiser HD 599s.]
[I tested using the free trial with a custom headscan profile and the universal open back setting - as they don't list Sennheiser HD 599s.]
On the plus side, the phasing from the pseudo-surround isn't *as bad* as I expected, in most scenarios, but there's still a brittleness to the high frequencies, which may or may not irritate you. I certainly find it distracting and unpleasant.
November 15, 2025 at 2:01 AM
On the plus side, the phasing from the pseudo-surround isn't *as bad* as I expected, in most scenarios, but there's still a brittleness to the high frequencies, which may or may not irritate you. I certainly find it distracting and unpleasant.
... as they're all uniform in volume. The part where I turned this feature off is more open and just sounds a lot better. The audio limiting/compression is very noticeable during loud or sustained sounds, such as when diving or explosions.
November 15, 2025 at 2:01 AM
... as they're all uniform in volume. The part where I turned this feature off is more open and just sounds a lot better. The audio limiting/compression is very noticeable during loud or sustained sounds, such as when diving or explosions.