I just want to get everyone's opinion, when i go to listen to all of my audio at the end of an investigation, i actually download it to my computer and both listen (with headphones) and watch the wavforms on my computer program. I tend to enhance the audio if i find something. now all i do is amplify the section of audio that i think has something, and then i remove hiss.
what do you think about enhancing EVP's and what are some of the protocol that your groups use? sometimes i debate considering something an EVP if i have to amplify it too much. I guess my question is how much is too much in your opinion.

I try not to mess with it at all. I may amplify if necessary, remove hiss as you mentioned and sometimes reverb if I feel necessary.

However, I always make sure I have the original "clip" and the altered.

I try not to mess with them really at all, I feel it takes away from the actual evp.

i agree totally, but do you just discount EVPs that are really soft?

We only amplify & try to clean up clips that we think might be something. We use audacity or cooledit.

i love cooledit, i found this other free one too that is easy for our group members that are not totally computer savvy

Cooledit is good, you should try audacity. They're both really good.

I use Sony Soundforge, Sony Acid, Adobe Audition, Audacity, and sometimes Goldwave. You should use what is easiest for you. I find that it doesn't matter what brand name you use, or what kind of software or equipment. Just use what ever gets you the best quality evidence. You'll learn that with experience. Most investigators try not to mess with audio. We don't. We leave our audio as is. I don't like presenting to a client a really low piece of audio where they have to put their ears to the speakers to listen to it. Its kind of unprofessional. Granted in some cases, if you think you have something and its low, that's the only time you should enhance it or amplify it.

Cooledit? Never heard of it. Who makes it?

P.S.
Audacity is FREE!

Back to the OP, I agree that recordings can be scrubbed too much ending up in audio matrixing.

IMO basically if you have to amplify, enahance, filter sooooooo much to be able to hear it then it probably isn't legit anyway.

i dont have the best program at all, but i amplify it to see what i can make of it, cause i've had some that i hear one sound and what i catch is something else with it, but i'm not sure about it, but i only amplify things if i can hear there is something to clear if it's something or not. I dont have program to remove hiss, or reverb...but i always keep the original clip

well i got an EVP i'm sure many of you heard, i didnt have to amplify this when i heard it clearly, but i amplified it so i didnt have to turn my sound up so much, but i have proven that it wasnt anything physical, dad was asleep, dog dosnt speak english, no TV's were turned on, and sisters were at my moms. there was only three of us, and all three of us were present in same area at the time.
here it is. again bear with me others if you've heard this.

Yes Audacity is great I like it the best, thats what I use

How can you not rule out radio transmissions or tv signals in the air as a source for EVP's? I don't think theres any distinguishable way to even detect radiowaves in the air, let alone decipher which ones would possibly be detectable at that date and time, THEN try and decipher if the message recorded is different from any possible interferences. It's a lost cause and removing variables further complicates the matter altogether.

-Pol

What I don't understand is when a team says "well, if we slow this piece of audio right down, we can hear them saying..." or if they reverse it. I don't buy this at all, I don't think spirits would talk in a half speed voice OR backwards.

to have an Digital Audio Recorder pick up radio or TV signals/transmissions you need a receiver on the device, see the signals are sent from one sender, to one receiever, if i'm right, i highly doubt that DAR's have those receiver devices. Likewise my MP3 has that but mine can bet activated and de-activated by using the feature Radio or not.

Cooledit is actually exactly the same as adobe audition, adobe bought it several years ago



That just made me laugh so loud that people in my office are probably thinking i am crazy



and i aree TOTALLY to this, i would never do anything more than amplify and clear the hiss, but i have heard people state that they dont consider something a true EVP unless it is super clear and pretty loud.

did you listen to the EVP i posted that when i heard it it blew my mind away, and when i tried to figure out if it was someone outside the area, it blew my mind away even more that i couldnt debunk it???

i am going to listen to it tonight when i get home, i am at work now... slacking off as usual

cool, yah im slacking off in class cause i got the final project done that i have to present on Friday, i think i did a good job. Designed a website with Dreamweaver on the Video Game Final Fantasy XI Online...
not meaning to get off topic, but yeah let me know what you think!

i listened to that EVP it clearly sounds like "tell them to stop" that was a great find.

thanks, when i had first heard it i was like OH MY GOD!!!! NO WAY!!!! i felt like....one those people who found a new land LOL