I'm and old physicist (70+). I love seeing cool science-based videos being done by young, and very smart guys like you. Great and useful video. Thank you.

distorting the outro track was a nice touch :D

Every audiophile ever: I cAn HeAr So MuCh DiStOrTiOn aT 0.01% ReEeEeeeEEE

Audiophiles: always looking for equipment which distorts sound as little as possible. Also audiophiles: don't like electronic music for its clean and sterile sound. Also audiophiles: only listen to old jazz and rock records from 40s to 70s recorded with much noise and distortion.

15% Music, 5% first sine wave, 10% last sine wave. Nice and interesting test. Cheers from Spain!

With Mackie MR524 Nearfield (2 feet away) Low volume: 7%, 10%, 20% High volume: 0.8%, 0.6%, 3.845% Cool test!

Fantastic video, congratulations for the idea and thank you

Fantastic demo. Very helpful, thanks.

There's a little flaw in this test... because it's steadily increasing, you do not have a direct comparison with undistorted signal, only with slightly less distorted signal from several seconds ago. So the only way you can tell is by listening to telltale signs of distortion, but the difference between clean and distorted signal may become apparent way before, especially for music rather than sine tone. I think the next better iteration would be to have specific distortion steps that you test at, for example increasing by a particular factor every time, or using Renard or E3/E6 series of preferred numbers, and have a clean sample in between each test, but there's a practical issue that this may make for a fairly long test.

The PERFECT video. You are my master sound expert, exactly what I'm trying to figure out right now to study audio !!! THANKS YOU SO MUCH ! Kisssssss from France.

For those who couldn't hear the distortion in the first test until several percent, try it again focussing solely on the tick-tick-tick-tick of the tiny high-frequency cymbol/high-hat. With increased focus, you'll be able to hear the diffusion of the high frequencies very early. It's subtle, but when you have practiced, it's easy. And you'll start to hear it in some but not most popular music. Most production/mixing/mastering engineers will not let their high hats be destroyed by distortion. But some will!

Test 1 : 10% Test 2 : 1.5% Test 3 : 5% Very interesting, I need to compare it with other results in comments section now! I used Jabra wireless plugs.

First time: Test 1) 16% Test 2) 3% Test 3) 5% Second time: Test 1) 9% Test 2) 0.5% Test 3) 1.2% Knowing what to listen out for makes a huge difference. Very interesting!

I like how the music in the outro is distorted as well!

🤘🤘amazing .. Your explanation of distortion is so useful and understandable 👍👍

Thanks for this terrific video! It would nice to see the details of the distortion components used here (how much 2nd, how much 3rd, etc.). Also - probably too much to ask for - some folks might like to see the same test repeated for classical music samples such as symphony orchestra, solo violin or string quartet, and solo piano.

You make great videos wow keep it up!

Good test. In the hi-fi industry, blind testing dating back to the 1950s established a standard that THD should not exceed 0.1% for equipment to be deemed 'transparent'. Six decades later and having spent many years restoring and servicing hi-fi amplifiers I would have to agree -

Excellent! Being an audio Geek myself, I really appreciate your *data driven* approach to audio. I wish more channels had such a fact based, less subjective view on matters of sound where science meets art.

Thanks for this test!

A really usefull video, great job!

Great learning! Music needed about 25% and pure tone about 5-7%. I do not need to chase extreme audio any more. Will buy under Euro 1000,-. This really opened my brain for thinking and make practical wise choices. Again many thanks!

I have to try that with some nice headphones! Sadly don't have any at hand right now. Thx for the nice video!

I would say, I start hearing the distortion from 1% and on. Up to 4% it just livens music in a good way. After that I start looking for broken wires. :)

Very helpful video explaining how distortion sounds like and how it affects different playback device👍👍

With the music, the distortion starts to become fairly obvious at at around 0.7 -0.8 %, but only around the higher frequency ranges in the hats.

using these to test if my new planar headphones have any distortion, useful video man.

I couldn't even hear the 100hz test tone on my crappy laptop speakers until distortion exceeded 10%. When Sennheiser redesigned their HD800 to the HD800S, one of the things they did was to add 2nd harmonic distortion to the bass. I suppose the limitations of the drivers explain why they did so. Thanks for the great vid!

Thanks for this video

2.1 Studio setup here - Music - heard it rising at 0.5% and up, Tones - were obvious from the start, already starting with 2nd and 3rd order harmonics loud enough to be heard, especially the rrrr wave interference of the 2nd harmonic for the 100hz tone.

Finally a technical savvy person in this field...

Lovely and subscribed! Would love to see/hear an explanation/demo of crossover distortion and its connection to different classes of modern amplifiers!

Very interesting indeed. 1% for me not looking at the screen at 500 Hz but 2.5% at 100 Hz and 7% with music on a K371. Weird. I also totally am in love with that music track

Thanks that was fun!!!

Fascinating! By any chance would you have the original files you used for this comparison? I wonder how much of this is affected by the KZfaq audio compression. I also want to try this again when I get home so I can compare against a better audio system (though, my DAC/AMP at work is actually really good too, but the headphones aren't the most resolving. Will be interesting later) Test 1: ~7.5% Test 2: ~0.9% Test 3: ~4.0%

Very interesting video and tests. I tried it with my monitors and with a pair of in-ears on the street. The difference is amazing. Thank you so much and, by the way, I loved the music you used for the test, in the artistic sense.

HEADPHONES Audio-Technica ATH-M40X Music - THD 9.971 % 500 Hz - THD 0.679 % 100 Hz - THD 6.883 % 5" Home studio monitors Mackie MR524 Music - THD 9.560 % 500 Hz - THD 1.465 % 100 HZ - THD 2.605 % Thank you, this test was a great idea!

ThieAudio Monarch MK2 + Fiio Olympus 2 Test 1: 7.5% (notice it on the hit hat) on subsequent A/B testing I started noticing it clearly at 0.5% Test 2: 0.1% (noticed a very very slight but distinct sine noise in the background) Test 3: 1% (noticed a distinct buzzing noise) on subsequent A/B testing I started noticing it clearly at 0.5% Really impressed with these, for reference I took test a while ago with my ER4XRs and it took me way longer to notice distortion

this is an example of a very good youtube video

Wow, great test! I did it blind, my score was 3, 0.07, 0.09. I am better at picking it up than I thought I’d be. However if I didn’t hear a ramp up and just played something random it would be a lot harder. Maybe all that ear training I’ve done has paid off.

I could hear it at 3% with music, 3% with the 500hz tone, but not until nearly 6% with the 100hz tone with earbuds. I’ll have to try it with my home theater system sometime.

Using a Komplete Audio 2 for audio playback I noticed I could hear noise from speakers when files were coping on my Desktop, then also realized there was noise when the mouse was moving. All the USB plugs on the front of the desktop and on the back of the motherboard produced noise out of the speakers. The only USB receptacle without noise was into a USB card into a PCIe 1x slot (two plugs on the front of the box connected by wire to this card had noise). I was wondering if splitting the power and data lines in the USB cable of the Komplete Audio and powering the interface with Battery power would be feasible? I noted in some reviews sound quality of DACs can be greatly influenced by clean/dirty power.

This is AMAZING! With Music of the trance kind? I really had a hard time telling if it was the music or the distortion . But on the tone? At about .0237 I started to notice the tone warble a bit. Job well done man! Really good work putting this video together! Clear. Easy to understand. And Results in less than 5 minutes. Bravo!

GJ! Thnx!

thanks ....nice explain....helpful video...

Using DCA Aeon headphones, I played the music sample several times, and I think around 3.5% is the tipping point when it becomes noticeable, and around 7% it became hard to tolerate. For the 500 Hz tone, I could hear it around 0.2%, and for the 100 Hz tone, around 0.4% I think for the vast majority of people, aiming to keep things under 2% distortion (36 dB SINAD) is more than enough in a music situation, and 0.1% distortion is more than enough for test tones (60 dB SINAD).

I love this video! A need like me feels at home! 😆

Listening on Panda headphones on a Laptop with somewhat good advertised audio chip Testing conditions: Listening from the beginning of the test track with my eyes closed and pausing when hearing a difference, opening my eyes. Test 1: not earlier then 8% Test 2: 0.6-0.8% Test 3: 0.6-0.8% Very good video.

First, the music industry has made us expect distortion in music. Second, because of the first, we like distortion up to a point. Third, I can hear it in music with high-frequency elements (high hats, other percussion) much more easily and quickly than with a mid-to-low frequency pure tone. So, I could hear the distortion in the music at a lower level because I'm trained to listen for it in my music productions. For me, distortion must reach about -30dB relative to the content before I can start to hear it. (If the content is close to 0dB). I was surprised that I couldn't hear the 100Hz distortion earlier! It had to get to about -12dB before I was certain. Interesting! Yet, when I put a clipper on my kick drums channel, I can hear it immediately if the signal is much over the ceiling of the clipper (also for sure oversampling in the clipper must be disabled).

Came here to test whether my headphones were clipping, found out I heara notable difference when distortion is over 3%. Today I learned!

I can hear distortion at 10%+, I thought I needed to replace my adam t5v because they distort a little bit reaching 5% at 96db (per speaker), and just in the region from 20-130hz. I like my music to sound well, with affordable cables and equipment but good quality, but I'm not a hardcore audiophile. This was very helpful, thanks

Philips Fidelio X1 on Fiio Olympus E10K DAC - Test 1: 8.6% Test 2: 1.4% Test 3: 6.3%

Surprisingly hard to hear in the music and 100Hz test, surprisingly easy in the 500Hz sine wave. In the 500Hz test I started hearing it at about 0,7-0,8%. In the 100Hz test I heard it at about 1,5%-2%. But in the music test it was only after like 6-7%. This was on a home theater system, so not monitors or headphones. Relaxed but clear volume. I'll try on some headphones through an interface later!

This is brilliant! Any chance you could do the same but over a sample of voice?

I got 6% on the music, and 1% on both the sine waves, but I am using some studio headphones! This is great training for mixing though.

This makes me less worried about my DJ mix clipping ever so slightly.

music 3.5% 500hz 0.2percent 100hz 0.8% I'm using Kii three monitor speakers. Good content!

Was really fun taking the test! ~6.5 % ~2.2 % ~0.85 %

In general I started to hear something earlier than I expected, but I was surprised at how high the distortion could get in the music before I considered it clearly off.

Hi! Great vid but do you have a link to the song? I can't seem to find it. Thanks!

Great test, i tested it with 200€ sennheiser headphones, it was audible for me at around 7% with music and 5% with the test tones. I am 46 years old :). It would be interesting what a test tone looks like on a scope at 1% , 5% or 10% distortion - is it also visible so late?

Test 1: 0.2% or so, really subtle. Could definitely fail a blind test. It's mostly a shift in balance at that point. Test 2: 0.15%-ish. Test 3: 0.4%, just a tiny bit of harmonics coming through Really interesting!

Here are the results on my speakers JBL Charge 5: 19% JBL Bar 5.1 : 23% Built in cellphone speaker: 14% Earphones: about 12%

Test 1: 7% - The bass starts to noticeably clip and sound fuzzy at that point. Test 2: 0.3% - lower pitched noise that sounds a bit like a photocopier. Test 3: 1.9% - slightly higher pitched faint buzzing noise. Equipment: AKG K702, Topping NX4, a quite room.

Around ~5% on the music, 1.5% on high pitch and 2-3% on the low pitch (using DT 1990s). On my second listen through my tinitus flared up and my scores were far, far worse.

Great vid! Music- 5% 500hz- 3.5% 100hz- 18%

Hi I'm having some distorcion problems with my natural hearing, and could recognise the way I hear sounds and voices at the end of the first clip. Do you think an audiologist could reverse this distortion through the use of hearing haids? Thanks

great video. Where can I get this song? I Missed This - Goodstreet

Lol this wasn't the type of video I was searching for, but it's interesting nonetheless and I got completely shocked by my results. For the first 2 tests I noticed around 0.3-0.4% and the 100Hz one at 0.6% . What shocked me is the first test - I was listening and at some point I told myself "that's it - I can definitely hear it" then I switched back to the video and saw 0.3% - "that's too low, it's gotta be placebo" I thought and I minimized AFAP. The very next second I thought "I know what I'm hearing and I can clearly hear it getting worse, it's about to sound like trash any second now". So yeah, my point is that the rapid rate of distortion increase is a strong give-away and makes the tests a little bit misleading.

I need your advice sir. I got a portable cd player from Panasonic and I got a Sennhiser HD 5.50 wireless headphone. I have notice one thing when I connect my Sennhiser Bluetooth to my mp3 and my phone i don't get no distortion. However when I use my cable to connect my headphone to my portable Panasonic Cd player plus I put EQ up i get a lot of distortion coming out from my Sennhiser HD 5.50. Can tell me wy I am getting that problem.

For 30 seconds, record yourself talking while background music plays at 20%, 50%, and 90% volume, respectively. Give 10 seconds for each volume level.

What actually bothers me (not related to this video), is when playing music then I crank up volume, at some point the high will become harsh, I wonder if that is count as distortion or noise ? I plan to change power supply to my preamp to a linear one but then I also read about noise coming from electricity in wall socket which needs power conditioner, I wonder if that noise is eliminated will it help reduce harshness at high volume, or that's just the nature of audio and noise is actually inaudible, or ppl usually call it snake oil.

hahahahaha the outro was distorted as hell :) nice one.

Using a pair of STAX-SRL 700 headphones + STAX amps: Test 1: ~7% Test 2: ~2.5% Test 3: ~3% Test 1 which mimics "real-world" situation does mean that most people don't hear distortion up until 10% THD. Yet most people listen to music on their puny ass speakers through their phones which has a THD of over 20%.

That was interesting. I thought around 4% was noticeable but liveable. 10% bloody obvious.

Me with my sta540sa ic amplifier at 10% THD. Sounds good 👍🏻

3% for high tones and 6% in bass and also 13% in music. Awesome to know. I had 2%+ THD in music at the volume 70db. I probably could get better results with headphones or better speakers. Maybe on lower volume to. I also rounded the results up because I wouldnt be able to hear it when I dont know its there.

Test 1: 7% Test 2: 1% Test 3: 1% Drivers used: Samson sr850 and just a normal phone. And yes studio reference headphones make a big difference.

Set-up: Dragonfly Red + DT 1990 ; played at chill level Test 1 : 7-8% (on the background sparkle so I had to wait for the next beat :) ) Test 2 : 1.9% Test 3 : 3.5% , but had to listen further & go back to confirm the change I heard was indeed the distortion Played at loudest acceptable level: Test 1 : already at 5%, on the higher freqs, I can hear Test 2 : from 0.7% to 1.1% (approx), can discern a change in the tone, while the real static noise begins around 1.5 Test 3 : harder ...5% ? Actually, I think the DFRed was introducing some distor, so I had to listen several times, but my ear probably fatigued/got used to the level, so lowered back the volume then it remained around 3.5% Interesting test, I wonder how it relates to the mesurements of devices (AI, DACs, Amps ... ), there is a good chance that the number war on those departments, go far beyond what can humanly be heard, as usual :) but especially for recording, master prod, it's + important since the signal will be treated, transformed etc... (which is why it's good AI rec at 192khz)

Music: between %3 and %4 the compression starts. At %5 I can hear the distortion. 500hz: %0.4 100hz: %1.5

I would appreciate it if you could link us the song somewhere in your bio, cause I don't seem to find it anywhere unfortunately.

Test 1: 2.380% Test 2: I can hear it at a very early stage because of a modulating effect Test 3: around 4% I’d say because of the overtones which become more apparent

I didn't really hear any distortion until the tones approached 8-10 percent. The same is true with the music sample. I'm using Sony MDR-210 headphones, so perhaps they aren't resolving enough.

Please , how did you create that harmonic distortion ?

What would be appropriate or reasonable levels for each one of those test? In the case of speakers?

Hi Julian. Since you mentioned harmonic distortion and you've reviewed Behringer's UMC series and praised on its sound quality, could you have a look into this distortion issue? community.musictribe.com/t5/Recording/Harmonic-Distortion-in-UMC404HD/td-p/155362 The combo inputs on the front of UMC404HD puts much more harmonic distortion when the input jack is TRS compared to when it's XLR.

1: 7.5% 2: 0.6% 3: 7.5% Distorted 100 Hz sounds almost like power transformers in my country (50 Hz). Trying with higher volume 1: 4.5% 2: 0.3% (sudden increase in harmonics) 3: 2.5% Both played on my 50€ wireless earbuds.

Hi can you please test the t.bone microphones like t.bone mb 57 ? Thanks

I was listening to a really nice guitar tone on another video and thought, "at what point is distortion pleasing to the human ear?' That I can find the answer instantly is really cool to me. Go humans

Sweet soundtrack. Cannot find it on any streaming platform.

What about using a good classical piano recording? As a basis for studying distortions.

On SET tube amp (no feedback loop) Test 2: 0,2 Test 3: 0,4 On Home cinema amp Test 2: 1,2 Test 3: 3,4

Sound quality in this video Audio: AAC 44100Hz stereo 128kbps. Do you have the original wave ou flac in a google drive ? It can be a perfect audio test for me with your original uncompressed quality. Very good video. I will finally be able to test my equipment and do lots of tests everywhere... I will give you the results here.

Great, how did you generate it and measure it?

using my Audio Technica MSR7 Test 1: ~9% Test 2: ~0.5% Test 3: ~3-4% idk, i guess im not too sensitive when it comes to low frequencies. I usually prefer headphones that have more high end than low end

Please do that with an rock Pop or at least track with some vocals! Can imagine it will be audible earlier then

Nice videos! Now the AuDIoPhiLe can truly understand the snake oil involved. I heard distortion respectively at 7%, 0.8%, and 0.15%

Hi, when I am using an external mic which connected to H1N. Can I still able to control the gain level by adjusting the gain knob which is on the top of H1N? Thanks!

8.080 music 3.997 tone#1 3.10 tone#2 Beyerdynamic DT 880 250ohm on Creative GC7. Environment was not completely silent though.

Untrained ear on galaxy buds 2. I could hear it around 6-7% on the track on the 3rd listen. 8-9% on the first. Really cool how trained ears and better listening equipment make the distortion noticeable earlier!