$500 vs $3000 Oud - Follow up discussion

Check out my Oud recommendations here:

[StevenParrisWard]

This is all very valuable info. Thanks.

[robfielding]

i hear it said about guitars and amps: a more scooped sound, with a boomy bottom is for playing without a bass player; often alone. when you are in the mix, you want more mid-range and clarity to cut through. they think of it as instruments occupying frequency ranges and staying out of each other's way. a more mid-range sound may not be to your liking when you practice; but better in a mix.

[nafezqanadilo]

Thank you for highlighting this matter. I too had the same experience, as I have the same exact Zeryab oud you played, and once I recorded a sound font, one time using a very expensive Oud and a second time I made the sound font from the cheap Oud. To my surprise, the sound font from the cheap Oud sounded much better.
I wanted to analyse the overtones and timber from each one, but haven't had time. I guess we should take a look at the sound waves produced.

[nikpapan]

Back when I bought my first Oud in Turkey for much less than 500$, I asked the seller, how do I know an Oud is good? He said "When you become experienced, you will try a very good Oud and you will say: Wow, this Oud is amazing! This is how you will know.". I guess it is the same thing you said about your expensive Oud.

[amirsharifi]

Hi Navid, thanks for opening this subject up. Funny thing is that in your past videos where you switched up between two ouds, the sounds are completely distinguishable and one can tell with closed eyes what is what. I am guessing you use the same Zoom recorder for both live videos and the sound recording of last episode, correct? If this is the case, it could be that the difference somehow got lost in processing digital audio.

[felicegreece]

Oh please; where is this link you talked about, with the list of pdf s on oud?? PLEASE can you write it here or send it to me? I d be grateful..