Have a real problem with my music. Please help!

Discussion in 'Soundcards, Speakers HiFI & File formats' started by HonoredShadow, Dec 8, 2012.

  1. flimbo

    flimbo Guest

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    You want to set it at WASAPI (event) - Speakers (ASUS Xonar DX)

    I think this topic is getting bogged down in the finer detail too much. We have to remember the op is playing mp3's using a DX soundcard plugged into a 20 year old Sony hifi that he admits isn't great sounding. The biggest difference he could make is simply a better amp and speakers, then he could go down the finer tweaking route.
     
  2. HonoredShadow

    HonoredShadow Ancient Guru

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    Last edited: Dec 9, 2012
  3. ASLayerAODsk

    ASLayerAODsk Guest

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    Sony/Marantz is at BEST entry level. Try Carver, or NAD, maybe Classe or Krell :) Then it boils down to your speakers, interconnects, room size, speaker angles, source *anything in mp3 at any bitrate is crap, FLAC is the only way to go, unless you like your cymbals sounding like they are underwater* :) Thats a good starting point :)
     
  4. flimbo

    flimbo Guest

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    The op said his budget was £200-£300 for a system...

    Basically anything in that price range would be much better than a 20 year old Sony midi system.

    I agree about using FLAC though. Mp3 pales in comparison.
     
    Last edited: Dec 9, 2012

  5. Mufflore

    Mufflore Ancient Guru

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    np :)

    The last bit is mostly for AV amp owners.
    The digital input on the amp makes the amplifiers DAC and DSP your soundcard, lower quality.
    Analogue input uses your PCs Audio player (and soundcard if you wish but we arent) as the DSP and the soundcard as the DAC, higher quality, especially when set up right.
    But... the amps DSP can also be applied to the analogue input.
    This setup option must be disabled on the amp so analogue does not get processed by the amps DSP.
    Once the amps controls are disabled, you cant use the its EQ or bass/treble controls, all of that must be done on the PC.
    (unless the amps controls are analogue, then they will work as normal, as well as the PCs controls, your older amp is probably like this)

    As flimbo said, set it up for your speakers WASAPI.
    Best to leave the EQ addon for now, it is quite complex for a first time user.
    Use Foobars built in EQ if you need bass/treble controls.

    :)
    Its already digital when in the PC, Foobar only works digitally.
    Audio is digital until it is fed through a DAC (Digital to Analogue Converter) - unless coming from a tape deck or record player, guitar, microphone..., they are already analogue.
    When the sound leaves your PCs DAC, it will be analogue and is fed to the amplifier.
    what you dont want then is for the amplifier to convert it back to digital to process the sound, then convert back to analogue before it can be fed to the speakers amplifier.
    Thats what needs disabling on the amp.

    A lot of this is new to you so its a bit of a steep learning curve at the start.
    Dont worry, it wont take long to get up to speed.

    Using an amplifier with a USB pen wont give you as good quality as your PC (unless its a very expensive amp).
    This is because when using your PC, Foobar becomes your DSP and your soundcard becomes your DAC (the thing that determines the final quality).
    The amplifiers DSP will be lower quality, as will its DAC, by using analogue, you can bypass these.
     
    Last edited: Dec 9, 2012
  6. ASLayerAODsk

    ASLayerAODsk Guest

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    Well that would buy a nice set of bananna plugs :)
     
  7. Mufflore

    Mufflore Ancient Guru

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    Hehe.

    I'm about to buy 4 pairs of silver bullet RCA connectors, thats near £200 just for those.
    I'm also getting 2x 25ft reels of Cotton Insulated high purity dead-soft annealed silver wire, single crystal, about £125 each reel.
    Just to make top quality phono/RCA cables :D

    It will cost approx £160 per cable using 4 bullets, but I intend to solder one end of the cables directly inside my amp so I can make more cables, cheaper, and get even better quality by not putting the sound through an RCA connector male and female, more solder joints and the circuit board at that end.
    One set (1/2 of the kit) is my brothers xmas present, the other bits are for me.
     
    Last edited: Dec 9, 2012
  8. RagDoll_Effect

    RagDoll_Effect Ancient Guru

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    Muff, you luv your stuff...lol :)

    regards,
    RagDoll.
     
  9. Paul L

    Paul L Guest

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    Not long back my PC was round my parents for the weekend.
    He had a pair of these Focal Chorus v714

    I took them upstairs to the office whilst they were away & plugged them
    into an old mid level Sony mini system that's in there... they sounded amazing. :nerd:
    To be honest i was very surprised with how much detail was being shown
    by them. The Amp is by no measure High-Grade AAA but the speakers
    blew my ears off. I used Winamp with Ozone 5 VST & Freeware FX on 32bit processing.

    Speakers make much more of a difference IMHO, cables are for reassurance.
     
    Last edited: Dec 10, 2012
  10. Mufflore

    Mufflore Ancient Guru

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    Yeah, hi def cables are only fully useful once all your kit is hi def.
    Thats where my brother and I are at now, we are dying to see what these interconnects can do.

    He recently bought some QED Signature S interconnects (around £150) after I demonstrated how good my Emotiva interconnects are on his system.
    They are very well reviewed so it will be interesting to see how well these silver cables compare.
     

  11. ASLayerAODsk

    ASLayerAODsk Guest

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    dont forget the monoblocks! :D that should be a small upgrade :)
     
  12. Mufflore

    Mufflore Ancient Guru

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    He already is running Denon Monoblocks.
    I'm running an Emotiva XPA-2 for the front pair, a little more capable, quite some amp!
    Had to get it shipped from the US.
     
  13. HonoredShadow

    HonoredShadow Ancient Guru

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    It's ok. Peace everyone lol :)

    Thanks everyone for the help. If anyone wants to suggest a few good items I should invest in that would be great. By the sounds I need an amp and speakers right?
     
  14. Mufflore

    Mufflore Ancient Guru

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    Get second hand speakers, you get a lot more for your money.
    If you can tell us what you find, we can research them for you.
    There are sooo many brands and different speakers and we have no idea what you can find.
    There will be brands we have not heard of where you live, so its better we try and track what you can find where you are.

    Amplifiers can be good second hand, but theres a lot to go wrong on an AV amp so its a bit riskier.
    Are you after a stereo or 5.1 amp?
     
    Last edited: Dec 11, 2012
  15. ROBSCIX

    ROBSCIX Ancient Guru

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    I fixed the thread getting rid of the offtopic, arguing. No more....

    Your card is reasonable for the price, so the rest of the system is the weak point. Your media is also a concern IMO but it is your choice what you use.

    You are best off to look to the second hand market if you are short on cash.
    check buy and sell forums, local pawn shops...etc.
    You can also go new....
     
    Last edited: Dec 11, 2012

  16. RagDoll_Effect

    RagDoll_Effect Ancient Guru

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    Did I miss something? What arguing, offtopic things?

    Anyway, @OP, start with a 5.1 receiver and 2 bookshelf speakers, 2.0/stereo setup. Then you can add later as you get the money for it :)

    regards,
    RagDoll.
     
  17. Mufflore

    Mufflore Ancient Guru

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    PM coming :)
     
  18. flimbo

    flimbo Guest

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    I'd go for new equipment, at least you know what you're getting and you have a warranty. I've bought KEF speakers and various NAD amps off Ebay in the past. ALL of them ended up failing within months. Maybe I was unlucky but since buying new I've never had a problem (fingers crossed).
     
  19. RagDoll_Effect

    RagDoll_Effect Ancient Guru

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    +1, unless the price is free... :)
     
  20. ROBSCIX

    ROBSCIX Ancient Guru

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    It depends as there is a great deal of vintage gear that sounds just amazing...
    Many people that are into high end gear take very good care of their equipment also.
     

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