question about sound quality

[Guest]

hey, here's a question. im using a SB live to play WMA files that have been ripped straight from cd using windows media player's ripper at the highest quality, 192k i think.(winxp, all drivers and software up-to-date)

im using altec lansing speakers, (4 satellites, one woofer, model number is "atp5")

now, my question is about sound quality. as it is, it seems as though all my music is, well, impercise. there's too much bass, and it all sounds just generally poor quality. ive fiddled with the bass/treble setting and the equalizer to no end. do i need better speakers, a better sound card, or is this just an attribute of ripped songs?

thanks

- michael craft

 

[prfstrkr]

I have ATP3 and Live! 5.1 MP3+.....sometimes I had the feeling of too much BASS too. I think it really depends on how you feel at that moment..J/K

Try put your subwoofer closer to the wall, or play them using WINAMP or PlayCenter(BEST QUALITY)

<A HREF="http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?rigid=17357" target="_new">My Computer</A>

 

[FatBurger]

Possibly a different sound card, the Live isn't known for having superior sound quality. But quality means something different to different people. Can you trade speakers/sound card with someone, and see if you like theirs better?

<font color=blue>If you don't buy Windows, then the terrorists have already won!</font color=blue> - Microsoft

 

[AMD_Man]

Use the equalizer to reduce the bass, but as FatBurger said, the SoundBlaster Live! doesn't exactly have great sound quality.

AMD technology + Intel technology = Intel/AMD Pentathlon IV; the <b>ULTIMATE</b> PC processor

 

[Guest]

ive got a friend down the hall with an audigy, ill see if i can convince him to switch for bit. maybe that'll work. pretty soon here im going to do some serious upgrading though. this live card is pretty dinky.

thanks guys

- michael craft

 

[Rob423]

are you only baseing this on the few WMA files you ripped, or do all Cd's, Mp3's, Wav's sounds bad.... i could be just those few WMA's you ripped......

I personally don't like SB, my dad has a SB live on his Rig, and i think the car scretching down the street sounds better!!


Measure Twice, Cut Once!!

 

[Guest]

no matter how high the bitrate, is WMA always going to sound inferior to a cd?

- michael craft

 

[FatBurger]

Yes, but it might not be noticeable.
When I play 128kb/s MP3s in my car, I can't notice the sound difference from audio CDs.

<font color=blue>If you don't buy Windows, then the terrorists have already won!</font color=blue> - Microsoft

 

[kinney]

There is an enourmous difference between any MP3 (regardless of setting) because of sacrifices made to make it smaller.
Anyone who knows what their talking about with a halfway decent stereo can attest to that, I buy cds because there is no way to get mp3 to sound as good as a CD. The compression method takes away alot of the range and lower end.
I buy cds of my favorite artists or cds I deem worthy of my hardearned money (mainly consists of my medieval death metal bands) and burn and listen to the trendier music that sucks in a listen or two.

"dude your getting a dell", is that kid trying to say he wants to stick his 'dell' in you?

 

[FatBurger]

Of course, but certain programs give you better quality than others, and the speakers/environment isn't always good enough to tell the difference.

<font color=blue>If you don't buy Windows, then the terrorists have already won!</font color=blue> - Microsoft