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Topic: Audio quality improvement. (Read 3699 times) previous topic - next topic
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Audio quality improvement.

Hi, I discovered I have some "free" cash to spend (very limited ~200usd) and decided upon my audio for PC; I currently have the following equipment:
SBLive 5.1
2.1 creative speakers
What I would like to know is what improvement (card, speakers/headphones) should produce the greatest effect.

Some constraints:
1. The price should be <=200usd;
2. Due to very limited room I can't have 5.1 or bigger speaker sets (maybe headphones?).
3. The sound card should also support gaming (I'm not the only one using the PC).

Thanks.

Audio quality improvement.

Reply #1 –
I'd get an M-Audio Revolution and a pair of Sennheiser 580's, assuming you can get a decent price for both, or chuck a few more quid at it.



Ruairi
rc55.com - nothing going on

Audio quality improvement.

Reply #2 –
How much would that amount to? It seems to be quite over 200 (adding to that the obscene taxes I'll probably have to pay for it).

BTW I was reading another thread about MPC, and found Frank Klemm's remark on some headphones
Quote
What headphones / loudspeakers do you use (I hope nothing like HD570/HD575/HD590)?

You can find it here:
http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....esia,and,listen

Why is that?

Audio quality improvement.

Reply #3 –
Quote
BTW I was reading another thread about MPC, and found Frank Klemm's remark on some headphones
Quote
What headphones / loudspeakers do you use (I hope nothing like HD570/HD575/HD590)?


Why is that?

Because, according to Frank,  those headphones emphasize too much certain frequencies, or in other words, are not very neutral sounding, too colored. He prefers HD560/HD580/HD600.

As to what to buy, I'd go first for some good heaphones (HD580 for example), and when you have more spare money, get then a new soundcard. The headphones will make a much bigger improvement.

Still, the SBLive rear outputs combined with SSRC output resampling should produce very good quality, unless you experience some obvious problems with your card such as too much noise at the output.

Edit: added clarity to the SSRC thing.

Audio quality improvement.

Reply #4 –
Yep found another post by Frank here explaining why not, thanks; Another question if I might: would the sblive supply enough juice for the 580's, I've heard they have quite hight impedence...

P.S. What is SSRC plugin? I'm using foobar...

Thanks.

Audio quality improvement.

Reply #5 –
If yuo look hard enough, you should be able to find 580s for ~150$. Or you could buy them used and get replacement earpads separately.

The rest you can spend on building an amp, a CMOY or meta42 - http://tangentsoft.net/audio/ .

Audio quality improvement.

Reply #6 –
Quote
What is SSRC plugin? I'm using foobar...

The resampler built in foobar is based on SSRC. Set it to 48khz. Also download the drivers from http://www.kxproject.com/ to use with your Live! card.

Audio quality improvement.

Reply #7 –
Going for some decent headphones first is a good recommendation. If you are additionally totally unhappy with your SBLive, you could try getting a SB128pci somewhere.
dev0
"To understand me, you'll have to swallow a world." Or maybe your words.

Audio quality improvement.

Reply #8 –
Quote
If yuo look hard enough, you should be able to find 580s for ~150$. Or you could buy them used and get replacement earpads separately.

In the banana republic I currently reside in, the price for these is obscene! I cheapest set I found is ~200$ us + taxes!! But I loosened the sash a bit and got them anyways .... Even on the underpowered sblive they sound fantastic!!! Thanks for the recommendations. (Does anyone know how much revo outputs? it seems sblive outputs only ~32ohm)

Quote
The resampler built in foobar is based on SSRC. Set it to 48khz. Also download the drivers from http://www.kxproject.com/ to use with your Live! card.

Yep, was already using both, just didn't connect SSRC with Resampler (p.s. in the new version 0.61a it says Resampler (SSRC)).

Thanks everyone.