X-Fi Sound Quality

[Aegis]

There must be something wrong with my ears...but I don't notice anything different! Is it because my audio files are at 128K bits/second? I've tweaked the settings in the X-Fi Audio Console, but it either distorts it in ways I don't like or keeps it the same as my old integrated sound from three years ago. Maybe I shouldn't be trying it on my old computer?

[bledd]

128kb is really bad quality..

use 320vbr instaed..

use eac to encode your mp3s

[ripken204]

bledd-i dont think that would help much, you cannot increase the quality or your mp3's

aegis-try playing a dvd or a newer game. do u have headphones? i think u told me u did, if so then u can turn on surround sound in the current games and you will be amazed.

[nmX.Memnoch]

bledd-i dont think that would help much, you cannot increase the quality or your mp3's

You can't increase the quality of an already existing MP3, but you can re-rip them to a higher bitrate. There is definitely a difference between 128 and even 192.

Also, your speakers will play a large part in how things sound as well. A hi-fi sound card isn't going to make a set of cheap speakers sound any better.

[Aegis]

http://www.protravelgear.com/store/Electro...ones___28?Args=

I have PlaneQuiet NC-6 headphones. Not sure if they're "quality" but they costed me $50 bucks and offers excellent noise-cancelling technology.

[nmX.Memnoch]

I honestly think it's just the bitrate of your MP3s. Re-rip them to a higher quality (at least 192 CBR) and you'll notice a difference from that alone.

[Aegis]

I followed your advice and played a song that had 1411kbps bitrate, but it still sounds the same .

[bledd]

bledd-i dont think that would help much, you cannot increase the quality or your mp3's

i know that, you mis intepreted what i said

mp3 doesn't go that high

what file type is it?

what are you playing them in?

[Aegis]

I use WMP10, but I don't think it really matters how high the bitrate is or which media player...

How is it suppose to sound with X-Fi? I mean as compared to regular integrated audio.

[LLXX]

Some people just don't have audiophile ears, like me. I can't really tell the difference between integrated audio and ultraexpensive add-on sound cards.

[ripken204]

run a game in surround sound!!!

[Reino]

- 1411Kbps are WAV/Uncompressed audio files.

- 128Kbps 44100Hz MP3's aren't that bad actually. even 96Kbps Vorbis sound great.

- re-encoding an existing MP3 files is useless, since MP3 is a lossy audio format, no matter at what bitrate you're encoding, the re-encoded MP3 file will always be of less quality! Encoding MP3's from CD's/WAV's/lossless audio formats is the rights way to do.

- as for your X-Fi soundcard, it could be anything; wrong settings, wrong driver...

[flupke]

I don't hear any difference between an original CD and the ripped tracks at 112kb/s VBR with my build-in sound-card and Sennheiser headphones.

[nmX.Memnoch]

- 128Kbps 44100Hz MP3's aren't that bad actually. even 96Kbps Vorbis sound great.

Ogg Vorbis is a completely different codec...you can't even compare them. IMO, Ogg Vorbis encoded files sound better than MP3s. The standard just hasn't caught on in the portable player market.

- re-encoding an existing MP3 files is useless, since MP3 is a lossy audio format, no matter at what bitrate you're encoding, the re-encoded MP3 file will always be of less quality!

While it is a lossy format using a higher bitrate results in less loss (otherwise the file wouldn't be any larger). I can definitely tell the difference between a 128Kbps MP3 and a 256Kbps MP3 with my Audigy2 ZS and Klipsh ProMedia 2.1's.

I don't hear any difference between an original CD and the ripped tracks at 112kb/s VBR with my build-in sound-card and Sennheiser headphones.

The same applies to what I said earlier about a good sound card with cheap speakers. Good speakers aren't going to make a cheap soundcard sound good either.

[Reino]

- re-encoding an existing MP3 files is useless, since MP3 is a lossy audio format, no matter at what bitrate you're encoding, the re-encoded MP3 file will always be of less quality!

While it is a lossy format using a higher bitrate results in less loss (otherwise the file wouldn't be any larger). I can definitely tell the difference between a 128Kbps MP3 and a 256Kbps MP3 with my Audigy2 ZS and Klipsh ProMedia 2.1's.

That's where you're wrong though. It doesn't matter if you can hear a difference or not, lossy will stay lossy and at such a point you can't create imaginary sound quality or something.

Let's say a CD-track is at 100% sound quality. The first encoded MP3 file would then be at 50% for instance compared to the CD-track. If you're going to re-encode this MP3 file to another MP3 file at whatever bitrate, you will never have sound quality better than 50% in this case. Sad but true, that's what lossy audio formats are all about.

Edited April 2, 2006 by CoRoNe