Hi all, So, I recently got an SB3 and have begun the arduous process of ripping all my CDs. I'm using the Apple Lossless format at the moment because I use iTunes for library management. I figured I'd test the audio quality before I spent too much time ripping...
I was listening to "Caring is Creepy" by The Shins and noticed that the ALAC file seemed somewhat muddier than I'd remembered. So, I popped in the CD and attempted to listen to them side-by-side (not an easy feat)... unless I'm crazy, it seems to me that the CD audio has brighter treble and deeper, fuller bass, while the ALAC file sounds muddier. My setup is far from an audiophile one - I've got the SB3 hooked up via analog connections to a Pioneer VSX-D814 amp, with Pioneer S-FCRW861-S satellite speakers (7.1 setup). The CD was played through a Pioneer DV-578A DVD player, connected via digital optical (TOSlink) to the amp. (I know all you audiophiles are wincing at this setup, but it's pretty much all I can afford right now.) While doing my listening tests, I had the SB3 volume set to 100%, and both the SB3 and CD had the exact same audio settings on the receiver, for as close a match as possible. SlimServer was v6.2.2, with FW 36, doing on-the-fly transcoding from ALAC to FLAC (I made sure of that). "Smart Gain" was enabled on the SB3. Since ALAC and FLAC are both lossless, I find it hard to believe that the ripped music should sound any different than the CD. In fact, when I play the file directly on the computer (through Monsoon flat-panel speakers, 2.1 setup), it sounds just as good as the CD, with bright treble and deep bass. It's only with the SB3 that the file sounds muddier. The difference is rather subtle, it's not a glaring problem, but I could hear (for example) that the cymbals were not as bright and the bass was somewhat more muted. Do you think this is due to the Smart Gain on the SB3? I did not try turning that off, so that could be one factor. However, while playing the songs directly on the computer I left the iTunes "Sound Check" enabled (equivalent to Smart Gain on the SB3), and it sounded just fine. Unless the two algorithms are different, it doesn't seem like that should be the issue, either. The only other thing I can think of is that the CD audio is connected via a digital connection and gets processed via the receiver's DAC, while the SB3 is connected via analog and therefore uses its own DAC. But given my rather cheap receiver, the SB3's DAC should be far superior, so why does it seem like I'm getting muddier sound? I'll try disabling Smart Gain, and I can try connecting the SB3 using digital coax... but before I go futzing with the system, do any of you experts have suggestions or insight as to what might be going on here? (On a related but off-topic note, anyone know whether it's possible to modify the track and album gain tags on ALAC files? iTunes doesn't seem to provide any method of doing it, and in fact I can't even find the album gain information... track gain is visible but not changeable, but album gain seems to be missing. I guess that's one good reason to use FLAC, but for now I like the iTunes ease of use, hence why I prefer ALAC.) Anyway, your suggestions and comments are highly appreciated. -- cepheid ------------------------------------------------------------------------ cepheid's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=3845 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=22635 _______________________________________________ audiophiles mailing list [email protected] http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
