SV: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
Hello! To me it sounds like if you have to tweak the sound then this player should be thrown out. From my point of view this is This kind of talk is ONSENSe but thats me. I mean if you have an eq built in to your player and not use it thats fine because then you may be satisfied with the sound. But if you would like to use the eq its ok for me. I mean the eq will bring out more feeling to the music and tweak it as you whish. A/nders. -Ursprungligt meddelande- Från: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] För Dana S. Leslie Skickat: den 28 december 2008 06:54 Till: PC Audio Discussion List Ämne: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? This is funny. I think we have an ambiguity going on here, between two senses of quality. When I first read the question in the subject line, I took it to refer to the *qualitative* feel of the sound produced by different players, as opposed to the *quantitative* numbers at which they might test out in a sound lab; and, in the *qualitative* sense of quality, I definitely do hear differences between different players. The differences I hear may well be due to different default settings. If I tweaked one player of whose sound I am not that fond, I might well get it to sound close to another player whose sound I prefer. But that is why I prefer the sound of the player whose sound I don't have to tweak to make it sound as I think it ought; because I don't have to tweak it. NONE of this talk of the quality of the sound produced by a player has anything to do with the good vs. bad scoring a player might receive in a sound lab's test of its technical specifications. In this regard, I suspect you are right; all the players would score pretty much alike. - Original Message - From: Christopher Chaltain cchalt...@austin.rr.com To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Saturday, December 27, 2008 11:17 PM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? I'm no audiophile, and my ears aren't what they used to be, but I would be a little surprised if there were any noticeable difference in the quality of the output you get from different media players. I haven't researched this in particular, but the different reviews I've read of the different media players talk about features, ease of use, bloat ware, I've never seen a review talk about sound quality of one software media player over another. I wonder how much of this perceived differences in the players is due to default equalizer settings? IMHO, if someone likes the sound they're getting from one player over another than that's the player they should be using. I think the test Steve describes would be interesting, but people wouldn't have to guess which layer was which but just rather which one they preferred. Like I said, I'd be a bit surprised if there were a noticeable difference in sound quality between the players, but it wouldn't be the first time I was surprised over something like this. DJ DOCTOR P wrote: Hello Steve, I have used media players such as VLC WMP and WINAMP. And for a while, I also used Real Media Player, they all sound pretty much the same to me. I haven't heard Foobar 2000 yet, I couldn't find the website to download it to try it out. I guess some things sound different to different people. My best regards! John. - Original Message - From: Steve Pattison s...@internode.on.net To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Friday, December 26, 2008 11:18 PM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? An interesting way to test this would be to play a song to someone using say Foobar, Winamp and Windows Media Player without them knowing which player was playing the song and then see if they could identify the players correctly. I certainly don't think I could tell what software player was playing a file just by listening to it. This raises the issue of whether a software player sounds better to someone simply because they like that player better. I don't have all the answers to this debate but it raises some interesting issues. Regards Steve Email: s...@internode.on.net Windows Live Messenger: internetuser...@hotmail.com Skype: steve1963 Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org -- Christopher cchalt...@austin.rr.com Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc
Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
I disagree with your comments. The idea of a player with equalization is that you have the capability of adjusting the shape of the audio in order to meet your preferences in much the same way that one adjusts a volume control, or the base and trebel controls on one's stereo system. There has to be a way to composate for line loss as the signal comes down the pipe to you from the internet. If you don't like the equalization settings simply put all of your settings on flat response without shaping the audio. - Original Message - From: Anders Holmberg and...@pipkrokodil.se To: 'PC Audio Discussion List' pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Thursday, January 01, 2009 7:11 AM Subject: SV: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Hello! To me it sounds like if you have to tweak the sound then this player should be thrown out. From my point of view this is This kind of talk is ONSENSe but thats me. I mean if you have an eq built in to your player and not use it thats fine because then you may be satisfied with the sound. But if you would like to use the eq its ok for me. I mean the eq will bring out more feeling to the music and tweak it as you whish. A/nders. -Ursprungligt meddelande- Från: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] För Dana S. Leslie Skickat: den 28 december 2008 06:54 Till: PC Audio Discussion List Ämne: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? This is funny. I think we have an ambiguity going on here, between two senses of quality. When I first read the question in the subject line, I took it to refer to the *qualitative* feel of the sound produced by different players, as opposed to the *quantitative* numbers at which they might test out in a sound lab; and, in the *qualitative* sense of quality, I definitely do hear differences between different players. The differences I hear may well be due to different default settings. If I tweaked one player of whose sound I am not that fond, I might well get it to sound close to another player whose sound I prefer. But that is why I prefer the sound of the player whose sound I don't have to tweak to make it sound as I think it ought; because I don't have to tweak it. NONE of this talk of the quality of the sound produced by a player has anything to do with the good vs. bad scoring a player might receive in a sound lab's test of its technical specifications. In this regard, I suspect you are right; all the players would score pretty much alike. - Original Message - From: Christopher Chaltain cchalt...@austin.rr.com To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Saturday, December 27, 2008 11:17 PM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? I'm no audiophile, and my ears aren't what they used to be, but I would be a little surprised if there were any noticeable difference in the quality of the output you get from different media players. I haven't researched this in particular, but the different reviews I've read of the different media players talk about features, ease of use, bloat ware, I've never seen a review talk about sound quality of one software media player over another. I wonder how much of this perceived differences in the players is due to default equalizer settings? IMHO, if someone likes the sound they're getting from one player over another than that's the player they should be using. I think the test Steve describes would be interesting, but people wouldn't have to guess which layer was which but just rather which one they preferred. Like I said, I'd be a bit surprised if there were a noticeable difference in sound quality between the players, but it wouldn't be the first time I was surprised over something like this. DJ DOCTOR P wrote: Hello Steve, I have used media players such as VLC WMP and WINAMP. And for a while, I also used Real Media Player, they all sound pretty much the same to me. I haven't heard Foobar 2000 yet, I couldn't find the website to download it to try it out. I guess some things sound different to different people. My best regards! John. - Original Message - From: Steve Pattison s...@internode.on.net To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Friday, December 26, 2008 11:18 PM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? An interesting way to test this would be to play a song to someone using say Foobar, Winamp and Windows Media Player without them knowing which player was playing the song and then see if they could identify the players correctly. I certainly don't think I could tell what software player was playing a file just by listening to it. This raises the issue of whether a software player sounds better to someone simply because they like that player better. I don't have all the answers to this debate but it raises some interesting issues. Regards Steve Email: s
Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
Your right! It has been my experience that the player will go to the default setting once it is loaded. I usually leave it at the default setting, and will only change it if I feel that the audio should be tweaked. My MP3 player has a built in equalizer, and that is where I make the necessary changes for the type of music that I am listening too, for an example: dance, rock, acoustic etc. . - Original Message - From: Robert doc Wright(sitting in comfortable chair) talmi...@wrightplaceinc.net To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Thursday, January 01, 2009 12:52 PM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? I believe that until you turn on an E.Q. of a media player then you're dealing with a flat response which means that sound that you are liking or not liking is from your own system and whatever changes need to be either made there or you use the features the media player provides. ** A mind is a terrible thing robert Doc Wright http://www.wrightplaceinc.net msn godfeare...@hotmail.com - Original Message - From: Bob Seed To: PC Audio Discussion List Sent: Thursday, January 01, 2009 9:28 AM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? I disagree with your comments. The idea of a player with equalization is that you have the capability of adjusting the shape of the audio in order to meet your preferences in much the same way that one adjusts a volume control, or the base and trebel controls on one's stereo system. There has to be a way to composate for line loss as the signal comes down the pipe to you from the internet. If you don't like the equalization settings simply put all of your settings on flat response without shaping the audio. - Original Message - From: Anders Holmberg and...@pipkrokodil.se To: 'PC Audio Discussion List' pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Thursday, January 01, 2009 7:11 AM Subject: SV: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Hello! To me it sounds like if you have to tweak the sound then this player should be thrown out. From my point of view this is This kind of talk is ONSENSe but thats me. I mean if you have an eq built in to your player and not use it thats fine because then you may be satisfied with the sound. But if you would like to use the eq its ok for me. I mean the eq will bring out more feeling to the music and tweak it as you whish. A/nders. -Ursprungligt meddelande- Från: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] För Dana S. Leslie Skickat: den 28 december 2008 06:54 Till: PC Audio Discussion List Ämne: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? This is funny. I think we have an ambiguity going on here, between two senses of quality. When I first read the question in the subject line, I took it to refer to the *qualitative* feel of the sound produced by different players, as opposed to the *quantitative* numbers at which they might test out in a sound lab; and, in the *qualitative* sense of quality, I definitely do hear differences between different players. The differences I hear may well be due to different default settings. If I tweaked one player of whose sound I am not that fond, I might well get it to sound close to another player whose sound I prefer. But that is why I prefer the sound of the player whose sound I don't have to tweak to make it sound as I think it ought; because I don't have to tweak it. NONE of this talk of the quality of the sound produced by a player has anything to do with the good vs. bad scoring a player might receive in a sound lab's test of its technical specifications. In this regard, I suspect you are right; all the players would score pretty much alike. - Original Message - From: Christopher Chaltain cchalt...@austin.rr.com To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Saturday, December 27, 2008 11:17 PM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? I'm no audiophile, and my ears aren't what they used to be, but I would be a little surprised if there were any noticeable difference in the quality of the output you get from different media players. I haven't researched this in particular, but the different reviews I've read of the different media players talk about features, ease of use, bloat ware, I've never seen a review talk about sound quality of one software media player over another. I wonder how much of this perceived differences in the players is due to default equalizer settings? IMHO, if someone likes the sound they're getting from one player over another than that's the player they should be using. I think the test Steve describes would be interesting, but people wouldn't have to guess which layer was which but just rather which one they preferred. Like I said, I'd be a bit surprised
Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
I believe that until you turn on an E.Q. of a media player then you're dealing with a flat response which means that sound that you are liking or not liking is from your own system and whatever changes need to be either made there or you use the features the media player provides. ** A mind is a terrible thing robert Doc Wright http://www.wrightplaceinc.net msn godfeare...@hotmail.com - Original Message - From: Bob Seed To: PC Audio Discussion List Sent: Thursday, January 01, 2009 9:28 AM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? I disagree with your comments. The idea of a player with equalization is that you have the capability of adjusting the shape of the audio in order to meet your preferences in much the same way that one adjusts a volume control, or the base and trebel controls on one's stereo system. There has to be a way to composate for line loss as the signal comes down the pipe to you from the internet. If you don't like the equalization settings simply put all of your settings on flat response without shaping the audio. - Original Message - From: Anders Holmberg and...@pipkrokodil.se To: 'PC Audio Discussion List' pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Thursday, January 01, 2009 7:11 AM Subject: SV: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Hello! To me it sounds like if you have to tweak the sound then this player should be thrown out. From my point of view this is This kind of talk is ONSENSe but thats me. I mean if you have an eq built in to your player and not use it thats fine because then you may be satisfied with the sound. But if you would like to use the eq its ok for me. I mean the eq will bring out more feeling to the music and tweak it as you whish. A/nders. -Ursprungligt meddelande- Från: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] För Dana S. Leslie Skickat: den 28 december 2008 06:54 Till: PC Audio Discussion List Ämne: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? This is funny. I think we have an ambiguity going on here, between two senses of quality. When I first read the question in the subject line, I took it to refer to the *qualitative* feel of the sound produced by different players, as opposed to the *quantitative* numbers at which they might test out in a sound lab; and, in the *qualitative* sense of quality, I definitely do hear differences between different players. The differences I hear may well be due to different default settings. If I tweaked one player of whose sound I am not that fond, I might well get it to sound close to another player whose sound I prefer. But that is why I prefer the sound of the player whose sound I don't have to tweak to make it sound as I think it ought; because I don't have to tweak it. NONE of this talk of the quality of the sound produced by a player has anything to do with the good vs. bad scoring a player might receive in a sound lab's test of its technical specifications. In this regard, I suspect you are right; all the players would score pretty much alike. - Original Message - From: Christopher Chaltain cchalt...@austin.rr.com To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Saturday, December 27, 2008 11:17 PM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? I'm no audiophile, and my ears aren't what they used to be, but I would be a little surprised if there were any noticeable difference in the quality of the output you get from different media players. I haven't researched this in particular, but the different reviews I've read of the different media players talk about features, ease of use, bloat ware, I've never seen a review talk about sound quality of one software media player over another. I wonder how much of this perceived differences in the players is due to default equalizer settings? IMHO, if someone likes the sound they're getting from one player over another than that's the player they should be using. I think the test Steve describes would be interesting, but people wouldn't have to guess which layer was which but just rather which one they preferred. Like I said, I'd be a bit surprised if there were a noticeable difference in sound quality between the players, but it wouldn't be the first time I was surprised over something like this. DJ DOCTOR P wrote: Hello Steve, I have used media players such as VLC WMP and WINAMP. And for a while, I also used Real Media Player, they all sound pretty much the same to me. I haven't heard Foobar 2000 yet, I couldn't find the website to download it to try it out. I guess some things sound different to different people. My best regards! John. - Original Message - From: Steve Pattison s...@internode.on.net To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Friday, December 26, 2008 11
Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
Hi Thank you for sending links to other players than just the big three. That is what I had intended although apparently I didn't make myself clear. Thanks again. Marsha Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org
Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
Send them a note and bring your concerns to their attention, as it might be that they are contracting their streaming audio services out to a third party. - Original Message - From: Barry Chapman barr...@bigpond.net.au To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Monday, December 29, 2008 2:04 AM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? It is fine that the CBC don't use equalisation, but I wish they would use some kind of limiter on their internet streams. I was listening to a CBC station the other day via the internet and their volume levels were all over the place. I don't know if the BBC use a limiter, but the volume levels on their internet streams are much more uniform. Regards, Barry Chapman - Original Message - From: Bob Seed bobs...@tbaytel.net To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Monday, December 29, 2008 1:51 PM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? There has been an ongoing debate for years as to whether or not radio stations should use a graphic equalizer on the output of their signal. The general consensus is that the listener would much rather prefer making the equilization adjustments on their own receiver. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation puts out a flat audio source leaving the final adjustments to the listener. Keep in mind that in some cases line equalization is necessary in order to balance out the audio if by chance it sounds tinny. The best audio files swear by their vacuum tube technology. They say that the audio that comes out of a tube amplifier has a ritch and warm sound. I for one agree. - Original Message - From: André van Deventer andred...@webafrica.org.za To: 'PC Audio Discussion List' pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 3:47 PM Subject: RE: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Hi John And using an amplifier with vacuum tub es, am I right in thinking you also prefer not to use any kind of equalization at all? Andre -Original Message- From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of DJ DOCTOR P Sent: 28 December 2008 09:22 PM To: PC Audio Discussion List Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Hello guise and girls, I have two sound cards in my computer. One of them for the audio, is going in to a speaker system that uses a pare of vacuum tube amplifiers. The other one, is hooked up to a pare of computer speakers. These are the ones that I listen to jaws through. Rather I'm using WMP WINAMP or Real Player, they all sound the same to me. It all depends on the audio files. If they're over compressed, the vacuum tubes in my amplifiers will let you hear that. My best regards! John. - Original Message - From: Dana S. Leslie dsles...@alumni.princeton.edu To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 4:17 AM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Well, I have a VERY high quality stereo sound system, through which I play the output of my computer's sound card. and, with that configuration, Winamp sans equalizer sounds much better, to my ear, than anything I can easily achieve with either WMP or Realplayer, even with their respective equalizers. The difference, I think, has to do mainly with the brightness and spaciousness of the mid range. - Original Message - From: André van Deventer andred...@webafrica.org.za To: 'PC Audio Discussion List' pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 4:02 AM Subject: RE: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? And reality is also that equalizer settings does weaken the sound quality somewhat when they are used? You would not necessarily hear this on a set of computer speakers but you may here it on a good hifi stereo system. -Original Message- From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of Dana S. Leslie Sent: 28 December 2008 10:27 AM To: PC Audio Discussion List Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? That's what I was talking about, too. I, too, can hear a difference in the sound quality between, for example, Winamp and WMP, even when each has its equalizer disabled. In fact, that is how I habitually use them -- with equalizer disabled. But, perhaps, the difference both your friend and I can hear has nothing to do with the technical quality of either player. Perhaps, each could be made to sound like the other, if its equalizer were enabled and sufficiently tweaked. But, since we prefer the sound quality that Winamp produces sans equalizer, why bother with tweaking WMP or Realplayer, to sound like Winamp. It makes more sense just to use Winamp sans equalizer. - Original Message - From: André van Deventer
SV: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
Hello! FOobar2000 is a really great player. Though it has its drawbacks. For example you can not add bookmarks (i mean bookmark a radio station). Maybe you can but i have never had any luck with that. The earlier versions of foobar had a reclrding feature which now has been taken away for somereason. Some winamp dsps does not work for me in foobar. Because it requeres winamp to be installed. That sucks really. I haven't listened to winamp for a couple of years no so i can't say anything about it. Though foobar has a good sound qulity and you can also disable the eq if you want to. One bad thing is that it has no mailinglists. You have to be a member of the hydrogenaudio.org and this site si really a pain in the part of you buddy on which you sit. /Anders. -Ursprungligt meddelande- Från: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] För Dana S. Leslie Skickat: den 26 december 2008 20:42 Till: PC Audio Discussion List Ämne: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? I've never heard Foobar. - Original Message - From: James Scholes ja...@jls-radio.com To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Friday, December 26, 2008 12:57 PM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Hello, I love the sound that I get from Foobar2000 over that from Winamp. Just sounds so much clearer and punchy. Dana S. Leslie wrote: I think they definitely do differ; an I, for one, prefer the sound quality I get from Winamp, to either WMP or Realplayer. If you don't want it, you can disable Winamp's equalizer, as well as the features that send it web browsing. Not liking its interface, I've never used QuickTime for anything other than playing streams that will only play in QT. But what about it is supposed to be superior for audiophile listening? I've never found Winamp deficient in that regard. Blessed Be, Namaste, Dana that's Dana, D A N A, NOT Donna, D O N N A If your synthesizer pronounces them identically, instruct your customized pronunciation dictionary that Dana=dayna. D. S. Leslie, née C. R. Guttman Email: dsles...@alumni.princeton.edu Skype: dsleslie Web: ÞE OL' PHILOSOPHIE SHOPPE Your Source for Discounted Ideas http://members.cox.net/dsleslie2/ - Original Message - From: André van Deventer andred...@webafrica.org.za To: 'PC Audio Discussion List' pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Friday, December 26, 2008 8:06 AM Subject: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Hi to all on the list I realise that the subject I am talking about now is a rather controversial one but here goes anyhow! Is there a difference in sound quality between different software media players like windows media player, winamp, etc.? I read somewhere that some people recommend Quicktime for audifile use. I have a professional quality emagic soundcard hooked up to a high quality sound system and want to get the best possible sound quality out of the system. If at all possible, I would like a high quality media player with no equalizer setting and no connection to the internet at all! It just needs to be play music. Why on earth would you need equalizer settings if you need a good sound system?!! Andre No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.552 / Virus Database: 270.10.0/1862 - Release Date: 2008/12/23 12:08 PM Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org __ NOD32 3718 (20081226) Information __ This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system. http://www.eset.com Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org __ NOD32 3718 (20081226) Information __ This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system. http://www.eset.com -- Check out my radio and TeamTalk server! http://www.jls-radio.com -- James Scholes E-mail: ja...@jamesscholes.com MSN/Windows Live Messenger: jamesscho...@msn.com AIM: JamesScholes000 Skype: james.scholes Website: http://www.jamesscholes.com Blog: http://www.jamesscholes.com/blog Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/jamesscholes Find me on Facebook! Username: jamesscholes Link to Facebook profile: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1375965156hiq=jamesscholes Last.FM Profile: http://www.last.fm/user/jamesscholes000 -- Message sent at 05:57:26 PM GMT on Friday, December 26, 2008 Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org __ NOD32 3718 (20081226) Information __ This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus
SV: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
Hi! Hifi is religion, and i do not agree with you. Equalizer may be good for some and not good for some. /Anders. -Ursprungligt meddelande- Från: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] För André van Deventer Skickat: den 26 december 2008 14:06 Till: 'PC Audio Discussion List' Ämne: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Hi to all on the list I realise that the subject I am talking about now is a rather controversial one but here goes anyhow! Is there a difference in sound quality between different software media players like windows media player, winamp, etc.? I read somewhere that some people recommend Quicktime for audifile use. I have a professional quality emagic soundcard hooked up to a high quality sound system and want to get the best possible sound quality out of the system. If at all possible, I would like a high quality media player with no equalizer setting and no connection to the internet at all! It just needs to be play music. Why on earth would you need equalizer settings if you need a good sound system?!! Andre No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.552 / Virus Database: 270.10.0/1862 - Release Date: 2008/12/23 12:08 PM Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org
Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
That's what I was talking about, too. I, too, can hear a difference in the sound quality between, for example, Winamp and WMP, even when each has its equalizer disabled. In fact, that is how I habitually use them -- with equalizer disabled. But, perhaps, the difference both your friend and I can hear has nothing to do with the technical quality of either player. Perhaps, each could be made to sound like the other, if its equalizer were enabled and sufficiently tweaked. But, since we prefer the sound quality that Winamp produces sans equalizer, why bother with tweaking WMP or Realplayer, to sound like Winamp. It makes more sense just to use Winamp sans equalizer. - Original Message - From: André van Deventer andred...@webafrica.org.za To: 'PC Audio Discussion List' pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 2:31 AM Subject: RE: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Hi all Perhaps I have not explained myself properly. What I am thinking about is the sound quality of a player without using any kind of equalisation at all. The kind of sound setup I have does not need any kind of equalization. A friend of mine said that she can hear a difference in sound quality between winamp and media player with the equalizer disabled in both players. -Original Message- From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of Dana S. Leslie Sent: 28 December 2008 07:54 AM To: PC Audio Discussion List Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? This is funny. I think we have an ambiguity going on here, between two senses of quality. When I first read the question in the subject line, I took it to refer to the *qualitative* feel of the sound produced by different players, as opposed to the *quantitative* numbers at which they might test out in a sound lab; and, in the *qualitative* sense of quality, I definitely do hear differences between different players. The differences I hear may well be due to different default settings. If I tweaked one player of whose sound I am not that fond, I might well get it to sound close to another player whose sound I prefer. But that is why I prefer the sound of the player whose sound I don't have to tweak to make it sound as I think it ought; because I don't have to tweak it. NONE of this talk of the quality of the sound produced by a player has anything to do with the good vs. bad scoring a player might receive in a sound lab's test of its technical specifications. In this regard, I suspect you are right; all the players would score pretty much alike. - Original Message - From: Christopher Chaltain cchalt...@austin.rr.com To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Saturday, December 27, 2008 11:17 PM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? I'm no audiophile, and my ears aren't what they used to be, but I would be a little surprised if there were any noticeable difference in the quality of the output you get from different media players. I haven't researched this in particular, but the different reviews I've read of the different media players talk about features, ease of use, bloat ware, I've never seen a review talk about sound quality of one software media player over another. I wonder how much of this perceived differences in the players is due to default equalizer settings? IMHO, if someone likes the sound they're getting from one player over another than that's the player they should be using. I think the test Steve describes would be interesting, but people wouldn't have to guess which layer was which but just rather which one they preferred. Like I said, I'd be a bit surprised if there were a noticeable difference in sound quality between the players, but it wouldn't be the first time I was surprised over something like this. DJ DOCTOR P wrote: Hello Steve, I have used media players such as VLC WMP and WINAMP. And for a while, I also used Real Media Player, they all sound pretty much the same to me. I haven't heard Foobar 2000 yet, I couldn't find the website to download it to try it out. I guess some things sound different to different people. My best regards! John. - Original Message - From: Steve Pattison s...@internode.on.net To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Friday, December 26, 2008 11:18 PM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? An interesting way to test this would be to play a song to someone using say Foobar, Winamp and Windows Media Player without them knowing which player was playing the song and then see if they could identify the players correctly. I certainly don't think I could tell what software player was playing a file just by listening to it. This raises the issue of whether a software player sounds better to someone simply because they like that player
Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
Well, I have a VERY high quality stereo sound system, through which I play the output of my computer's sound card. and, with that configuration, Winamp sans equalizer sounds much better, to my ear, than anything I can easily achieve with either WMP or Realplayer, even with their respective equalizers. The difference, I think, has to do mainly with the brightness and spaciousness of the mid range. - Original Message - From: André van Deventer andred...@webafrica.org.za To: 'PC Audio Discussion List' pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 4:02 AM Subject: RE: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? And reality is also that equalizer settings does weaken the sound quality somewhat when they are used? You would not necessarily hear this on a set of computer speakers but you may here it on a good hifi stereo system. -Original Message- From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of Dana S. Leslie Sent: 28 December 2008 10:27 AM To: PC Audio Discussion List Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? That's what I was talking about, too. I, too, can hear a difference in the sound quality between, for example, Winamp and WMP, even when each has its equalizer disabled. In fact, that is how I habitually use them -- with equalizer disabled. But, perhaps, the difference both your friend and I can hear has nothing to do with the technical quality of either player. Perhaps, each could be made to sound like the other, if its equalizer were enabled and sufficiently tweaked. But, since we prefer the sound quality that Winamp produces sans equalizer, why bother with tweaking WMP or Realplayer, to sound like Winamp. It makes more sense just to use Winamp sans equalizer. - Original Message - From: André van Deventer andred...@webafrica.org.za To: 'PC Audio Discussion List' pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 2:31 AM Subject: RE: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Hi all Perhaps I have not explained myself properly. What I am thinking about is the sound quality of a player without using any kind of equalisation at all. The kind of sound setup I have does not need any kind of equalization. A friend of mine said that she can hear a difference in sound quality between winamp and media player with the equalizer disabled in both players. -Original Message- From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of Dana S. Leslie Sent: 28 December 2008 07:54 AM To: PC Audio Discussion List Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? This is funny. I think we have an ambiguity going on here, between two senses of quality. When I first read the question in the subject line, I took it to refer to the *qualitative* feel of the sound produced by different players, as opposed to the *quantitative* numbers at which they might test out in a sound lab; and, in the *qualitative* sense of quality, I definitely do hear differences between different players. The differences I hear may well be due to different default settings. If I tweaked one player of whose sound I am not that fond, I might well get it to sound close to another player whose sound I prefer. But that is why I prefer the sound of the player whose sound I don't have to tweak to make it sound as I think it ought; because I don't have to tweak it. NONE of this talk of the quality of the sound produced by a player has anything to do with the good vs. bad scoring a player might receive in a sound lab's test of its technical specifications. In this regard, I suspect you are right; all the players would score pretty much alike. - Original Message - From: Christopher Chaltain cchalt...@austin.rr.com To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Saturday, December 27, 2008 11:17 PM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? I'm no audiophile, and my ears aren't what they used to be, but I would be a little surprised if there were any noticeable difference in the quality of the output you get from different media players. I haven't researched this in particular, but the different reviews I've read of the different media players talk about features, ease of use, bloat ware, I've never seen a review talk about sound quality of one software media player over another. I wonder how much of this perceived differences in the players is due to default equalizer settings? IMHO, if someone likes the sound they're getting from one player over another than that's the player they should be using. I think the test Steve describes would be interesting, but people wouldn't have to guess which layer was which but just rather which one they preferred. Like I said, I'd be a bit surprised if there were a noticeable difference in sound quality between
RE: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
And reality is also that equalizer settings does weaken the sound quality somewhat when they are used? You would not necessarily hear this on a set of computer speakers but you may here it on a good hifi stereo system. -Original Message- From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of Dana S. Leslie Sent: 28 December 2008 10:27 AM To: PC Audio Discussion List Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? That's what I was talking about, too. I, too, can hear a difference in the sound quality between, for example, Winamp and WMP, even when each has its equalizer disabled. In fact, that is how I habitually use them -- with equalizer disabled. But, perhaps, the difference both your friend and I can hear has nothing to do with the technical quality of either player. Perhaps, each could be made to sound like the other, if its equalizer were enabled and sufficiently tweaked. But, since we prefer the sound quality that Winamp produces sans equalizer, why bother with tweaking WMP or Realplayer, to sound like Winamp. It makes more sense just to use Winamp sans equalizer. - Original Message - From: André van Deventer andred...@webafrica.org.za To: 'PC Audio Discussion List' pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 2:31 AM Subject: RE: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Hi all Perhaps I have not explained myself properly. What I am thinking about is the sound quality of a player without using any kind of equalisation at all. The kind of sound setup I have does not need any kind of equalization. A friend of mine said that she can hear a difference in sound quality between winamp and media player with the equalizer disabled in both players. -Original Message- From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of Dana S. Leslie Sent: 28 December 2008 07:54 AM To: PC Audio Discussion List Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? This is funny. I think we have an ambiguity going on here, between two senses of quality. When I first read the question in the subject line, I took it to refer to the *qualitative* feel of the sound produced by different players, as opposed to the *quantitative* numbers at which they might test out in a sound lab; and, in the *qualitative* sense of quality, I definitely do hear differences between different players. The differences I hear may well be due to different default settings. If I tweaked one player of whose sound I am not that fond, I might well get it to sound close to another player whose sound I prefer. But that is why I prefer the sound of the player whose sound I don't have to tweak to make it sound as I think it ought; because I don't have to tweak it. NONE of this talk of the quality of the sound produced by a player has anything to do with the good vs. bad scoring a player might receive in a sound lab's test of its technical specifications. In this regard, I suspect you are right; all the players would score pretty much alike. - Original Message - From: Christopher Chaltain cchalt...@austin.rr.com To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Saturday, December 27, 2008 11:17 PM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? I'm no audiophile, and my ears aren't what they used to be, but I would be a little surprised if there were any noticeable difference in the quality of the output you get from different media players. I haven't researched this in particular, but the different reviews I've read of the different media players talk about features, ease of use, bloat ware, I've never seen a review talk about sound quality of one software media player over another. I wonder how much of this perceived differences in the players is due to default equalizer settings? IMHO, if someone likes the sound they're getting from one player over another than that's the player they should be using. I think the test Steve describes would be interesting, but people wouldn't have to guess which layer was which but just rather which one they preferred. Like I said, I'd be a bit surprised if there were a noticeable difference in sound quality between the players, but it wouldn't be the first time I was surprised over something like this. DJ DOCTOR P wrote: Hello Steve, I have used media players such as VLC WMP and WINAMP. And for a while, I also used Real Media Player, they all sound pretty much the same to me. I haven't heard Foobar 2000 yet, I couldn't find the website to download it to try it out. I guess some things sound different to different people. My best regards! John. - Original Message - From: Steve Pattison s...@internode.on.net To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org
RE: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
Hi Dana Ah this was exactly the comment I heard from my friend. Thanx. The debate I think will probably neever be resolved about this. There are so many factors which can influence. Another interesting thing: if you use a high quality digital to analog sound device, will there be a difference between playing cds on your computer's cd drive and a cd player? Just curious. Andre -Original Message- From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of Dana S. Leslie Sent: 28 December 2008 11:17 AM To: PC Audio Discussion List Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Well, I have a VERY high quality stereo sound system, through which I play the output of my computer's sound card. and, with that configuration, Winamp sans equalizer sounds much better, to my ear, than anything I can easily achieve with either WMP or Realplayer, even with their respective equalizers. The difference, I think, has to do mainly with the brightness and spaciousness of the mid range. - Original Message - From: André van Deventer andred...@webafrica.org.za To: 'PC Audio Discussion List' pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 4:02 AM Subject: RE: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? And reality is also that equalizer settings does weaken the sound quality somewhat when they are used? You would not necessarily hear this on a set of computer speakers but you may here it on a good hifi stereo system. -Original Message- From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of Dana S. Leslie Sent: 28 December 2008 10:27 AM To: PC Audio Discussion List Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? That's what I was talking about, too. I, too, can hear a difference in the sound quality between, for example, Winamp and WMP, even when each has its equalizer disabled. In fact, that is how I habitually use them -- with equalizer disabled. But, perhaps, the difference both your friend and I can hear has nothing to do with the technical quality of either player. Perhaps, each could be made to sound like the other, if its equalizer were enabled and sufficiently tweaked. But, since we prefer the sound quality that Winamp produces sans equalizer, why bother with tweaking WMP or Realplayer, to sound like Winamp. It makes more sense just to use Winamp sans equalizer. - Original Message - From: André van Deventer andred...@webafrica.org.za To: 'PC Audio Discussion List' pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 2:31 AM Subject: RE: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Hi all Perhaps I have not explained myself properly. What I am thinking about is the sound quality of a player without using any kind of equalisation at all. The kind of sound setup I have does not need any kind of equalization. A friend of mine said that she can hear a difference in sound quality between winamp and media player with the equalizer disabled in both players. -Original Message- From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of Dana S. Leslie Sent: 28 December 2008 07:54 AM To: PC Audio Discussion List Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? This is funny. I think we have an ambiguity going on here, between two senses of quality. When I first read the question in the subject line, I took it to refer to the *qualitative* feel of the sound produced by different players, as opposed to the *quantitative* numbers at which they might test out in a sound lab; and, in the *qualitative* sense of quality, I definitely do hear differences between different players. The differences I hear may well be due to different default settings. If I tweaked one player of whose sound I am not that fond, I might well get it to sound close to another player whose sound I prefer. But that is why I prefer the sound of the player whose sound I don't have to tweak to make it sound as I think it ought; because I don't have to tweak it. NONE of this talk of the quality of the sound produced by a player has anything to do with the good vs. bad scoring a player might receive in a sound lab's test of its technical specifications. In this regard, I suspect you are right; all the players would score pretty much alike. - Original Message - From: Christopher Chaltain cchalt...@austin.rr.com To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Saturday, December 27, 2008 11:17 PM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? I'm no audiophile, and my ears aren't what they used to be, but I would be a little surprised if there were any noticeable difference in the quality of the output you get from different media players. I haven't
Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
There shouldn't be a difference. I never play Cds on my computer. I rip them to the hard drive, then play them with winamp, through my stereo system. When judging how well this sounds, I've always use what I call the 'Where did I put the jewel case? test; and my system always passes. grin. - Original Message - From: André van Deventer andred...@webafrica.org.za To: 'PC Audio Discussion List' pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 6:50 AM Subject: RE: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Hi Dana Ah this was exactly the comment I heard from my friend. Thanx. The debate I think will probably neever be resolved about this. There are so many factors which can influence. Another interesting thing: if you use a high quality digital to analog sound device, will there be a difference between playing cds on your computer's cd drive and a cd player? Just curious. Andre -Original Message- From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of Dana S. Leslie Sent: 28 December 2008 11:17 AM To: PC Audio Discussion List Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Well, I have a VERY high quality stereo sound system, through which I play the output of my computer's sound card. and, with that configuration, Winamp sans equalizer sounds much better, to my ear, than anything I can easily achieve with either WMP or Realplayer, even with their respective equalizers. The difference, I think, has to do mainly with the brightness and spaciousness of the mid range. - Original Message - From: André van Deventer andred...@webafrica.org.za To: 'PC Audio Discussion List' pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 4:02 AM Subject: RE: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? And reality is also that equalizer settings does weaken the sound quality somewhat when they are used? You would not necessarily hear this on a set of computer speakers but you may here it on a good hifi stereo system. -Original Message- From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of Dana S. Leslie Sent: 28 December 2008 10:27 AM To: PC Audio Discussion List Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? That's what I was talking about, too. I, too, can hear a difference in the sound quality between, for example, Winamp and WMP, even when each has its equalizer disabled. In fact, that is how I habitually use them -- with equalizer disabled. But, perhaps, the difference both your friend and I can hear has nothing to do with the technical quality of either player. Perhaps, each could be made to sound like the other, if its equalizer were enabled and sufficiently tweaked. But, since we prefer the sound quality that Winamp produces sans equalizer, why bother with tweaking WMP or Realplayer, to sound like Winamp. It makes more sense just to use Winamp sans equalizer. - Original Message - From: André van Deventer andred...@webafrica.org.za To: 'PC Audio Discussion List' pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 2:31 AM Subject: RE: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Hi all Perhaps I have not explained myself properly. What I am thinking about is the sound quality of a player without using any kind of equalisation at all. The kind of sound setup I have does not need any kind of equalization. A friend of mine said that she can hear a difference in sound quality between winamp and media player with the equalizer disabled in both players. -Original Message- From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of Dana S. Leslie Sent: 28 December 2008 07:54 AM To: PC Audio Discussion List Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? This is funny. I think we have an ambiguity going on here, between two senses of quality. When I first read the question in the subject line, I took it to refer to the *qualitative* feel of the sound produced by different players, as opposed to the *quantitative* numbers at which they might test out in a sound lab; and, in the *qualitative* sense of quality, I definitely do hear differences between different players. The differences I hear may well be due to different default settings. If I tweaked one player of whose sound I am not that fond, I might well get it to sound close to another player whose sound I prefer. But that is why I prefer the sound of the player whose sound I don't have to tweak to make it sound as I think it ought; because I don't have to tweak it. NONE of this talk of the quality of the sound produced by a player has anything to do with the good vs. bad scoring a player might receive in a sound lab's test of its technical specifications. In this regard, I suspect you are right; all the players would score
Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
Hi Since people are talking about different pleyers which may not be known to all of us, could someone please post links to these players? Marsha Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org
Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
http://www.winamp.com/ http://www.real.com/ Windows Media Player (WMP), of course, comes installed with Windows. - Original Message - From: Marsha marcat...@yahoo.com To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 7:30 AM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Hi Since people are talking about different pleyers which may not be known to all of us, could someone please post links to these players? Marsha Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org __ NOD32 3719 (20081227) Information __ This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system. http://www.eset.com Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org
Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
As far as appearance on the screen is concerned Winamp out does them all. The best test would be to defeat the equalization settings, and then compare the various players. I would be surprised if there was a noticeable difference between the players. The best test would be to play a familiar piece of music on your system and then do a similar comparison with the various players. You should be looking for familiar music selections with a wide range of frequencies and sustaining notes. If you detect any type of distortion then you can eliminate that particular player. Another idea is to look for a frequency generator on the internet. Download the tomes and play them back. You may want to visit a number of websites in order to get the best download. Personally what I am looking for is not necessarily base notes, but rather a sound that is crisp and clean such as a sustaining guitar, piano or trumpet sound. We all have our audio preferences. What sounds good to me may sound awful to you. I can, for the most part pick out FM radio stations that use optamod equilization in their broadcast chain. Optamod puts out a sound that is very comforting to the ear. . . . . . . - Original Message - From: Steve Pattison s...@internode.on.net To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Friday, December 26, 2008 11:18 PM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? An interesting way to test this would be to play a song to someone using say Foobar, Winamp and Windows Media Player without them knowing which player was playing the song and then see if they could identify the players correctly. I certainly don't think I could tell what software player was playing a file just by listening to it. This raises the issue of whether a software player sounds better to someone simply because they like that player better. I don't have all the answers to this debate but it raises some interesting issues. Regards Steve Email: s...@internode.on.net Windows Live Messenger: internetuser...@hotmail.com Skype: steve1963 Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org
Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
Hello guise and girls, I have two sound cards in my computer. One of them for the audio, is going in to a speaker system that uses a pare of vacuum tube amplifiers. The other one, is hooked up to a pare of computer speakers. These are the ones that I listen to jaws through. Rather I'm using WMP WINAMP or Real Player, they all sound the same to me. It all depends on the audio files. If they're over compressed, the vacuum tubes in my amplifiers will let you hear that. My best regards! John. - Original Message - From: Dana S. Leslie dsles...@alumni.princeton.edu To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 4:17 AM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Well, I have a VERY high quality stereo sound system, through which I play the output of my computer's sound card. and, with that configuration, Winamp sans equalizer sounds much better, to my ear, than anything I can easily achieve with either WMP or Realplayer, even with their respective equalizers. The difference, I think, has to do mainly with the brightness and spaciousness of the mid range. - Original Message - From: André van Deventer andred...@webafrica.org.za To: 'PC Audio Discussion List' pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 4:02 AM Subject: RE: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? And reality is also that equalizer settings does weaken the sound quality somewhat when they are used? You would not necessarily hear this on a set of computer speakers but you may here it on a good hifi stereo system. -Original Message- From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of Dana S. Leslie Sent: 28 December 2008 10:27 AM To: PC Audio Discussion List Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? That's what I was talking about, too. I, too, can hear a difference in the sound quality between, for example, Winamp and WMP, even when each has its equalizer disabled. In fact, that is how I habitually use them -- with equalizer disabled. But, perhaps, the difference both your friend and I can hear has nothing to do with the technical quality of either player. Perhaps, each could be made to sound like the other, if its equalizer were enabled and sufficiently tweaked. But, since we prefer the sound quality that Winamp produces sans equalizer, why bother with tweaking WMP or Realplayer, to sound like Winamp. It makes more sense just to use Winamp sans equalizer. - Original Message - From: André van Deventer andred...@webafrica.org.za To: 'PC Audio Discussion List' pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 2:31 AM Subject: RE: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Hi all Perhaps I have not explained myself properly. What I am thinking about is the sound quality of a player without using any kind of equalisation at all. The kind of sound setup I have does not need any kind of equalization. A friend of mine said that she can hear a difference in sound quality between winamp and media player with the equalizer disabled in both players. -Original Message- From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of Dana S. Leslie Sent: 28 December 2008 07:54 AM To: PC Audio Discussion List Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? This is funny. I think we have an ambiguity going on here, between two senses of quality. When I first read the question in the subject line, I took it to refer to the *qualitative* feel of the sound produced by different players, as opposed to the *quantitative* numbers at which they might test out in a sound lab; and, in the *qualitative* sense of quality, I definitely do hear differences between different players. The differences I hear may well be due to different default settings. If I tweaked one player of whose sound I am not that fond, I might well get it to sound close to another player whose sound I prefer. But that is why I prefer the sound of the player whose sound I don't have to tweak to make it sound as I think it ought; because I don't have to tweak it. NONE of this talk of the quality of the sound produced by a player has anything to do with the good vs. bad scoring a player might receive in a sound lab's test of its technical specifications. In this regard, I suspect you are right; all the players would score pretty much alike. - Original Message - From: Christopher Chaltain cchalt...@austin.rr.com To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Saturday, December 27, 2008 11:17 PM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? I'm no audiophile, and my ears aren't what they used to be, but I would be a little surprised if there were any noticeable difference in the quality of the output you get from
RE: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
Hi bob I certainly agree with you about the clarity of the sound as compared to for example bass that is overpowering. Especially since I listen to a lot of acoustic music. Andre -Original Message- From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of Bob Seed Sent: 28 December 2008 08:47 PM To: PC Audio Discussion List Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? As far as appearance on the screen is concerned Winamp out does them all. The best test would be to defeat the equalization settings, and then compare the various players. I would be surprised if there was a noticeable difference between the players. The best test would be to play a familiar piece of music on your system and then do a similar comparison with the various players. You should be looking for familiar music selections with a wide range of frequencies and sustaining notes. If you detect any type of distortion then you can eliminate that particular player. Another idea is to look for a frequency generator on the internet. Download the tomes and play them back. You may want to visit a number of websites in order to get the best download. Personally what I am looking for is not necessarily base notes, but rather a sound that is crisp and clean such as a sustaining guitar, piano or trumpet sound. We all have our audio preferences. What sounds good to me may sound awful to you. I can, for the most part pick out FM radio stations that use optamod equilization in their broadcast chain. Optamod puts out a sound that is very comforting to the ear. . . . . . . - Original Message - From: Steve Pattison s...@internode.on.net To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Friday, December 26, 2008 11:18 PM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? An interesting way to test this would be to play a song to someone using say Foobar, Winamp and Windows Media Player without them knowing which player was playing the song and then see if they could identify the players correctly. I certainly don't think I could tell what software player was playing a file just by listening to it. This raises the issue of whether a software player sounds better to someone simply because they like that player better. I don't have all the answers to this debate but it raises some interesting issues. Regards Steve Email: s...@internode.on.net Windows Live Messenger: internetuser...@hotmail.com Skype: steve1963 Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.552 / Virus Database: 270.10.0/1865 - Release Date: 2008/12/26 01:01 PM No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.552 / Virus Database: 270.10.0/1865 - Release Date: 2008/12/26 01:01 PM Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org
RE: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
Hi John And using an amplifier with vacuum tub es, am I right in thinking you also prefer not to use any kind of equalization at all? Andre -Original Message- From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of DJ DOCTOR P Sent: 28 December 2008 09:22 PM To: PC Audio Discussion List Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Hello guise and girls, I have two sound cards in my computer. One of them for the audio, is going in to a speaker system that uses a pare of vacuum tube amplifiers. The other one, is hooked up to a pare of computer speakers. These are the ones that I listen to jaws through. Rather I'm using WMP WINAMP or Real Player, they all sound the same to me. It all depends on the audio files. If they're over compressed, the vacuum tubes in my amplifiers will let you hear that. My best regards! John. - Original Message - From: Dana S. Leslie dsles...@alumni.princeton.edu To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 4:17 AM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Well, I have a VERY high quality stereo sound system, through which I play the output of my computer's sound card. and, with that configuration, Winamp sans equalizer sounds much better, to my ear, than anything I can easily achieve with either WMP or Realplayer, even with their respective equalizers. The difference, I think, has to do mainly with the brightness and spaciousness of the mid range. - Original Message - From: André van Deventer andred...@webafrica.org.za To: 'PC Audio Discussion List' pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 4:02 AM Subject: RE: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? And reality is also that equalizer settings does weaken the sound quality somewhat when they are used? You would not necessarily hear this on a set of computer speakers but you may here it on a good hifi stereo system. -Original Message- From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of Dana S. Leslie Sent: 28 December 2008 10:27 AM To: PC Audio Discussion List Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? That's what I was talking about, too. I, too, can hear a difference in the sound quality between, for example, Winamp and WMP, even when each has its equalizer disabled. In fact, that is how I habitually use them -- with equalizer disabled. But, perhaps, the difference both your friend and I can hear has nothing to do with the technical quality of either player. Perhaps, each could be made to sound like the other, if its equalizer were enabled and sufficiently tweaked. But, since we prefer the sound quality that Winamp produces sans equalizer, why bother with tweaking WMP or Realplayer, to sound like Winamp. It makes more sense just to use Winamp sans equalizer. - Original Message - From: André van Deventer andred...@webafrica.org.za To: 'PC Audio Discussion List' pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 2:31 AM Subject: RE: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Hi all Perhaps I have not explained myself properly. What I am thinking about is the sound quality of a player without using any kind of equalisation at all. The kind of sound setup I have does not need any kind of equalization. A friend of mine said that she can hear a difference in sound quality between winamp and media player with the equalizer disabled in both players. -Original Message- From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of Dana S. Leslie Sent: 28 December 2008 07:54 AM To: PC Audio Discussion List Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? This is funny. I think we have an ambiguity going on here, between two senses of quality. When I first read the question in the subject line, I took it to refer to the *qualitative* feel of the sound produced by different players, as opposed to the *quantitative* numbers at which they might test out in a sound lab; and, in the *qualitative* sense of quality, I definitely do hear differences between different players. The differences I hear may well be due to different default settings. If I tweaked one player of whose sound I am not that fond, I might well get it to sound close to another player whose sound I prefer. But that is why I prefer the sound of the player whose sound I don't have to tweak to make it sound as I think it ought; because I don't have to tweak it. NONE of this talk of the quality of the sound produced by a player has anything to do with the good vs. bad scoring a player might receive in a sound lab's test of its technical specifications. In this regard, I suspect you are right; all the players would score pretty much alike
Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
I think that plays into this sort of thing much more than many audiofiles are willing to admit, including the vinyl versus CD debate, and whether 320K bitrate sound substantially worse than CD quality. I'm not saying that it's all psychological, but I'm just saying that it's probably, in my opinion, more psychological than the experts and wannabe experts are willing to admit. Bruce -- Bruce Toews Proud JAWS User Skype ID: o.canada E-mail and MSN/Windows Messenger: br...@ogts.net LiveJournal: http://masterofmusings.livejournal.com Web Site (including info on my weekly commentaries): http://www.ogts.net Info on the Best TV Show of All Time: http://www.cornergas.com On Sat, 27 Dec 2008, Steve Pattison wrote: An interesting way to test this would be to play a song to someone using say Foobar, Winamp and Windows Media Player without them knowing which player was playing the song and then see if they could identify the players correctly. I certainly don't think I could tell what software player was playing a file just by listening to it. This raises the issue of whether a software player sounds better to someone simply because they like that player better. I don't have all the answers to this debate but it raises some interesting issues. Regards Steve Email: s...@internode.on.net Windows Live Messenger: internetuser...@hotmail.com Skype: steve1963 Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org
Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
I have never noticed a difference; and I cannot think why there should be a difference. I wonder if those who detect such a difference if that difference may be the result of a default equalization imposed by the player which the user happens to be favored. Since all players allow for adjustments, this could be modified. While my personal preference in use is Real Player, I find all players satisfactory from a sound quality standpoint and would never not listen to a stream because it required the use of a specific player. The most holy service that we can render to God is to be employed in praising His name. John Calvin Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org
Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
Well, if your favorite player is Real Player, can you please tell me how to turn off all the libraries and assorted stuff to just make it a basic player I can move around in and so on? Bruce -- Bruce Toews Proud JAWS User Skype ID: o.canada E-mail and MSN/Windows Messenger: br...@ogts.net LiveJournal: http://masterofmusings.livejournal.com Web Site (including info on my weekly commentaries): http://www.ogts.net Info on the Best TV Show of All Time: http://www.cornergas.com On Sun, 28 Dec 2008, Mike Pietruk wrote: I have never noticed a difference; and I cannot think why there should be a difference. I wonder if those who detect such a difference if that difference may be the result of a default equalization imposed by the player which the user happens to be favored. Since all players allow for adjustments, this could be modified. While my personal preference in use is Real Player, I find all players satisfactory from a sound quality standpoint and would never not listen to a stream because it required the use of a specific player. The most holy service that we can render to God is to be employed in praising His name. John Calvin Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org
Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
Bruce I don't have that issue with Real Player; of course, I have never used the libraries for anything either so perhaps that's why I have never seen this as an issue. I use RP for listening to Podcasts downloaded with either Juice or iTunes and for playing streams. Wish I could assist, Bruce. The most holy service that we can render to God is to be employed in praising His name. John Calvin Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org
Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
Hello Andre, The tubes can and do take care of all equalization for you. Just as long as the signal is flat, everything on the sound stage will come through like it's suppose to. I don't care to much for solid state amplifiers because of the harsh clipping and distortion that they give you when you drive them a little to hard. That kind of junk will blow up any good pare of speakers. But vacuum tubes are full clean and rich and reproducing the audio signal. This is why I said in an earlier post, it all depends on the audio file. If the audio file has been over compressed, the vacuum tubes will let you hear that. But you have to have a set of really good speakers. Computer speakers don't let you hear a lot of the things that you can hear coming from a very high quality set of hi phi speakers. The tubes just lets me hear what I can't get from those amplifiers that are often built in to computer speakers. My best regards! John. - Original Message - From: André van Deventer andred...@webafrica.org.za To: 'PC Audio Discussion List' pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 3:47 PM Subject: RE: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Hi John And using an amplifier with vacuum tub es, am I right in thinking you also prefer not to use any kind of equalization at all? Andre -Original Message- From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of DJ DOCTOR P Sent: 28 December 2008 09:22 PM To: PC Audio Discussion List Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Hello guise and girls, I have two sound cards in my computer. One of them for the audio, is going in to a speaker system that uses a pare of vacuum tube amplifiers. The other one, is hooked up to a pare of computer speakers. These are the ones that I listen to jaws through. Rather I'm using WMP WINAMP or Real Player, they all sound the same to me. It all depends on the audio files. If they're over compressed, the vacuum tubes in my amplifiers will let you hear that. My best regards! John. - Original Message - From: Dana S. Leslie dsles...@alumni.princeton.edu To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 4:17 AM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Well, I have a VERY high quality stereo sound system, through which I play the output of my computer's sound card. and, with that configuration, Winamp sans equalizer sounds much better, to my ear, than anything I can easily achieve with either WMP or Realplayer, even with their respective equalizers. The difference, I think, has to do mainly with the brightness and spaciousness of the mid range. - Original Message - From: André van Deventer andred...@webafrica.org.za To: 'PC Audio Discussion List' pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 4:02 AM Subject: RE: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? And reality is also that equalizer settings does weaken the sound quality somewhat when they are used? You would not necessarily hear this on a set of computer speakers but you may here it on a good hifi stereo system. -Original Message- From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of Dana S. Leslie Sent: 28 December 2008 10:27 AM To: PC Audio Discussion List Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? That's what I was talking about, too. I, too, can hear a difference in the sound quality between, for example, Winamp and WMP, even when each has its equalizer disabled. In fact, that is how I habitually use them -- with equalizer disabled. But, perhaps, the difference both your friend and I can hear has nothing to do with the technical quality of either player. Perhaps, each could be made to sound like the other, if its equalizer were enabled and sufficiently tweaked. But, since we prefer the sound quality that Winamp produces sans equalizer, why bother with tweaking WMP or Realplayer, to sound like Winamp. It makes more sense just to use Winamp sans equalizer. - Original Message - From: André van Deventer andred...@webafrica.org.za To: 'PC Audio Discussion List' pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 2:31 AM Subject: RE: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Hi all Perhaps I have not explained myself properly. What I am thinking about is the sound quality of a player without using any kind of equalisation at all. The kind of sound setup I have does not need any kind of equalization. A friend of mine said that she can hear a difference in sound quality between winamp and media player with the equalizer disabled in both players. -Original Message- From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of Dana S. Leslie Sent: 28 December 2008 07:54
Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
I wish you could, too. I'm not fiercely anti-Real, like some are, but I do prefer Winamp for playing non-Real material, resorting to Real when I have to. But it's set up so visually, I just want to turn all that off and have a regular little noninvasive player. It would also be nice if I could adjust the volume separately from speech, which I can only do thanks to the Vista volume control. bruce -- Bruce Toews Proud JAWS User Skype ID: o.canada E-mail and MSN/Windows Messenger: br...@ogts.net LiveJournal: http://masterofmusings.livejournal.com Web Site (including info on my weekly commentaries): http://www.ogts.net Info on the Best TV Show of All Time: http://www.cornergas.com On Sun, 28 Dec 2008, Mike Pietruk wrote: Bruce I don't have that issue with Real Player; of course, I have never used the libraries for anything either so perhaps that's why I have never seen this as an issue. I use RP for listening to Podcasts downloaded with either Juice or iTunes and for playing streams. Wish I could assist, Bruce. The most holy service that we can render to God is to be employed in praising His name. John Calvin Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org
Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
I can't notice a difference between Windows Media Player, Realplayer and Winamp with files where the bit rate is reasonably high. Where I do notice a difference, however, is with audio streams with a bit rate of 24 kBPS or less. For me, Realplayer sounds the best at low bit rates. Also, whilst I like using it for what it does, the Winamp SQR Crossfade output plugin sounds worse than the standard Winamp output plugin with low bit rate files. Just my thoughts. Regards, Barry Chapman - Original Message - From: Dana S. Leslie dsles...@alumni.princeton.edu To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 7:26 PM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? That's what I was talking about, too. I, too, can hear a difference in the sound quality between, for example, Winamp and WMP, even when each has its equalizer disabled. In fact, that is how I habitually use them -- with equalizer disabled. But, perhaps, the difference both your friend and I can hear has nothing to do with the technical quality of either player. Perhaps, each could be made to sound like the other, if its equalizer were enabled and sufficiently tweaked. But, since we prefer the sound quality that Winamp produces sans equalizer, why bother with tweaking WMP or Realplayer, to sound like Winamp. It makes more sense just to use Winamp sans equalizer. - Original Message - From: André van Deventer andred...@webafrica.org.za To: 'PC Audio Discussion List' pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 2:31 AM Subject: RE: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Hi all Perhaps I have not explained myself properly. What I am thinking about is the sound quality of a player without using any kind of equalisation at all. The kind of sound setup I have does not need any kind of equalization. A friend of mine said that she can hear a difference in sound quality between winamp and media player with the equalizer disabled in both players. -Original Message- From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of Dana S. Leslie Sent: 28 December 2008 07:54 AM To: PC Audio Discussion List Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? This is funny. I think we have an ambiguity going on here, between two senses of quality. When I first read the question in the subject line, I took it to refer to the *qualitative* feel of the sound produced by different players, as opposed to the *quantitative* numbers at which they might test out in a sound lab; and, in the *qualitative* sense of quality, I definitely do hear differences between different players. The differences I hear may well be due to different default settings. If I tweaked one player of whose sound I am not that fond, I might well get it to sound close to another player whose sound I prefer. But that is why I prefer the sound of the player whose sound I don't have to tweak to make it sound as I think it ought; because I don't have to tweak it. NONE of this talk of the quality of the sound produced by a player has anything to do with the good vs. bad scoring a player might receive in a sound lab's test of its technical specifications. In this regard, I suspect you are right; all the players would score pretty much alike. - Original Message - From: Christopher Chaltain cchalt...@austin.rr.com To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Saturday, December 27, 2008 11:17 PM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? I'm no audiophile, and my ears aren't what they used to be, but I would be a little surprised if there were any noticeable difference in the quality of the output you get from different media players. I haven't researched this in particular, but the different reviews I've read of the different media players talk about features, ease of use, bloat ware, I've never seen a review talk about sound quality of one software media player over another. I wonder how much of this perceived differences in the players is due to default equalizer settings? IMHO, if someone likes the sound they're getting from one player over another than that's the player they should be using. I think the test Steve describes would be interesting, but people wouldn't have to guess which layer was which but just rather which one they preferred. Like I said, I'd be a bit surprised if there were a noticeable difference in sound quality between the players, but it wouldn't be the first time I was surprised over something like this. DJ DOCTOR P wrote: Hello Steve, I have used media players such as VLC WMP and WINAMP. And for a while, I also used Real Media Player, they all sound pretty much the same to me. I haven't heard Foobar 2000 yet, I couldn't find the website to download
Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
I think the other players that were mentioned include: VLC media player from http://www.videolan.org/ jetAudio from http://www.jetaudio.com/ foobar2000 from http://www.foobar2000.org/ Dana S. Leslie wrote: http://www.winamp.com/ http://www.real.com/ Windows Media Player (WMP), of course, comes installed with Windows. - Original Message - From: Marsha marcat...@yahoo.com To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 7:30 AM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Hi Since people are talking about different pleyers which may not be known to all of us, could someone please post links to these players? Marsha Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org __ NOD32 3719 (20081227) Information __ This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system. http://www.eset.com Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org -- Christopher cchalt...@austin.rr.com Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org
Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
There has been an ongoing debate for years as to whether or not radio stations should use a graphic equalizer on the output of their signal. The general consensus is that the listener would much rather prefer making the equilization adjustments on their own receiver. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation puts out a flat audio source leaving the final adjustments to the listener. Keep in mind that in some cases line equalization is necessary in order to balance out the audio if by chance it sounds tinny. The best audio files swear by their vacuum tube technology. They say that the audio that comes out of a tube amplifier has a ritch and warm sound. I for one agree. - Original Message - From: André van Deventer andred...@webafrica.org.za To: 'PC Audio Discussion List' pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 3:47 PM Subject: RE: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Hi John And using an amplifier with vacuum tub es, am I right in thinking you also prefer not to use any kind of equalization at all? Andre -Original Message- From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of DJ DOCTOR P Sent: 28 December 2008 09:22 PM To: PC Audio Discussion List Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Hello guise and girls, I have two sound cards in my computer. One of them for the audio, is going in to a speaker system that uses a pare of vacuum tube amplifiers. The other one, is hooked up to a pare of computer speakers. These are the ones that I listen to jaws through. Rather I'm using WMP WINAMP or Real Player, they all sound the same to me. It all depends on the audio files. If they're over compressed, the vacuum tubes in my amplifiers will let you hear that. My best regards! John. - Original Message - From: Dana S. Leslie dsles...@alumni.princeton.edu To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 4:17 AM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Well, I have a VERY high quality stereo sound system, through which I play the output of my computer's sound card. and, with that configuration, Winamp sans equalizer sounds much better, to my ear, than anything I can easily achieve with either WMP or Realplayer, even with their respective equalizers. The difference, I think, has to do mainly with the brightness and spaciousness of the mid range. - Original Message - From: André van Deventer andred...@webafrica.org.za To: 'PC Audio Discussion List' pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 4:02 AM Subject: RE: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? And reality is also that equalizer settings does weaken the sound quality somewhat when they are used? You would not necessarily hear this on a set of computer speakers but you may here it on a good hifi stereo system. -Original Message- From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of Dana S. Leslie Sent: 28 December 2008 10:27 AM To: PC Audio Discussion List Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? That's what I was talking about, too. I, too, can hear a difference in the sound quality between, for example, Winamp and WMP, even when each has its equalizer disabled. In fact, that is how I habitually use them -- with equalizer disabled. But, perhaps, the difference both your friend and I can hear has nothing to do with the technical quality of either player. Perhaps, each could be made to sound like the other, if its equalizer were enabled and sufficiently tweaked. But, since we prefer the sound quality that Winamp produces sans equalizer, why bother with tweaking WMP or Realplayer, to sound like Winamp. It makes more sense just to use Winamp sans equalizer. - Original Message - From: André van Deventer andred...@webafrica.org.za To: 'PC Audio Discussion List' pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 2:31 AM Subject: RE: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Hi all Perhaps I have not explained myself properly. What I am thinking about is the sound quality of a player without using any kind of equalisation at all. The kind of sound setup I have does not need any kind of equalization. A friend of mine said that she can hear a difference in sound quality between winamp and media player with the equalizer disabled in both players. -Original Message- From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of Dana S. Leslie Sent: 28 December 2008 07:54 AM To: PC Audio Discussion List Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? This is funny. I think we have an ambiguity going on here, between two senses of quality. When I first read the question in the subject line, I took
Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
It is fine that the CBC don't use equalisation, but I wish they would use some kind of limiter on their internet streams. I was listening to a CBC station the other day via the internet and their volume levels were all over the place. I don't know if the BBC use a limiter, but the volume levels on their internet streams are much more uniform. Regards, Barry Chapman - Original Message - From: Bob Seed bobs...@tbaytel.net To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Monday, December 29, 2008 1:51 PM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? There has been an ongoing debate for years as to whether or not radio stations should use a graphic equalizer on the output of their signal. The general consensus is that the listener would much rather prefer making the equilization adjustments on their own receiver. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation puts out a flat audio source leaving the final adjustments to the listener. Keep in mind that in some cases line equalization is necessary in order to balance out the audio if by chance it sounds tinny. The best audio files swear by their vacuum tube technology. They say that the audio that comes out of a tube amplifier has a ritch and warm sound. I for one agree. - Original Message - From: André van Deventer andred...@webafrica.org.za To: 'PC Audio Discussion List' pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 3:47 PM Subject: RE: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Hi John And using an amplifier with vacuum tub es, am I right in thinking you also prefer not to use any kind of equalization at all? Andre -Original Message- From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of DJ DOCTOR P Sent: 28 December 2008 09:22 PM To: PC Audio Discussion List Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Hello guise and girls, I have two sound cards in my computer. One of them for the audio, is going in to a speaker system that uses a pare of vacuum tube amplifiers. The other one, is hooked up to a pare of computer speakers. These are the ones that I listen to jaws through. Rather I'm using WMP WINAMP or Real Player, they all sound the same to me. It all depends on the audio files. If they're over compressed, the vacuum tubes in my amplifiers will let you hear that. My best regards! John. - Original Message - From: Dana S. Leslie dsles...@alumni.princeton.edu To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 4:17 AM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Well, I have a VERY high quality stereo sound system, through which I play the output of my computer's sound card. and, with that configuration, Winamp sans equalizer sounds much better, to my ear, than anything I can easily achieve with either WMP or Realplayer, even with their respective equalizers. The difference, I think, has to do mainly with the brightness and spaciousness of the mid range. - Original Message - From: André van Deventer andred...@webafrica.org.za To: 'PC Audio Discussion List' pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 4:02 AM Subject: RE: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? And reality is also that equalizer settings does weaken the sound quality somewhat when they are used? You would not necessarily hear this on a set of computer speakers but you may here it on a good hifi stereo system. -Original Message- From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of Dana S. Leslie Sent: 28 December 2008 10:27 AM To: PC Audio Discussion List Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? That's what I was talking about, too. I, too, can hear a difference in the sound quality between, for example, Winamp and WMP, even when each has its equalizer disabled. In fact, that is how I habitually use them -- with equalizer disabled. But, perhaps, the difference both your friend and I can hear has nothing to do with the technical quality of either player. Perhaps, each could be made to sound like the other, if its equalizer were enabled and sufficiently tweaked. But, since we prefer the sound quality that Winamp produces sans equalizer, why bother with tweaking WMP or Realplayer, to sound like Winamp. It makes more sense just to use Winamp sans equalizer. - Original Message - From: André van Deventer andred...@webafrica.org.za To: 'PC Audio Discussion List' pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 2:31 AM Subject: RE: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Hi all Perhaps I have not explained myself properly. What I am thinking about is the sound quality of a player without using any kind of equalisation at all. The kind of sound setup I have does
Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
Hello Steve, I have used media players such as VLC WMP and WINAMP. And for a while, I also used Real Media Player, they all sound pretty much the same to me. I haven't heard Foobar 2000 yet, I couldn't find the website to download it to try it out. I guess some things sound different to different people. My best regards! John. - Original Message - From: Steve Pattison s...@internode.on.net To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Friday, December 26, 2008 11:18 PM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? An interesting way to test this would be to play a song to someone using say Foobar, Winamp and Windows Media Player without them knowing which player was playing the song and then see if they could identify the players correctly. I certainly don't think I could tell what software player was playing a file just by listening to it. This raises the issue of whether a software player sounds better to someone simply because they like that player better. I don't have all the answers to this debate but it raises some interesting issues. Regards Steve Email: s...@internode.on.net Windows Live Messenger: internetuser...@hotmail.com Skype: steve1963 Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org
Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
I'm no audiophile, and my ears aren't what they used to be, but I would be a little surprised if there were any noticeable difference in the quality of the output you get from different media players. I haven't researched this in particular, but the different reviews I've read of the different media players talk about features, ease of use, bloat ware, I've never seen a review talk about sound quality of one software media player over another. I wonder how much of this perceived differences in the players is due to default equalizer settings? IMHO, if someone likes the sound they're getting from one player over another than that's the player they should be using. I think the test Steve describes would be interesting, but people wouldn't have to guess which layer was which but just rather which one they preferred. Like I said, I'd be a bit surprised if there were a noticeable difference in sound quality between the players, but it wouldn't be the first time I was surprised over something like this. DJ DOCTOR P wrote: Hello Steve, I have used media players such as VLC WMP and WINAMP. And for a while, I also used Real Media Player, they all sound pretty much the same to me. I haven't heard Foobar 2000 yet, I couldn't find the website to download it to try it out. I guess some things sound different to different people. My best regards! John. - Original Message - From: Steve Pattison s...@internode.on.net To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Friday, December 26, 2008 11:18 PM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? An interesting way to test this would be to play a song to someone using say Foobar, Winamp and Windows Media Player without them knowing which player was playing the song and then see if they could identify the players correctly. I certainly don't think I could tell what software player was playing a file just by listening to it. This raises the issue of whether a software player sounds better to someone simply because they like that player better. I don't have all the answers to this debate but it raises some interesting issues. Regards Steve Email: s...@internode.on.net Windows Live Messenger: internetuser...@hotmail.com Skype: steve1963 Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org -- Christopher cchalt...@austin.rr.com Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org
Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
This is funny. I think we have an ambiguity going on here, between two senses of quality. When I first read the question in the subject line, I took it to refer to the *qualitative* feel of the sound produced by different players, as opposed to the *quantitative* numbers at which they might test out in a sound lab; and, in the *qualitative* sense of quality, I definitely do hear differences between different players. The differences I hear may well be due to different default settings. If I tweaked one player of whose sound I am not that fond, I might well get it to sound close to another player whose sound I prefer. But that is why I prefer the sound of the player whose sound I don't have to tweak to make it sound as I think it ought; because I don't have to tweak it. NONE of this talk of the quality of the sound produced by a player has anything to do with the good vs. bad scoring a player might receive in a sound lab's test of its technical specifications. In this regard, I suspect you are right; all the players would score pretty much alike. - Original Message - From: Christopher Chaltain cchalt...@austin.rr.com To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Saturday, December 27, 2008 11:17 PM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? I'm no audiophile, and my ears aren't what they used to be, but I would be a little surprised if there were any noticeable difference in the quality of the output you get from different media players. I haven't researched this in particular, but the different reviews I've read of the different media players talk about features, ease of use, bloat ware, I've never seen a review talk about sound quality of one software media player over another. I wonder how much of this perceived differences in the players is due to default equalizer settings? IMHO, if someone likes the sound they're getting from one player over another than that's the player they should be using. I think the test Steve describes would be interesting, but people wouldn't have to guess which layer was which but just rather which one they preferred. Like I said, I'd be a bit surprised if there were a noticeable difference in sound quality between the players, but it wouldn't be the first time I was surprised over something like this. DJ DOCTOR P wrote: Hello Steve, I have used media players such as VLC WMP and WINAMP. And for a while, I also used Real Media Player, they all sound pretty much the same to me. I haven't heard Foobar 2000 yet, I couldn't find the website to download it to try it out. I guess some things sound different to different people. My best regards! John. - Original Message - From: Steve Pattison s...@internode.on.net To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Friday, December 26, 2008 11:18 PM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? An interesting way to test this would be to play a song to someone using say Foobar, Winamp and Windows Media Player without them knowing which player was playing the song and then see if they could identify the players correctly. I certainly don't think I could tell what software player was playing a file just by listening to it. This raises the issue of whether a software player sounds better to someone simply because they like that player better. I don't have all the answers to this debate but it raises some interesting issues. Regards Steve Email: s...@internode.on.net Windows Live Messenger: internetuser...@hotmail.com Skype: steve1963 Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org -- Christopher cchalt...@austin.rr.com Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org __ NOD32 3719 (20081227) Information __ This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system. http://www.eset.com Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org
RE: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
Hi all Perhaps I have not explained myself properly. What I am thinking about is the sound quality of a player without using any kind of equalisation at all. The kind of sound setup I have does not need any kind of equalization. A friend of mine said that she can hear a difference in sound quality between winamp and media player with the equalizer disabled in both players. -Original Message- From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of Dana S. Leslie Sent: 28 December 2008 07:54 AM To: PC Audio Discussion List Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? This is funny. I think we have an ambiguity going on here, between two senses of quality. When I first read the question in the subject line, I took it to refer to the *qualitative* feel of the sound produced by different players, as opposed to the *quantitative* numbers at which they might test out in a sound lab; and, in the *qualitative* sense of quality, I definitely do hear differences between different players. The differences I hear may well be due to different default settings. If I tweaked one player of whose sound I am not that fond, I might well get it to sound close to another player whose sound I prefer. But that is why I prefer the sound of the player whose sound I don't have to tweak to make it sound as I think it ought; because I don't have to tweak it. NONE of this talk of the quality of the sound produced by a player has anything to do with the good vs. bad scoring a player might receive in a sound lab's test of its technical specifications. In this regard, I suspect you are right; all the players would score pretty much alike. - Original Message - From: Christopher Chaltain cchalt...@austin.rr.com To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Saturday, December 27, 2008 11:17 PM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? I'm no audiophile, and my ears aren't what they used to be, but I would be a little surprised if there were any noticeable difference in the quality of the output you get from different media players. I haven't researched this in particular, but the different reviews I've read of the different media players talk about features, ease of use, bloat ware, I've never seen a review talk about sound quality of one software media player over another. I wonder how much of this perceived differences in the players is due to default equalizer settings? IMHO, if someone likes the sound they're getting from one player over another than that's the player they should be using. I think the test Steve describes would be interesting, but people wouldn't have to guess which layer was which but just rather which one they preferred. Like I said, I'd be a bit surprised if there were a noticeable difference in sound quality between the players, but it wouldn't be the first time I was surprised over something like this. DJ DOCTOR P wrote: Hello Steve, I have used media players such as VLC WMP and WINAMP. And for a while, I also used Real Media Player, they all sound pretty much the same to me. I haven't heard Foobar 2000 yet, I couldn't find the website to download it to try it out. I guess some things sound different to different people. My best regards! John. - Original Message - From: Steve Pattison s...@internode.on.net To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Friday, December 26, 2008 11:18 PM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? An interesting way to test this would be to play a song to someone using say Foobar, Winamp and Windows Media Player without them knowing which player was playing the song and then see if they could identify the players correctly. I certainly don't think I could tell what software player was playing a file just by listening to it. This raises the issue of whether a software player sounds better to someone simply because they like that player better. I don't have all the answers to this debate but it raises some interesting issues. Regards Steve Email: s...@internode.on.net Windows Live Messenger: internetuser...@hotmail.com Skype: steve1963 Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org -- Christopher cchalt...@austin.rr.com Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org __ NOD32 3719 (20081227
Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
Hi to all on the list I realise that the subject I am talking about now is a rather controversial one but here goes anyhow! Is there a difference in sound quality between different software media players like windows media player, winamp, etc.? I read somewhere that some people recommend Quicktime for audifile use. I have a professional quality emagic soundcard hooked up to a high quality sound system and want to get the best possible sound quality out of the system. If at all possible, I would like a high quality media player with no equalizer setting and no connection to the internet at all! It just needs to be play music. Why on earth would you need equalizer settings if you need a good sound system?!! Andre No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.552 / Virus Database: 270.10.0/1862 - Release Date: 2008/12/23 12:08 PM Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org
Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
I think they definitely do differ; an I, for one, prefer the sound quality I get from Winamp, to either WMP or Realplayer. If you don't want it, you can disable Winamp's equalizer, as well as the features that send it web browsing. Not liking its interface, I've never used QuickTime for anything other than playing streams that will only play in QT. But what about it is supposed to be superior for audiophile listening? I've never found Winamp deficient in that regard. Blessed Be, Namaste, Dana that's Dana, D A N A, NOT Donna, D O N N A If your synthesizer pronounces them identically, instruct your customized pronunciation dictionary that Dana=dayna. D. S. Leslie, née C. R. Guttman Email: dsles...@alumni.princeton.edu Skype: dsleslie Web: ÞE OL' PHILOSOPHIE SHOPPE Your Source for Discounted Ideas http://members.cox.net/dsleslie2/ - Original Message - From: André van Deventer andred...@webafrica.org.za To: 'PC Audio Discussion List' pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Friday, December 26, 2008 8:06 AM Subject: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Hi to all on the list I realise that the subject I am talking about now is a rather controversial one but here goes anyhow! Is there a difference in sound quality between different software media players like windows media player, winamp, etc.? I read somewhere that some people recommend Quicktime for audifile use. I have a professional quality emagic soundcard hooked up to a high quality sound system and want to get the best possible sound quality out of the system. If at all possible, I would like a high quality media player with no equalizer setting and no connection to the internet at all! It just needs to be play music. Why on earth would you need equalizer settings if you need a good sound system?!! Andre No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.552 / Virus Database: 270.10.0/1862 - Release Date: 2008/12/23 12:08 PM Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org __ NOD32 3718 (20081226) Information __ This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system. http://www.eset.com Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org
Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
Hello, I love the sound that I get from Foobar2000 over that from Winamp. Just sounds so much clearer and punchy. Dana S. Leslie wrote: I think they definitely do differ; an I, for one, prefer the sound quality I get from Winamp, to either WMP or Realplayer. If you don't want it, you can disable Winamp's equalizer, as well as the features that send it web browsing. Not liking its interface, I've never used QuickTime for anything other than playing streams that will only play in QT. But what about it is supposed to be superior for audiophile listening? I've never found Winamp deficient in that regard. Blessed Be, Namaste, Dana that's Dana, D A N A, NOT Donna, D O N N A If your synthesizer pronounces them identically, instruct your customized pronunciation dictionary that Dana=dayna. D. S. Leslie, née C. R. Guttman Email: dsles...@alumni.princeton.edu Skype: dsleslie Web: ÞE OL' PHILOSOPHIE SHOPPE Your Source for Discounted Ideas http://members.cox.net/dsleslie2/ - Original Message - From: André van Deventer andred...@webafrica.org.za To: 'PC Audio Discussion List' pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Friday, December 26, 2008 8:06 AM Subject: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Hi to all on the list I realise that the subject I am talking about now is a rather controversial one but here goes anyhow! Is there a difference in sound quality between different software media players like windows media player, winamp, etc.? I read somewhere that some people recommend Quicktime for audifile use. I have a professional quality emagic soundcard hooked up to a high quality sound system and want to get the best possible sound quality out of the system. If at all possible, I would like a high quality media player with no equalizer setting and no connection to the internet at all! It just needs to be play music. Why on earth would you need equalizer settings if you need a good sound system?!! Andre No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.552 / Virus Database: 270.10.0/1862 - Release Date: 2008/12/23 12:08 PM Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org __ NOD32 3718 (20081226) Information __ This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system. http://www.eset.com Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org __ NOD32 3718 (20081226) Information __ This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system. http://www.eset.com -- Check out my radio and TeamTalk server! http://www.jls-radio.com -- James Scholes E-mail: ja...@jamesscholes.com MSN/Windows Live Messenger: jamesscho...@msn.com AIM: JamesScholes000 Skype: james.scholes Website: http://www.jamesscholes.com Blog: http://www.jamesscholes.com/blog Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/jamesscholes Find me on Facebook! Username: jamesscholes Link to Facebook profile: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1375965156hiq=jamesscholes Last.FM Profile: http://www.last.fm/user/jamesscholes000 -- Message sent at 05:57:26 PM GMT on Friday, December 26, 2008 Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org
Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
I've never heard Foobar. - Original Message - From: James Scholes ja...@jls-radio.com To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Friday, December 26, 2008 12:57 PM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Hello, I love the sound that I get from Foobar2000 over that from Winamp. Just sounds so much clearer and punchy. Dana S. Leslie wrote: I think they definitely do differ; an I, for one, prefer the sound quality I get from Winamp, to either WMP or Realplayer. If you don't want it, you can disable Winamp's equalizer, as well as the features that send it web browsing. Not liking its interface, I've never used QuickTime for anything other than playing streams that will only play in QT. But what about it is supposed to be superior for audiophile listening? I've never found Winamp deficient in that regard. Blessed Be, Namaste, Dana that's Dana, D A N A, NOT Donna, D O N N A If your synthesizer pronounces them identically, instruct your customized pronunciation dictionary that Dana=dayna. D. S. Leslie, née C. R. Guttman Email: dsles...@alumni.princeton.edu Skype: dsleslie Web: ÞE OL' PHILOSOPHIE SHOPPE Your Source for Discounted Ideas http://members.cox.net/dsleslie2/ - Original Message - From: André van Deventer andred...@webafrica.org.za To: 'PC Audio Discussion List' pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Friday, December 26, 2008 8:06 AM Subject: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? Hi to all on the list I realise that the subject I am talking about now is a rather controversial one but here goes anyhow! Is there a difference in sound quality between different software media players like windows media player, winamp, etc.? I read somewhere that some people recommend Quicktime for audifile use. I have a professional quality emagic soundcard hooked up to a high quality sound system and want to get the best possible sound quality out of the system. If at all possible, I would like a high quality media player with no equalizer setting and no connection to the internet at all! It just needs to be play music. Why on earth would you need equalizer settings if you need a good sound system?!! Andre No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.552 / Virus Database: 270.10.0/1862 - Release Date: 2008/12/23 12:08 PM Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org __ NOD32 3718 (20081226) Information __ This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system. http://www.eset.com Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org __ NOD32 3718 (20081226) Information __ This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system. http://www.eset.com -- Check out my radio and TeamTalk server! http://www.jls-radio.com -- James Scholes E-mail: ja...@jamesscholes.com MSN/Windows Live Messenger: jamesscho...@msn.com AIM: JamesScholes000 Skype: james.scholes Website: http://www.jamesscholes.com Blog: http://www.jamesscholes.com/blog Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/jamesscholes Find me on Facebook! Username: jamesscholes Link to Facebook profile: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1375965156hiq=jamesscholes Last.FM Profile: http://www.last.fm/user/jamesscholes000 -- Message sent at 05:57:26 PM GMT on Friday, December 26, 2008 Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org __ NOD32 3718 (20081226) Information __ This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system. http://www.eset.com Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org
Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
I have never engaged in the sort of 'blind' test you suggest; and I doubt I could *name* each player correctly in the way you suggest. But, I'm sure I could hear difference, and rank them according to my preference. And, I expect, the player I prefer would come out on top. It's rather as though, when sampling various vintages, I would be unable to identify each vintage; but, after ranking them by preference, I found that the highest rank vintage is, indeed, my preferred vintage. Blessed Be, Namaste, Dana that's Dana, D A N A, NOT Donna, D O N N A If your synthesizer pronounces them identically, instruct your customized pronunciation dictionary that Dana=dayna. D. S. Leslie, née C. R. Guttman Email: dsles...@alumni.princeton.edu Skype: dsleslie Web: ÞE OL' PHILOSOPHIE SHOPPE Your Source for Discounted Ideas http://members.cox.net/dsleslie2/ - Original Message - From: Steve Pattison s...@internode.on.net To: PC Audio Discussion List pc-audio@pc-audio.org Sent: Friday, December 26, 2008 11:18 PM Subject: Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ? An interesting way to test this would be to play a song to someone using say Foobar, Winamp and Windows Media Player without them knowing which player was playing the song and then see if they could identify the players correctly. I certainly don't think I could tell what software player was playing a file just by listening to it. This raises the issue of whether a software player sounds better to someone simply because they like that player better. I don't have all the answers to this debate but it raises some interesting issues. Regards Steve Email: s...@internode.on.net Windows Live Messenger: internetuser...@hotmail.com Skype: steve1963 Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org __ NOD32 3718 (20081226) Information __ This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system. http://www.eset.com Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org
Re: Does the sound quality of different software media players differ?
An interesting way to test this would be to play a song to someone using say Foobar, Winamp and Windows Media Player without them knowing which player was playing the song and then see if they could identify the players correctly. I certainly don't think I could tell what software player was playing a file just by listening to it. This raises the issue of whether a software player sounds better to someone simply because they like that player better. I don't have all the answers to this debate but it raises some interesting issues. Regards Steve Email: s...@internode.on.net Windows Live Messenger: internetuser...@hotmail.com Skype: steve1963 Jonathan Mosen List Founder Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org
