Does Streetdeck affect the SQ of a music file?

**RedGTiVR6** · 10-05-2007, 10:13 AM

yes, you can tell the difference between players.

to say you can't tells me you have not spent the time checking that or verifing that...I've done an AB comparison between WinAmp and Windows Media Player and there is a NOTICEABLE difference.

**parksgm** · 10-05-2007, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by Artificial

sure it's not that bad, but still you wont hear any difference between the different players...

Completely depends on what you're listening with...there'd likely be very little audible difference with a stock system, but that probably wouldn't be the case with an upgraded, aftermarket system purpose built for sound quality...which is what Red has.

**t3sn4f2** · 10-05-2007, 12:12 PM

Originally Posted by RedGTiVR6

yes, you can tell the difference between players.

to say you can't tells me you have not spent the time checking that or verifing that...I've done an AB comparison between WinAmp and Windows Media Player and there is a NOTICEABLE difference.

Jan in your type of system would you concider the difference between the 2 something that is noticably bad and draws attention as having something wrong when not compared head to head or would you say that its something that still sounds good but when compared face to face rapidly can have a noticable difference.

**changeip** · 10-09-2007, 01:41 AM

so is there no way to get WMP to play audio CDs without screwing with them? I have been wondering why my audio sucks lately ... it's WMP ?

**t3sn4f2** · 10-09-2007, 07:47 AM

Originally Posted by changeip

so is there no way to get WMP to play audio CDs without screwing with them? I have been wondering why my audio sucks lately ... it's WMP ?

WMP is not what is messing with your CD (although I can't say much about its decoding softwares quality, but it does not seem to be a popular signal degradation concern to people). Its what the XP mixer does after WMP decodes the signal that is what is affecting the signal. IF you want to use WMP and still have quality sound (not "BIT PERFECT" sound though) you can go with windows Vista which had the whole audio part rewritten by people that do audio. Here's a long thread about Vista sound quality from the head microsoft audio software designer.
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...3&page=1&pp=30

How bad would you say your sound is. I have been told from the designer of a highend DAC that in order for him to hear the negative things that XP does to the audio he need to have on high quality headphones and the difference is not easily heard. Are you sure its not something else in your audio chain or would you concider yourself to have very sensitive hearing and would pick up on the inferior audio easily.

**RedGTiVR6** · 10-09-2007, 08:38 AM

The difference isn't easily heard and 99% of people out there probably wouldn't notice it. However, if you're serious about it and are trying to get the best sound possible and the most realiztic recreation of the recording, then chances are you'll notice it.

We've done an A/B in our car between WMP and WinAmp (bit-perfect set-up) and there is a very noticeable difference on our set-up...but then again, our set-up is pretty different from what most people would have.

**t3sn4f2** · 10-09-2007, 08:58 AM

Originally Posted by RedGTiVR6

The difference isn't easily heard and 99% of people out there probably wouldn't notice it. However, if you're serious about it and are trying to get the best sound possible and the most realiztic recreation of the recording, then chances are you'll notice it.

We've done an A/B in our car between WMP and WinAmp (bit-perfect set-up) and there is a very noticeable difference on our set-up...but then again, our set-up is pretty different from what most people would have.

Thanks for your insight Jan.

**changeip** · 10-09-2007, 11:19 AM

I've always been a car audio geek and had nice stereos, and I can tell when something doesn't sound as it should. If you can't tell the difference between 128k or 320k mp3 compared to a real CD then it's not something most people worry about.

I've got Boston Pros, JL Audio amps, etc. I am using the Audio Roadie which probably isn't the best either, but better than anything else I could find. The optical in to a audiobahn dsp was not that great either.

I tried vista to start out with but since they phased out DirectSound no ones drivers work for 4 channel right. The roadie does not produce anything > 2 channel sound in vista no matter what you do.

**RedGTiVR6** · 10-09-2007, 12:17 PM

audiobahn anything isn't that great.

Look into the USB sound cards thread in the Car Audio FAQ section...you will find better options in there for your sound card. There's also a processor thread in there as well that will list off your options for processors with optical inputs.