Any way to get better sound quality?

[JustinP526]

Mobo uses Realtek ALC887 8 channel (should be HD?)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130762

 

Speakers are Altec Lansing ADA885 120 watt computer speakers with 20cm (8") dual voice coil subwoofer

http://www.overstock.com/Electronics/Altec-Lansing-ADA885-THX-Dolby-Digital-Speakers-Refurbished/53993/product.html

 

Everything sounds muddy and lifeless, highs are distorted and sound like the tweeters are being played through an aluminum can. Lots of very low end bass frequencies (below 50 Hz) is nearly inaudible. Bass guitar, low end of piano, cello (bass) are basically non-existent and sound like trying to force extreme low end onto a cheap boombox.

 

Tried installing PulseAudio Multiband EQ (why the hell does it stop at 50 Hz for low end? a good EQ controls lower than that) but that just makes bass sound boomy and eliminates the ring that you get from stringed instruments. Highs get even more distorted (is that going to fry out my tweeters and mids?)...

It also becomes disabled every time audio track changes. Re-enabling then mutes the volume so I have to open the volume control and turn it back up.

 

I get better sound quality out of the stock stereo in the Honda CRV (15cm [6.5"] "full range" cheap crap speakers) even with no EQing available.

 

Even tried using a different setup in place of the Altec Lansings and no improvement. My other setup is a Sansui 6060

http://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/sansui/6060.shtml

And a pair of Fisher STV-887A speakers with 15" woofers

 

Think I'm starting to see why we use so many Apple/Mac machines in the studio (in Finland) when we record.

I do know that we use Silverblade tube amps and nothing is louder or cleaner sound!!

http://www.silverbladeaudio.com/index2.html

 

How many of the drums and cymbals can you hear in this drum recording? I'm not able to hear the bass drum nor half of the cymbals. Floor toms and rack toms and snare sound ok though.

[KurtBleach]

Like Terry said, stop bloody whining. You will never get true sound without using pure old school analog reel-to-reel TAPE and then cutting vinyl. Just keep experimenting. That's the joy of Linux, so many apps and free. But if there is something superior in M$, then keep a separate Win PC for your recordings.

[JustinP526]

Experiment with what?

Google search for bad audio quality in linux brings up hundreds of results, all people have same problem. Only response is to use the program I showed that I try to use.

Everyone else use Ubuntu and say it works great (don't know what they figure great is).... I try in openSUSE and it makes the problem worse.

 

:filtered:... VITUN :filtered:!!!

[KurtBleach]

Then if u are so worried about sound quality, don't use a damn computer to record. All digital music sucks compared to the old school tape method.

Edited November 20, 2015 by KurtBleach

[nigsy]

oops, forgot the ladies. Jacee the heroine of spyware fighting and her sidekick Juliet (or vice versa). I love you all.

And of course Roger. That Caintry Boy. And Guns. And all y'alls. I hope 4 peace and good luck 4 everyone.

Peace out.

 

I'm feeling left out !

[nigsy]

What file format are you trying to play? Like Kurt says PC's are not the best medium for listening to music. I'm a bit of a Vinyl snob and believe that is the closest you are going to get to how the artist wanted it to sound; especially if you can get it on 180gm+ vinyl.

 

Try and record / play files in a lossless format, FLAC is the most common (Free Lossless Audio Codec); but the file has to be recorded in FLAC from source; you can not take a compressed format (lossy) and convert it to FLAC and expect it to sound anything like a recording taken from the raw source in FLAC. Lossy codecs include .wma, .mp3 etc.

 

There many lossy to lossless converters out there (think hanbrake might do it in Suse) but you will never get that same quality as the simple result of compressing the file means you can not simply uncompress it.

 

In short - Buy a record player and turn it up to 11!!

[KurtBleach]

 

I'm feeling left out !

Sorry, Nigel. You also rock, and yes, there's nothing like vinyl.

[caintry_boy]

and yes, there's nothing like vinyl.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[dimwit]

Audiophile Linux is based on Arch Linux distribution. Old versions are based on Linux Mint. It’s absolutely free.

Linux operating system Supported DACs and it’s kernel are distributed under GPL license.
Might want to have a look at their Supported DACs first.

http://www.ap-linux.com/

I haven't used ap linux but it seems their goals fit yours.
Others have had problems with Realtek ALC887 driver.
I don't know anything about it.

Edited November 20, 2015 by dimwit

[terry1966]

not an audiophile and probably a bit tone deaf so i never had a real problem with sound except it not being very loud or being able to set certain programs to use output devices.

 

i'd probably look into using jack for audio,

try not installing pulseaudio,

maybe changing your hardware profile/output settings, (probably need analoge 5.1 or something.)

maybe try using vlc backend instead of gstreamer,

etc. etc.

 

sound quaility is a personal thing so can't really help you on what will make things sound good to you, all i can suggest is google and experimentation really.

 

for example i think sometimes i get better sound quaility using kaffeine instead of vlc, maybe there is no difference and it's just me.

 

some links to help get you started.

 

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Sound_system

https://en.opensuse.org/SDB:Sound_concepts

https://en.opensuse.org/SDB:Audio_troubleshooting

http://tedfelix.com/linux/linux-midi.html

 

 

just listened to that vidio using my usual tv as output and then with my headphones, seemed to me like headphones win hands down for audio quaility.

Edited November 22, 2015 by terry1966