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More => Old Versions => Media Jukebox => Topic started by: threshold on May 17, 2004, 05:36:04 pm

Title: How do I improve music playback quality?
Post by: threshold on May 17, 2004, 05:36:04 pm: Hi Group,

I have a small club that meets in a hotel ballroom. We have been playing dance music using dual CD players, a basic mixer and a 550 watt amp. I have encoded all of the music using Lame at 192kbs bitrate. When I play from my laptop through the mixer and amp using MJ, the sound quality is not nearly as good as the CD quality, but when I play through my home system, which does not amplify it as much, it sounds just as good as CD. I have tried encoding at 256kbs and it still is not that great.

I 'suspect' that it has to do with the having to turn the laptop volume up very high, distorting the output. Does anyone have any ideas how to improve the quality?

Thanks!
Mike
Title: Re:How do I improve music playback quality?
Post by: JimH on May 17, 2004, 06:29:01 pm: Ordinarily, the volume and wave levels should both be set higher so the amp doesn't amplify the noise.

It's possible that the amp in the hotel is better and you hear flaws in the MP3's that you don't at home.

Try encoding a few in APE and see if that makes a difference.
Title: Re:How do I improve music playback quality?
Post by: threshold on May 18, 2004, 01:46:51 pm: Will do. Thanks.
Title: Re:How do I improve music playback quality?
Post by: pipsqueak on May 19, 2004, 12:24:34 pm: threshold

also, unless your laptop has a great soundcard the output isnt great. I use a laptop and when i added an external creative audigy USB soundcard the improvement was incredible. i now hate using the laptop's internal jack output.

pip
Title: Re:How do I improve music playback quality?
Post by: threshold on May 19, 2004, 12:47:33 pm: I tried a Creative external card, but it was the cheap one. I'll try the one you recommend. Thanks.
Title: Re:How do I improve music playback quality?
Post by: pipsqueak on May 19, 2004, 12:49:52 pm: i paid $80 for mine (from JandR after a $50 rebate), should be able to find it for $100 or just under...