Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Graham]

After posting a question on this forum and getting some useful replies I decided to to build my own computer dedicated to playing music through my music system and based around MJ. I completed it a few days ago and it sounded great. Suddenly, today, the sound quality deteriorated after doing a test recording of a vinyl album. I first noticed that the vocal part of the music was much quieter than the original, distant and as if it was coming from the bottom of a well. The instruments sound comparitively louder and with very much higher treble. I tried recording in both WAV and OGG formats but got the same results.

I then went back to listening to music stored on my harddrive I noticed that most of the MP3s sound heavily distorted and as if they're being played under water. OGG sounds a bit better, but is still way below the previous quality.

I get the same result playing MP3s through Windows Media Player.

CDs played through MJ are not greatly distorted but again the vocals are quieter, very distant with an echo (as if some frequency ranges have been somehow modified or removed). If I play a CD through the standard windows CD player the quality is back to normal!!

I burned some of the heavily distorted MP3 tracks onto a CD and they play fine on the HiFi CD player.

I have experienced a recent power cut while the computer was on. Could this have affected the (on board) sound card? If so why would the Windows CD player application sound fine? Why would OGG and MP3s be affected in such a different way?

I've reinstalled MJ, but this made no difference.

HELP!!!!

Media Jukebox PLUS 8.0.336
Install Path: C:\Program Files\J River\Media Jukebox\

CPU: AMD Athlon 1110 MHz MMX
Memory: Total - 97 MB, Free - 22 MB
OS: Microsoft Windows 2000  Workstation 5.0 Service Pack 2 (Build 2195)

Internet Explorer: 6.0.2600.0000
ComCtl32.dll: 5.50.4704.1100
Shlwapi.dll: 6.00.2600.0000
Shell32.dll: 5.00.3315.2902
wnaspi32.dll: 4.71 (0001) , ASPI for Win32 (95/NT) DLL, Copyright © 1989-2002 Adaptec, Inc.
Aspi32.sys: 4.71 (0001)

[sub-24]

It sounds to me like part of the DAC on your soundcard has died.

It may be that when you play CD's from MJ that digital playback is configured in your device settings.
But if you use Windows CD player it is using analogue playback and bypassing the DAC on your soundcard.

If this is the case try to set MJ to play back in analogue. If the CD's then play back okay it is almost certainly a problem with your soundcard DAC.

Then its a case of trying a new soundcard to prove it.

Hope this helps.

[JimH]

Check the wav level setting in your windows volume controls.  It should be set high.

[gateley]

I have had a sound card toasted by a power failure (with strange results: MJ would play fine for a while, and then start buffering, leaving gaps in the music). You can test this by trying a different card (even an el cheapo) that you know works.

The CD sometimes takes a different path (there is a cable carrying an analog signal from the cd drive direct to the sound card, and MJ may or may not use this).

j

[Graham]

Good advice from from you all...

I changed to analogue playback for the CD player and it plays fine...

...now, who do I know with a spare soundcard going begging.

Shame though, new motherboard with onboard soundcard. How long are these things supposed to last???

[KingSparta]

>> new motherboard with onboard soundcard.
Maybe It Is Still Under Guarantee

[sub-24]

This is now your chance to get a Hi -Fi sound card.

I started a thread last week and to save you te botherits either

M-Audio
Lynx
Turtle Beach

I wish mine would blow up to give me an excuse.

[Shotgun2]

Might check for clipping from the DSP (if in use). Might have been accidentally increased. This happened to me and it ran me crazy fir a spell.

Good luck!

Later - sg2

[Graham]

Well, tried a different soundcard (sound blaster), got the play sound quality (and volume) back...
... but then found that the 'record sound' level was so low that even at 100% MJ registered too low to record either from a tape recorder or record deck. It's usually about 15-20% on my 'working' computer - which incidently has the same on board sound processor (AC97)- for a reasonable quality recording. Tried playing around with the 'Line In' volume levels without any effect whatsoever.

So, back went the motherboard and was duly replaced by a brand new one under guarantee (you were right, of course, KingSparta). The new one was installed and played well for all of thirty seconds and then degenerated to the previous sound quality when I changed tracks, the vocals sounding like the singers are gargalling with water and the overall tracks, MP3s in particular, sound very much like a cassette does when it's being chewed in the machine. OGGs tend to have the vocals much reduced in volume with what seems to be an echo, the bass is hugely distorted and the treble is massively enhanced.

Boy, am I having a bad day...

Anyone know of any issues with the Avance AC97 onboard sound and the (Gigabyte) CA-7VKML AMD Socket A processor motherboard (VIA KM266 AGPset)? I have no idea what most of that means, but my digging around the web seems to suggest that a few gamers are complaining about loss of sound and 'clipping' with similar combinations.

Right now, my plans for a simple MJ-based music system are in tatters and I think my partner is about to leave me for an environment unpopulated by random loud expletives!

[JimH]

Graham,
>  'record sound' level was so low that even at 100% MJ registered too low to record

That means one of two things.  That you have the cable plugged into the wrong port OR that the input is set wrong.  Try "mixer" under options.  Also check your Windows sound controls and make sure nothing is muted.