SRS Wow Thing - Thoughts?

[ponzio]

Has anyone played with this?
http://wowthing.com/default.asp?AG=WMPLINK

SRS processor with 400mW @ 32 ohms

$25 w/ free shipping

I don't think I dislike the SRS effect on Windows Media Player, it seems to boost lows and mids and create a more enveloping sound.

[chych]

Wow, they are making that thing cheaper and cheaper (got mine at $30, increased to $40, down to $30, now $25 + free shipping).

Well, it isn't that great but it kind of works.

Personally I do not like it, the lows are too artificial and boosts more midbass (though it is better than bass boost as the low bass can be boosted). Bass is muddy too...

I don't like the crossfeed either, it makes the sound almost monoaural like, it all goes directly in front of you and distinguishing l/r becomes more difficult.

The headphone out is lousy, noisy as anything. Line out is fine.


Though for $25 it probably is at the right price. You can also get Sennheiser DSP units for a bit more than that used, if you can find them.

[chych]

Hm, this shouldn't be in the portable forum either... it isn't portable at all!

[jude]

Originally posted by chych
Hm, this shouldn't be in the portable forum either... it isn't portable at all!

Thanks, chych. I moved it.

[ponzio]

Oops, should've posted it here instead.

I think the definition of portable should be "Can I throw it 15 yards (meters)?" I know, I know, batteries, small etc.

Seriously though, I would say that the TA is portable, but I'm not sure that I would call the Grado Amp portable, even though it has batteries. Have we argued about what characteristics something must have in order to receive the 'portable' tag?

Enough outta me.

[Jon Beilin]

Well, the description of the portable forum says it is for portable sources . The WOW thing is a dsp of sorts. Anyway, I asked this same question a while ago and got a unanimous reply that WOW technology is crap, and the WOW thing is even worse. I looked into what WOW does and it really is gimmicky. Want better audio? Try TDS things. Stereophile approved and great sounding.

[thomas]

A while back i think i saw a portable version of the wowthing (wowman?) but SRS wow processing sounds horrible, especially when compared with good DSPs like Dolby Headphone

[Possum]

I have no idea what SRS improved when they introduced the WOW components. They used to sell the almost exact same products under the product line NuReality. I bought a NuReality Vivid 3D Plus (looks almost identical to the WOW, so poop to their design team) back in 1995 for $80, and at that time SRS was certainly a "wow'ing" technology to me. But 6 years later, trying to introduce almost the same product again under a different and CHEESIER name seems very desperate.

Edit: This post can't be all negative. I have to say that for games and movies that don't offer any special 2-channel encoding options, the SRS technology offers a pretty nice 3D effect, much better than the non-SRS ones you'd find built into computer speakers like Labtecs, etc.

[jphone]

I'm using a piece of equipment called Theater2000 from
Spectrum Research (www.theatersound.com), which is
actually a SRS porcessor. I bought it because I didn't
want to go the Home Theater way, I'm not a big movie
fun (I prefer music). It can create a really nice enveloping
sound and make some of the dull recordings come alive.
The effect depends on the recording, some of them benefit,
some of them don't. I also use it with my Headroom Little
and HD600 setup. Again sometimes the effect is dramatic,
almost holographic, sometimes I take it out of the loop.
Playing with the settings iproves things a bit, but different
recordings require different settings. I'm also trying to get
the TDS to test with my AKG K1000 setup. The WOW Thing
is a re-work on the SRS system, I bought one to test 'cause
they are dirt cheap. I thing the Theater2000 is much better
but then it costs 10 times as much. I would use the WOW
with a PC (e.g. it makes mp3s listenable).