[PeterDLai]

I currently have a pair of Sennheiser CX300 of Koss KSC-75 because I'm on a low budget.

Listening through both my onboard audio (Realtek HD Audio) on my laptop and my Sound Blaster Live! 24-bit on my desktop, I hear harsh treble in some of my MP3s. The KSC-75 produces the harsher "ssss" and "chhhh" sounds, but it's very noticeable in the CX300 as well.

Is the culprit most likely the sound cards (too crappy?), the headphones (too bright?), or the rips (LAME 3.97 extreme)?

 

[tschanrm]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeterDLai I currently have a pair of Sennheiser CX300 of Koss KSC-75 because I'm on a low budget. Listening through both my onboard audio (Realtek HD Audio) on my laptop and my Sound Blaster Live! 24-bit on my desktop, I hear harsh treble in some of my MP3s. The KSC-75 produces the harsher "ssss" and "chhhh" sounds, but it's very noticeable in the CX300 as well. Is the culprit most likely the sound cards (too crappy?), the headphones (too bright?), or the rips (LAME 3.97 extreme)?

This is sibilance you are hearing. Poor source material sounds like the culprit (a 'hot' recording, so to speak). It can also be from impedance mismatch, or component source loading. Does the source material sound fine before it's encoded to mp3?

 

[Sleestack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeterDLai I currently have a pair of Sennheiser CX300 of Koss KSC-75 because I'm on a low budget. Listening through both my onboard audio (Realtek HD Audio) on my laptop and my Sound Blaster Live! 24-bit on my desktop, I hear harsh treble in some of my MP3s. The KSC-75 produces the harsher "ssss" and "chhhh" sounds, but it's very noticeable in the CX300 as well. Is the culprit most likely the sound cards (too crappy?), the headphones (too bright?), or the rips (LAME 3.97 extreme)?

Do you have an EQ in your Media player? Check to see if your treble is boosted. Most recordings are recorded hot so that a little high-end rololff actually helps.

 

[Filburt]

I agree with Sleestack, it's probably the recording. Try tapering off around 10-16khz and bump <1khz and 2-4khz a bit and see if that helps it out. It should help mask the sibilance a bit. Unfortunately I'm not familiar with either of those headphones enough to know for sure nor do I know your sound card, so I'm sort of shooting from the hip on what to try just based on some basic psychoacoustics.

 

[NotoriousBIG_PJ]

Hot recordings + likely your soundcard isn't helping. ksc75 doesn't have bad sibilance problems.

Biggie.