[TK31]

So far, all the integrated cards i've had have this annoying effect, where, for example, a guy hits his bass drum hard, or a bass guitar gets strummed, the sound 'shrinks', gets quieter, not giving any sort of punch that i get from MP3 players. This lack of bass makes me constantly reach for my MP3 player.

Now, you might say "why not just keep it that way and use ur MP3?" well, listening to music on the computer is a lot better, since i do work, and can change songs/settings etc.etc. without getting distracted.

I've tried getting better headphones, Sennheiser CX6, to compensate for the low bass, but it doesnt really give a huge difference.

Im on a laptop so changing the sound card is a big no. There was one time, where i managed to sustain the bass, as in it wouldnt 'shrink' back at the slightest drum hit, but when it got too heavy, it started to sound like an ipod, VERY distorted.

In a nutshell, what i want to know is, the name of the problem, as in what that 'shrinking' effect is actually called, and whether it indeed is a crappy sound card problem (IDT Audio) or can it be fixed by software/drivers.

 

[germanium]

The effect you are talking of is compression or limiting both do this but limiting is much more noticable. There are many recordings that use these tools excessively to get thier recordings as loud as possible overall & as result will do this regardless of the quality of your playback system. It may even be more noticable on high quality systems.

Some sound cards will do this as well. Some C-Media card will allow you to boost the left & right balance controls to somthing like 10db louder than the DAC's are capable of handling & this will activate an internal limiter that prevents the DAC from clipping the sound.The limiter is built into the C-Media chip. Leave the balance controlls at the default setting & there is no limiting added by the chip.

 

[Logistics]

I think it's just the on-board sound. I've always had a problem with my SbLive! cards having crappy bottom end. They distort and or are quiet on low bass, but if you line one out to an external amplifier, even PC speakers with their own headphone amp, the bass is great. The Sennheisers will just run worse at 16 Ohms, which I'm sure your PC is not prepared to drive. (iPod Touch for example can in fact drive a 16 Ohm load!) In fact that's probably one of the troubles with my Live! cards is that I'm always feeding them something other than 32 Ohm phones. (24 and 16)

To me, this is simply clipping of the internal OpAmp.

 

[Geohound]

I thought lower ohms means it would be easier to drive, why do you say 32 ohms is easier to drive than 16? I get this impression from the higher end phones @ 500 ohms or more requiring an amp to function properly. Right now I am running a pair of audiotechnica ATH-AD700s that have an impedence of 32 ohms from an Xfi Xtreme gamer card, seems to sound pretty nice though I'm not sure what kind of power this card puts out, looks really small.

 

[TK31]

Ah... yes, it seems my IDT Audio/Sigmatel Audio card can't handle as much low-frequency power as the software states it does. Boosting the 55-110Hz range on an EQ by even +5 dB already starts to kick in the limiter.

Ive found an Express Card laptop sound card by Creative, which seems reasonable, and i was wondering if anyone had a second opinion on it.
Its a Creative Sound Blaster XFI Xtreme NoteBook..

This is really my first time buying a sound card thats not integrated/came with the computer.

 

[leeperry]

I'd advise an M-Audio Audophile USB, very cheap second hand, proper HP out(based on three JRC5532), bit-perfect ASIO drivers....will beat any Creative card w/o a doubt.

 

[ROBSCIX]

Your best bet is to look for a quality recording interface or a USB DAC.
Look around and do some research and decide form there. Good luck on your gear hunt.

 

[Aleatoris]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TK31 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ah... yes, it seems my IDT Audio/Sigmatel Audio card can't handle as much low-frequency power as the software states it does. Boosting the 55-110Hz range on an EQ by even +5 dB already starts to kick in the limiter. Ive found an Express Card laptop sound card by Creative, which seems reasonable, and i was wondering if anyone had a second opinion on it. Its a Creative Sound Blaster XFI Xtreme NoteBook.. This is really my first time buying a sound card thats not integrated/came with the computer.

Maybe try EQing everything else by -5dB.

 

[TK31]

yes.. ill try looking around for the M-Audio USB DAC.

Ive found this very funny phenomenum, where if i use Cyberlink PowerDVD with Dolby Headphone switched on, to play my music, and switch on the IDT Bass Routing functionality, it gives me earthquake-like bass, the type i expect from a full blown 12" sub, with no limiting at all. I plugged in my mini marshall amp xD and turned it up full blast to see if max volume would make the bass shrink back.... and surprise surprise, it doesnt at all. This doesnt work so far with any other software.

Maybe PowerDVD is doing something funny that bypasses the limiter?