[thrillhaus]

Ever since I upgraded my Xonar DG to an X-Fi Titanium HD, I've been noticing a lot more clipping in my FLAC and MP3 files. It's usually just a click here and there, and not every file has it. At first I thought it might be the card, or the notoriously bad Creative drivers, but comparing back to the Xonar, and my motherboard's onboard audio, I hear the clipping in the exact same places. Replay gain does nothing, so my theory was that the files themselves were bad rips.
 
However, listening to the following track, I get a subtle but noticeable bit of distortion on some of the louder flute passages.
 
File: http://www.nuforce.com/hp/media/Nuforce%20Demo1/09%20-%20ComplexTonalResolution.wav
Page: http://www.nuforce.com/hp/media/Nuforce%20Demo1/index.php
 
I wouldn't expect Nuforce to make the careless mistake of letting distortion into their demo tracks, but if the problem isn't the source, I have no idea what it is. I don't think it's my headphones as I hear the distortion in both my HD555 and D2000, with the gain turned way down. Am I the only one who is hearing this?
 
EDIT: Listen closely from 0:25-0:28, that's where the distortion is most obvious for me.

 

[anadin]

Try using Foobar with Advanced Limiter.

 

[MrQ]

Yes I'm getting distortion on that file. Using HE-6.

 

[thrillhaus]

Quote:

Try using Foobar with Advanced Limiter.

Nope, same problem. Distortion is most prominent at 0:26-0:28.

 

[anadin]

Zero clipping using the above mediaplayer and plugin playing your file.

 

[thrillhaus]

Quote:

Zero clipping using the above mediaplayer and plugin playing your file.

What's your setup?

 

[anadin]

PC via coax into a Cambridge Audio Dacmagic then running into a Heed Canamp Headphone amp driving some AKG 702's at present.

 

[thrillhaus]

Anyone with a sound card not getting the distortion?

 

[ChipnDalebowl]

I got no distortion with this:

uLilith -> Turtle Beach USB -> Sennheiser PX100 (old generation)

That's not even super hi-fi either. The flute is definitely close-miked, but it doesn't distort.

 

[jackwess]

For some reason, the file is not loading here.

 

[fufula]

Distortion @ 0:26-0:28, 0:31, 0:35, 0:40, 0:42
 
uLilith/ASIO/some EQ > Essence ST > PRO550
 
Checked foobar w/WASAPI and no DSPs to confirm.

 

[justie]

using LCD2s and im gettign clipping as well. 

 

[thrillhaus]

Quote:

For some reason, the file is not loading here.

Try clicking on the link from the website directly.
 
Quote:

Yes I'm getting distortion on that file. Using HE-6.

Quote:

using LCD2s and im gettign clipping as well. 

Can I get some info on your setups? The two instances of no clipping so far have been with external devices. Also, is everyone using a 64-bit OS?
 

 

[ChipnDalebowl]

Yes, I have Windows 7 64-bit. I didn't need any special drivers for my external usb device either.

With ulilith I used WASAPI to send it right to the sound card and bypass everything else.

For the record, I tried this with foobar2000 too...no differences.

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

Yea there's some audible clipping heard here and there from the flute for me too. 
 
Audigy 2 ZS -> ZO -> foobar2000 (kx mixer not bypassed) on Win 7 64bit -> my headphones 
 
0:26-0:28, 0:31, 0:34, 0:39, 0:41