classicalguy
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- May 9, 2004
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I have two computer sound systems in my house. The one downstairs has an M-audio transit (proprietary ASIO) ---> T-Amp ---> bookshelf speakers. The one upstairs has an Xitel Pro (ASIO4All) ---> T-Amp ---> bookshelf speakers. Both USB sound cards.
I one downstairs (Transit) sounded great. The one upstairs (Xitel) sounded bad. I thought it was the speakers, so I swapped them. The downstairs still sounds good, while the upstairs still sounds bad. So it was not the speakers. The only differences between the two are the USB sound cards and the room (which I don't think would make this kind of a difference since in both cases I'm sitting close to the speakers, in similar locations on the desk).
I noticed that the Xitel converts to 48Khz from the native 44.1. I suspect the Transit doesn't, and that is the source of the sound problems. It sounds as though the life of the music has been sucked out. It dulls the notes - they are all there, but lack the clean impact that makes music sound dynamic. It's like you put a blanket over the speakers. I suspect that the sound problem is caused by the conversion to 48Khz. The difference is not subtle to my ears.
When I get some time, I'm going to hook a good CD into the T-Amp in the bad sounding system to make sure I don't have a bad cable and to isolate the problem to the source.
Do you think I'm right about the 44Khz upconverting causing the problem? Is the only cure a new sound card? How can I find out whether available usb sound cards upconvert?
I one downstairs (Transit) sounded great. The one upstairs (Xitel) sounded bad. I thought it was the speakers, so I swapped them. The downstairs still sounds good, while the upstairs still sounds bad. So it was not the speakers. The only differences between the two are the USB sound cards and the room (which I don't think would make this kind of a difference since in both cases I'm sitting close to the speakers, in similar locations on the desk).
I noticed that the Xitel converts to 48Khz from the native 44.1. I suspect the Transit doesn't, and that is the source of the sound problems. It sounds as though the life of the music has been sucked out. It dulls the notes - they are all there, but lack the clean impact that makes music sound dynamic. It's like you put a blanket over the speakers. I suspect that the sound problem is caused by the conversion to 48Khz. The difference is not subtle to my ears.
When I get some time, I'm going to hook a good CD into the T-Amp in the bad sounding system to make sure I don't have a bad cable and to isolate the problem to the source.
Do you think I'm right about the 44Khz upconverting causing the problem? Is the only cure a new sound card? How can I find out whether available usb sound cards upconvert?