musiclover666
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2012
- Posts
- 405
- Likes
- 37
Let me start off by saying I have a HP G61 laptop with ATI onboard sound card, HP GT20L DVD drive. Now my problem is as follows: I am noticing distortion/clipping when I play my files on both of my devices. The distortion seems to clip the treble, giving a very brittle, digitally clipped sound. It seems less noticeable with more complex or busy music. I ripped a lot of my cds via itunes to WAV. I didn't initially notice this distortion with my ipod as I was using my PX-100s and given their warm, veiled sound I didn't pick up on the distortion. I then bought a pair of JAYS d-JAYS and that was when I started to notice the distortion. Adding a Fiio E11 also showed the distortion that seemed to be present on all of the tracks. The distortion is even present on tracks that were downloaded and not ripped via itunes. I checked to make sure that all sound processing was turned off in itunes as well.
I recently picked up a pair of Superlux HD 668b as well as JVC HA-RX700 to use with my laptop. I also added a Fiio E10 to the mix. The distortion is still there, even more clear now that I have the new headphones.
I tried an experiment to see if it was itunes inducing the distortion from ripping. I ripped a cd with EAC that I had ripped with itunes to compare the two, thinking that perhaps errors in the rips were causing this distortion. No such luck. The EAC rip sounded the same when compared to the itunes rip. Hmmmm. I then tried using Foobar with WASAPI, bringing in the itunes rips to see if that would make a difference. Nope, no luck. I have tried updating the drivers, still nothing.
I am at a loss as to what it could be other than perhaps my onboard soundcard is the culprit or even the DVD drive. Do you think it would be worth it to buy an outboard soundcard? A new DVD drive? Any recommendations for an outboard soundcard? Any tips in trouble shooting this matter further? Don't get me wrong, the sound is not unlistenable, I just know it can be so much better and free from that pesky distortion.
I recently picked up a pair of Superlux HD 668b as well as JVC HA-RX700 to use with my laptop. I also added a Fiio E10 to the mix. The distortion is still there, even more clear now that I have the new headphones.
I tried an experiment to see if it was itunes inducing the distortion from ripping. I ripped a cd with EAC that I had ripped with itunes to compare the two, thinking that perhaps errors in the rips were causing this distortion. No such luck. The EAC rip sounded the same when compared to the itunes rip. Hmmmm. I then tried using Foobar with WASAPI, bringing in the itunes rips to see if that would make a difference. Nope, no luck. I have tried updating the drivers, still nothing.
I am at a loss as to what it could be other than perhaps my onboard soundcard is the culprit or even the DVD drive. Do you think it would be worth it to buy an outboard soundcard? A new DVD drive? Any recommendations for an outboard soundcard? Any tips in trouble shooting this matter further? Don't get me wrong, the sound is not unlistenable, I just know it can be so much better and free from that pesky distortion.
