[artazzzzzz]

 
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Hello, I was always wondering what is the difference in what does SRS Audio Sandbox (Sound enchantment plugin) compared to amplifier (or headphone amplifier)?

I own Audio Technica ATH-M50 headphones. I also use SRS Audio Sandbox which gives me a huge difference in sound quality. I've never tried using headphone amplifier but I was wondering if I should give a shot? As I know amplifier improves signal that's going from the sound card to the headphones but don't some of SRS Audio Sandbox features do the same thing? It is said that the Sandbox is like a virtual sound card driver but why then it doesn't work without the true sound card driver?. If I increase the output loudness through the Sandbox above the normal level I can hear creaks and distortion, what means the signal sent from the card was too strong and my headphones can't handle it? Help me I am confused!
 
My questions are:
1. Is there going to be a difference if I will get an amp?
2. What exactly is SRS Audio Sandbox?
3. Is SRS only a plugin or an individual sound driver?
4. If you use SRS Audio Sandbox is your sound card driver still responsible for the quality?

Thanks for your responses
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[sulvaat]

"1. Is there going to be a difference if I will get an amp?"
-Depends really, those headphones scale well with most amps to a point, ( I have only heard the M50's on a few ranging from $12 to $500, the difference was not as night and day as I wanted it to be, not with the M50's at least.) Others may have better input here.

"2. What exactly is SRS Audio Sandbox?"
-First, imagine your OS like the layers of an onion, each layer has different programs for different jobs.
SRS Audio Sandbox is a layer of software that sits between your media player and the soundcard, the media player sends it's output to this layer to be manipulated according to your settings before sending it to your soundcard to be translated from a digital signal to an analogue signal which your ears interpreted as sound when sent to your headphones.

"3. Is SRS only a plugin or an individual sound driver?"
- Simply a software layer, aka: plugin. A Driver controls functions usually associated with your hardware and it's available functions. It exists deeper in your OS than plugins, which live near the top of your OS.

"4. If you use SRS Audio Sandbox is your sound card driver still responsible for the quality?"
-Most definitely as this is the physical medium through which your connected headphones use to create sound. 

 

[Currawong]

Please don't post multiple threads with the same question. I've removed your other two threads. Thanks.

 

[khaos974]

1. Is there going to be a difference if I will get an amp?
 
It depends, if the audio out of your computer is already of decent quality, there will not be much difference. But getting an amp with a low output impedance is usually a good step.

2. What exactly is SRS Audio Sandbox?
 
Basically, it's a DSP (Digital Sound Processing) plugin, it modifies the audio output of your player (itunes, WMP, Winamp...) by creating some artificial reverb, mixing left and right channels, using an equalizer to add more bass... before sending the modified signal to the driver of your soundcard.

3. Is SRS only a plugin or an individual sound driver?
 
See above, actually some soundcards include DSP effects in their drivers, making SRS redundant.

4. If you use SRS Audio Sandbox is your sound card driver still responsible for the quality?
 
Most of the non professional DSPs are of dubious quality, I tried the demo version of SRS and found it lack luster. Both the soundcard driver or SRS type software don't provide additional sound quality.

 

[artazzzzzz]

Hi there,
Sorry for multi-posting, couldn't decide which section should actually be the right one.

And thanks for your answers, now I understand that it goes like: Player > DSP > Windows mixing software (since I use DirectSound) > Sound card > Headphones?

Besides in DxDiag it is said that SRS Audio Sandbox is an individual sound controlling device. Why is it represented as device then? And in all the programs where I can select output device (e.g games) there are always 2 choices - either my sound card or SRS Audio Sandbox. Does that mean if I choose sound card instead of SRS the program will ignore DSP and send digital signal to windows mixer (kernel mixer) after what it will go to sound card?

Thanks
 

 

[khaos974]

Quote:

Hi there,
Sorry for multi-posting, couldn't decide which section should actually be the right one.

And thanks for your answers, now I understand that it goes like: Player > DSP > Windows mixing software (since I use DirectSound) > Sound card > Headphones?
 
Yes

Besides in DxDiag it is said that SRS Audio Sandbox is an individual sound controlling device. Why is it represented as device then?
 
It cheats, it creates some kind of virtual device that processes the audio signal before sending it to the soundcard.
 
And in all the programs where I can select output device (e.g games) there are always 2 choices - either my sound card or SRS Audio Sandbox. Does that mean if I choose sound card instead of SRS the program will ignore DSP and send digital signal to windows mixer (kernel mixer) after what it will go to sound card?
 
Yes

Thanks