by Peter Daley

The trouble with playing back music from your computer, is it is not very good quality, unless you have a high quality sound card installed.

Most computer sound is being processed by a cheap on-board sound chip. Even if you do have a good quality sound card installed, the card is inside a computer whose circuits are generating lots of electro magnetic noise. This noise affects the sound, causing listening fatigue, a less than enjoyable musical experience.

A way around this is to use an external sound processor. You could use the Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS, (http://www.soundblaster.com)at around $500. The Audigy 2 can just about do anything you would like to do with sound processing using your computer, reprocess, record, change, rip, and playback in surround sound.

A simpler, more cost effective device that would suit the needs of a person who just wants to improve their MP3 music playback, CD, DVD movies, or

games sound, is to use the SilverStone Ensemble EB01 DAC at around $150. As described by Silverstone on their web site.

(http://www.silverstonetek.com)

“The SilverStone Ensemble EB01 is a convenient device that can instantly translate your PC’s digital signals into lifelike analog sound, suitable for personal high end stereo setups. EB01’s advanced internal circuitry will ensure that any sound effect or music from your CD, DVD, MP3 files, or games will be reproduced in quality, as the artist and content creator originally envisioned.”

The SilverStone and Creative Devices are Digital to Analog Converters (DACs), and there are lots of other brands of DACs available, Slimdevices, Headroom, Music Fidelity are a few.

Because digital sound and video are recorded as digital data, before we can view or here it, it has to be converted back to an analog signal. This is what the DAC does, converts the data back into viewable images or listenable sound.

The SilverStone, and Creative Devices we are talking about are sound processing DACs. Now the advantage of using an external DAC device to process the computer sound, is all those data digits can be transmitted externally away from the computer to the external box, and then turned into the music we want to listen to.

Because the digits are being transmitted, and not the sound signal, the sound quality is being protected from the distortion cause by the electro-magnetic storm going on inside the confines of your computer box.

Once the digital data gets to the external DAC, it is converted into the analog sound or music, which then can be plugged into a good  quality Hi-Fi system or good computer speakers. This will make a big difference to the sound quality you may be used to hearing from your computer.

It makes listening to CDs, MP3, music, DVD movies, and games a much better experience. The one disadvantage of the SilverStone DAC is at present it is a stereo device. Mind you, you can spend $10,000 or more on a DAC, but I think the SilverStone EB01 DAC can give a very pleasant improvement to your computer sound, for around AU$150. It is also one of the cheapest DACs  around if you want to try out the idea.

I have also found that if you plug a USB DAC into a good powered USB hub it can improve its performance. This is because the USB hub can supply more clean current than most computer powered USB ports. Firewire DACs are considered to be better than USB DACs, but are a lot more expensive.

© Peter Daley 2010

Disclaimer: This is an amateur volunteer run service. Human error can provide incorrect information, and equipment malfunction can produce false readings. Do not rely on, or take action upon information presented on this web site or at SCCC activities, without further research. Views expressed in the pages, images, or tutorials on the SCCC Inc., web site or presented at venues, maybe the personal opinions of the relevant writers or presenters, and are not necessarily representative of those of SCCC Inc.

by Peter Daley

You can greatly improve the playback sound quality of your CD collection by purchasing a CD Nova Physics Group Memory Player, at a cost of
US$15,000, or you can do it for virtually nothing by following the instructions in this article! There are two questions you are probably asking at this point.

A. I thought the sounds of CDs couldn't be improved, so what are you going to do, the impossible?

B. What is a Memory Player?

To answer question one, yes, the playback quality of your CD collection can be greatly improved.

How? We first need to give you some background on how a CD payer works. When the CD laser reads the digital information recorded on the music CD, it is reading microscopic pits on the CD while it is spinning at high speed. It makes mistakes! So rather than create silence, or a click or a pop sound, like vinyl LP records do, it makes an educated guess as to what the sound should be, and plays this back. Well that's great, but it can make the wrong guess. This then creates sound distortions.

The Nova Physics Group Memory Player is a device created to solve this problem. Here is an extensive article on the device,

http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue24/cjdiaries.htm

1. It has a special high quality CD transport to read the music CD on a very stable platform.Thus less read errors are created in the first place.

2. The Memory Player has specialized softwarethat re-reads the CD disk error location up to 90 times until it eliminates the data readerrors.

3. It stores the error corrected CD data in memory, and then plays back the error corrected music it recorded from the CD disk though a high quality Digital to Analog Converter (DAC), and amplifier.

Clever isn't it! Well you can do all this, and get close to the memory player sound quality, by doing the things listed below, for very little cost.

You do need a computer with a CD/DVD player to do this. The better quality the CD/DVD player the better.

1. You download and Install this free software “Exact Audio Copy” (EAC) from here http://www.exactaudiocopy.de/ and install it on your computer. This does the error correction for you. By the way, this software can also be used for damaged CD datarecovery.

2. You set this software up to copy your music CD collection in WAV format, in secure mode, in high quality sound. Once you have the error corrected CD recorded on your computer, you don't need to do this again. It can take 20 minutes or more to error correct just one music CD.

3. You can now play back the super recorded CD version at will, off the computer hard drive. If you want even better sound, you copy the music files onto a plugged in high quality USB flash drive, and then play it back from there. Corsair Flash Voyager Flash Drives are well built and to a much better quality than your average USB flash drive. This eliminates drive jitter and other errors that may be created from playing back the music file from the spinning computer hard drive.

4. Play back the recorded CDs through a good sound card or Digital to Analog Converter (DAC), or network player, and then into your home stereo system, to get the absolute best playback sound quality.

Once you have heard the difference in sound quality between playing a CD normally, and playing back the error corrected version, there is no going back.

© Peter Daley 2010

Disclaimer: This is an amateur volunteer run service. Human error can provide incorrect information, and equipment malfunction can produce false readings. Do not rely on, or take action upon information presented on this web site or at SCCC activities, without further research. Views expressed in the pages, images, or tutorials on the SCCC Inc., web site or presented at venues, maybe the personal opinions of the relevant writers or presenters, and are not necessarily representative of those of SCCC Inc.

by Peter Daley

With the advent of fast Internet connections and large hard drives, there is no reason for people in their right minds to be purchasing or using lossy audio files, that have mediocre sound when played on a half descent stereo system! There are lots of audio file formats that can be used to copy your music CDs onto your computer or music portable. WMA, Flac, Ogg, Mp3, WAV, or AAC, etc. are a few. Some of these files are lossless, (WAV & Flac). That means they do not degrade the sound file quality from the original, and some are lossy, (MP3, Ogg, WMA, AAC). They do degrade the sound quality.

The lossy types process the sound file and compress it leaving large parts of the original sound out of the file. This makes the file size much smaller but at the expense of sound quality. The main reason for the extensive use of lossy audio file types over the Internet, is that it is easier and quicker to transfer and store a small audio file than a large file. A compressed MP3 audio file downloads much faster, and will take up much less storage room, than a WAV file. Most people accepted this because they had slow Internet connections and limited space on their hard drives.

The dynamics have now changed, with large numbers of people now having high speed Internet connections, and oodles of room on their enormous
hard drives. There is really no reason to keep using, or purchasing lossy audio files (MP3, Ogg, WMA, AAC) to store and play your music, anymore.

(Tip: Flac is a free compressed file type that processes the audio file without loss in sound quality. So for those who still wish to save some room, but don't want to loose sound quality, FLAC is the way to go.)

Using lossy audio file formats is like convincing people to use watered down petrol in their cars, to save on transport and storage costs. The car won't
run too well, nor will the sound coming out of your music portable or stereo, with a watered down audio file.

I am totally amazed at how the public have been so totally convinced to use or purchase such poor quality music files! Make a smart change, and insist
that you get the best quality for your money. Isn't that what you insist on when you purchase anything else? If you're smart you will rip your CD collection in WAV or FLAC format using EAC (Exact Audio Copy http://www.exactaudiocopy.de/) or only purchase lossless version audio files from music sites.

OK, downloading may be quick but sometimes it is better to purchase the CD or SACD (Super Audio CD) version. The CD then becomes a great backup if you need to get the music onto your computer, or portable in the future.

I generally order ten SACD/CDs at a time, so I cut down on postage costs. Here are some web sites most people may not know about, where you can purchase lossless high quality music files, CDs, SACDs or LPS. I am willing to pay for good sound quality and good music. I realize I need to support talented artists financially somehow, or my source of good sounding music will disappear. This very much applies to classical music, because this type of music is not supported as much as popular music.

Arkiv Music http://www.arkivmusic.com

This site is great for classical music buffs because Music Arkiv has access to large amounts of the out of print LPS and CD music. With the extinction of the local record shops, this site provides a great source of classical music, in lots of different formats.

D Universe http://www.cduniverse.com

Lots of popular music as well as classical and jazz, plus samples provided for playback.

Linn Records http://www.linnrecords.com

Again a great source of classical and jazz, plus you can also still purchase high quality vinyl LP records. (The ultimate lossless format)

Telarc http://www.telarc.com/

Independent classical recording company: also crossover and jazz. This company also places a lot of emphasis on performance and recorded sound
quality.

Chesky Records http://www.chesky.com/

Web Site Extract: Philosophy, to create the illusion of live musicians in a real three-dimensional space. Chesky Records tries to achieve the impression of reality with the most advanced technology available, careful microphone placement, and, most of all, a recording team which pays attention to every
minute detail, making your listening experience tangible, pleasurable, exciting, and realistic.

Super Audio CD http://www.sa-cd.net/reviews/all

This is a terrific site for getting reviews from purchases on the latest Super Audio CDs which have been released.

© Peter Daley 2010

Disclaimer: This is an amateur volunteer run service. Human error can provide incorrect information, and equipment malfunction can produce false readings. Do not rely on, or take action upon information presented on this web site or at SCCC activities, without further research. Views expressed in the pages, images, or tutorials on the SCCC Inc., web site or presented at venues, maybe the personal opinions of the relevant writers or presenters, and are not necessarily representative of those of SCCC Inc.

by Peter Daley

There are large numbers of people who have moved to the Sunshine Coast and would like to have some sort of contact or information with their previous home. Well a good way to do this is to use Internet radio to listen to the local radio from your previous location in Australia or from Overseas.

You don't need a short wave radio to do this, or have to worry about weather conditions interfering with your reception. Plus you can have moved from pretty well anywhere in the world, and listen to your favourite radio station on your computer or by wireless throughout your house. Be aware, depending on the download bit rate of the radio stream, it will come down at around 20 to 60 meg an hour. So you need a good download limit if you're going to listen for hours!

The easiest and least expensive way to do this is to simple use your broadband Internet connection to stream down the signal. In Australia you can find the major city FM radio stations signals here.

http://www.1radio.com.au

This site is very easy to use. It's divided up into three sections, and hardly needs any skill to get it working. Click on the tab for the city. This lists the stations available. Click in the station you want to play. Once you do this, the station's web address appears above. This is provided if you wish to go to the radio station's web address and find more info. The radio playback is built into the page. If you look to the top of the page, you will find the radio signal is now being buffered and downloading. It may take 30 to 60 seconds before the music will start to play.

Wireless option 1

If you want to stream this to your FM radio you have in the house, you can purchase an FM wireless transmitter that you plug into the speaker output of your computer. This sends the signal out at a set FM frequency throughout the house. These are often sold as accessories to you MP3 players so you can play the MP3 player music through your FM radio in your car. All you need to do is to tune the FM radios you already have in the house, to that frequency, and you can then listen to the Internet broadcast anywhere by wireless in the house.

Wireless option 2

There are now a few dedicated Internet wireless devices that you can purchase. They work independently of your computer and look like a transistor radio, plus have normal clock radio functions. You simply plug these devices into the broadband connection and they will stream the signal, no computer necessary. They have thousands of pre-programmed Internet stations, plus you can add more. These devices can work wirelessly, so you may also have the added expense of having to install a wireless router onto your broadband modem, if you don't already have one. The Slimdevices models are considered to be HiFi quality.

http://www.slimdevices.com

I personally like to tune into the ABC radio at http://www.abc.net.au. Here you can tune into any of the nation wide ABC radio stations, national, Classical, Jazz, Pop and Country. I chill out listening to the Classic Drive on ABC Classic FM in the evening.

© Peter Daley, 2009

Disclaimer: This is an amateur volunteer run service. Human error can provide incorrect information, and equipment malfunction can produce false readings. Do not rely on, or take action upon information presented on this web site or at SCCC activities, without further research. Views expressed in the pages, images, or tutorials on the SCCC Inc., web site or presented at venues, maybe the personal opinions of the relevant writers or presenters, and are not necessarily representative of those of SCCC Inc.

by Peter Daley

Salesmen are suggesting that mp3 or AAC music files are CD quality. That's modern hype for you! Lets make it very clear, mp3 or AAC are not CD quality. It is a lossy format which means what you're listening to is a watered down version of the music. If you're going to pay 99c a track, why not purchase the full strength version.

Storage and download speeds have improved dramatically. Most of us now have access to super large hard drives, that are dirt cheap. Even Ipods have huge drives now. There is no need to be putting up with mp3 or AAC sound quality any more. The only reason for using mp3 or AAC is to save room, and to speed up download times. They do this with a significant loss of sound quality. Mp3 and AAC leave out large bits of the original sound file to make the file size smaller.

If you want to save some space, you can use a free open source compression system called FLAC which will compress the music file with out any loss in sound quality. FLAC is well supported by a lot of music download sites and music players.  OK, it doesn't compress the music file as much as mp3 or AAC, but the sound quality on playback is at its best.

You can also use this great free tool called Exact Audio Copy which in it's latest release supports FLAC compression. http://www.exactaudiocopy.de There is an extra advantage in using EAC, the sound file you rip from your CD collection can sound better that the original CD itself. It takes longer to rip CDs at a high quality, but once this is done you have a music library of the best sound quality. Follow the set-up instructions at the EAC site for ripping CDs for the best sound quality. EAC even has a cool CD layout editor, so you can create your own personal music arrangement on a CD.

Get enlightened, and stop being short changed by falling for modern sales hype, and demand quality over quantity. Music is not just noise. It is to be enjoyed to it's fullest. Most of you would protest severely if your knew you where being sold watered down beer. So why accept watered down music? At least with music you can get enjoyment without a hangover. 🙂

© 2009 Peter Daley

Disclaimer: This is an amateur volunteer run service. Human error can provide incorrect information, and equipment malfunction can produce false readings. Do not rely on, or take action upon information presented on this web site or at SCCC activities, without further research. Views expressed in the pages, images, or tutorials on the SCCC Inc., web site or presented at venues, maybe the personal opinions of the relevant writers or presenters, and are not necessarily representative of those of SCCC Inc.

By Peter Daley

Foobar2000, and Asio4All are designed specifically to improve the playback quality of the sound from Windows computer, and as a bonus they're free!

Foobar2000 is a free, efficient and friendly media player without the program bloat. Some of the media players that most of you are using are over seventy megs and growing just to download. Once installed these modern media players are multiple times bigger that my original computer hard drive on which I did everything!  They're very resource hungry, and  not very intuitive to use.

Foobar2000 is light weight 2.8 meg download, and once installed it opens instantly, places very little load on your computer resources and does the job it is designed to do better, and with more efficiently than other overweight players, plus as a bonus you also get better playback sound quality. It supports these formats natively, MP1, MP2, MP3, MP4, MPC, AAC, Ogg Vorbis, FLAC / Ogg FLAC, WavPack, WAV, AIFF, AU, SND, CDDA, WMA. Because it is light weight it works great on older computers.

Foobar2000

http://www.foobar2000.org

It has an inbuilt equalizer and tabbed play list browsing.  I find it very intuitive to use. You can stream your music through it off the Internet. There are also third party programs that work with it to do specialized tasks.

Asio4all allows you to bypass the primitive Windows sound processing, and get better sound quality playback. Asio4all can be started in two ways from a desktop icon, or from a plug in  you can add to your media player.  Foobar2000 has a Aiso4all plug in available. Aiso4all can activated from the desktop icon  before you start your media player if your the player does not have a Asio4all plug in.

Asio4 All

http://tippach.business.t-online.de/asio4all/intro.html

If you use Foobar2000 and Aiso4All in conjunction with the advice I gave in one of my previous blogs you can get even better sound quality playback.

The better quality the computer, headphones, speakers or  the HiFi system you use to playback the sound from your computer the more you will notice the sound quality improvement.

© Peter Daley 2009

Disclaimer: This is an amateur volunteer run service. Human error can provide incorrect information, and equipment malfunction can produce false readings. Do not rely on, or take action upon information presented on this web site or at SCCC activities, without further research. Views expressed in the pages, images, or tutorials on the SCCC Inc., web site or presented at venues, maybe the personal opinions of the relevant writers or presenters, and are not necessarily representative of those of SCCC Inc.