How can I make my music sound better?

[yeahman68]

So, I'm currently disappointed with my speaker performance. I'm using a sony mp3 player (S series), which is renowned for its sound quality. The only reason I may think that the audio may not be playing at its best, is because I'm using a simple stereo cable to connect the mp3 player to my av receiver. Is there any other thing I can use other than a stereo cable to get better audio out of my mp3 player? Btw, I'm using wav files, so the quality of the file is superb.

-Thanks for your help.

 

[Adam]

Hi. Some questions:

• Which model of the S-series do you have?
• What receiver are you connecting it to?
• Are you happy with the audio from the Walkman if you use the headphones?

 

[WmAx]

Wait. You stated that you are unhappy with the speaker performance. So where does the Sony player enter this equation? Do the speakers 'perform' well with other sources? (If yes, then course, you posted in the wrong forum).

-Chris

 

[yeahman68]

The speaker performance i believe may be bad from the stereo cable. That's how it relates. I'm using an onkyo tx-sr304 as my receiver. The mp3 player is from the newest sony s series, S-544 8gb. I'm happy with the sound using headphones. I'm just wondering if something like a analog (Rca) to digital audio converter will solve the problem. Or perhaps it could be the speakers?

 

[markw]

Your cables aren't the problem.

The wires going to the headphones and the stereo are essentially the same.

If you're using the same output for both the headphones and the stereo, and the headphones sound fine, what does that tell you?

Remember the subject line before answering.

hint: the problem comes in after the cable.

 

[shadyJ]

I don't know what kind of help you expect because you haven't really described the problem well. In what way does the sound displease you? Is there a hiss? Does it sound flat? Tinny? Is there a buzz or a static fuzz sound? Is there a clipping noise?

 

[yeahman68]

Bit rate is around 1411.2 kbps. Guess it's the speakers. I also wonder whether the placement has something to do with it. The speakers face a wall that is about 6 feet directly in front of them. Could have an effect on the performance?

 

[njedpx3]

The speaker performance i believe may be bad from the stereo cable. That's how it relates. I'm using an onkyo tx-sr304 as my receiver. The mp3 player is from the newest sony s series, S-544 8gb. I'm happy with the sound using headphones. I'm just wondering if something like a analog (Rca) to digital audio converter will solve the problem. Or perhaps it could be the speakers?

If you are happy with the headphone sound, then the RCA cable to your Onkyo or the speakers to your Onkyo are the likely problem. Easiest (buy or try another) mini-audio to RCA cable. $5.56 from Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Belkin-Audio-Cable-Splitter-1-Mini/dp/B00004Z5CP

Do other audio sources sound okay on your Onkyo system ? If they do and since you like your headphone sound, then replace audio to RCA cable. If other audio sources don't sound great on your Onkyo system, maybe time to think about upgrading speakers.

Good Luck and sound on!

Forest Man.

 

[Wafflesomd]

Is anyone else confused as to why he hasn't mentioned what speakers he has.

 

[jeffsg4mac]

What are the speakers? do you have another source like CD or DVD player and if so do they sound ok?

 

[yeahman68]

Sorry I didn't elaborate folks. My apologies. The speakers I'm using are the TSC p6-pr's http://www.thespeakercompany.com/P6-PR-65-2-way-Bookshelf-Speaker-Pair-P37C37.aspx. When the sound is outputted through the ps3, using a cd, it sounds better, but since using the wav files, it now sounds the same. However, it seems like the midrange is slightly recessed using both sources. I believe the problem is the speakers. Thanks for all the help.

 

[MinusTheBear]

MP3 players have all sorts of tone controls and equilization features. If you are hooking them up to a receiver to play through your speakers; if you have these settings enabled on your Sony player turn them OFF because it can color the sound quality in all sorts of negative ways. It is worth checking.

 

[yeahman68]

Yes yes, I've had the eq's turned off.

 

[MinusTheBear]

Yes yes, I've had the eq's turned off.

What about the treble and bass controls. Some MP3 players also have even more advanced settings beyond those separate from the equilization settings. Might be worth checking the manual to see if there any other features that could be enabled to rule the player out of the equation.

 

[jmspiderman]

Hey yeahman your source of dissapointing gotta be the receiver few months back I had a TX-SR505 that is supposed to be a little higher quality than the one you have and I never liked the way music sounded on that receiver that changed dramatically when I switch to a different receiver brand.

 

[highfigh]

So, I'm currently disappointed with my speaker performance. I'm using a sony mp3 player (S series), which is renowned for its sound quality. The only reason I may think that the audio may not be playing at its best, is because I'm using a simple stereo cable to connect the mp3 player to my av receiver. Is there any other thing I can use other than a stereo cable to get better audio out of my mp3 player? Btw, I'm using wav files, so the quality of the file is superb.

-Thanks for your help.

The file quality may be superb but the audio circuitry probably isn't. MP3 players are made for playing through earbuds, not really intended for critical listening. If it has any kind of digital out, try that. If not, it may not be the best way to play the music through the stereo.

 

[mtrycrafts]

The speaker performance i believe may be bad from the stereo cable. That's how it relates. I'm using an onkyo tx-sr304 as my receiver. The mp3 player is from the newest sony s series, S-544 8gb. I'm happy with the sound using headphones. I'm just wondering if something like a analog (Rca) to digital audio converter will solve the problem. Or perhaps it could be the speakers?

As another mentioned and questioned, what are your speakers that you don't like the sound from?
Is the MP3 the only source for your receiver? Perhaps a CD player? a DVD player, to judge the sound quality from those sources?

 

[WmAx]

The file quality may be superb but the audio circuitry probably isn't. MP3 players are made for playing through earbuds, not really intended for critical listening. If it has any kind of digital out, try that. If not, it may not be the best way to play the music through the stereo.

Many MP3 players have comparable quality measured performance to high dollar CD players/DACs. The original IPOD even had this performance, as verified by Stereophile. I have had 2 Creative Labs players that offer the same measured performance (personally verified).

-Chris

 

[highfigh]

Sorry I didn't elaborate folks. My apologies. The speakers I'm using are the TSC p6-pr's http://www.thespeakercompany.com/P6-PR-65-2-way-Bookshelf-Speaker-Pair-P37C37.aspx. When the sound is outputted through the ps3, using a cd, it sounds better, but since using the wav files, it now sounds the same. However, it seems like the midrange is slightly recessed using both sources. I believe the problem is the speakers. Thanks for all the help.

You posted that the speakers are facing a wall that's about 6' away- that's not the best placement.

 

[highfigh]

Many MP3 players have comparable quality measured performance to high dollar CD players/DACs. The original IPOD even had this performance, as verified by Stereophile. I have had 2 Creative Labs players that offer the same measured performance (personally verified).

-Chris

Many may have this kind of sound quality but I wasn't going to assume this one was necessarily equal to a better CD player. I also wrote that while some of the other messages were being posted. I think the speaker placement is a problem, to be honest and I'd like to know the size, shape and other details about the room