Is high end computer audio worth it

[fazers_on_stun]

82db effeciency??? ooo gotta be alittle careful there lol.

I'm guessing all these ultra-top-end speakers are designed for tube amps, which don't have that much power to begin with. But yeah, you don't wanna stand too close if you crank the volume up to max, like in the "back to the future" movie .

I can imagine trying to move one of these 3000 pound speakers, let alone a pair or 7.1 system ...

Supposedly tube amps are 'cleaner' sounding than semiconductor designs, although I'm not aware of any reasons why - maybe something to do with thermal noise. Although you'd think boiling off electrons from a heated cathode would cause thermal noise as well.

 

[MEgamer]

well theres some increase in class D amplifiers, built in to subwoofers, hopefully, it will be main stream to receivers and amplifiers

i think class D amplifiers will have cleaner sound, anyway, tube amplifiers and anlogue amplifiers, waste a lot of energy. lets be GREEN people.

 

[elel]

I'm guessing all these ultra-top-end speakers are designed for tube amps, which don't have that much power to begin with. But yeah, you don't wanna stand too close if you crank the volume up to max, like in the "back to the future" movie .

I can imagine trying to move one of these 3000 pound speakers, let alone a pair or 7.1 system ...

Supposedly tube amps are 'cleaner' sounding than semiconductor designs, although I'm not aware of any reasons why - maybe something to do with thermal noise. Although you'd think boiling off electrons from a heated cathode would cause thermal noise as well.

The reason is partly that they distort differently. They add more I think it is odd harmonics to the signal, giving it a warmer sound.

 

[MEgamer]

so not very accurate then? overall.

 

[elel]

I'm not enough of an expert to say that. Accuracy or 'transparency' is very difficult to achieve using any parts. Part of the reason that older technology such as tubes or professional tape decks are loved is that, rather than detracting from how good a signal sounds, in certain instances they enhance it. One of our more popular products (at cranesong) is the hedd-192. It can be used as an a/d or d/a converter and can sound almost sonically transparent. But the reason that people buy it is that it can also add very good tape or tube emulation, making the recordings sound much better. Of course, this has to be used artistically, and not as a 'one size fits all' solution. As I said before I am not an electrical or audio engineer myself (yet, anyways) but talking to people who actually use it they say that it just adds the touch that their recordings need. Not by being accurate (which it can do) but by sounding like it is has tubes or whatever in it when it actually doesn't.

 

[elel]

Here are some quotes which I found on the Mercenary Audio hedd page which throw more light on the question. They know more than I so I will let them speak for themselves.


"The cool thing about the effect device is that it's not just a fuzz box you turn up or down like some other vintage emulation programs. With HEDD, it actually models a tube driven with different plate voltages. This way you get the natural harmonics and compression we love about tube circuits...in the digital domain!"

""HEDD", short for "harmonically enhanced digital device", is a technological breakthrough in signal processing. HEDD is engineered to be musically transparent while providing the capability of generating tube/analog sounds in the digital domain. HEDD gives any user who works with digital the ability to sound less digital and more analog. "

from
http/www.mercenary.com/heddigsigpro.html

Not to be self-promoting, just some equipment that works well for examples

 

[builderbobftw]

contradiction????

Not very understanidng are we after Explained of I 3 times are we young Jedi?

 

[MEgamer]

u still dont make sense.... anyway stop wasting ppls time, with your useless wittle comments.

 

[Stupido]

hahahahahahaha
nice flame-cusion...

 

[elel]

Feel the heat?

 

[iLiketoEat]

Why are you guys even arguing with a troll? It's as pointless as trying to prove that your wife is wrong, because no matter what she's right even if she's wrong. xD

Well yeah I bet a lot of people wasted their time reading and replying to this thread, a thread without any substance.

 

[iLiketoEat]

Hah, I just realized that this thread was pretty old. xD

But I'll just put my 2 cents in. I'm pretty sure that my old 2.1 speakers I got from a junkyard for free doesn't anywhere near match the speakers I currently have which is just a 30 bucks difference.

 

[Stupido]

Feel the heat?

yesss... burn baby burn...

 

[astrallite]

Notice that he's never actually participated in any other audio related thread.

 

[Stupido]

I guess he needed the right spark...

 

[so1dier]

I don't understand how people like builderbobftw don't get banned from forums like this, it makes it pretty hard to get accurate information when you have ignorant people spamming forums giving out incorrect information, especially when you are new to forums and you don't know who the trolls are. When you post something and get a reply from an active user with a lot of posts it's a general assumption that they are knowledgeable, when in this case it couldn't be farther from the truth.


I'm trying to decide which headset to get with my new gaming rig, but there is a lot to learn about audio quality that makes it very difficult. So far I'm interested in the Razer Carcharias and Medusa NX 5.1 Gaming Headset and am willing to spend up to $150 on a quality headset, but there are so many brands and different types that its hard to tell which ones are quality. Anyways, if anyone really knowledgeable about this topic would like to spend a few minutes talking to me on ventrilo and guide me in the right direction that would be amazing. Otherwise I'll try to keep learning and hopefully make a good decision.

 

[elel]

Hey, sold1ier. I'm sorry but I don't know much about gaming headsets. As I've mentioned before, I use a pair of mid/low range ($100) audio tecnica headphones, but they are only 2 channel and I chose them for durability and closed back design above all else. I would start your own thread for the question or else post it in the sticky in the cpu section where this flame-thread came from. I'm not sure of the status of that thread, but saeleno (hope I spelled his name right, the OP) seemed pretty good about answering questions.

As far as other trolls, I'm glad to say that I have not run across anyone else quite like builderbob on these forums. Jennyh is a humorously rabid amd fan (much more so than amdfangirl, also referred to as afg) and I have heard complaints about soundguruman, but only in the XP forum as yet, and I haven't read the actual threads. Most people are very smart and try to help rather than push an agenda. Oh, and there's one company rep on the storage forums. Can't remember his name but he always links to the same commercial product. However, he really is nice an helpful beyond that one trait, so he has stayed unlike other infomercial posters.

Hope you enjoy your stay on the forums!
-elel

 

[so1dier]

Thanks elel,

I actually saw a special on amazon today and the Sennheiser PC 350 headset I was just looking at a couple days ago that cost $229.95 was on sale for $121 so I quickly bought it cause it was the headphones I originally wanted but couldn't afford . Just got lucky.

Anyways I figured sense they are stereo but high quality I'm going to need a sound card for sure to make full use of them. I know you are learning just like me so I'm just going to start a new thread asking for help, but if you or anyone else knows of an online guide about sound cards and how to compliment certain headsets that would be cool if you could give me a link. Or help me choose a certain sound card on Amazon or Newegg that compliments the Sennheiser PC 350 and explain why.


Thanks for your help
-So1dier




P.S. If you know of any very popular computer forums or websites where you can talk to experts you can link those too. It seems like this was a pretty current/up to date forum that is still popular so I decided to start here.

 

[elel]

Here is the thread where the flame war started. It was a sticky for a month or two and is pretty good. If you asked a question on it, I think the OP would probably reply. Glad you found something you like!

 

[Ghost_702]

I think that high end audio, whether it be for your computer or television is definitely worth it. In the end however, it comes down to our own values. Some people prefer spending their money on one thing as opposed to another. As argued by others in this thread, some people are content with a cheap $50 set-up while others like to spend a couple thousand on a better set-up. We all have different values so take that into account when reading any post or for that matter, taking anyone's advice wherever you are. With that being said, I personally can tell a major difference between a $50 set-up and a $10k set-up. I find it difficult to believe that even one person can disagree that the sound quality between the two set-ups is audibly different. There is a noticable difference. It also depends on whether you want to use a headset or speakers. A 5.1 speaker set-up with a nice subwoofer can make you feel like you're a part of the action. A cheap $50 system from wal-mart will definitely give you sound, so in that respect it's the same as a $10k set-up. At the same time, just because it's outputting sound, doesn't mean it's good sound you want to listen to. There's a clear difference between the two. Save up and buy a semi-decent speaker set-up.