Re: [microsound] Re: software synthesizers

[Garry Kling <kling007@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

on 2/04/02 4:39 AM, taylor deupree at taylor@xxxxxxx wrote:
>> i was wondering the same thing the other day about computer
>> platforms.. (without getting into a mac vs. PC debate please...) is
>> there any difference in the D/A converters of macs or various PC
>> computers... or even between different mac models?
> 
> 
> There have been claims that the older macs ( early ppc models) vary in the
> way they sound; even the same model.
> I have heard  reports about the recent(not the very latest) models of the
> imac sounding very good ; even with the mini-plug input ( as long as one can
> ground it properly) and output.
> One can also do alot with dither and noise shaping though I imagine you
> already know about that.

The main reason (among the academics I know) to get a Firewire or PCMCIA
based audio interface (other than multichannel i/o, or input at all on the
newer G4's) is that the D/A's and DACs on most Powerbooks incorporate a lot
of noise from the surrounding hardware. If you ever try burning a CD from an
External HD to an External CD-R on the "older" desktops mentioned, you'll
hear lots of noise if you turn up your output. Could make for pretty glitch
stuff. It's true, you can hear a lot of noise when you load something from
the HD or sometimes when you click on a menu.

But I also know a guy here that will rip CD audio with Soundhack instead of
Peak or something else because it "sounds" better. Of course, he also
insists platinum plated connections sound better than gold. He won't ever
play his music off of a Powerbook in performance, he insists on burning a CD
and playing back with a ultra high-end CD player, or dumping to ADAT and
using that. It all seems moot if you play back in a toilet bowl hall and it
sounds like crap no matter how high-end your gear is...
 
>> i can picture someone saying.. "oh, i use PC's because they sound warmer" :)
>> has anyone ever tested the various D/As of systems?

All opinion unless you can give a quantitative description of "warm".



Garry


--
/*
 * Garry Kling
 * MAT UC Santa Barbara
 * http://www.mat.ucsb.edu/~g.kling
 * kling007@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
 *
 */