[Godolphin&fellow]

I don't often listen to music through my computer, but it does
something rather weird. It alters the stereo field so that the volume
level of musical content isolated in the left and right channels is
increased relative to sounds positioned at the center. Those coming
from the center seem decreased by about a fourth, roughly speaking;
especially noticable when listening through headphones.
One might think that it is a phase issue, but the bass level doesn't
seem to be effected. While not totally satisfying, it can be an
interesting way to listen to old favorites, those with a good deal of
musical detail in particular. (Music recorded from computer to CD isn't
effected in this way.) Does anyone know what could account for this?

[CraigS]

Godolphin&fellow wrote:
I don't often listen to music through my computer, but it does
something rather weird. It alters the stereo field so that the volume
level of musical content isolated in the left and right channels is
increased relative to sounds positioned at the center. Those coming
from the center seem decreased by about a fourth, roughly speaking;
especially noticable when listening through headphones.
One might think that it is a phase issue, but the bass level doesn't
seem to be effected. While not totally satisfying, it can be an
interesting way to listen to old favorites, those with a good deal of
musical detail in particular. (Music recorded from computer to CD isn't
effected in this way.) Does anyone know what could account for this?


Assuming you're using Windows, double click on your Volume icon, and see
if there is a slider for '3D Depth' or something like that.

[Laurence Payne]

On 23 Nov 2006 16:10:58 -0800, "Godolphin&fellow"
wrote:

I don't often listen to music through my computer, but it does
something rather weird. It alters the stereo field so that the volume
level of musical content isolated in the left and right channels is
increased relative to sounds positioned at the center. Those coming
from the center seem decreased by about a fourth, roughly speaking;
especially noticable when listening through headphones.
One might think that it is a phase issue, but the bass level doesn't
seem to be effected. While not totally satisfying, it can be an
interesting way to listen to old favorites, those with a good deal of
musical detail in particular. (Music recorded from computer to CD isn't
effected in this way.) Does anyone know what could account for this?

Domestic soundcards sometimes have "super-stereo" features. Make sure
nothing of this sort is switched on.

[Peter Larsen]

Godolphin&fellow wrote:

I don't often listen to music through my computer, but it does
something rather weird. It alters the stereo field so that the volume
level of musical content isolated in the left and right channels is
increased relative to sounds positioned at the center. Those coming
from the center seem decreased by about a fourth, roughly speaking;
especially noticable when listening through headphones.
One might think that it is a phase issue, but the bass level doesn't
seem to be effected. While not totally satisfying, it can be an
interesting way to listen to old favorites, those with a good deal of
musical detail in particular. (Music recorded from computer to CD isn't
effected in this way.) Does anyone know what could account for this?

Default selected options for sound card driver that should be
deselected.

While you are at it fix one of the more annoying "M$ knows best" issues,
and select "playback via headphones" as speaker setup, it appears to be
reasoanably linear, the various loudspeaker options all contain an EQ
that matches those very loudspeakers you have, provided that you got
those very loudspeakers M$ expect you to have, and if you haven't then
it is your fault, not theirs, that the undocumented EQ does not fit.


Peter Larsen

[Chop Suey]

In article ,
lpayne1NOSPAM@dslDOTpipexDOTcom says...


Domestic soundcards sometimes have "super-stereo" features. Make sure
nothing of this sort is switched on.

Domestic soundcards? As opposed to those sporty italian jobbies?

[Scott Dorsey]

Godolphin&fellow wrote:
I don't often listen to music through my computer, but it does
something rather weird. It alters the stereo field so that the volume
level of musical content isolated in the left and right channels is
increased relative to sounds positioned at the center. Those coming
from the center seem decreased by about a fourth, roughly speaking;
especially noticable when listening through headphones.
One might think that it is a phase issue, but the bass level doesn't
seem to be effected. While not totally satisfying, it can be an
interesting way to listen to old favorites, those with a good deal of
musical detail in particular. (Music recorded from computer to CD isn't
effected in this way.) Does anyone know what could account for this?

Could be a grounding issue on the soundcard, but almost certainly it's
actually some goofy "stereo enhancement" software on your machine.

On MacOS, iTunes comes with all KINDS of nasty crap enabled, and it can
take some time to figure out how to disable all the horrible "enhancement"
algorithms.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[anahata]

Chop Suey wrote:

Domestic soundcards? As opposed to those sporty italian jobbies?


One of those "two nations separated by a common languge" things.
Translation: domestic - consumer

(domestic from Latin domus = home)

--
Anahata
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