Good Speakers Make Poor Songs Sound Bad?

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
I've been using crappy build in 2w speakers on my brothers G4 for....well forever. But recently since my iFire doesn't work I can't use them with my powerbook yet so I hooked them up to my brothers quicksilver. Some songs sound good and other sound horrible. I know the pro speakers aren't the best, but is it possible that they illuminate poorly encoded songs?



I don't seem to remember stuff sounding as bad when I listen to them on my MDR-V600 headphones which I know aren't the best but I thought were supposed to be pretty good.



I can't really find a reason, low bit rate or whatever, but it could be my brothers songs are ripped from a cd burnt with mp3s. Do they just sound bad with bass?



And my las question...if I would get an iSub...would it recognize that I have that hooked up and send only mids and highs to my pro speakers then?
«1

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 33
    I think the answer is too much treble.



    Th pro speakers irratted the hell out of me so i got the jbl's turned down the treble and now im at peace
  • Reply 2 of 33
    ast3r3xast3r3x Posts: 5,012member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by cybermonkey

    I think the answer is too much treble.





    Well I would have not expected that, I thought it might just not be able to plays mids and highs well while trying to play bass. I'll check it out once my dad is off my brothers computer. Thanks
  • Reply 3 of 33
    paulpaul Posts: 5,278member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by ast3r3x

    And my las question...if I would get an iSub...would it recognize that I have that hooked up and send only mids and highs to my pro speakers then?



    I believe only on the Tower...



    i have an iSub and it works on my powerbook... but I can't remember if it limits the output of my regular speakers as well... I know it does on my iMac....



    I think the iFire would throw another variable into the mix that might not work correctly....
  • Reply 4 of 33
    A friend of mine has the iSub with the soundsticks



    anyway, the speakers go through his computer through USB, and as such are able to decode real 2.1 through the OS, if he turns off the speakers, all he gets is thundering bass from the iSub.
  • Reply 5 of 33
    ast3r3xast3r3x Posts: 5,012member
    ...all I wanted was a good looking pretty good sounding speaker system. Between the iFire adding noise thave I have to send it back and me having to possibly get an iSub to possibly fix the bass problem it is annoying.



    So nobody can tell me for sure that the iSub will reduce the lows through my minplug audio out?
  • Reply 6 of 33
    Quote:

    And my las question...if I would get an iSub...would it recognize that I have that hooked up and send only mids and highs to my pro speakers then?



    Thats what they call THX.. And No.
  • Reply 7 of 33
    ast3r3xast3r3x Posts: 5,012member
    \



    I guess it makes sense since you normally wouldn't want your subwoofer on if you have headphones plugged in. Didn't even think about it that way. Man that is kinda sucky.
  • Reply 8 of 33
    squashsquash Posts: 332member
    Actually my isub still works with my headphones in....no problem at all. I'm not sure what your question is really. I do know that my isub makes my apple pro speakers sound 10x better.



    Any distortion i experienced without isub, is no longer an issue with it. If that's what you mean.
  • Reply 9 of 33
    ast3r3xast3r3x Posts: 5,012member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by SQUÅSH

    Actually my isub still works with my headphones in....no problem at all. I'm not sure what your question is really. I do know that my isub makes my apple pro speakers sound 10x better.



    Any distortion i experienced without isub, is no longer an issue with it. If that's what you mean.




    Ok well hopefully it would still work with headphones in. What type of computer do you have? My second question is that the iSub is supposed to make the computer act as a crossover so that the lows go to the iSub and the mids and highs go to the pro speakers.



    I just didn't know if the iSub would work with headphones plugged in (to power my Pro Speakers) and if the computer would act as a crossover only sending the mids and highs to the pro speakers (aka analog out).
  • Reply 10 of 33
    squashsquash Posts: 332member
    I have a dual ghz. I'm not sure how it works exactly. My isub plugs into the usb and my pro speakers into the plug right below the headphone jack on the back. If my headphones are in the sub still works, and does take some of the lows out of the headphones..same with the pro speakers.



    I'm pretty sure it will do what you want, but i could be wrong. If i plug the headphones in...the pro speakers stop working. When i unplug them, they work with the isub. Either way, unless i unplug the isub from the usb port it works all the time.
  • Reply 11 of 33
    ast3r3xast3r3x Posts: 5,012member
    I like what squash says...but there are two people telling me different things! Mount_my_floppy are you sure? (please tell me you aren't )
  • Reply 12 of 33
    squashsquash Posts: 332member
    I'm right in this case....if you don't believe me. Just put isub into the google search and read a few reviews. It does exactly what i said and the reviews you'll find will say the same.



    It will do wonders for the sound that you get from the pro speakers
  • Reply 13 of 33
    ast3r3xast3r3x Posts: 5,012member
    Ok I guess I should get it then, I just wasn't sure if it still made the computer act like a cross over when you have something in the miniplug, but I guess it does.



    Does OS X have a control panel to control it like I hear it did with 9?



    Ok now where is the cheapest place to buy it?
  • Reply 14 of 33
    It does have controls in system preferences..they show up when you have an isub. They let you raise or lower the sub levels..more or less bass.





    No idea where you can get one, they no longer seem to sell the isub as a seperate at Apple...yet they sell the soundsticks and sub set-up HMMM\
  • Reply 15 of 33
    lainlain Posts: 140member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by ast3r3x

    I know the pro speakers aren't the best, but is it possible that they illuminate poorly encoded songs?



    The better the speakers the better they reproduce the sound data, be it distortion or sound.
  • Reply 16 of 33
    eugeneeugene Posts: 8,254member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Mount_my_floppy

    Thats what they call THX.. And No.



    Uh..what???



    THX is basically a set of rules. A quality standard and a seal of approval. Additionally, THX is not limited to audio, but applies to video as well.
  • Reply 17 of 33
    ast3r3xast3r3x Posts: 5,012member
    Ok I guess I can get one...my next question will be though how you control the iSub's volume. Does it scale with the system volume, because I believe I heard that muting the system doesn't mute the iSub.
  • Reply 18 of 33
    I'm not exactly sure what you mean or want, but here's the system preference photo on sub scaling.

    I have my sub fairly low, but it sits on hardwood floors, so the sound or power isn't as large a factor

    as maybe sitting on carpet.





    The mute deal....I'm not sure.
  • Reply 19 of 33
    paulpaul Posts: 5,278member
    note that the iSub volume is INDEPENDENT of the system wide sound...



    so if you mute the system the iSub will get sound... BUT if you make the system wide sound=0 then the iSub will be silent (if I remember correctly)
  • Reply 20 of 33
    ast3r3xast3r3x Posts: 5,012member
    So the volume keys can make the iSub quieter or louder, but the mute key doesn't effect the iSub?



    That is fine, although I don't see how it makes sense, I thought the mute key was just a toggle for sound being nothing.
Sign In or Register to comment.