Ok, A while Back I found a great software program called the 'WoWThing' It's a plug-in for Winamp, and what it does it brings out a greater of sound quality in mp3's than an mp3 playing without it (Of course), I was hoping that a Linux Version of the WoWThing software would be made for the Empeg, Maybe there would be a joint venture between the folks at Empeg and WoWThing, oh the url for the wowthing is http://www.wowthing.com This would KiCk AsS if this could be made possible


-Help Me I'm always the last to be informed

hmmmm....looks like this is a dead post, oh well, but if ANYONE has ANY opinions on this, please post something, it feels cruddy when no one else has an interest in this....


:p

-Joe

In general you have to wait a little longer than 3 hours for a reply... =)

I've not seen (or heard) WowThing, so I need to try it before I can give you an opinion, and as I'm at work at moment, that will have to wait till tonight...

Jazz
(List 112, S/N 00030, 4 gig blue)

Hmmm, sorry for wanting a quick response, I posted a previous message a few days ago, and got serveral responses rather quickly, heh, I guess the WoWThing isn't as well-known as I thought, well, just download the software version anyway, you just might like it :) Laterzzz



-Help Me I'm Always The Last to Be Informed

Heh, that's just the way this BBS goes... Sometimes it can take days to get a response... (Unless it's about the mark 2 =)

I'll check out the plugin, but I hope it's better than DFX (I didn't like that one at all)...

Jazz
(List 112, S/N 00030, 4 gig blue)

hmmm, I downloaded that DFX plug-in, but it doesnt seem to work, I tried looking for it in the plug-ins area, and the visualazation/plug-in menu area, but I cant seem to find it, I was hoping to compare the 2 but, it seems that you are gonna have to tell me if the WowThing is better or not...: /

Demmit, I just got it to work, apparently I accidently installed that plug-in in the wrong directory....anyhoo- the WoWThing better than that DFX thing, plus the wowthing has some 3d surround to it, not like that bullshit DFX use if you buy feature, + it's easier to use. But, I'd still like to see an empeg version slapped into, well, the Empeg :D

> Ok, A while Back I found a great software program called the 'WoWThing' It's a plug-in for
> Winamp, and what it does it brings out a greater of sound quality in mp3's than an mp3 playing
> without it (Of course)"

Ick.

Problem is decades of sampling theory say this isn't possible, and I often wonder how they can justify these claims (and not get in trouble with advertising standards). I can't pass too much comment on WoWThing seeing as I haven't tried it, but I'll guess that it's just a souped-up spatialiser.

If the TruBass bit is anything like other methods I've seen, all it does is add harmonics to the bass frequencies. While your speakers can't produce the lowest bass frequencies (loudly), it can produce the harmonics. Ironically, these harmonics are exactly what any audiophile would recognise as distorted bass...

If anyone's wondering how to get better sound, follow these simple rules:

a) Get better sound sources
b) Get better amps
c) Get better speakers

And if you have a listening environment with response problems (e.g a car) then

d) Use an equaliser, with a spectrum recording device if you must

And if anyone mentions vinyl I'll smack them :)


- John (from empeg)

(The above may not represent the views of empeg :)

Vinyl... =)
((Duck))

Seriously, I tried the DFX plugin, and I wasn't that impressed (I've got a cambridge audio amp, Eltax speakers and a seperate dac hanging off the digital output of my 'puter, so it sounds quite good most of the time)
If you listen to mp3's with a set of 300watt desktop speakers (hehe, like that's the actual power output) these plugins might make stuff sound nicer (it can't get any worse... =)

I will try the WoWThing plugin though, It might surprise me... =)

Jazz
(List 112, S/N 00030, 4 gig blue)

john,

Don't be so quick to discredit the Wow Thing. I admit it is a hideous name, but I'm familiar with the technology that Wow Thing uses. It uses an analog DSP chip and HRTF technology. (Head related transfer functions). SRS Labs is well known for their sound-shaping technologies and a lot of reputed companies incorporate their chips such as Apple, Sony, Hitachi, and others. I've even seen CDs out on the market that uses their enhancements at the studio level so that the sound is enhanced before it is mastered! You'll see these under the brand name Circle Surround.

Let me just state the negatives / drawbacks of SRS Labs' technology.

1) Because they're using an analog chip, the signal to noise ratio is degraded very very significantly. The noise floor is elevated to an audible level even at low volumes.

2) The Wow Thing is optimized for small desktop computers speakers and headphones.

On the plus side, they have a chip called "Focus" that uses similar technologies but is optimized for car interiors. SRS Labs is incredibly good at shaping sound, to the extent that you can fool the brain into believing sound is coming from a different point than the speakers (!). They have an input level that alters how much the sound is diffused and focused, and a positional control that alters where the brain believes the sound comes from. The fascinating thing about the Focus technology is that it alters the vertical psychological location of the speakers. So if you have speakers in the car that are closer to the floor, the Focus chip reorganizes the sound to make it sound like it's coming from a more ideal position. (it sounds like it's coming from a band around your head!).

http://www.srslabs.com

By the way, I think the technology kicks ass, and if empeg can obtain the algorithms, go for it. However, remember that it does introduce a great deal of noise into the signal, which is unfortunate!

Calvin

Well, I downloaded the plugin (they want names and emails, so I hope I don't get spammed)
First impressions are that it does brighten the top end a bit (although it can get a bit squishy if the effect is turned up too far), and the tru bass is quite good at enhancing the sound...
Certainly switching back to normal sounds flat and uninteresting...

However, it does produce 'artifacts', and I suspect you could do quite well with just an eq...
So, I might use it on my home system (on almost min settings) but it's odd, it doesn't improve sound quality, just makes it 'nicer' to listen to... =)

That probably doesn't make much sense... If anyone's interested I could record a before and after sample via my sblive?

Jazz
(List 112, S/N 00030, 4 gig blue)

Yes it makes sense. The algorithms they use are HRTF functions, and they are based on the mechanics of the human ear. The idea is similar to the concept of loudness. basically different frequencies of sound is distorted by the physical features of the ear, this distortion tags different frequencies with directional cues, then after the audio signal goes down the nerve to the brain, the brain then corrects for the distortion (thus, untagging) and then it uses the tags to correlate the sound to locations. That is why, even though you have only 2 ears (2 points will form a line, 3 points a plane!) you can correct differentiate the origin of a sound. So if you close your eyes and somebody clapped 2 feet behind your head, versus 2 feet in front of your head you will correctly figure out which one is front and back. (neat eh?) Also interesting, is if you clap your hand above your head versus below, you can also differentiate but to a lesser extent. So interestingly, you only have 2 ears, yet, you can determine a point source in a 3 dimension space.

Anyway, what the algorithms do, is they will take music, and alter its sound stage and stretch it out to make it sound "bigger" or more "in front" than the original recording. It will increase certain frequencies, decrease others, move some frequencies from one channel to the other, mix some, separate others and very effectively trick the listener into thinking the recording is much better. So it can turn a studio recording into a concert hall, or a concert hall into a studio, or a monotone recording into stereo!!! (yep, it can take a single point source, and stretch the point into a complete sound stage) without losing that sense of authenticity.

BTW if you care about noise, you won't want to put the Wow Thing in your home set up, it adds a horrific amount of noise to the signal. This level of noise may be acceptable on the freeway however!!

Calvin

Heh, oh well, I'd still like to see something of that 3d sound nature put into the Empeg as a software option, but still, I cant use my winamp with out that wowthing, yea the name is kind of goofy, but still, everytime I turn the wowthing off, the sound seems to go back to being flat, Hmm, I just wanted to see what you folks would say about it....laterzzzz


-Help me I'm always the first to get stomped on....

a) Get better sound sources
b) Get better amps
c) Get better speakers

c 1/2) Get better interconnects?

Give me about 500$ and we'll talk about it....hehe
(I know amp/speakers dont cost that much, just getting more money toward my mark2 unit :D )

Yeah! Surround would be nice! And I think the car is a good environment for surround with it's front and rear speakers.


TeeMcBee

"...I know amp/speakers dont cost that much..."

Boy are you in for a rude awakening when you get out in the real world of stereo acquisition!

I have over $1000 in amplifiers and speakers in my car, and there is nothing there of any extraordinary quality or quantity. Well... my MB Quart RKB-100 4" co-axial speakers are pretty special I guess. $275 for the pair. Then there's a pair of PPI amplifiers, about $500 total. Then the three MB Quart midrange speakers, probably another $150, and the Orion 10" sub, that's about $150 I think. Then the crossovers, the cabling, the L-pads, fuse panels, odds and ends -- another $100 or so. Oh, don't forget installation charges if you have it professionally done.

In all my IASCA competitions, I have never competed against anybody who did not have at least twice that amount invested, and I have seen cars in competition (not in my division, fortunately) with stereo systems estimated in excess of $40,000.

So if you get by for just $500 (plus the empeg) and still end up with a really good sound -- count yourself fortunate indeed!

tanstaafl.



"There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch"

Sorry, I forgot the extra zero on the $500, hehe