[SOLVED] Can't achieve full sound quality of "Hi-fi" Headphones

Hubert Cumberdale · 2015-09-24 01:12:50

Hello everyone,

I am using Arch for the first time (It's also my first distro) and I can't achieve the same sound quality of my HD 598 (sennheiser) that I get in windows. Unlike other computers I've tested, my notebook can handle these headphones pretty fine without any DAC/Amp. They're sounding the same as these computers that can't handle them (like Ipod default headphones), limited frequency response, I guess. What could I do to achieve the same sound quality as windows ? (using gnome btw) (btw2, the sound wouldn't work until I did this: https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php … 8#p1453528 )

Last edited by Hubert Cumberdale (2015-09-26 01:13:02)

brebs · 2015-09-24 08:33:07

First thing I would do is run "alsamixer" and play with the option combinations (press F5 to show all options in alsamixer).

Hubert Cumberdale · 2015-09-24 19:11:49

Thanks for the reply brebs,

No luck with alsamixer so far. The "card" and "chip" are set to PulseAudio, which seems to be managing my sound card. I can control the volume from both of them (only the Master volume through the PulseAudio option), but no change in the frequency response. Seems like I need something like a diferent sound driver. (my Chip is "Realtek ALC3223" btw)

lucke · 2015-09-24 21:37:43

Press F6, change to your device, play with options.

gnox · 2015-09-25 04:39:34

In /etc/pulse/daemon.conf you can change :
resample-method = src-sinc-best-quality
default-sample-rate = 48000

brebs · 2015-09-25 08:37:14

I'm wondering whether Windows was "enhancing" the sound in software?

ALSA plugins, e.g. LADSPA, can do similar things.

Tromzy · 2015-09-25 08:51:52

gnox wrote:

In /etc/pulse/daemon.conf you can change :
resample-method = src-sinc-best-quality
default-sample-rate = 48000

I never understood why that was not default.

Last edited by Tromzy (2015-09-25 08:52:03)

V1del · 2015-09-25 09:00:20

gnox wrote:

In /etc/pulse/daemon.conf you can change :
resample-method = src-sinc-best-quality
default-sample-rate = 48000

Libsamplerate has been deprecated (and disabled in the Arch packages), a working variant to the same effect would be

resample-method=speex-float-10

(although if that actually makes an audible difference or is just wasting cpu cycles is an entirely different matter...) or using the new libsoxr based ones which apparently have better quality but comparatively high latency

#Lowest to highest quality
resample-method=soxr-mq
resample-method=soxr-hq
resample-method=soxr-vhq

@Tromzy
Because they are defaults and should work in the majority of cases. People on a netbook/low power notebook don't want to waste CPU cycles/battery power for a resampling quality that they aren't going to hear anyway.

Last edited by V1del (2015-09-25 11:31:46)

defears · 2015-09-25 10:32:39

Are you using lossless or lossy files? Try Audacious and play around with the crystalizer plugin if lossy.

Mr.Elendig · 2015-09-25 10:37:56

Have you done actual quantative messurements of the quality?

R00KIE · 2015-09-25 13:08:00

My suspicion is that on windows the driver is doing some kind of "enhancement" that masks the fact that the codec is not able to drive the headphones properly(1) without software help.

Alsa should (mostly(2)) pass the audio stream unchanged to the sound card, which is what you want I suppose, since you care enough to buy a good pair or cans.

(1) Either not enough voltage or output current capability.
(2) If you are using some for of resampling or channel mixing this doesn't apply.

schivmeister · 2015-09-26 00:03:51

Anything with "dolby" in its name installed in Windows will give you noticeably "better" sound quality. If you have one, turn it off and compare.

Hubert Cumberdale · 2015-09-26 01:05:07

Thank you for all the replies,

I've tried playing with the options in alsamixer and daemon.conf as well as different music players and files (lossless/lossy) in both Arch and windows. I haven't done any quantative messurements of the quality as I found no way of doing that.

The sound is still very different in windows, mabye even "too" good, as some of you pointed out; there's probably some software deceiving me, though i can't find which one.

My conclusion is that i probably need an actual amp to handle my headphones : /

Thanks for the help everyone : )

Arch Linux

#1 2015-09-24 01:12:50

[SOLVED] Can't achieve full sound quality of "Hi-fi" Headphones

#2 2015-09-24 08:33:07

Re: [SOLVED] Can't achieve full sound quality of "Hi-fi" Headphones

#3 2015-09-24 19:11:49

Re: [SOLVED] Can't achieve full sound quality of "Hi-fi" Headphones

#4 2015-09-24 21:37:43

Re: [SOLVED] Can't achieve full sound quality of "Hi-fi" Headphones

#5 2015-09-25 04:39:34

Re: [SOLVED] Can't achieve full sound quality of "Hi-fi" Headphones

#6 2015-09-25 08:37:14

Re: [SOLVED] Can't achieve full sound quality of "Hi-fi" Headphones

#7 2015-09-25 08:51:52

Re: [SOLVED] Can't achieve full sound quality of "Hi-fi" Headphones

#8 2015-09-25 09:00:20

Re: [SOLVED] Can't achieve full sound quality of "Hi-fi" Headphones

#9 2015-09-25 10:32:39

Re: [SOLVED] Can't achieve full sound quality of "Hi-fi" Headphones

#10 2015-09-25 10:37:56

Re: [SOLVED] Can't achieve full sound quality of "Hi-fi" Headphones

#11 2015-09-25 13:08:00

Re: [SOLVED] Can't achieve full sound quality of "Hi-fi" Headphones

#12 2015-09-26 00:03:51

Re: [SOLVED] Can't achieve full sound quality of "Hi-fi" Headphones

#13 2015-09-26 01:05:07

Re: [SOLVED] Can't achieve full sound quality of "Hi-fi" Headphones

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