![[H]ard|Forum](/styles/hardforum/xenforo/logo_dark.png){kind=logo}
I repaired this system for a friend, pulled the nf2 s/s board out (fried power conenctor pins) and replaced it with the cheapest board we could find, a kt600 w via envy24/viavinyl.
So I figured I'd do some headphone A-B listening with no effects, flat controls, same songs, etc...etc... between the viavinyl and the x-fi fatality in my sys.
The X-Fi definitely is brighter and sharper, but the vinyl had a better stereo image, as in I noticed sounds moving very clearly and distinctly and pin point positioned. Listened with the X-Fi, just bright, yea, from the right general side but well...different and not remarkable.
So, I decided to do a little adjusting to try and get the via vinyl sound. I set the smart volume management on, then set EQ to boost a little bass, decrease the mid-highs (4-6 KHz) and played with crystallizer levels.
I got it pretty darn close, but the sound was still a little brighter.
All in all, the via vinyl modified the sound by default to sound a little 'sweeter' so now I am on a quest to figure out how to make the X-Fi sound like it. I think it will involve putting a transformer between the outputs and the headphones, kind of give it a more analog sound softly rolled off in highs and introduces a little even order harmonics. I believe that was the whole selling point of the vinyl, to give it a more analog sound.
The thing that is weird is I liked the analog sound from record players and tube amps better than CD sound in the first place (once I got over the shock of no background hiss digital music gave I noticed the difference).
I think there is a way to make a shader, so to say, for the X-Fi to give it the same sound, but for now I'll try and find my signal level isolation transformers. and wire some 1/8 stereo jacks to it.
Hmmm......
So I figured I'd do some headphone A-B listening with no effects, flat controls, same songs, etc...etc... between the viavinyl and the x-fi fatality in my sys.
The X-Fi definitely is brighter and sharper, but the vinyl had a better stereo image, as in I noticed sounds moving very clearly and distinctly and pin point positioned. Listened with the X-Fi, just bright, yea, from the right general side but well...different and not remarkable.
So, I decided to do a little adjusting to try and get the via vinyl sound. I set the smart volume management on, then set EQ to boost a little bass, decrease the mid-highs (4-6 KHz) and played with crystallizer levels.
I got it pretty darn close, but the sound was still a little brighter.
All in all, the via vinyl modified the sound by default to sound a little 'sweeter' so now I am on a quest to figure out how to make the X-Fi sound like it. I think it will involve putting a transformer between the outputs and the headphones, kind of give it a more analog sound softly rolled off in highs and introduces a little even order harmonics. I believe that was the whole selling point of the vinyl, to give it a more analog sound.
The thing that is weird is I liked the analog sound from record players and tube amps better than CD sound in the first place (once I got over the shock of no background hiss digital music gave I noticed the difference).
I think there is a way to make a shader, so to say, for the X-Fi to give it the same sound, but for now I'll try and find my signal level isolation transformers. and wire some 1/8 stereo jacks to it.
Hmmm......