The Winamp Thread

[Robscix]

Hey Guys, Many people use Winamp and have questions about it for others. Post them here to keep the info together.

[Robscix]

For those of you that haven't tried it out yet. There is a Plugin called Ozone - Izotope

It is a analog modeling plugin which mimics the sound quality of analog gear. Characteristics like sparkle and warmth. This plugin can add life back to "dead" sounding MP3's. You can download it here: Izotope

[PanzerIV]

Originally Posted by Robscix

If you haven't tried it yet. Here:Izotope

This is a DSP plugin, it is a analog modeller. You will only get a few presets as it costs money. Most of the guys I know use this with Winamp. Let me know what you think

It looks soooo confusing and hard to use at first. Guess I'll just use either (Tube Amplifier or Valve Equalizer) and maybe also 1 preset. I don't know how this plugin change the sound but in some ways it sounds better and worse. OzoneMP must be really helpful once you know how to use it so I have 1-2 questions. Thanks in advance :)

1- Does it matter if I keep enabled my customized equalizer in the Creative Console Launcher or I must disable it and only use Ozone?

2- I listen mostly to "metal" and "trance" music, how should I configure Ozone to make the sound better instead of worse?

[Robscix]

Turn off the EQ in Winamp as Ozone has it's own that is better. Your only gonna have so many Presets becasue your using the Demo version. I would keep both WAV and master abut 50-60 Percent and use your speaker volume if you need more volume. Try the available Presets it will say Free-beside them. Athough default should sound very good. Try turning it on and off to audition the changes it makes. You can try leaving on your EQ, but in most cases you might just want it off. This is all about your ears. Experiment and find what sounds the best to you. Also, what OUTPUT plugin are you using for Winamp?

[PanzerIV]

Originally Posted by Robscix

Also, what OUTPUT plugin are you using for Winamp?

Hi Rob. I'm using Vista as you gotta remember and on Winamp, my output is set on "WaveOut" which if I'm right is the default one chosen by Winamp. I already tryed once to switch to DirectSound even if I'm on Vista and I don't remember having noticed any big difffrence. I wonder if it would be useful to have an OpenAL plugin for Winamp since we could get hardware acceleration through the Creative's Alchemy.

About time my family stopped watching TV, now I can finaly test a few sound preset with Ozone. I think I'll have no other choice than disabling my customized EQ because else there is way too much bass, even if the bass button is turned down to 35% as seen on the picture below, with treble to 60%. I tryed a few preset while listening to Metal music. The best so far seems to be the one named "Ozone Free - Subtle analog modeling". Even if I choose "Default with less bass" there is still too much bass. At first I didn't knew why but now I do. I noticed that each preset modify the values inside those 3 sections (Tube Amplifier, Room Simulation, Valve Equalizer) and from "Default - Less bass" to "Default" to "Subtle analog modeling" the (Bass Compression) goes like this -----> 11.4 to 8.6 to 3.0

Tomorow I'll have more time to mess with this. Since it looks rather hard to know every settings in this plugin and customize it on your own, I might start by choosing the best preset then just modify it a little by changing 1-2 values by myself. Edit: Oh and just to make sure as I wouldn't want to confuse you, I never used/enabled the EQ from Winamp.

ImageShack - Hosting :: 62227341en8.jpg

[Robscix]

Sorry, You won't be able to modify the settings. Unless you have the full version of that plugin. Get your speakers balanced out a bit do the bass isn't overwhelming. This is a great plug once you get your system set properly and it adds alot of life back to mp3...

[qwerty]

Rob, I use Winamp for its ease of use really but I do have a question.

I for the most part listen to Rock and Country music and a bit of hip hop but not too much. Now, is there a better setting for the preset of "Rock" on the eq setting's?

Or what about those eq things that you suggested, would I be better off using one of those plug-ins?

BTW I don't have a monster sound system or anything just a 2.1 speaker kit but it is good enough for me.

Thanks a lot.

Qwerty.

[Robscix]

I suggest you try out the Ozone plugin. Very nice. The basic EQ "Rock" preset is a very generic one. It boosts the low and highs and cuts the mids. You can save different EQ presets for different songs and also make your own. Set you EQ with all the sliders in the middle. This means the EQ is doing nothing. When you move the sliders down you are cutting that frequency and when you move th up you are boosting them. Play around with it and learn how it changes the sound. This way you can tailor the EQ to the sound signature YOU like. Hope that helps. Get the OZONE plugin. There are some others too but ozone is one of the best.

Are you using XP or Vista? I have some other tips that will improve your sound, but we can get to that later.

[Eldonko]

<3 Winamp :)

[PanzerIV]

Originally Posted by Robscix

Are you using XP or Vista? I have some other tips that will improve your sound, but we can get to that later.

Feel free to discuss about it as what help him might also help others too, such as me.

The only setting in the (Tube Amplifier) section that really do a diffrence on the sound seem to be the "Bass Compression" and I prefer it when it's very close to 0 because else the bass drown everything when I'm not listening to techno stuff. For the (Valve Equalizer) I'm still not sure if I prefer to bypass "disable" it. At least that is for the preset "Subtle Analog". Afterall I've kept my customized EQ from Creative.

Question: I'm not sure if I understood well. I know that low frequencies are for the bass and high for the treble, but is the medium "middle" mostly for the voices???