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Topic: WOWThing for Winamp (Read 9463 times) previous topic - next topic
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WOWThing for Winamp

Is it worth installing the WOWThing plugin from SRSLabs?  I found it on one of my old CDs.  I've heard it provides the WOW effect (3D spatial thing) and TruBass (for solidifying the bass on puny computer speakers and headphones).

Or is this just another one of those "audio enhancing cons"?

WOWThing for Winamp

Reply #1 –
Quote
Is it worth installing the WOWThing plugin from SRSLabs?  I found it on one of my old CDs.  I've heard it provides the WOW effect (3D spatial thing) and TruBass (for solidifying the bass on puny computer speakers and headphones).

Or is this just another one of those "audio enhancing cons"?

It's a DSP like DFX, DEE but IME does a worse job.

WOWThing for Winamp

Reply #2 –
honestly....  nearly everything SRS makes is crap imo. 

the only thing i would use is a unit that makes mono sources sound kinda stereoish, its mainly used for television stuff.

the WOWcaster is basically a WOWthing with a few more adjustments, 1 or 2 more, not really great.  they used to sell that for 1000 bucks, but now its only like 200 (mabey less now)....

srs "Trubass" is what the effect is.  it sadly is NOT a psycoacoustic effect, so it basically "improves" the bass basically by simply turning it up.  you might call it "TruEQ" instead...  it doesnt do much more than that.  the WOW stereo effect is even worse.  on some tracks it totaly ruins the original mix, and it reduces the long-term listenability alot imo.  if you know anything about phase alignment you will run.. away....  run away from srs, fast...   



jesseg

WOWThing for Winamp

Reply #3 –
from what I understood, the trubass thing takes whatever bass is there and puts in strong midbass info an octave higher, it's not an eq

WOWThing for Winamp

Reply #4 –
Ah ok.  Thanks for the opinion.  No wonder it had a very short life as a free plugin.

I'm interested in this sort of thing so can someone recommend me the best (hopefully free) plugin for Winamp which will improve the bass as well as enhance the audio?

Many thanks

WOWThing for Winamp

Reply #5 –
I think that what will be best for you is none of these (stinkin'...) plug-ins, but an equalizer plug-in, and a good one.
As far as i know, the Shibatch SuperEQ is the best.
Try it, experiment with it, i bet you'll get just what you want, proper frequency levels to your taste.

WOWThing for Winamp

Reply #6 –
I'd leave it on the CD and forget about it. From my prior experience with it I came to the conclusion that it adds way too much distortion, even on inexpensive speakers.

WOWThing for Winamp

Reply #7 –
i'd play with it for awhile then delete it. 

WOWThing for Winamp

Reply #8 –
I remember seeing an ad for a WowThing in one of my sister's teen-girl magazines.

Seeing their idiot marketing, I don't think I'd ever buy anything SRS makes.

WOWThing for Winamp

Reply #9 –
I searched the WA site a bit and found one called Enhancer 0.17.  Seems that most people have given it quite a good rating.  The Harmonic Bass/Range setting is quite effective.  I'm getting quite a lot of solid bass from this puny ESS Maestro soundcard on my laptop LOL 

WOWThing for Winamp

Reply #10 –
Quantum Knot,

Totally off topic, but I was wondering if you had a large version jpeg or bmp of your avatar?  I've been trying to look for a gordian knot to use as a wallpaper and really havent had much success.
"You can fight without ever winning, but never win without a fight."  Neil Peart  'Resist'

WOWThing for Winamp

Reply #11 –
DON'T USE IT! LoL! I installed it and it made my music sound all weird and muffled. For those who want to try it and don't want to install it, use it in Windows Media Player 7 and see for yourself how crap it is! IMHO DSP plugins are bad, it may work well for certain types of music, but being me I just leave my WinAMP running in "jukebox" mode. Therefore one set of settings may work for one track and totally destroy another track . So I just leave everything pure and natural .

Laters...
-=MusePack... Living Audio Compression=-

Honda - The Power of Dreams

WOWThing for Winamp

Reply #12 –
Quote
Quantum Knot,

Totally off topic, but I was wondering if you had a large version jpeg or bmp of your avatar?   I've been trying to look for a gordian knot to use as a wallpaper and really havent had much success.

I do actually.  I generated it in one of the MATLAB demo's.

WOWThing for Winamp

Reply #13 –
_Shorty,

TruBass is not a psyco-acoustic effect by any means.      True, it does generate frequencies above low bass frequencies.  Here's how Iv known it to work (roughly):

First it compresses the bass, then it adds thier custom even-order harmonic distortion, and lastly it runs it through the nastiest-a$$ eq, imo.

The subliminal effect it is trying (and failing) to achive is called "Missing Fundamental Harmonics"

Check out what Iv been using/researching the last few years:
http://www.maxxbass.com
It is true psyco-acoustic enhancement, not dynamics processing.  Typically you can get 1.5 to 2 extra octaves of bass from small speakers, without changing the perceptive equalization, and without adding any rms.    Not just that, but maxxbass enhanced audio plays much louder than normal without distortion or imd caused by heavy bass.

Srs enhanced audio distorts even at normal levels, TruBass requires a gain reduction anywhere from 6db to 20db depending on setting!!  So, imagine loosing at least 1/3 of the total playback headroom of the speakers due to the effect.  If you wanna research it more check out the maxxbass site, they have an excellent comparison of the two technologies.

also note that maxxbass IS compatable with TruBass...  that is, TruBass doesnt overprocess it any more that it would normally do to everything.      When TruBass is done twice it's just all over...  total crapola.






If you want to check out maxxbass in action, listen to my lil stream over heya ( http://radioio-hi.sc.llnw.net:8030/listen.pls )  There are several bass enhancement technologies at work (that im not free to talk about    ) but the only effect (or effects) that are changing the frequency of the bass are maxxbass related.

If you have a spectometer in winamp ( http://spectool.mastak.com ) you can watch the bass go way up on the graph, while you are subconsciously hearing a very deep bass note.  Its really goofy to watch and listen to at the same time, but it definately works no matter what your ears and eyes tell each other.   

Quote
make sure you select winamp's waveOut output plugin and set the buffer length to 2000ms


soooo,.....  what do you think of maxx??
 
can you tell at first?
can you tell at all?
how long did it take you to notice the effect?
any input's really great  B)


jesse

WOWThing for Winamp

Reply #14 –
Quote
I think that what will be best for you is none of these (stinkin'...) plug-ins, but an equalizer plug-in, and a good one.
As far as i know, the Shibatch SuperEQ is the best.
Try it, experiment with it, i bet you'll get just what you want, proper frequency levels to your taste.

Wow.. im glad i read this post  After using this SuperEQ thing and configuring it properly, it amazes me how utterly crappy Winamp's own EQ is. My MP3's/OGG's/etc suddenly came to life compared to using Winamp's own EQ. I'm using a pair of Sennheiser HD480 Reference's plugged right into my soundcard, and i really notice a big difference, and your able to adjust it much more precisely.

CPU usage went up 1-3% though, but so what.. 0% cpu usage or 2% isn't really noticeable, and its definately worth it.
myspace.com/borgei - last.fm/user/borgei

WOWThing for Winamp

Reply #15 –
Quantum,


Think you could send it to me?
"You can fight without ever winning, but never win without a fight."  Neil Peart  'Resist'

WOWThing for Winamp

Reply #16 –
Quote
Quantum,


Think you could send it to me?

You want WOWThing?  You can get it from the DSP plugin's section at the winamp site (http://classic.winamp.com) as I remember seeing it there while in search of Enhancer. 

WOWThing for Winamp

Reply #17 –
WT sounded great... back when I had a crappy pair of Packard Bell monitor mounted speakers. After I ditched those for something a little more expensive, it really sounded like crap.

WOWThing for Winamp

Reply #19 –
using WoW thing or any type of program related to that matter is like having a honda civic and attempting to call it a bmw...

i guess if u have like 10 dollar speakers or something, then meybe u can notice a difference...
but i would just advise you to buy better speakers/hardware/headphones whatever u choose, rather then having to resort to badging your civic to a mercades...

vandit

WOWThing for Winamp

Reply #20 –
BTW... There is nothing completely wrong with Honda Civics  Just make sure you get the right model and you should be right in auditory heaven
-=MusePack... Living Audio Compression=-

Honda - The Power of Dreams