iTunes Sound "Enhancers"

[Bobbsy]

Not me, but I know from previous topics that some people use iTunes as a playback device...sometimes for system line-up music and some even for music and effects during shows.

 

I've just read in another forum that the latest version of iTunes (7.5 I believe) has a default setting that turns on their version of some "sound enhancement". This appears to include:

 

- bass distortion (some sort of big 30hz bump)

- compression

- stereo image widening using phase-reverse on higher frequencies on one channel

 

So...if you're one of those mis-guided souls using iTunes for playback, make sure you turn off all this extra rubbish before using it to line up your system!

 

(Just to show I'm not prejudiced, I know that some versions of Windows Media Player offer their own "enhancements" that royally mess up your sound if you're looking for an accurate reference.)

 

Bob

[pritch]

For anyone trying to find this, on the Mac version, it's under:

 

iTunes -> Preferences -> Playback -> Sound enhancer

[Solstace]

iTunes has been doing this at least for version 7 so long as I can remember, perhaps even 6 too. It's the first thing I've had to go in and change on any new Mac OS user account or iTunes install for the last year or two.

 

I do wonder sometimes - I mean, AAC and MP3 are already compromising sound quality in horrendous ways. To then run more widening/compressing/boosting wizardry to attempt a better sound? Yikes - that's the LAST thing I want to do! That's almost akin to trying to pull out a nice, clean, new length of Gaffa after you've let it stick back-to-back!

[mackerr]

I've just read in another forum that the latest version of iTunes (7.5 I believe) has a default setting that turns on their version of some "sound enhancement". This appears to include:

 

- bass distortion (some sort of big 30hz bump)

- compression

- stereo image widening using phase-reverse on higher frequencies on one channel

 

So...if you're one of those mis-guided souls using iTunes for playback, make sure you turn off all this extra rubbish before using it to line up your system!

Before you repeat on the Internet something you read in another Internet forum, you should confirm its veracity. Yes, iTunes does offer some "enhancements" that are better suited for kids playing around with how their downloads sound than professional users, but they are not selected by default. I have never turned those features on, nor have I ever had to turn them off. I just did an iTunes upgrade today, and once again those dubious enhancements were not, and are not selected.

 

Mac

[Bobbsy]

Mac,

 

Two points:

 

First off, I have no easy way to check the accuracy of the report I mentioned since I do not have iTunes installed on any computer I own and have no intention of ever installing it.

 

Second, since at least two people (Solstace and the poster of the original report I was quoting) have had this happen, there must be at least a grain of truth to this. Maybe you're just lucky, maybe it's to do with PC vs Mac versions, or maybe it's just one of those computer funnies. However, since more than one person in the BR has previously mentioned using stuff in their iTunes library as "system line up" it seemed worth mentioning.

 

Bob

[mackerr]

I have been using iTunes for walk in and music bed playback for as long as it has been around, which will be 7 years this coming January. I keep almost all my music on a separate 80gig drive, although some of it is on the laptop drive because I don't always have the music drive hooked up when I want to import music. The problems people may indeed be a Windows thing, I have iTunes only on my Mac, and I have never felt the need to use some other mp3 player that I need to move the files around for. When the previously mentioned "enhancements" were first introduced, they were an option that you had to select. Since I have never selected them, they are left unselected when I do a software upgrade. As I have no experience with iTunes under Windows I can't say how it behaves, but my longtime personal experience is that I have had no issues with my preferences being changed by upgrades, or with files being lost.

 

Mac

 

PS Sorry if that last post seemed a little testy, I have just been dealing with some annoying issues on the site I moderate.

[pritch]

Well, maybe the option stays unchecked if you upgrade. However, on my newish Macbook, where I've never played around with the settings in iTunes, this option was actually turned on until I went ferreting around for it after seeing Bobbsy's post.

[Bobbsy]

PS Sorry if that last post seemed a little testy, I have just been dealing with some annoying issues on the site I moderate.

 

No problem. I understand the "annoying issues" problem all too well from the various bits of site moderation I've done over the years!

 

Bob

[Scouse Dave]

Could be a UK / US difference?

 

Just a thought.

[RustyBrooks]

Like Mackerr I have been useing iTunes since its first incarnation, and have been using it, and varous iPods to supply walk in/music, fire system tones into a PA and various other duties with NO problems

 

Both fresh installs, and upgrades on both Mac and PC have never concluded in any of the enhancement features to be selected, on a UK install. The only tricky thing I have is getting all the computers to sync up to the same iTunes Libray.

 

Why do people open threads on a subject they admit to having absolutly no kowledge, or even interest in the subject? My mate down the pub says...

[Rob_Beech]

Bob's post has helped Pritch by the sound of things, it's probably something he didn't want on but it was on by default in HIS case, so the post has helped one person at least, it also has potential to make shows all over the world sound better, which IMO can only be a good thing.

[MarkPAman]

I don't own an ipod, but am often asked to plug one in for playback. So, there's some useful info for me in this thread, including how to check that that function is turned off. Whether it’s a default function or not, it’s something that needs checking.

[paulears]

I thought they were talking about I-tunes? Do I-pods have the same sound crunching add-ons?

 

And.. for what it's worth, I never knew about the sound enhancer - and mine is off by default.

[MarkPAman]

Ah, my mistake. Managed to read to whole thread & see "ipod" every time. Guess because I had to use one earlier this week. Or possibly the fact that today was the last day ot work for me until 2008 :P

[Wuddy]

I recalled this from an earlier I-pod thread, does it also apply to I-tunes when used professionaly as a primary data source?

 

My understanding is there is a licensing issue here. My colleague had a lengthy discussion with PPL regarding Ipods just a couple of weeks ago, and was informed that whilst it is acceptable for a client or guest to provide their own Ipod and say "please play this Ipod Mr Sound Engineer - then return it to me", it is not acceptable for the sound company to turn up using Ipods as a professional sound source, irrespective of whether a digital licence is held or not. Apparently this is something to do with restrictions imposed by Apple. However if the playback device is an MP3 player, and not an Ipod, then provided a digital licence is held, there should be no problems.