Components and Sound Quality

[fmak]

I built a low noise audio computer with the Terratec EWX2496 sound card which measures very well. However, the sound was only mid-fi despite good shielding, routing of connections outside the computer etc etc.

Today I did two simple mods. Shorted out the coupling caps which were bypassed by BGNs and shorted out the inductors separating signal out and ground out from the socketry planes. The hi fi character of CDs and DVDs have now returned without any change in measured performance.

Shorting out the caps made the sound much more liquid. Fidelity was much enhanced by bypassing the two small inductances to the output sockets.

A very good illustration of components affecting sound!

[peranders]

You may be right but I think that those parts you have removed makes this card radiate more and this may affect sound in some other respect. Good solutions have allways a separate box with AD/DA. I think it's impossible to make really good sound quality when you have computer circuits so near.

[fmak]

Originally posted by peranders
You may be right but I think that those parts you have removed makes this card radiate more and this may affect sound in some other respect. Good solutions have allways a separate box with AD/DA. I think it's impossible to make really good sound quality when you have computer circuits so near.

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Not according to measurements with the Rightmark Audio Analyser software. No change in s.n, thd, imd etc.

This is an audio comupter with sound card optimised for IRQ and shielded several empty slots away from the video. The various plots are exceptionally clean (to my surprise even).

The parts are unncessary in my circumstances and they affected sound quality adversely, which is why I used such a title for the post