Now for something different, instead of a problem.. some praise about sound quality

[imfallen_angel]

Well I did it finally... I've stepped into the world of Preware about 2 weeks ago.

I've discovered quite a few things, but overall, haven't wanted to modify too much as I'd hate to end up as some posters with issues that came out of tapping into the dark side of tampering with the OS.

But anyways, the reason of my post is to mention that I discovered TouchVol, thanks to a thread that discussed the sound issues and how to reset it.

Well, all I can say is that I was stunned, not just amazed, but pretty much shocked at discovering the 3D capacity of the Touchpad, something that I can't believe being accessible via the built-in sound controller.

For all portable devices I've had in my life, nothing comes even close.

I knew that compare to just about any other tablets out there, the Touchpad had something special, as I've yet to hear a tablet with the sound quality of the Touchpad, but this discovery simply made me sit there in awe...

To play musics, movies, or play a game and be surrounded by the sound like this, is just another reason to pound my head on my desk to why HP cancelled WEBOS devices....

Anyways, just wanted to share a little rant... and to anyone that haven't try out this App (TouhVol) in Preware... you really should!

[GMMan]

I only really noticed the 3D sound made the speakers louder. I removed all volume patches for fear I would blow the speakers.

Anyway, I've been exposed to too many crap speakers, so I could potentially call good AV equipment crap.

[imfallen_angel]

Originally Posted by GMMan

I only really noticed the 3D sound made the speakers louder. I removed all volume patches for fear I would blow the speakers.

Anyway, I've been exposed to too many crap speakers, so I could potentially call good AV equipment crap.

No, it's not about being louder, that would be the boost. The 3d effect pushes the sound in a virtual surround.

If I play a song or a decent game, if really pushes the sound around, so much that I could swear the instruments are playing beside me/the Touchpad, it fills a room.

I honestly don't know how it does it, even with some electronic/audio knowledge, but it splits the sound and projects it.

Using the equalizer to fine tune it, and I've never had any portable device, which relatively very speakers, have such sound.

[chalx]

Originally Posted by imfallen_angel

No, it's not about being louder, that would be the boost. The 3d effect pushes the sound in a virtual surround.

If I play a song or a decent game, if really pushes the sound around, so much that I could swear the instruments are playing beside me/the Touchpad, it fills a room.

I honestly don't know how it does it, even with some electronic/audio knowledge, but it splits the sound and projects it.

Using the equalizer to fine tune it, and I've never had any portable device, which relatively very speakers, have such sound.

Touchpad uses pretty powerful codec and it have had potential to become real audiophile device. We know how this saga ended, but Wolfson inside Touchpad is still great piece of hardware.

[GMMan]

Just turned on 3D again, and yeah, there seems to be a bit more depth. It seems the 3D is only applied to either ends of the frequency spectrum. Game soundtracks like from Bastion and Aquaria has noticeable effects applied, while some other music that keeps the frequencies in a middle band (like Cj Pit's Nemezis Spaun) don't sound much different. Trying it on the Robbox soundtrack, and Vibe's Human Essence (the original) just sounds wonky. (In case you ask, no, I don't have any "real" music. I mostly buy/rip game soundtracks.)

[redrum0036]

My touchpad sounds like the speakers are blown or the music may sound mechanical

[Herrie]

My touchpad sounds like the speakers are blown or the music may sound mechanical

That could be the famous PulseAudio bug. PulseAudio restart or TP reboot would solve those usually...


-- Sent from my TouchPad using Communities

[steven_farkas]

Originally Posted by Herrie

That could be the famous PulseAudio bug. PulseAudio restart or TP reboot would solve those usually...


-- Sent from my TouchPad using Communities

or just turn off the screen for 10-15 seconds. since i discovered that trick its worked every time for me! so much easier than a reboot!

[Herrie]

Originally Posted by steven_farkas

or just turn off the screen for 10-15 seconds. since i discovered that trick its worked every time for me! so much easier than a reboot!

That works too, but the PulseAudio restart in TouchVol was more reliable for me in most cases

[jcmarcos]

Originally Posted by chalx

Touchpad uses pretty powerful codec and it have had potential to become real audiophile device. We know how this saga ended, but Wolfson inside Touchpad is still great piece of hardware.

Very true! I'm shocked to discover now things like these: The TouchPad contains a really high end audio chip, the awarded Wolfson WN8958. It contains a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), a kind of specilized CPU for signals in general, and audio in particular in this case. One can do amazing tricks with such a thing, such as the multiband compression that Anand Lal Shimpi discovered. It's totally unexpected on a cheap consumer device not targeted to musicians.

Very, very impressive discovery. First time ever I see that "beats audio" badge meaning something real.

May the Pre 3 share such a beast of an audio chip? I say it because TouchVol also works on it, with it's interesting 3D function and five band equalizer. What APIs does webOS expose to have fun with Wolfson's brainchild?

Oh, the Pre3 indeed has something... Not having that DSP, its specs are almost as mind-boggling!

Our devices indeed have good rock'n'roll inside.