[LEFT]How to improve the sound quality on mp3's and wave files the best way?
I've been trying to fix some audio clips in Audacity and WavePad many
times but it just get worse. I give up. I think there should be a quick
solution with the best settings already

Sorry but I cannot find a similar post. Please link to it if you know
and I'll change the thread to something else that I cannot find. :unch:
[/LEFT]

Buy a better soundcard?
There's a lot of sound-tweaking programs out there, but the true difference you hear when hw gets replaced. Been messing around a bit with the same thing and just gave up eventually.

[LEFT]I've bought two Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS cards.
It's 16 bit and of course there was a better version (24 bit I think)
in the stores just a little while later. I'm not sure if the new version
will improve the sound quality as they say but maybe I should try
it someday.

I still don't think a new soundcard will remove all kind of noices.
[/LEFT]

[color=blue]Edited by Moderator: Removed quote. There`s no need to quote the post directly above your own. [/color]

Your sound cards are fine. Its how you made the recording/sample in the first place that determines the outcome of the final audio file. And hardware including cables start to count especialy if you're recording from an extrnal source (tape deck, cd player, etc)

What in particular are you trying to "fix"? the speed/tempo, cut/edits, noise etc?

[LEFT]It's personal recordings with microphone and I want to reduce the
disturbance first of all, like DOLBY but still the treble should be good.
I'm not an expert but I've tried many different plugins and settings
in Audacity and WavePad without success.

The new sound card I'm thinking about is Creative SB X-Fi XtremeMusic PCI, Retail[/LEFT]

[color=blue]Edited by Moderator: Removed quote. There`s no need to quote the post directly above your own. [/color]

the X-Fi is a very good consumer/amature recording level card, and should fit your purpose nicely..

so your original sound source is from a microphone.. recorded live or from another device? what type/brand/model microphone is it?

Can you send a sample of the 'disturbance' (few seconds if you want..) onto a .zip and post it next?

So many questions hehe

[LEFT]consumer/amature? OMG. I want the best even I'm not a pro!
Is there any post about the best sound card?

I don't remember which microphone since I have many old recordings made
with different mics. It was some cheap mics. The sound is still quite good
except there's noice from start to the end. I cannot send a sample but I
think you know what I mean, it's a common noice in home recordings.
The best "free" program for reducing the noice seems to be WavePad
but it's still hard. I just get new strange disturbances and more noice
on the original sound :eek: LOL Never mind. I thought there maybe was
a better solution I didn't know about. [/LEFT]

[color=blue]Edited by Moderator: Removed quote. There`s no need to quote the post directly above your own. [/color]

Which sound card is the best nowadays?

Creative have different cards and some like X-Fi XtremeGamer
and X-Fi Xtreme Audio is smaller

Actually I don't use surround. Only stereo, 2 channels. But I still want very
good sound quality and all different systems makes it harder to choose.
I don't think I want a bigger sound card with console and remote control
again because the ZS Platinium stuff I got the last time was expencive
but it's still plastic, look cheap and are quite bad! Also it's 16-bit only...

Also I need something that keeps the volume down because I've
got a serious tinnitus!

X-fi's have been reported to be much more better quality than the old audigy by most people, although i haven't been able to get my hands on one of them yet.. between the gamer and the normal one as linked, there is not much difference, but the gamer one has ASIO support, which is good if you wish to record using it.

i refer to the x-fi and mainstream cards like that as 'consumer' because its not the normal card for people who are serious about recording uses (not that there's anything wrong with it, there's just better ones out there for the job), and likewise pro audio cards aren't usually associated for uses like, say, all day gaming and movies (and like before, not because it can't (think game studios, movie productions need to use them all day for their projects), just that you've probably busted your savings on it and rather make some use out of its designed potential) the best sound card.. is debatable and alot depends on how much you want to spend, while some are hard to acquire even by going to some music (instruments) shop... although i can recommend a few good brands..
www.digidesign.com
www.m-audio.com
www.presonus.com
etc.

volume is determined mostly by you.. you have to remember to turn it down hehe..

There is a couple of rules you should remember:
- most soundcards are sufficient for playback, but what determines audio quality is four factors:
the source, the medium (cables etc), conversion quality (digital<>analogue, etc), and the equipment used (ie speakers, headphones etc)
- most soundcards are adequate for recording, and the same factors above applies, but in reverse, so therefore >
- you can take quality away from the audio file, but you can't add more quality to it, only try and make it better.

To answer your original question of this thread, you can't create good sounding audio from crap source by magic, there are too many factors to consider on the cause of the noise. There is however methods of reducing the noise or 'fixing' the audio, and most of them are by trail and error, and for those who have exceptionally good hearing still take from experience, others by knowing a bit about playing music and music theory.

Try these:
- If the noise is constant beat (like a tempo beat - *...*...*...*... etc) you can try using the noise sampler in audacity and sample one cycle and see if it takes it out.
- try eq'ing it out by using the hi and low pass filters, eq graphs etc. If you can amplify what makes the noise worse, then the logical thing is to take it out by cutting it at that frequency.

[LEFT]Thanks for your tips! I think we already talked about the volume in another
thread but it's what conserns me the most right now. I've got a serious
tinnitus maybe thanks to bad audio and video files that is recorded all to
loud and where it doesn't help to decrease the sound! Such files should be
illegal!! All audio and video files should fade in because the volume is so
very different on each file. One cannot always remember to decrease the
sound and kids doesn't care... I'm 43 yr and I got tinnitus when I was 21.
Last year it got much worse probably thanks to acoustic shock especially
when using a headset while playing games, movies etc. (I haven't found
a good webpage about acoustic shock however)

First of all, a good sound card, or the software, should be able to remove the
most dangerous parts of any sound while it's running! That would be great!
Unfortunately it's too late in my case. I don't need any sound card anylonger
because it's NEVER quiet anyway! The noice are "built-in" inside my head
forever and I wish that I was deaf instead!!

Also it have happend many times the volume is 100% even I know it was only
5% just a while ago! Is it because of bad hardware or software? I still have
to watch out, my tt might be worse even it's hard to believe it's possible...


Please listen to my warning and be careful.

Wikipedia - Tinnitus

Famous People with Tinnitus

http://www.tinnitus.org

This should be known all over the world!

[/LEFT]

Try to improve or equalize the sound quality on mp3's and wave file with Mp3 editing software like FlexiMusic Wave Editor.

yeh i know what tinnitus is... had to learn it as part of my course in music.. although better known late than never i say..

Eq helps with sometimes, depending on the sort of noise it is, and whether you can find the sweetspot or trade off when boosting or cutting frequencies.

If you're serious about not getting shocked by loud sudden noises, hook a compressor between your sound card (pre-amp stage) and the speakers.. something like these:

http://www.behringer.com/COM800/index.cfm?lang=ENG
http://www.altoproaudio.com/html/dynamic_processors.php

After all, thats what they're mostly designed for...