My Audya has great MP3 and Midi sound when loaded into the board. When I use a USB midi interface between my netbook and midi in of the Audya,SMF files are equally as good because I am employing the same sound engine.

MP3 files from the netbook to the direct in of the Audya sound nowhere near as good as those loaded into the keyboard because, I imagine,the DAC takes place in the netbook and is of lower quality.

The question is how to improve the quality of audio from the netbook. I have S/PDIF RCA jacks on the Audya as well as direct in's but don't know much about it.
Bernie

I suppose you are comparing the same mp3's.

A stab in the dark, maybe the Audya applies effects on the on board mp3's but the ones coming from the notebook to the Audya in are coming out dry?

or on the other hand, check out if the notebook has an equalizer or something turned on that compromises the sound

The MP3's are the same and coming out of the same speaker(Bose L1). I can't tell what effects, if any, are added but it processes the loaded MP3 somehow.

In general,is the source of MP3 playback critical as long as good speakers are used ?

You need to feed the Audya the digital (mp3) file, not the audio output of the netbook. Don't know anything about the Audya. Does it have an MP3 player? Will it read an external drive or a file residing on a PC? If so, then that's the solution. What you suspected is true.

chas

Audya will play WAV or MP3. It also can read directly from thumb drive.\
DonM

Thanks Chas for confirming my thinking. I now know the process.

Don
I have many MP3's and SMF's in the Audya. I need to use the laptop to read my notation when playing more difficult songs over midifiles. That part is fine.

I,also,have many CD&G files residing in my laptop that I would like to use. Some have a separate MP3 file which I have loaded into the Audya along with a text file for lyrics. This works well. However, I have many bin files the Audya won't play, hence the need for a separate player. I have CD&G software in my laptop.

The short of it, as Chas said, is to send unadulterated digital to the Audya for processing or carry another piece of gear.

Bernie

I found the easiest solution. I ABC'd my Audya,Lenevo Netbook, and older Dell 14" laptop. The Audya was the best, Dell was second, but still good. The little netbook was a distant third. I guess you still get what you pay for.

The funny thing is, you think something sounds good until you find something that sounds even better. That goes for keyboards too.

For all the trouble, I can just take my Dell instead of the netbook.

Would a USB audio interface make much difference in sound quality ?

I solved my problem of less than stellar audio from my netbook. This module is great and makes the audio 100% better.

http://www.presonus.com/products/detail.aspx?productid=53

Bernie

Hi Bernie, thats a nice unit, it has a little bigger Latency cuz its USB
but it does its job, a Studio where i do work once in a while has it and
once i treid, it was good...and of course, ANY Audio Interface would make
a better Audio on a Computer/Laptop...they tend to be a little slow but
for something AT HOME they are very good. The only USB Interface that
actually challenges ANY FW interface and has no Latency is the RME FF UC
which can run even at 64 Buffer Size but thats 1300$.

Latency is only an issue if you are directly monitoring recording yourself, or for VSTi's, so if this is used for MP3 playback from a netbook, I wouldn't worry about that issue...

Another tip, allthough that Presonus box is a great unit. If you want something really cheap, but works very well if you only need in/out and no preamps, phantom power etc, then this little bugger works great: http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/UCA202.aspx

It costs nothing, works with ASIO4ALL if you're into the DAW/Plugin thing, and it has direct monitor capabilites for the input.

I use this all the time on laptops, because there is often a terrible amount of interference from the internal components contaminating the audio. This thing takes all that out, and sounds pretty decent.

DocZ

Hi Nedim
I am sure you are right, considering what you do for a living. This is no RME, but for the price, it allows me to go to a gig and not be ashamed.

Bernie