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Reverse-engineering my speakers' API to get reasonable volume control

jamesbvaughan.com

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Re: Reverse-engineering my speakers' API to get reasonable volume control

#61

Post by hilbert42 »

trte9343r4 wrote: post #54
hilbert42 wrote: post #21

I wish someone would solve the opposite problem in PCs and laptops—that of too little audio gain. Designers never leave any gain in reserve for when audio input levels are too low. Why do they do this? The problem is so obvious that you'd reckon they're doing it to deliberately annoy users. The problem doesn't stop there, the lack of gain with Bluetooth is notorious. Almost every Bluetooth device I own has insufficie…

Just use Linux, you can set all sorts of gains and limits on Pulse Audio, for each app and speaker individually.

I normally do but using Windows is sometimes unavoidable.

I'd add that in addition to the two Windows laptops mentioned in my reply to the above post, I've also a Toshiba laptop that's running Linux, it's audio hardware is so shitty that it can't be rectified by Linux. Not only is it's audio output low but its crummy little speakers sound terrible. Linux, which I love, sometimes is only part of the solution

Re: Reverse-engineering my speakers' API to get reasonable volume control

#63

Post by ddingus »

hilbert42 wrote: post #60
marshray wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Why do they do this? So they don't damage users' speakers, their hearing, or generally cause annoyance. > They just assume a 16-bit input has 65536 levels and that's the range. Full stop! They never give consideration to what happens when the peak audio input covers perhaps less than one third that range of bits. 1/3 of 65536 is still +-11,000 voltage levels, or 14.4 bits of information. That's a really good place…

"So they don't damage users' speakers, their hearing, or generally cause annoyance." Damage speakers? Simply, not an issue unless they're one step removed from rubbish. Also, have you ever heard of output compression and clipping that would protect them? That approach is 101 electronics. Hearing is not an issue as they're driven by flea power (they're not headphones). Even hearing these pissy little speakers when run…

This is one area where I feel Apple did pretty well.

My M1 Air has great sound and a solid max output level.

Recently, I was given an old Sound Pop gen 2. That thing also delivers a lot of sound while also handling low input levels decently.

Re: Reverse-engineering my speakers' API to get reasonable volume control

#64

Post by radicality »

jamesbvaughan wrote: post #56
radicality wrote: post #44

Seems like the author moved from a “speakers + networked amp” setup, to a one where with active speakers where everything is built-in. When I was buying speakers for my apartment some time ago, I was similarly considering going for the all-in-one options like this, but I’m glad I didn’t. I prefer the “dumb passive speaker + networked amp”, as it allows you to pick / replace / upgrade the separate components. Went for…

> Seems like the author moved from a “speakers + networked amp” setup, to a one where with active speakers where everything is built-in. Close! I moved from a "speakers + non-networked amp + streamer" setup. I'm still running separate components for nearer-field listening at my desk, where I've got KEF Q150s powered by a small Schiit pre-amp and amp.

Nice! I don't have any Schiit gear, but few months ago I started reading the founders book 'Schiit Happened'. I got halfway through (and then got distracted by other books, need to pick it back up), but can definitely recommend it for anyone interested in audio, and especially if you already have some Schiit!

Re: Reverse-engineering my speakers' API to get reasonable volume control

#65

Post by IshKebab »

laurencei wrote: post #32

Hey OP - if your thinking about a smart knob with haptic feedback etc - check this open source project out that you can build yourself - its amazing: https://github.com/scottbez1/smartknob Video demo here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ip641WmY4pA&t=1s

"you can build yourself"

Technically yes, but that is a serious project.

Re: Reverse-engineering my speakers' API to get reasonable volume control

#66

Post by iamacyborg »

radicality wrote: post #44

Seems like the author moved from a “speakers + networked amp” setup, to a one where with active speakers where everything is built-in. When I was buying speakers for my apartment some time ago, I was similarly considering going for the all-in-one options like this, but I’m glad I didn’t. I prefer the “dumb passive speaker + networked amp”, as it allows you to pick / replace / upgrade the separate components. Went for…

I have the “wireless” powered kef ls50 and the regular ones.

The wireless model has significantly better bass response and sounds much better to my ear.

I actually had a fault with them recently and they stopped working, I’d bought the speakers used on ebay and even had I had a warranty they were past 5 years old by the point the fault developed. Regardless, kef repaired them entirely for free. 10/10 would buy again.

Re: Reverse-engineering my speakers' API to get reasonable volume control

#67

Post by iamacyborg »

jamesbvaughan wrote: post #36
swyx wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

spotify has so many user hostile practices that I am completely mystified why the majority of the population seems to prefer them in a world where youtube music exists.

The only competitor that I've given a fair shot is Apple Music. I'm not thrilled with either. Between those two, Spotify wins solely for Spotify Connect. I much prefer the way it works to AirPlay. I haven't really tried YouTube Music, but I'll give it a go. I've been meaning to try out Tidal too but haven't yet.

If you’ve a computer to run it on, I highly recommend trying Roon out as a superior alternative to Spotify connect.

Re: Reverse-engineering my speakers' API to get reasonable volume control

#68

Post by somat »

On my todo list is to build my own set of network attached speakers. superficially, it does not appear too hard, that is, seemingly possible for even my very limited mechanical integration skills.

BOM: a halfway nice powered speaker with an integral amp and a single board computer. mount the sbc onto the speaker. then use a audio server to ship the sound around. I am a huge obsd fanboy so I would use sndiod but the linux ones(pipewire?) would probably be better for the task.

The main thing stopping me from doing it is that it turns out I dislike dumping sound into the atmosphere, nothing wrong with it, I just don't enjoy blasting music. so I just stick to my headphones, and think about it once in a while.

Re: Reverse-engineering my speakers' API to get reasonable volume control

#69

Post by poisonborz »

KolmogorovComp wrote: post #62

This begs the question, why buy oversized speakers of which you can only use 10% of the range instead of smaller speakers? Is the sound quality better when not approaching to maximum volume?

You can't buy quality sounding speakers without them being high powered.

Re: Reverse-engineering my speakers' API to get reasonable volume control

#70

Post by nox101 »

rectang wrote: post #20

> Those methods either give me a tiny slider that I can only use 10% of or about 15 steps where the jump from step 3 to step 4 takes the speakers from “a bit too quiet” to “definitely bothering the neighbors” levels. Volume controls need to be logarithmic, not linear. To a first degree approximation, everybody gets this wrong.

Even friggen Apple, who seem to have a rep for caring about such things. I'd say I'd need at least 5 more levels between off and the lowest volume on my iPhone. It's way too loud to use in a quiet room. I have to try to cover the speaker.
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