WinAmp for Windows - Setup Guide
From Benchmark
Benchmark's guide for configuring Windows-based media players
General strategies for setting up your computer for high quality audio playback
*this article was researched using Winamp v5.33. Some information in this article may not apply to different versions of this software, though most information can be applied to most versions of WinAmp. Email us to report any errors or discrepancies, or if you would like more information on this topic.
Contents |
Overview
With 16-bit audio files, Winamp performed well. However, the volume control performed poorly; activating it induced severe distortion. Winamp was able to dynamically stream at the sample-rate of all audio file being played. For 16-bit audio and the volume set to 100%, Winamp was able to stream bit-transparently.
Recommended Player Settings
- SET VOLUME TO 100%
- VERY important with WinAmp, as volume attenuation in WinAmp can cause serious distortion.
- Read more about digital volume control, and how it affects the quality of your audio.
- BYPASS "DSP/Effect" PLUG-IN'S AND OTHER AUDIO 'Enhancements'
- "DSP/Effects" Plug-in's should be disabled to preserve the quality of the audio. This can be configured by going to:
WinAmp -> Options -> Preferences -> Plug-ins -> DSP/Effect
- EQ should be disabled. The can be configured by going to the following menu and unchecking "EQ Enable":
WinAmp -> Options -> Equalizer -> EQ Enable
- Read more about how DSP and plug-ins affect your audio
- "DSP/Effects" Plug-in's should be disabled to preserve the quality of the audio. This can be configured by going to:
Suggestions From a passionate customer:
"I've been using Winamp successfully for streaming bitrates up to the max, and there's a tip I like that you didn't include in the Winamp page.
"To circumvent the lousy digital volume control, just go to
Preferences\Plug-ins\Output\Nullsoft DirectSound Output
and in the "Other" tab uncheck the "Enable volume control" box.
The volume will automatically be set to the max and the volume control
will be rendered inoperative.
"Winamp also gives you status information on what the DirectSound
driver is doing (e.g. streaming at 24/96...) through the "Status" tab
on the same window.
"Oh, and finally - I'm using Winamp Lite which includes no DSP and is much faster."
Known Problems
- Poorly designed, high-distortion volume control
- The volume control built into WinAmp adds significant amounts of distortion when it is not set to 100%.
Articles about Computer Audio Setup
For more articles about specific media players and/or operating systems, see the Category:Setup Guides list of guides.
