As the topic says...

Is there a question here? Do you mean to say that you would like to add noise to the CD audio to make it sound "better" to you? This must be a troll....

Obviously it says everything, you need this http://www.musicdirect.com/products/detail.asp?sku=ADESKSYS

I'm going to assume that the thread poset is sincere but not talkative. There is a "Tube Sound" plugin for Foobar 0.9 that may do what you want.

Personally, I thought it was as useless as tits on a bull.

If CDs don't sound good it is usually because of bad quality content and not bad quality media. You can rip your CDs and then edit the files using a free standalone tool called Audacity.

Wow. People will sell anything.

Though i do wish CD manufacturing was a bit more consistent - sometimes the CD's are so off balance that it sounds like my drive is spinning apart.

To the OP:
Sometimes the harshness of a CD can be corrected by using the proper speaker cables, whereas adding digital noise will only increase the harshness.
In case you are using headphones I recommend headphone tube amps, these will add all the second-order harmonics you are missing (as well as some nice flat analog noise).

KnobTwiddler:
A tube sound plug-in for Foobar? Really? What will they think of next?

Some people will buy anything.

How about a DISC DEMAGNETIZER?
http://www.musicdirect.com/products/detail.asp?sku=AFURRD2

You guys haven't seen nothing yet. In terms of B. S. this one beats them all:


Nespa

That has the most useless drivel for a review's introduction.

LOL.

I mean by harshness as in, the smooth sound is a bit too harsh. As an audiophile, I find the sound of vinyl to be much better.

I've seen plugins like that, isn't there one that can emulate the sound good vinyl makes?

It's the peyote that does it.

There are two plugins in the works for Foobar, that I think will solve your problem:

1) Vynil plug-in: this one will add a slight amount of pink noise at -76dB, with random cracks and pops at -30dB~-45dB added at random intervals. It also has a smooth -3dB roll-off at 15kHz, and an optional very-low-frequency generator to simulate vinyl warping (requires a subsonic filter on your amplifier).

2) The audiophile plug-in: nobody knows exactly how this one works, but it's proprietary and expensive ($$). You get a free 2cm-tall precious stone pyramid to put over your PC during playback.



Light-Fire, nice find!
Interesting gear! Basically, sun-tanning of CDs (I had to spend a few minutes trying to figure out exactly what the thing did).

iZotope Vinyl is probably what you want, but you'll need to jump through a few hoops to get it to work with foobar.

I think the next plugin will truncate all files to 4 bits because you don't want all that low level noise anyway.

Hmm what about a better sound card? Better speakers? An outboard DAC?

Nah, none of that will work. I know! I'll degrade the sound of my music further!. That way I won't notice how bad it sounds.

Semi-seriously though - most PC sound cards sound like crap. Get an M-audio or a DAC.

Running my computer's audio through a $50 Entech/Monster Cable outboard DAC made made a huge improvement in quality. Monster cable usually sells blister pack snake oil, but their discontinued Entech 203 is the real deal.

LOL.

My pc is using JBL E30's connected to a Onkyo receiver and Xfi xtrememusic. I don't have a problem with sound...

I also also a turntable connected to the setup (yes, it's a phono receiver, and yes, I'm crazy, my pc is a bit beyond a HTPC), and the sound is so much more soothing...

And please, don't tell me to just use the turntable. You can't exactly find System of a Down vinyl that easily... Or alot of other bands...

Well, according to your post, the problem with your sound is that your CD's sound harsh. :-)

I think part of the problem may be your XFi Sound Card. Nice marketing, cool packaging, crappy sound.

Try an M-Audio Delta sound card or USB outboard sound interface - makes a difference.

You could also do better than the JBL E30's - I've read reviews complaining about their harsh sound. There are better sounding bookshelf speakers - Orb, Wharfdale, Round Sound Gallo (my living room), M-audio, Mission (my current bookshelf)

Well I have another pc that I could add the jbl e30's too, and I was planning on putting bookshelf speakers on that one...

I'll certainly think about that.

You really need such plugin? I can make it for you

However, such plugin would be useful to some people: read this post for example.

ABX'able?

Use this: http://www.machinadynamica.com/machina31.htm

Yes. Do a search on the HA boards.

You should argue a little more. Is your claim based on what people tells or what you've read? I have personal experience with X-fi, and has not experienced crappy sound except a certain stutter problem with nForce chipset in some modes. X-fi has good components and the various analysis and comments I've seen around the web (and here on HA too), shows good results compared to other manufacturers and it even offer bitmatched playback. Sure X-fi has some weird DSP's to "enhance" sound, which I'm not in favor of, but these can (and should!) of course be turned off. Now, what is your reason for claiming that X-fi has crappy sound?