Surface Pro 3 - compressed sound from the speakers

[lukas108]

Hi all
I noticed that Surface Pro 3 has not good sound from the speakers. It's something like compression of dynamic range on output. It is independent on output level. Is it possible to switch it off? It's very annoying during listening music. On my old laptop the sound system does not change dynamic and its sounds incomparable better than on Surface. Maybe it's software (firmware/driver problem) not hardware?

Thanks for tips.

Lukas

 

[StevenG]

Hi Lukas, I'm a TV and film Re-recording mixer and wanted to listen to one of my tv mixes on the SP3. Aaaaarrgggg... Was NOT what I had mixed! As you state, there is heavy compression going on to pack a louder output to the not-so-good speakers.
I had a look at the audio driver (in Sound in the settings menu), and their it was: a checkbox for "audio improvement " or something like that (can't remember the name exactly). I unchecked it and was happy to hear my original mix, as intended, albeit at a very low level.

 

[StevenG]

Since I tried that, I have put the audio option back on as the level is just too low without it.

 

[lukas108]

Thanks! That works for me. Indeed, sound is a little bit more silent - but it's natural effect. Lack of compression and no EQ gives that effect. But dynamic is natural, without distortions.

 

[GreyFox7]

Those hefty speakers in tablets present some interesting challenges for sound.
The old Transistor Radios had massive speakers by comparison... you kids just don't appreciate stuff anymore.

 

[lukas108]

First of all i'm not a kid.
I'm sound engineer and i can hear very small differences in sound. Who was that stupid to insert crappy audio processing to the sound system chain in Surface Pro 3? I have to admit that after switching off "audio improvement " the sound is as should be.

PS. The old Transistor Radios have massive sound , but no option to sending a-mails and surfing on internet

 

[next_milenium]

I'm not so picky about the sound coming out of my tablet but I can see how others might be.

How about installing this EQ program? I haven't done it as I am OK with the sound from my SP3 but others might find it useful.

http://www.surfaceforums.net/thread...nd-eq-how-about-the-official-dolby-one.13968/

 

[StevenG]

An EQ won't change the real power output of the speakers, it can only try to compensate for some frequencies at which they are lacking, at the risk of distorting (the speakers lack some frequencies because they are physically unable to reproduce them, not because they don't want to...).
That's why the sound driver incorporates a "sound improvement" feature which basically squashes the sound (compressor) to make it feel louder (it pulls all the low level sounds up, and squashes the high level ones, which allows the overall sound to be played with more loudness but less fidelity to the original).

 

[lukas108]

StevenG@ I checked the differences betwen both modes in different conditions. With no active "improvements" music sounds fine (typical mainstream loud mastering -9 - 8 RMS). Problem is with silent signal, mostly from video records with speaking lectors where RMS is quite low. The best solution would be having a desktop button activating/deactivationg this mode.