Which Amiga computer technically has the best audio quality?

[CCCP alert]

I mean the quality of the signal out the phono sockets.

I have all except A3000 and want to leave 1 machine out and connect it to my Pioneer stack system I bought in 1988 for MODs and sample playback.

(I heard it was CD32 but that has no floppy port or HDD option without expensive expansion)

[Predseda]

I think audio output wise all are the same.

[kriz]

They all use Paula the same sound chip.. If you want higher quality, get a sound card

[Calabazam]

They use the same chip but everything is not equal.

There are differences in filters, hence the difference between A500 sound and A1200 sound that some can perceive.
They may be differences in how caps behave and type of caps.
Old damaged caps will alter the sound. Tantalum caps as i have in an A600 are theoretically possibly altering the linearity of the sound output.

Also there is the thin copper part at the back of most A1200 that should help filtering some noise, which i have never seen on an A600 for instance.

But i have been used so long now to A1200/A4000 that i can't say i really remember the difference with the A500.
If anyone can actually hear a difference, i guess it is just a matter of preferences to say which is the best.

[lesta_smsc]

Originally Posted by kriz

They all use Paula the same sound chip.. If you want higher quality, get a sound card

How will that improve it if they're still directed by Paula?... unless that is not the case?

Is there any comparison of sound quality of Amiga vs sound card?

[giantclam]

...I just use VLC on the android box for this ; not 'true' Amiga sound but damn good nonetheless.

[Karlos]

The A1200 has a much brighter sound as the cutoff filter is tuned much higher.

[kriz]

Originally Posted by lesta_smsc

How will that improve it if they're still directed by Paula?... unless that is not the case?

Is there any comparison of sound quality of Amiga vs sound card?

You have to use AHI with software that supports it

[Karlos]

Originally Posted by lesta_smsc

How will that improve it if they're still directed by Paula?... unless that is not the case?

Is there any comparison of sound quality of Amiga vs sound card?

Well that depends. For fixed rate stream reproduction, sound cards generally have better characteristics. In my personal opinion, Paula isn't really for that, it's an instrument. This is why it has hardware channels each with independent volume and period. Think of her as a 4 voice wavetable oscillator. That's literally how she was designed, complete with DMA and looping.

It's a shame it didn't have independent outputs, each with their own software controllable filter. That would've been awesome. Think Emulator territory.

[StevenJGore]

Originally Posted by CCCP alert

I heard it was CD32

Out of the "off the shelf" Amiga models, the CD32 and CDTV have the best audio quality because both can output 16-bit CD-quality sound, which none of the other models can do without add-ons of some description.

[pandy71]

Originally Posted by CCCP alert

(I heard it was CD32 but that has no floppy port or HDD option without expensive expansion)

CD32 definitely is the best Paula application among all Amiga machines.

[CCCP alert]

Originally Posted by kriz

They all use Paula the same sound chip.. If you want higher quality, get a sound card

lol I am talking about quality of the same sound sample, motherboard noise/line level,frequency (especially treble),hiss,humm etc

[DisasterIncarna]

well, various people DJ'ing with PT on 2 amigas like Hoffman and various others seem to be using 2x Amiga 600's, i think djnest's videos has an A1200 and he has had interviews where he states he has a vamp'd A600 and has an A1200, no idea if some are using dual A600's just because they are smaller machines with sufficient audio, maybe they are just as good as the a1200 or anything else, maybe it doesnt matter, no idea really, the results on all of them sounds good.

[sokolovic]

A600 were cheaper, smaller, easily expandable and have the same soundchip than every Amiga.
Seems logical to me to use them.

[TCD]

Originally Posted by sokolovic

A600 were cheaper, smaller, easily expandable and have the same soundchip than every Amiga.
Seems logical to me to use them.

But... but... the resonance of the case and the oscillation of the mainboard! You also have to consider that the distance of the chips has an influence on the sound quality

[ross]

Originally Posted by TCD

But... but... the resonance of the case and the oscillation of the mainboard! You also have to consider that the distance of the chips has an influence on the sound quality

You also forgot the atmospheric conditions, the ongoing solar storms and the Bekenstein-Hawking thermal radiation emitted by the massive black hole at the center of the galaxy...
I am ashamed of you!

However, I forgive you for neglecting radiations by the c-beams near the Tannhäuser Gate, they are normally insignificant.

[TCD]

Originally Posted by ross

You also forgot the atmospheric conditions, the ongoing solar storms and the Bekenstein-Hawking thermal radiation emitted by the massive black hole at the center of the galaxy...
I am ashamed of you!

However, I forgive you for neglecting radiations by the c-beams near the Tannhäuser Gate, they are normally insignificant.

[redblade]

Originally Posted by StevenJGore

Out of the "off the shelf" Amiga models, the CD32 and CDTV have the best audio quality because both can output 16-bit CD-quality sound, which none of the other models can do without add-ons of some description.

How hard was it to program the CD32 and CDTV CD quality sound?

You just copy the 16bit samples to CHIP RAM and call a OS function or do the samples have to be a track number on the CD?

[CCCP alert]

Originally Posted by redblade

How hard was it to program the CD32 and CDTV CD quality sound?

You just copy the 16bit samples to CHIP RAM and call a OS function or do the samples have to be a track number on the CD?

CDDA audio tracks is the only way to play 16bit 44khz audio on them. Unless you have then connected to a decent amp and speakers you won't notice much difference to Agony's piano title tune on most top end CRT TV speakers. Stuff like Batman the movie has real duff low quality samples though, don't see much above 6khz on the spectrum analyser.

[CCCP alert]

Originally Posted by DisasterIncarna

well, various people DJ'ing with PT on 2 amigas like Hoffman and various others seem to be using 2x Amiga 600's, i think djnest's videos has an A1200 and he has had interviews where he states he has a vamp'd A600 and has an A1200, no idea if some are using dual A600's just because they are smaller machines with sufficient audio, maybe they are just as good as the a1200 or anything else, maybe it doesnt matter, no idea really, the results on all of them sounds good.

A4000 it is then, if it still works. The SMT based mobos on 600/1200/4000/CD32 are probably cleaner and the CD32/600 is a small mobo. Possibly an A600 with whdload as I have a 2mb A600.