About the Amiga's Sound..

spannernick · 09 May 2016, 13:29

..The only thing I don't like is how it plays sounds like mods,it don't sound like stereo,two sounds are coming out of the left and 2 different ones out of the right,why did they do it like that,couldn't there make the mods in stereo..?

I will have to mix the left and right channel together when I get the chance.

And with my A600 one channel,my left one is louder than the right one...??

demolition · 09 May 2016, 13:58

Paula has audio 4 channels in total, 2 played through left channel and 2 in right channel. Thus it is up to the composer to determine how it should sound. You have the option of panning sound between the two channels, however it requires you to use two channels for each pannable audio track, thus effectively losing channels. Why they didn't add hardware panning probably comes down to cost. Remember that back in the day most people listened to the Amiga sound through their TV speaker, so the channel separation was not a major issue.

If you have enough CPU power (030 will take you far), it is possible to use software mixing routines to do this panning and even increase the number of channels and bit depth. Many mod players have engines to do this. This is also how OctaMED and others supports more than 4 tracks.

A typical PC sound card only has two channels, one for left and one for right, so they are actually only half as good as the Amiga.

idrougge · 09 May 2016, 15:12

Even the penny-pinchers at Atari added a panning circuit to the STe. It's a shame Commodore never put it in the Amiga, it must have cost about as much as a box of matches.

daxb · 09 May 2016, 17:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by idrougge

It's a shame Commodore never put it in the Amiga, it must have cost about as much as a box of matches.

Its a shame that they never upgraded Paula. At least for the later AGA systems: 16 bit and 16 channels.

Sandro · 09 May 2016, 18:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by spannernick

..The only thing I don't like is how it plays sounds like mods,it don't sound like stereo,two sounds are coming out of the left and 2 different ones out of the right,why did they do it like that,couldn't there make the mods in stereo..?

I will have to mix the left and right channel together when I get the chance.

And with my A600 one channel,my left one is louder than the right one...??

you don't have to mix anything
just connect only 1 rca jack at the amiga and will work the 4 channels in both speakers
the Amiga hardware have detection of audio connectors plugged

Jope · 09 May 2016, 21:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sandro

you don't have to mix anything
just connect only 1 rca jack at the amiga and will work the 4 channels in both speakers
the Amiga hardware have detection of audio connectors plugged

Not all Amigas though. A1000/A2000/A500 don't have it at least.

nogginthenog · 09 May 2016, 21:53

A4000? As an Amiga user for decades I really didn't know this...

idrougge · 09 May 2016, 22:05

Yes, A4000 does it.

Sandro · 09 May 2016, 22:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jope

Not all Amigas though. A1000/A2000/A500 don't have it at least.

good to know

but the A1200 yes it have automatic detection

Lord Aga · 09 May 2016, 22:31

Does that mean if one half of RCA cable goes bad, Amiga will recognize only one connection and play everything on both speakers in mono manner ?

Sandro · 09 May 2016, 23:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lord Aga

Does that mean if one half of RCA cable goes bad, Amiga will recognize only one connection and play everything on both speakers in mono manner ?

automatic audio detection works if there is only 1 connector connected
if goes bad yet there is 2 rca connected surely recognize the resistance and will work only 2 channels

Lord Aga · 09 May 2016, 23:16

Ah, ok. Still sounds strange though

EDIT:
Heeey waidaminute... How could I then test both outputs and hear I was missing some sounds ? When my cable broke down I used that one good wire to test both outputs. And both were emitting their 2 channels resulting in incomplete sound.

Daedalus · 09 May 2016, 23:46

The mono output from the A1200 and some other Amigas is achieved purely by connecting the two channels to each other. It's a physical contact in one of the RCA sockets that's disconnected when a plug is inserted into the socket. It doesn't detect resistance and there's no way to programmatically set or read the state of the switch. It's similar to some stereos cutting off sound to the speakers when you plug headphones in.

Thorham · 10 May 2016, 00:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by demolition

If you have enough CPU power (030 will take you far), it is possible to use software mixing routines to do this panning and even increase the number of channels and bit depth. Many mod players have engines to do this. This is also how OctaMED and others supports more than 4 tracks.

This. Delitracker is nice for doing this kind of thing. Pity it doesn't work with SIDs

meynaf · 10 May 2016, 09:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thorham

This. Delitracker is nice for doing this kind of thing. Pity it doesn't work with SIDs

Yup, that's a shame it doesn't work for all formats. Changing this for sids would require resourcing both the delisid player and the playsid.library it uses, to build a standalone player which can in turn be modified to use the noteplayer interface. Doable in theory...

Thorham · 11 May 2016, 13:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by meynaf

Yup, that's a shame it doesn't work for all formats. Changing this for sids would require resourcing both the delisid player and the playsid.library it uses, to build a standalone player which can in turn be modified to use the noteplayer interface. Doable in theory...

Wouldn't it be easier to write a playsid.library with channel mixing from scratch? No need for a new delisid player that way, and no resourcing.

spannernick · 11 May 2016, 14:12

My A600 sound the right is lower then the left,but if I use my A1200 its ok..? Maybe my right is going on my A600,I have to keep on using the balance setting in windows to make the sound,sound ok,cos all you hear is the right channel.Both Amigas are plugged into the Line In.

demolition · 11 May 2016, 14:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by spannernick

My A600 sound the right is lower then my left,but if I use my A1200 its ok..? Maybe my right is going on my A600

Leaking caps will do that. They eat away the tracks and eventually cause the audio to disappear completely. So better get it recapped and repaired asap.

meynaf · 11 May 2016, 14:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thorham

Wouldn't it be easier to write a playsid.library with channel mixing from scratch? No need for a new delisid player that way, and no resourcing.

The player just has to fill in some DT structure to get all the benefit, something the library can't do.
Not to mention I haven't the slightest idea of how that library operates.

Nibbler · 11 May 2016, 15:11

Eagleplayer have quiet a lot of features for soundmixing if you into that kind of stuff.
Even Surround and delay/echo featuers.
It open structureplays pretty much very soundformat there is.

For me there is no better than Eagleplayer for that .
( its pretty complex for beginners.... give it some time )

Hippoplayer is also pretty cool and way more easy for newcomers but has no way near as much features than the Eagleplayer.

But for me, i neverminded the Stereo speration

09 May 2016, 13:29	#1
spannernick Retro Nuts Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: London/UK Age: 53 Posts: 1,184	About the Amiga's Sound.. ..The only thing I don't like is how it plays sounds like mods,it don't sound like stereo,two sounds are coming out of the left and 2 different ones out of the right,why did they do it like that,couldn't there make the mods in stereo..? I will have to mix the left and right channel together when I get the chance. And with my A600 one channel,my left one is louder than the right one...??

09 May 2016, 23:16	#12
Lord Aga MI clan prevails Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Belgrade, Serbia Posts: 1,443	Ah, ok. Still sounds strange though EDIT: Heeey waidaminute... How could I then test both outputs and hear I was missing some sounds ? When my cable broke down I used that one good wire to test both outputs. And both were emitting their 2 channels resulting in incomplete sound. Last edited by Lord Aga; 09 May 2016 at 23:37.

11 May 2016, 14:12	#17
spannernick Retro Nuts Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: London/UK Age: 53 Posts: 1,184	My A600 sound the right is lower then the left,but if I use my A1200 its ok..? Maybe my right is going on my A600,I have to keep on using the balance setting in windows to make the sound,sound ok,cos all you hear is the right channel.Both Amigas are plugged into the Line In. Last edited by spannernick; 11 May 2016 at 14:21.

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09 May 2016, 13:58	#2
demolition Unregistered User Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Copenhagen / DK Age: 43 Posts: 4,190	Paula has audio 4 channels in total, 2 played through left channel and 2 in right channel. Thus it is up to the composer to determine how it should sound. You have the option of panning sound between the two channels, however it requires you to use two channels for each pannable audio track, thus effectively losing channels. Why they didn't add hardware panning probably comes down to cost. Remember that back in the day most people listened to the Amiga sound through their TV speaker, so the channel separation was not a major issue. If you have enough CPU power (030 will take you far), it is possible to use software mixing routines to do this panning and even increase the number of channels and bit depth. Many mod players have engines to do this. This is also how OctaMED and others supports more than 4 tracks. A typical PC sound card only has two channels, one for left and one for right, so they are actually only half as good as the Amiga.

09 May 2016, 15:12	#3
idrougge Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Stockholm Posts: 4,332	Even the penny-pinchers at Atari added a panning circuit to the STe. It's a shame Commodore never put it in the Amiga, it must have cost about as much as a box of matches.

09 May 2016, 21:53	#7
nogginthenog Amigan Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: London Posts: 1,309	A4000? As an Amiga user for decades I really didn't know this...

09 May 2016, 22:05	#8
idrougge Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Stockholm Posts: 4,332	Yes, A4000 does it.

09 May 2016, 22:31	#10
Lord Aga MI clan prevails Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Belgrade, Serbia Posts: 1,443	Does that mean if one half of RCA cable goes bad, Amiga will recognize only one connection and play everything on both speakers in mono manner ?

09 May 2016, 23:46	#13
Daedalus Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Dublin, then Glasgow Posts: 6,334	The mono output from the A1200 and some other Amigas is achieved purely by connecting the two channels to each other. It's a physical contact in one of the RCA sockets that's disconnected when a plug is inserted into the socket. It doesn't detect resistance and there's no way to programmatically set or read the state of the switch. It's similar to some stereos cutting off sound to the speakers when you plug headphones in.

11 May 2016, 15:11	#20
Nibbler namm namm AMIGA Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Austria Age: 44 Posts: 734	Eagleplayer have quiet a lot of features for soundmixing if you into that kind of stuff. Even Surround and delay/echo featuers. It open structureplays pretty much very soundformat there is. For me there is no better than Eagleplayer for that . ( its pretty complex for beginners.... give it some time ) Hippoplayer is also pretty cool and way more easy for newcomers but has no way near as much features than the Eagleplayer. But for me, i neverminded the Stereo speration

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