iTunes 10.1: Sound quality issues
ASD user Djezz notes:"iTunes 10.1 narrows the stereo image and sounds canny.All hints followed but no improvement. Easily identifiable on a pro meter.Dragging an mp3 out of iTunes into the Finder and playing thru QT reveals that the Mp3 itself is fine. But the iTunes playback quality of the same file is definitely not. Both AIFs and Mp3s suffer from this detoriation." If the MP3 file is the issue, try checking out the frequency range settings in the Audio MIDI Setup application as suggested by ASD user micih:"Open Apples AudioMidi-Application and check frequency and bit rate for your interfaces' output!In my case the frequency range was set to 8000kHz for the sound sticks, put it back to 44.1kHz and Tatatataaaa: crisp sound again! (you may have to restart iTunes to have it respect this setting)." Screenshot by Joe AimonettiOne fix, should the issue continue with the above settings in place, may be this, from ASD user edgemusic:This is a fix that has been working for some, and maybe all:(adapted from a post by "FSD" from a thread on Gearslutz that is discussing this topic:Close iTunesIn system Preferences, change the sound output from your external interface to Line outOpen iTunes and start to play some musicWhile iTunes is playing, change the Line Out back to your external interfaceYou may well have to do this each time you launch iTunes - I don't know yet.Link for thread: http://www.gearslutz.com/board/music-computers/549883-itunes-10-1-ruined-playback-sound-totally-3.html Right now, the core issue does not appear to be fixed. Apple has no official documentation on this specific issue, though it is likely an issue that would be fixed in updates.Be sure to follow MacFixIt on Twitter and contribute to the CNET Mac forums.
