Question about sound quality

[PapaNoHair]

Running 10.4.9 and notice when using iChat, iTunes or any other Apple app the sound is barely discernible. When using any other non-Apple app the sound is much better. Cannot figure out why there would be sound if it is not high enough to be heard in the first place??

 

[giulio]

What are you saying...
There is no sound, or that the quality is poor? And only at low volumes?

 

[core20]

check the sound preferences in the system preferences menu. Try using a cd and seeing if sound is present and at what quality, then you can relate that to the sound from itunes. It may be the speakers, but can't know for sure yet.

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[PapaNoHair]

What are you saying...
There is no sound, or that the quality is poor? And only at low volumes?

No I have great sound - but not if I use an Apple application such as iTunes, iChat, etc. When I use those the sound is so low as to be barely discernable. For example: if I use Adium the sound is great - if I switch to iChat the sound is barely able to be heard. Why the extremes?

 

[iKitten]

It's a long shot but, if Sound Check is checked under iTunes > Preferences > Playback, I'd uncheck it and see if that makes a difference.

 

[giulio]

Hm, very odd behavior.

 

[PapaNoHair]

It's a long shot but, if Sound Check is checked under iTunes > Preferences > Playback, I'd uncheck it and see if that makes a difference.

Nope - unchecked.

 

[bobtomay]

Had the same thing - ex. CD volume: very reasonable; iTunes volume: very quiet; both with the volume set at maximum

My issue was resolved by finally discovering iTunes has it's own separate volume control; right at the top; of the screen , was disillusioned for a couple of months, just assumed it was no different than the master volume similar to programs in windows - pushed it up to max and voila, volume now equal for both. You can move this around with no effect on the master volume.

 

[MacHeadCase]

Papa, yesterday I looked to see if there wouldn't be a pref file that takes care of the audio for all Apple apps and couldn't find anything in my pref folder. So this one has me stumped!

 

[PapaNoHair]

Papa, yesterday I looked to see if there wouldn't be a pref file that takes care of the audio for all Apple apps and couldn't find anything in my pref folder. So this one has me stumped!

odd part is - it is not just iTunes (I had previously discovered the separate sound control in iTunes) but also affects iChat, etc. Seems to only affect apple apps.