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Just Upgraded to iTunes 10 and Noticed WORSE SOUND QUALITY!! Please Help!

I have been using iTunes as my preferred media player ever since I can remember. I have never noticed a decline in sound quality. I recently upgraded to iTunes 10 and for the very first time found the sound to be simply inferior.

Initially I thought it was in my imagination, then i started testing to see if the speakers were at fault and they were not. I ignored it, but it kept on bugging me.. Eventually i loaded up old Windows Media Player and played THE SAME FILE and it sounded WAY BETTER!!

I tried fiddling with the sound enhancer and the sound check but it just isnt great.. I played songs off iTunes 9 on my sister's computer and the sound quality is higher..

Am I the only one having this problem? I have upgraded iTunes many times and this is the first time I'm experiencing this lack in audio playback quality.. I would hate to back up my library and re-install iTunes 9... Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated.

PC, Windows 7

Posted on Sep 7, 2010 9:02 AM

37 replies

Nov 28, 2010 12:01 PM in response to ParanoidAndroid2010

Hey guys, i think i solved this! (Mac OSX)
1) Go to Music -> iTunes
2) Save "Album Artwork", "iTunes Library.lib", "iTunes Library Extras.itdb", "iTunes Media" folder and "iTunes Music Library.xml". Those files and folders are important if you want to save your music and media.
3) Remove iTunes with AppCleaner application which you can get here http://www.freemacsoft.net/AppCleaner/ (All those files and folders should be replaced from original place, if they happen to be checked in checkbox in AppCleaner-uncheck them)
4) Install iTunes back and put all the files back to where they should be.
5) Enjoy 🙂

Nov 29, 2010 12:37 PM in response to ParanoidAndroid2010

I have this problem aswell, updated from 10.01 (which was fine) to 10.1 and the music quality is horrific to the point I can no longer use iTunes to listen to it, it's all distorted and muffled, I've done a clean install of itunes and I've updated my sound drivers so is obviously an iTunes problem, I presume apple won't be interested and fix this though as they have no way to report bugs on the support site and their quality control and customer service has been going downhill over the years.

keeeet

Level 1

9 points

Feb 14, 2011 4:24 AM in response to ParanoidAndroid2010

Try Airfoil...the sound is another world compared to iTunes...on my system anyway. Clearer, richer, more dynamic etc. You open it up and it plays from whatever source you choose including iTunes. I have version 3.5.4 which is free. There is a version 4 now which is $25 but not sure what you get for that.

Oct 26, 2011 12:55 PM in response to Pageygeeza

I have the exact same problem, all my mp3's etc play fine in Realplayer and WMP, no problem at all. I have uninstalled re-booted and done a new clean install, this is an issue with iTunes, come on guys, I want to DL iOS5 but am reluctant to do anything else in case my phone screws up too

12345jds

Level 1

8 points

Apr 16, 2012 12:24 PM in response to ParanoidAndroid2010

Turn the equaliser off............

I had same problem thought it was distorted CD at first sent a new CD back replacement the same. Tried CD in seperate HI FI all ok. Swapped out CD drive still the same, swapped audio card still the same.

Played itunes ripped tracks via SONOS all perfect !

Played CD via windows media player perfect !

Checked all itunes settings, switched of crossfade, volume equalizer etc no better !

Opened equalizer from view menu and unticked equalizer.........

Normal service resumed !!!! bass much tighter, distortion reduced, not as good as direct or windows media player but better.

Lets hope apple resolve it in next release

May 31, 2012 7:46 PM in response to ParanoidAndroid2010

Has anyone resolved this sound quality issue? Files sound miles better through foobar2000 and windows media player than they do in itunes.

Nov 25, 2012 3:39 AM in response to ParanoidAndroid2010

It's because so many people don't know good sound quality from bad sound quality and a lot of people who use apple have their blinkers on and wouldn't dream of trying anything other than itunes let alone complain about it.

I agree with you. VLC sounds 10 times better than itunes

Just Upgraded to iTunes 10 and Noticed WORSE SOUND QUALITY!! Please Help!