Low-Cost, Digital Means of Improving Your Sound

Because not everyone has the financial resources to buy Hi-Fi audio amplifiers and such similar gear, using digital, sound-processing software might seem a solution. DFX for Windows Media Player is one of the applications that are meant to enhance the output signal of the media player by increasing the fidelity, creating a 3D surround effect and boosting the bass level.

The trial version comes with several limitations, namely the absence of full processing power, 3D surround sound and Headphones listening environment. This audio enhancer can be purchased individually, for $19.99, or as a component of an all-in-one pack that costs $29.99. If you go for the latter, you will also get DFX Plus for RealPlayer, DivX Player, J. River Media Center, Winamp, and Yahoo! Music Jukebox.

The graphical user interface of DFX for Windows Media Player is eye-catching and, more than that, it ensures great functionality by providing quick access to all the features. The title bar includes, besides the name of the application, a button that enables the mini-mode of the interface and another one that allows you to minimize the DFX Audio Enhancer window.

Below there are several sliders that allow you to easily change the levels of Fidelity, Ambience, 3D Surround, Dynamic Boost and Hyperbass. Near the sliders, on the right side of the window, there is a spectrum analyzer that features 5 bands, corresponding to the 40Hz, 200Hz, 1kHz, 5kHz and 12 kHz frequencies. A greater number of bands would have been nice in what concerns functionality.

The lower part includes a button that turns the plug-in on or off, a link to the developer's Web site and three other buttons that provide quick access to the Presets and Help windows, as well as to the Options menu. Settings such as Listening Environment or Processing Mode are accessible both from the interface and from the Options menu. As a limitation, the trial version of this application lacks full processing power, and you will surely notice this deficiency. The menu also allows you to enable or disable snapping and to launch the skin browser.

Changing skins is an easy task that is meant to make the interface of the application even more attractive. The available skins will make DFX for Windows Media Player look like its Winamp or Musicmatch Jukebox counterparts, for example. Besides that, there are several skins that do not resemble the other DFX products. All the skins can be turned to the Mini Mode, in which the GUI includes all the features of the full mode, but in a more compact way.

As mentioned before, there are several processing modes and listening environments you can choose from. First of all, the processing modes are Music Type I, Music Type II and Speech, and in order to notice the difference between the music types you'd have to listen to very different music genres, say, electronic and heavy metal. The available listening environments are Speakers and Headphones, but the latter can be used only after purchasing a license, as it is disabled in the trial version.

The Presets that are provided with DFX for Windows Media Player are meant to assure the best listening experience in various situations. For example, there are presets for high bit rate or low bit rate music, as well as presets dependent on the dimensions of the ambiance. Thus, the difference between them is also determined by the input format and by the listening environment.

DFX for Windows Media Player manages to enhance the sound by restoring stereo depth and sound clarity, and by creating a virtual 3D surround sound. Despite all these features and functions, the Windows Media Player plug-in might not satisfy the audiophiles, as there is a huge difference between hardware and software amplification of the audio signal. DFX for Windows Media Player may have several options that are not available on real amplifiers, but these focus on the environment and listening mode rather than on the quality of sound. Thus, you are highly recommended to try this software product before buying it in order to see if it matches your needs and preferences. 

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