Is there a sound quality difference with various Winamp versions?

[cewing2761pnk]

I've enjoyed using Winamp as my (HP desk-top computer) default player for several years.
I've recently decided to attempt doing some DJ'ing, for the first time in over 20 years.
I've just purchased a new HP laptop and had Best Buy install the software I want.
I've been accustom to using Winamp 3 and that's what I had installed on my new laptop.
I (obviously) want to be capable of delivering the best possible sound quality.
Therefore, I'm asking if any of Winamp's other versions would give better sound quality output than version 3?
If version 3 would still give similar quality (as any other version), then I'll likely want to stick-with that which I'm familiar.
I'll appreciate a reply.
Thank You.

[Aminifu]

Hi,

In my opinion, you would be better served using the latest Winamp version and the updates for 2 of the plug-ins (links below). In may take a short time to become as familiar using it (depending on what features you use). The latest version has bug fixes, new features, and security & functional improvements. It will also be much easier to get technical support, if you need it. Use the custom installation mode and only install the features you want to use. If you don't like the latest Winamp, you can always return to the older version.

http://forums.winamp.com/showthread....74929#download
http://forums.winamp.com/showthread....373755#updates

As far as the sound quality of digital music goes, the player is the 'man in the middle' and the quality depends much more on the source files (everything starts there) and the sound card or chip & the speaker system being used. The source files should be encoded with a loss-less format at a high frequency rate. If you must use mp3s, you want those that have been encoded for highest quality without concern for the file size. The decoders in the latest version of Winamp are basically the same as those in the older, with whatever bug fixes and improvements that have been made. But the digital data is digital data (ones and zeroes), it's the sound sub-system that turns the digital into analog which you should be more focused on, imo.

Happy listening!