Question about converting MP3s w/ Winamp

[nrgy 10+ year member]

I've used Winamp to convert MP3s to wave files before using Winamp, however I did not realize I had the Equalizer turned on before. I read it is better to turn the equalizer off using Winamp, so I tried that, and when I play the MP3 file without the equalizer and the .wav file without the equalizer they sound the same, however when I turn the equalizer on the wav file sounds different, more treble. Why is this, and is this typical?

I guess I want to know what method I should use if I want the song to play like it would if you bought the cd off the shelf. I would assume without the equalizer.

Also, the wav file in the kbps window reads 14H, what does this mean? The original MP3 was 128bit quality. Unfortunately, every song on Kazaa is in 128! Oh well, they still sound pretty good.

Click to read more...

 

[Gauntlet 5,000+ posts]

1) Use an external MP3 Decoder

2) The original bitrate of the MP3 is going to be the best quality you can get. Taking a 128 MP3, coverting it to WAV and then to a 320 MP3 won't make a difference at all. The original compression of the 128 mp3 is the final quality you can get out of the file.

As far as your question about the equalizer....the answer is pretty obvious. The WAV sounds different when you play it with the equalizer on because *drumroll* the equalizer is on! Play it in Windows Media Player or Cool Edit or another program and it will not sound like that.

And don't use an EQ when converting files.

 

[nrgy 10+ year member]

Hmm, I didn't make my self quite clear with the equalizer. I ment the MP3 file and wav file sound different from each other with the equalizer on, even though I converted the MP3 file with the equalizer off. In other words, I would think think they should sound the same. But in anycase it doesn't matter, you pretty much answered my question. I won't use the equalizer when converting files.