Sound Quality, CD's vs. MP3's, vs. Type

[Norby 10+ year member]

Hi guys,

just wanted to start a discussion about music source and type.

I've found now that I have a high end system, I find MP3's and Sat radio to be severely lacking in sound quality. (both compressed file types).

I assume that the bits you lose from the compression programs become more obvious the better your system is. Almost sounds like a hole in the frequency range, with mids sounding pale, and lows lacking punch. I have a Creative Labs Zen MP3 and XM Satradio.

As younger people move away from CD's, I'm wondering if they even realize how much they're losing in sound quality, especially people who spend lots on their systems like this forum. I know IPODs and such are much more convenient, and computer downloads cheaper, but I don't even have my player in my car anymore, just use it for portable.

Also,

What kind of music do most of you gear heads listen to?

Personally, I'm mostly a metalhead, (Metalica, Pantera, Megadeath, old school metal, etc), but also like Jazz Fusion, Classical, some vocal stuff.

I only like SOME rap, mostly snoop,dre,eminem, but find most incredibly boring.

I'll only put it on for the bass, now that I can enjoy that fully!

Norby

Pioneer Avic-D3

Hertz MLK2

Audison LRx5.1

Hertz ML3000 to move the hair

Click to read more...

 

[innsanes 10+ year member]

i find that 320 kbps mp3s arent too bad at all, almost in audible to cd's

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

When it comes to digital files, FLAC, APE, or original CDs for me.

As younger people move away from CD's, I'm wondering if they even realize how much they're losing in sound quality, especially people who spend lots on their systems like this forum.

The vast majority probably don't, because they don't listen to recordings that really would show how bad the compression is, and/or don't have a setup that can play the recording accurately anyway...

 

[Norby 10+ year member]

i find that 320 kbps mp3s arent too bad at all, almost in audible to cd's

Please educate me on file types.

The only experience I have is burning cd's to my Zen5.

Thanks!

 

[nauc 10+ year member]

i wont listen to anything but OG cds

 

[ekincam 10+ year member]

Even on my computer I can tell the difference between lossy and lossless formats. Even though MP3 and sat radios claim "near CD quality" I find it lacking but it's typically ok. Like you've stated, the higher the compression or the better the system, the more apparent the difference becomes.

I think most people are satisfied with the sound though. I use MP3s in my car that I encode around 200kbps using VBR and they don't sound too bad.

I was talking to a friend and co-worker a few weeks ago, that I thought knew his audio stuff until he started talking and demoed his car audio system to me...I was telling him about my new Arc 6000 components I just got. I told him that I could definitely tell the difference between a CD and MP3, especially now that I had those speakers in. First he thought that $300 was a ridiculous amount to pay for components, especially from a company he nor anyone else in the room had heard of, and then he asked me which one sounds better (CD or MP3). Is there any question? Then he demonstrated his sound system to me.

More than anything, his system makes noise. His highs and bass are definitely there, but the mids....they're really lacking. He has two 15s in the trunk with 1000W RMS behind them and I'm not sure what he's got going to his 6x9 3-ways on the rear deck and components up front. The sound stage is all messed up. While he has tweets in the a-pillars in a nasty looking install, the highs sound like they're coming from the rear deck and the setup screams worse than MB Quartz QS line. Harsh (bright) doesn't even begin the describe what I heard, but apparently he likes how it sounds... I guess when you have an Impala SS on 24s, you gotta have the bump to go with it - even if it sounds like shit. /shrug not my car

I went waaaaay off topic but everyone has different tastes in how they like their music. I've probably also described your average joe who has no idea about imaging and what not and not so much about SQ than SPL. I don't consider myself an audiophile at all, but am going after a SQ setup which seems rare after hearing people's systems and descriptions of what they want in their cars. Even my friend who has the upgraded H/K system in his BMW tells me he prefers my setup to his and I'm not even done yet.

For me, ~200kbps MP3 are acceptable, but I can still hear the difference. Listen to it enough, even on a good system, you get used to it. But sometimes, ya gotta treat yourself and put the real CD in. The main reason I use MP3 CDs is for convenience. At about 200kbps, a MP3 CD has about 7 hours of music vice 80 minutes of CDDA. When driving on the freeway at 70 MPH though...it doesn't matter as much considering the wind, and other background, noise.

 

[Immacomputer 10+ year member]

The only problem compressed music files have as far as frequency response goes is above 10khz and the low frequency extension doesn't change. The upper range depends on what bit rate you're compressing to. With 320kb/s, you have full extension to 20khz. With 256kb/s, you start to roll off around 17khz. With 128kb/s, it starts to droop around 14khz or so. So if you think you're hearing a lack or low end and mids from mp3s, something is wrong with the compression or ripping method you're using.

In my car, it's hard to notice a difference from nice quality MP3s and the original CD. If the car is off and just sitting, it is easier to do but not while driving. In my room though, the difference is there but not huge. I mainly download all my stuff in lossless formats but that doesn't always happen and I'm OK with that. I love music so much that I can only be so picky about it.