Why use mp3s and/or high end amps when...

[Qwerty 10+ year member]

I don't understand why people with $1,000 plus audio systems listen to mp3 quality sound rather than the high quality sound found on CDs. Now dont get me wrong mp3s have their purpose (i.e. portable music) but it is a waste to get an awesome system and use poor quality compressed audio files.

However, they claim to hear the subtle differences between amps for their speakers. I can assure you that a blind test will prove that any properly installed decent quality amplifier (i.e. Kicker, MTX, JBL, Alpine) will sound the same as more high end amplifiers.

High end amps do have many advantages including reliability, cooling, accurate power ratings, high quality contruction, etc. But sound wise, with amp EQ, bass boost etc. disabled, it would be very hard to differentiate the "pure" sound of amps with the same accurate power ratings.

I can tell the difference between an mp3 and a CD on computer speakers but if you changed the amps in my car I would have a hard time telling the difference unless the system was pushed to the limitations of a lower powered amp or the volume was different.

I would suggest spending money on high end speakers and a good install that takes acoustics into consideration before dropping the cash for high end amps. Also mp3 files are inferior sounding audio. They most certainly have no place in even a decent setup.

I'm done.

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[cdr 10+ year member]

Also mp3 files are inferior sounding audio. They most certainly have no place in even a decent setup.

It all depends on how you treat those mp3 files. If you encode them correctly they are far from inferior sounding audio.

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

90% of my music files are 256k or higher, with the majority being 320k files...hardly "inferior" audio.

 

[drkodin 10+ year member]

also, there is a lot more to gain on a "high end" amplifier then just THD:

Power consumption

x-over slopes

parametric bass boost vs. graphic

build quality

customer service

generally more power at the same "rating"

and on and on and on...

but, if you are talking about butler/helix/brax/mcintosh/genesis/etc then i have yet to meet one owner that does listen to mp3s. always it has been cds, and generally only specific cds because they know Blink 182's cd is just going to sound like ass.

 

[Qwerty 10+ year member]

It all depends on how you treat those mp3 files. If you encode them correctly they are far from inferior sounding audio.

There is a pretty big difference between mp3s encoded at 320 kbs and Cd quality sound even if it is done correctly. mp3s are compressed audio and compression loses sound quality and lots of it. Do a side by side comparison of a well recorded CD and a well encoded 320 kbs copy of it. I bet you can tell the difference or at least I can.

Most downloadable music on the web is highly compressed such as iTunes.

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

When I go into my van, I'm not looking for the absolute be-all-end-all in sound quality, I don't compete. I'm looking for something that gets decently loud while sounding very good. If necessary, 320k encoded MP3s can do that. I know that even with MP3s, the sound quality of my system will blow away a stock or poor aftermarket setup. It sounds good enough for me.

If I want to listen to something that really approaches reference level, check my sig...that's why I'm building a system with all-tube amplification and highly efficient speakers. Time and a place for everything...I'd rather listen to really good SQ where I don't have road noise, or tasks like driving to distract me from the music - just a cup of coffee, the soft glow of tubes, and a mellow guitar solo...oh, look at me, I'm getting misty-eyed :boobies:

 

[HeatSeeker 10+ year member]

Isn't there a program you can use to increase the quality of mp3's as well? Anyways if we don't use mp3's how the hell are we supposed to get all our favorite songs on one cd?

 

[desertheat 10+ year member]

at 320 which I record at for mp3 there is a very SLIGHT difference in sq over a normal cd usually noticed on really dynamic passages. Coming from a tube guy myself and self proclaimed audiophile find mp3's perfect for car audio for with the engine running and noises surrounding a car in day to day life they are perfect. When it comes to home audio I do play mp3's through my pc speakers or HT, but for my true stereo that is for music only, rairly is an mp3 played. And anything under 320 to me is very noticable. Only downside to me recording at 320 is songs are almost 40-50mb each so I can only get about 14 mp3's on a cd *LOL*!!! Pretty much the same as if I recorded them digitally.

 

[DBfan187 5,000+ posts]

I ****ing hate tube amps and anything 192kbs+ sounds fine to me.

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

I ****ing hate tube amps and...

I know I've probably asked you this before, but push/pull or single-ended triode? and what speakers? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

when it comes to tubes, the speakers are as important/if not more important than what amp you use, a SET on a pair of low-efficiency impedance bumpy speakers will sound sucky.

 

[desertheat 10+ year member]

You hate tube amps huh..? How many styles have you heard..? Why do you hate them? What makes a tube amp bad to you over a solid state? Have you actually heard a tube amp..? I ask this for 90% of people that have a die hard opinion on such a broad range of equipment usually has no experience in them

 

[DBfan187 5,000+ posts]

Couldn't tell you the model#. It had 3 tubes on it. It's my Uncles. He had it on some Polk towers. The glowing bothered me. Reminds me of Abahn and rice alike. I'd rather had solid power over anything that claims to 'warmth'(distortion) sound. I like RAW power.

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

Three tubes...probably a SET. Two 2A3 or 6BQ5 drivers and a rectifier. Guessing around three, three and a half watts. Unless those Polks were 90dB/W @ 1m at the very least, you'd be missing out on a lot of the benefits.

The glowing, comes with the territory //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif To each their own...

 

[DBfan187 5,000+ posts]

IMHO, tubes belong only in guitar amps.

 

[ChuteBoxe515 10+ year member]

yea, I myself NEVER go lower than 256K...CD Quality...