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Desert Island Disks - the real test of MP3 quality (poll)

Poll Results: 10 @ 320 or 25 @ 128

 
  • 20% (5)
    10 @ 320
  • 80% (20)
    25 @ 128
25 Total Votes  
post #1 of 17
1/14/13 at 4:09pm
Thread Starter 

In the UK we have a well-known radio program, Desert Island Disks.

 

A celebrity is asked to select 10 disks (single tracks) that they'd choose from all the music in the world, that they'd like to have if they were marooned on a desert island.

 

Now, you've probably seen this:-

 

http://mp3ornot.com/index.php

 

It's the subject of another thread, it's a test to see if you can reliably tell the difference between 128kbps/sec and 320kbps/sec MP3s

 

I encourage everybody to go and have a listen if you haven't done so already. I gave up after I started to score > 50%.

 

What's more important than the ability to tell the difference, I think, is - does anybody feel that the loss of quality is sufficient to discourage you from listening to the 128?

 

Or - if you were marooned on a desert island, would you prefer to have 10 tracks at 320, or 25 tracks at 128 (320/128=2.5)?

 

There's absolutely no doubt in my mind, I'd rather have the 25.

 

w

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post #2 of 17
1/14/13 at 4:12pm

After just spending the last 10 minutes trying to distinguish between a 128Kbps and a lossless version of The Bridge by Amon Tobin in a proper volume matched test, I'd sure as hell take the 25.

 

The exaggeration of how bad 128kbps sounds is pretty extreme here. 

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post #3 of 17
1/14/13 at 6:00pm

Likewise I would also choose 50 @ 64kbps (mono).

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post #4 of 17
1/14/13 at 6:17pm

Not so sure about early 90's encoders (gladly we are way past those times, and I don't regularly revisit them), but these days I'd take the extra tracks for sure.

 

Does this make me a hypocrite that my phone mostly has ~200-250 kbps VBR, or does ~40GB combined storage dedicated to music and quite a bit more than 10 tracks total excuse me?  tongue_smile.gif

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post #5 of 17
1/14/13 at 6:41pm
Thread Starter 
confused.gif
 
Oscar Wilde
 
I hope you have not been leading a double life, pretending to be wicked and being good all the time. That would be hypocrisy.
 
Matthew 7:5
 
Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
 
Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band
 
Oh Lord, wish my bed wasn't silken sheets so tight
I got to keep my strength up got to do a show tonight
I'll have a cup of coffee while I'm taking in the news
No need to have a shave 'cause I'm gonna sing the blues
 
Well, I think I'll get a massage, maybe lose a little fat
So I'll have to go downtown in my brand new Cadillac
My valet comes and dresses me, I light a big cigar
Because I like to look like Nimrod when I'm riding in my car
 
Can blue men sing the whites
Or are they hypocrites for singing, woo, woo, wooh?
 
And now it's getting near the time, I gotta make the scene
I change out my dark gray mohair suit put on my dirty jeans
The band comes round to pick me up, I holler, "Hello, boys"
I gotta mess my hair up, I'm gonna make some noise brrr
 
Can blue men sing the whites
Or are they hypocrites for singing woo, woo, wooh?
 
Oh Lord, somebody help me
 
w
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post #6 of 17
1/15/13 at 5:59pm
Thread Starter 

33% of people so far would go for the 10 @ 320.

 

I find this hard to get my head round, but I have to assume that they are reporting the truth. To me, this is tantamount to poking oneself in the eye with a sharp stick, but as they say in Yorkshire, 'There's nowt so queer as folk'

 

C'mon people, 70-odd views, but only 9 votes. Register your preferences...

 

w

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post #7 of 17
1/15/13 at 6:22pm

Even though I can tell the difference (I hope) in a blind test, listening to them on their own, I wouldn't really be bothered, so I would easily pick 25.

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post #8 of 17
1/15/13 at 6:28pm

Absolutely no doubt in my mind I would take the 10. 

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post #9 of 17
1/15/13 at 6:32pm

You'd got to be crazy if you'd take the 10 at 320.  I'm going for 25 at 128.

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post #10 of 17
1/16/13 at 12:26am
Just those tracks for the rest of time? I'd be happier with the 25. What happens when my batteries run out??
What pair of Headphones would you take?
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post #11 of 17
1/16/13 at 7:53am

The plane fedex plane you crashed in was carrying 50 years worth of batteries.

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post #12 of 17
1/16/13 at 11:08am

Batteries go bad. Instead you get a makeshift solar panel. And an old 96mb Rio.

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post #13 of 17
1/16/13 at 11:35am

Can I use one of those hand cranked generators instead?

 

I want to be able to listen at night.

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post #14 of 17
1/16/13 at 12:32pm
Batteries don't work at night?

Oh, wait..
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post #15 of 17
1/16/13 at 1:15pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by chewy4 View Post

Can I use one of those hand cranked generators instead?

 

I want to be able to listen at night.

 

Good point, unless your hand's already cramped up from all the hand cranking. Being the only one on a desert island and all...

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