twg1996
Head-Fier
- Joined
- Dec 3, 2012
- Posts
- 56
- Likes
- 10
ok...wher can you get 320kbps music other than from a cd directly to my android?? Ive tried to reaseach on google but i could find a solid website.
Both MOG and Spotify subscription music services offer a premium streaming bitrate that is 320kbps. Also, Google Music will allow you to upload your own songs up to 320kbps which you can play back via the Android Google Music app.
Very few people actually submitted data from a true abx test though. Of those who did, I think there were only two that actually reliably could tell the difference - and neither said it was 'night and day' ( a phrase I personally dislike - and one that seems to be thrown about readily among the misinformed IMO). The test is easy to set-up as well > Foobar2000 + abx comparator plugin. Two files - volume match using the automatic plugin tool, Run the abx (minimum 15 iterations - 20 is better). Produce the log.
It's funny - but when people are asked to do this - they either ignore it, or claim they can pass the test (one listen), and then promptly ignore any requests for proof. If you believe the 2/3 - then we have an awful lot of golden ears here.
IMO - most people will fail a test if they do it honestly - they're actually supposed to. The funny thing is that the ones that refuse to at least find out the truth are in effect living in denial. A very few (usually with well trained ears) may be able to tell the difference - but the vast majority of us won't. Knowing the truth is in a way liberating.
Now I'm not advocating not using lossless, and converting all your files to lossy. I use FLAC for everything at home - simply so that I have a copy of the original file (if I ever need to transcode, or if there are breakthroughs in compression standards). But I know I personally can't tell the difference between AAC256 and lossless - so it makes decisions especially on formats for space limited portables really easy.
What I am suggesting is that the constant stream of people who claim to "easily tell the difference" is sad. It's time a large portion of us stopped lying to ourselves - and actually find out instead of guessing. There is no shame in having 'normal' hearing
What's a good result for this test?
I was rather dismayed to score 10/20 using an Askman 24-96 FLAC copy of Outlandos D'Amour vs a 320 MP3 LAME taken from the FLAC.
However I was at 9/15 at one point and it really did seem like I could tell the difference. The way I did it was by listening to my heart really. One version excited me the other didn't. I got 3 wrong in a row before that point but that was when I wasn't listening to both x and y, just one or the other, I plan to repeat the test at some point.
But the thing is I don't know if I was really listening to bits of the song that were good to compare and my short term memory is a bit pants.
As the test went on I was feeling really bored and my ears were getting tired, that could be why my results dropped off towards the end. Listening to the same bit of track 30 times in a row....jeez your hearts really not in it by then.
Your talking about not caring by then is a part of the problem.
Thanks for the replies esldude and Brooko. Do either of you have any recommendations for songs that are good for this test? Or perhaps parts of songs that are markedly different in 320kbps MP3 LAME compared to FLAC but could only be detected by someone able to tell the difference? I do plan on repeating this test again.
It wasn't that I was not caring, just that by then it was getting a bit tedious. I like to cycle my songs so that they stay fresh, doing the same thing time and time again is against my nature at least without a break in between.
For my next test I'll likely compile my results from doing sessions of 10 or perhaps 15 at a time.
I'm really interested by this, I thought I had really good hearing but I don't want to be lying to myself!
Thanks for the replies esldude and Brooko. Do either of you have any recommendations for songs that are good for this test? Or perhaps parts of songs that are markedly different in 320kbps MP3 LAME compared to FLAC but could only be detected by someone able to tell the difference? I do plan on repeating this test again.
It wasn't that I was not caring, just that by then it was getting a bit tedious. I like to cycle my songs so that they stay fresh, doing the same thing time and time again is against my nature at least without a break in between.
For my next test I'll likely compile my results from doing sessions of 10 or perhaps 15 at a time.
I'm really interested by this, I thought I had really good hearing but I don't want to be lying to myself!
I honestly preferred Flac (CD) to 320kbps with headphones, I did actually feel I heard new things, and the bass and highs really seemed to hit harder.
I honestly preferred Flac (CD) to 320kbps with headphones, I did actually feel I heard new things, and the bass and highs really seemed to hit harder.
Although, for lower-end systems, I think 320kbps is actually superior due to the compression. Low end speakers & headphones don't really pick up the highs and lows, so when it's compressed, they're more audible. Now, for the simple fact flac take up 350% more space...it's not really worth it unless you've somehow got 500gb+ storage on your Mp3 player.
Although I'm not allowed to post links...
I listened to "Burn the Sky Down" by Emma Hewitt to compare.