[digitalemperor]

I have yet to try out any minidisc players so I have no idea what the atrac format sounds like (lp2 lp4 etc etc). Is there a way I can encode something on my PC in Atrac and then listen to it so I can compare the compression artifacting to uncompressed and other lossy formats?

Is there software that can encode/decode atrac?

 

[D-EJ915]

Quote:

Is there software that can encode/decode atrac?

Sony's OpenMG Jukebox and Sonicstage (newer version) both encode and play Atrac3 files (LP2, LP4).

I'll just say that LP4 sounds really bad.

 

[digitalemperor]

are either of those programs available for a free download (so I can hear what LP2 sounds like before I go leaping towards a player I may have no intreset in).

 

[aeowap]

RealOne player also reads (and saves files as) ATRAC or, rather, RealAudio 8 with ATRAC. I'm not sure how different that might be since I don't have anything that plays ATRAC files but it might say something over at the RealOne website.

 

[digitalemperor]

thanks i actually found a site offering a free download of the codec itself ... pretty useful and a nice small download (combined with DiskWritter plugin built into winamp). http://www.minidisc.org/atrac3.zip

my conclusions. LP2 aint bad. LP4 .. well .. it'd be great for spoken content (ie: comedy .. which I supprisingly listen to quite a bit of). LP4 as a music medium ... HAH .. maybe if I was completely clueless about how music should sound.

I am strongly considering getting a NetMD player. Seems like the best solution for my budget ($50 *See cheapskate thread* ..... even though i would probally have to go a few more dollars to get one online). Certainly a lot less bulky than a pcdp/mp3pcdp and has that geewhiz factor of being a minidisc (something about the medium always appealed to me both visually and conceptually). All in all the atrac codec ain't so bad. I mean, it doesn't really make sense when compared to mp3 .. but the fact remains, there aren't any minidisc players supporting wma/mp3 directly.

 

[Dan the audioman]

I have Atrac3 on my sony d-ne1 pcdp and all I have to say is that it isn't auidophile quality. I hardly use it anymore. However, it is very convenient.

 

[digitalemperor]

certainly not audiophile quality .. but not bad at all considering the transfer speed increase and doubling of storage vs. regular SP (which is from what I can gather .. up to par with source recordings)

but then again, when talking in terms of portables .. there are few out there that would be considered audiophile quality. being portable has its trade offs. lp2 minidisc seems to be a good compromise.

 

[Dan the audioman]

Yes that is true...