[ab initio]

Quote:

In fact there is no need for the person to boost the volume to get this same result. Lossy encoding alone can cause clipping with some samples, see previous link to hydrogen audio wiki:
Quote:

Lossy audio encoding and decoding can cause the highest/lowest sample values to go over the allowed limit (in practice having the sequential max/min values), which may lead to clipping seen by analysis tools, or even audible clipping. But whether the clipping is truly audible or not is a totally different thing. There are different methods to avoid clipping in lossy audio. Look at the specific audio format answers how to best avoid clipping in each case.

 
This is very true! However, the color map of the audio track's clipping (that you posted above) is lit up like a christmas tree. That doesn't happen to a properly mastered song unless gain has been added during the re-encoding process.
 
Cheers

 

[Empire1]

Thanks for the help responses guys.
 
So basically, that file is bad and probably encoded from a poorer quality track?  

 

[bigshot]

Who knows? Where did you get it?

 

[julian67]

....That doesn't happen to a properly mastered song...

Properly mastered songs are becoming a rarity.

 

[ab initio]

Quote:

Properly mastered songs are becoming a rarity.

 

[Empire1]

Quote:

Who knows? Where did you get it?

 
Got it from a free download site (mp3skull) 

 
 
I downloaded 2 files today, of the same song. I tried to examine them closely. It seemed to me that on one of them, the vocals were more clear with one track. This worries me because this confirms my fears that not all 320kbps files are created equal, even if found on the same site. 
 
What I thought was "better" 
http://www.mp3upload.ca/upload/55616-02.%20Down%20Under.mp3
 
What I thought was not as good: 
http://gilouweb.com/bordel/Men_at_work_-_Down_under.mp3
 
Used a Bose QC15, not exactly the most revealing headphone. Can anyone help confirm this? 

 

[bigshot]

There isn't any way to tell if a file has been transcoded. If you really care, buy the CD and rip it yourself to any codec you want, or get it at Amazon or iTunes where you know they're using a decent bitrate and legitimate master.

Also, all 320 MP3s are not the same. There are two major codecs, Frauenhofer and LAME. LAME is the better of the two.

 

[Empire1]

Quote:

There isn't any way to tell if a file has been transcoded. If you really care, buy the CD and rip it yourself to any codec you want, or get it at Amazon or iTunes where you know they're using a decent bitrate and legitimate master.

Also, all 320 MP3s are not the same. There are two major codecs, Frauenhofer and LAME. LAME is the better of the two.

 
I usually try to, but my wallet often doesn't let me get all the music I want. So thus I turn to download sites. 
 
I'm starting to worry that I am downloading bad files which makes me dislike a track not really because the song is bad, but the file is bad. 
A week ago, I downloaded this song: http://a.tumblr.com/tumblr_misjxxcSA11qb7unno1_r1.mp3
 
Just now, I went on iTunes to listen to the same song ("Sacrilege" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs) and it sounded much better. Mainly because there was a significant increase in volume,, allowing me to hear details + vocals better. Not sure if it was actually better or just volume. 
 
So I went back to the download site and found another file: http://s1.radio.ge/Music/Yeah%20Yeah%20Yeahs/2013_Mosquito/01.%20Sacrilege.mp3
 
This sounded much more like the ITunes version, at least in terms of volume. 
 
Ah this is frustrating 

 

[bigshot]

Save your lunch money. Music is worth it.

 

[chewy4]

Quote:

 
Got it from a free download site (mp3skull) 

 
 
I downloaded 2 files today, of the same song. I tried to examine them closely. It seemed to me that on one of them, the vocals were more clear with one track. This worries me because this confirms my fears that not all 320kbps files are created equal, even if found on the same site. 
 
What I thought was "better" 
-link omitted-
 
What I thought was not as good: 
-link omitted-
 
Used a Bose QC15, not exactly the most revealing headphone. Can anyone help confirm this? 

Well the top one is like 6dB louder. Most likely a different master. The first one's meta data says it's from a best of album, maybe the second is from the original.
 
They also both have a soft frequency cutoff at around 16kHz, which is not a property of 320kbps [LAME] mp3. AFAIK those soft frequency barrier are a property of AAC. They were upconverted from something, probably either 192kbps or 128kbps AAC.
 
So they're both transcoded, but the difference you hear might just be a result of a different mastering. Get your music from a legal source and you wont run into this problem. Also by the way you're going to end up with malware going to sites like those.

 

[Empire1]

Man! And here I was, saving $300 to buy some nice IEMs 

 
 
Ok so I've just now estimated that I currently have about 152 songs that are from illegitimate sources. Assuming each song is $1.29 on iTunes, the cost to replace them all with legitimate tracks equals to $213.24, including the sales tax. That's a lot of money 

. 
 
Edit: I'm exploring into CDs, as someone mentioned earlier in this thread. Seems like a good deal, especially if I can borrow some from friends or the library. Again, I'd like to bring up the issue with scratched CDs. Won't this affect the file(s)? 

 

[bigshot]

With a CD, if it plays, it plays.

 

[julian67]

I'm exploring into CDs, as someone mentioned earlier in this thread. Seems like a good deal, especially if I can borrow some from friends or the library. Again, I'd like to bring up the issue with scratched CDs. Won't this affect the file(s)?

Almost every CD that has ever been removed from its jewel case or cardboard sleeve has been scratched. It hardly matters unless the scratch is very severe. The medium is designed with built in error correction so on proper CD players a scratched CD usually sounds non-different than a pristine CD. When it comes to ripping CDs on PC then all the good rippers have methods to accurately extract the digital audio and to reliably verify its integrity. Occasionally you might encounter a CD that can be ripped to perfection with one ripper but not another. It doesn't matter much so long as you get the audio somehow and without error.

As for cost a used CD can often be purchased for about the same price as a digital download of one or two tracks. I'm not a scrooge and do pay premium prices when necessary but I can almost always find what I want at a ridiculously low price and in very good condition as well. Off the top of my head I can think of only one used CD I've bought in the last few years that was scratched beyond usefulness.

Used CDs almost always play just as well as new ones. The current market is by far the best situation for buyers that I have experienced in over 30 years of buying and occasionally selling vinyl, cassettes and CDs. There is a vast reservoir of music out there in excellent condition at ridiculously low prices. My advice is to make the most of it.

 

[bigshot]

Boy, you can say that again. I think we're going into an era where we don't own music any more. We will have to pay rent on it. Those with CD libraries will be ahead of the game.

 

[Empire1]

Quote:

Almost every CD that has ever been removed from its jewel case or cardboard sleeve has been scratched. It hardly matters unless the scratch is very severe. The medium is designed with built in error correction so on proper CD players a scratched CD usually sounds non-different than a pristine CD. When it comes to ripping CDs on PC then all the good rippers have methods to accurately extract the digital audio and to reliably verify its integrity. Occasionally you might encounter a CD that can be ripped to perfection with one ripper but not another. It doesn't matter much so long as you get the audio somehow and without error.

As for cost a used CD can often be purchased for about the same price as a digital download of one or two tracks. I'm not a scrooge and do pay premium prices when necessary but I can almost always find what I want at a ridiculously low price and in very good condition as well. Off the top of my head I can think of only one used CD I've bought in the last few years that was scratched beyond usefulness.

Used CDs almost always play just as well as new ones. The current market is by far the best situation for buyers that I have experienced in over 30 years of buying and occasionally selling vinyl, cassettes and CDs. There is a vast reservoir of music out there in excellent condition at ridiculously low prices. My advice is to make the most of it.

 
Sounds like a plan. Thank you guys for all the wonderful help, wish me luck!