[mleghorn]

The defect I hear applies to these files that I downloaded:
 
From iTunes:
1) Schumann Symphonies with Chailly & RCO (Philips)
2) Beethoven Hammerkavier with Uchida (Philps)
 
From Appassionato:
1) Beethoven sonatas with Pollini (2 CDs) (DG) - flac format
2) Ravel orchestral works with Boulez & BPO (DG) - flac format
 
The defect: gradual changes in loudness are stepped rather than gradual. The defect is especially noticeable with hall reverb and decay of sustained piano notes. Sometimes the defect introduces a tremolo effect, apparently when there's vibrato in the violins. This is a serious flaw. I no longer buy music from iTunes or Appassionato. I didn't need a state-of-the-art sound system to hear this: I could hear it while listening on my iPod touch with decent earbud phones.
 
Has anyone else noticed this? What the f#$k is going on?
 
Mike
 
 
 

 

[bigshot]

You should try using a different player. When the same defect is evident on samples from completely different sources, you should double check to see if it may be your player. I have an a/v amp that sometimes glitches like crazy with lossless audio on bluray. Codecs can be temperamental.

 

[mleghorn]

I hear the problem with aac files downloaded from iTunes, and wav files converted form flac. The players I've used when noticing the problem were iTunes (desktop application) (for the aac and wav) and my iPod touch (for the aac -- I didn't try the wav on it).
 
Thanks,
Mike

 

[Brent Hutto]

I've gotten a right boatload of classical music from iTunes and never came across that. effect. See if you can find some common element in both your PC and iPod data flows. My guess would be there is some re-quantization or re-sampling going on between when the files leave their original source and when they arrive at your ears. Maybe on your PC or something, hard to imagine exactly what...

P.S. If you have any EQ or "soundcheck" (whatever that is) or some other music-munging function enabled, turn it off and I'll bet the problem goes away.

 

[salannelson]

Quote:

I hear the problem with aac files downloaded from iTunes, and wav files converted form flac. The players I've used when noticing the problem were iTunes (desktop application) (for the aac and wav) and my iPod touch (for the aac -- I didn't try the wav on it).
 
Thanks,
Mike

Is it just these 4 files?
 
Try a different media player and if it continues, a different computer. Also, try contacting iTunes and Appassionato for help.