Re: [MLUG - DISCUSSION] Audio file quality tests

[Mike Miller <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

On Tue, 8 Jan 2008, Joseph Ondrus wrote:

> I think it really depends on what you are listening to your music on

I would want to see the test done on the highest quality stereo system 
with the best sound card and computer attached to it.  I'm not talking 
about iPods -- I don't even own one.


> 128 to 192 is very easy to hear, 192 to 320 to me is sometimes difficult 
> to hear but on some music it is very easy to distinguish the difference.

But my point is "how do you know that?"  It is very easy to make mistakes 
unless you have some kind of controlled environment and random ordering of 
128 v. 192, etc.  You should also pick a few different kinds of sound 
files.  Many people don't understand that a low bitrate file can capture 
certain kinds of sound very well (e.g., smooth sounds like sine waves or 
choirs), but it does worst with random noise (e.g., applause).  Why should 
we care what the applause sounds like?  Cymbals are more the kind of thing 
that really matters and they will sound noticably better at high bitrates, 
so an example using cymbals would be nice to include in the test.

Let me know if you want to do a true test of your ability to make these 
kinds of distinctions because I would be happy to help you to design the 
experiment.  I'll bet Jon would chime in too.  Both of us have 
considerable expertise in such matters (both have Ph.D.s in psychology, 
but Jon should be even more able in this particular area).

Mike


> On Jan 8, 2008 1:53 AM, Mike Miller <EMAIL:PROTECTED> wrote:
>
> > On Tue, 8 Jan 2008, Joseph Ondrus wrote:
> >
> > > Yeah sounds like our definition of decent is a bit different.  I prefer
> > > FLAC audio and nothing less than xxxx by 720.  I guess thats why I have
> > > 5TB for my media at my place :)
> >
> >
> > Here's what I wonder about:  Can anyone tell the difference between MP3
> > encoded at 320 kbps and the original WAV?  Many people claim to have such
> > superior ears that they can tell the difference, but they never do a blind
> > test and a blind test is absolutely essential -- it is just too easy to be
> > biased in your evaluation.
> >
> > Storing audio in FLAC format is very inconvenient because it takes up so
> > much disc space and so much bandwidth to transfer.  It would be great to
> > find out that you can't distinguish the FLAC from something 25% as large.
> > That would be great news -- think of the savings!
> >
> > Mike
> >
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