Can an MP3 sound better than a CD?

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Triumph

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
15,031
14
81
sounds good, but without a blind A/B comparison I'm afraid we're all simply being subjected to the power of suggestion.

plus computer speakers aren't exactly the epitome of sonic quality!
 

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
8
81
Originally posted by: shuttleteam
One of my clients needs their collection archived at 24/96 minimum and the space needed is going to be in the 45,000 TB range!

Cheers!
:Q

What line of business are you in?

That'd be awesome. :D
 

halik

Lifer
Oct 10, 2000
25,696
1
81
Originally posted by: KevinF
I'm listening right now on my brand new etymotic ER-4P's and it sounds pretty good. I don't know that I could say better than the CD because I don't have the cd next to me, but still, I'm impressed.

im impressed by your headphones more than the mp3s....
 

sharkeeper

Lifer
Jan 13, 2001
10,886
2
0
plus computer speakers aren't exactly the epitome of sonic quality!

This is true. I recommend a good set of cans and amp to listen. Some people also have their PC's connected to mid-fi systems that will start to see the difference.

Cheers!
 

pulse8

Lifer
May 3, 2000
20,860
1
81
Originally posted by: shuttleteam
plus computer speakers aren't exactly the epitome of sonic quality!

This is true. I recommend a good set of cans and amp to listen. Some people also have their PC's connected to mid-fi systems that will start to see the difference.

Cheers!

Damn you for making me break out my Shure e3c and my Bithead amp. :p
 

kyparrish

Diamond Member
Nov 6, 2003
5,935
1
0
Originally posted by: shuttleteam
One of my clients needs their collection archived at 24/96 minimum and the space needed is going to be in the 45,000 TB range!

Cheers!

JEBUS

Library of Congress audio collection?
 

JoeKing

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
10,641
1
81
Originally posted by: kyparrish
Originally posted by: shuttleteam
One of my clients needs their collection archived at 24/96 minimum and the space needed is going to be in the 45,000 TB range!

Cheers!

JEBUS

Library of Congress audio collection?

probably a club? Or maybe an independant (rare) radio station?
 

KevinF

Senior member
Aug 25, 2000
952
0
0
Originally posted by: halik
Originally posted by: KevinF
I'm listening right now on my brand new etymotic ER-4P's and it sounds pretty good. I don't know that I could say better than the CD because I don't have the cd next to me, but still, I'm impressed.

im impressed by your headphones more than the mp3s....

Yeah, I love 'em. I've had ER6's for about 2 years, and the 4's have gotten so cheap I just bought them. They're definitely a step above, but the ER6's are almost as impressive. I can't recommend either of them highly enough. Now I just need to buy/build an amp and a 4s adaptor, but I'm just not sure it's worth it.
 

glen

Lifer
Apr 28, 2000
15,995
1
81
Originally posted by: shuttleteam
One of my clients needs their collection archived at 24/96 minimum and the space needed is going to be in the 45,000 TB range!

Cheers!
Bob Weir?
 

JoeKing

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
10,641
1
81
Originally posted by: pulse8
Originally posted by: JoeKing
Originally posted by: pulse8
http://www.juxtapost.net/dust2.mp3

This is from the greatest hits CD. This one seems to be mixed differently than yours, but other than that they sound similar to me.

the dust1.mp3 defiantly sounds warmer to me.

That may be more the source than the compression.

Warm as in there's more noise (data) underneath. Which makes sense since dust2 is only encoded at 192 kbps... get that low-fi crap away from my ears!!!! ;)
 

glen

Lifer
Apr 28, 2000
15,995
1
81
Originally posted by: Triumph
sounds good, but without a blind A/B comparison I'm afraid we're all simply being subjected to the power of suggestion.

I completely agree with you.

plus computer speakers aren't exactly the epitome of sonic quality!
I agree almost completely.
They may not be the most accurate, but you will be hard pressed to find anything more revealing.

Someone is going to say headphones, but - Headphones lose stereo, so it literally sounds like a 3D movie looks when you take those glasses off.
Now, how you are going to say what anything in the movie looks like, especially in detail, escapes me.
Same thing with headphones.
near field listening - the speakers on your desk 12" in front of you are going to have AMAZING detail.

It is amazing, we can watch people in this thread rave about headphones, and complain about MP3s.
Heaphones lose stereo, mp3 loses something a lot less important.
 

Shawn

Lifer
Apr 20, 2003
32,236
53
91
Originally posted by: shuttleteam
Does anyone have these songs on CD to listen to them to compare?

The MP3 files sound very good! Yes I am an audiophile and these files were not created like the population creates MP3's so...

Updated with new files...

Cheers!

Am I missing something?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! :confused:
 

sharkeeper

Lifer
Jan 13, 2001
10,886
2
0
near field listening - the speakers on your desk 12" in front of you are going to have AMAZING detail.

Yes but the lack of decent SNR of onboard audio and sufficient frequency response and dynamic range really spoils things quickly.

Not too many people have Westlakes with Mark Levinson monoblocks pumping them on their desktop! :p

Am I missing something?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Oops, sorry! ;)

Excerpt from Sweet's Love is Like Oxygen

Cheers!
 

pulse8

Lifer
May 3, 2000
20,860
1
81
Originally posted by: JoeKing
Originally posted by: pulse8
Originally posted by: JoeKing
Originally posted by: pulse8
http://www.juxtapost.net/dust2.mp3

This is from the greatest hits CD. This one seems to be mixed differently than yours, but other than that they sound similar to me.

the dust1.mp3 defiantly sounds warmer to me.

That may be more the source than the compression.

Warm as in there's more noise (data) underneath. Which makes sense since dust2 is only encoded at 192 kbps... get that low-fi crap away from my ears!!!! ;)

Actually, it's also on the ape file I have of it as well. I imagine on something like a greatest hits they did a remastering of the song so it's not the same thing.
 

Shawn

Lifer
Apr 20, 2003
32,236
53
91
Sounds pretty good to me. But I can't tell the difference between a 192k mp3 and a cd even with my expensive sound setup.....
 

glen

Lifer
Apr 28, 2000
15,995
1
81
Originally posted by: shuttleteam
near field listening - the speakers on your desk 12" in front of you are going to have AMAZING detail.

Yes but the lack of decent SNR of onboard audio and sufficient frequency response and dynamic range really spoils things quickly.

Not too many people have Westlakes with Mark Levinson monoblocks pumping them on their desktop! :p

Am I missing something?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Oops, sorry! ;)

Excerpt from Sweet's Love is Like Oxygen

Cheers!
Not many people have Sweet on their system either.
Let me guess - you got all the good stuff, ARS, 10CC - spill the beans on you song list!!!!
 

sharkeeper

Lifer
Jan 13, 2001
10,886
2
0
Not many people have Sweet on their system either.
Let me guess - you got all the good stuff, ARS, 10CC - spill the beans on you song list!!!!

HAHAHA! We're jamming right now and if we had the bean (KB) as a neighbor, he would be driving his Ferarri over here right now to bust a few caps in our @ss! :p

Cheers!
 

JoeKing

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
10,641
1
81
Originally posted by: pulse8
Originally posted by: JoeKing
Originally posted by: pulse8
Originally posted by: JoeKing
Originally posted by: pulse8
http://www.juxtapost.net/dust2.mp3

This is from the greatest hits CD. This one seems to be mixed differently than yours, but other than that they sound similar to me.

the dust1.mp3 defiantly sounds warmer to me.

That may be more the source than the compression.

Warm as in there's more noise (data) underneath. Which makes sense since dust2 is only encoded at 192 kbps... get that low-fi crap away from my ears!!!! ;)

Actually, it's also on the ape file I have of it as well. I imagine on something like a greatest hits they did a remastering of the song so it's not the same thing.

Probably. I've heard some really horriable remasterd crap in the past, although they have gotten much better with it now. Let me clarify that when I say "noise" I don't mean it's bad. It's extra sound that supports the main sound. The small things you don't necessarily hear but add to the overall piece.