**POLL** Can you tell the difference between 192kbps and 128kbps MP3s?

[Zugzwang152]

depends on the type of music and the song. I guarantee you almost everyone will be able to tell 320k, which i rip at, from 128 or 192 though.

 

[Eug]

192 vs 128 - Very easy to tell the difference, but not with cheap computer speakers.

192 vs 256 - Much harder, but I often can tell the difference.

256 vs 320 - I can't tell the difference.

256 vs CD - I can't tell the difference. Well maybe once in a while I think I can, but it may just be chance.

ie. For a convenience format 256 is certainly enough for me.

BTW, I'm using Fraunhofer CBR 256 normal stereo.

 

[sandorski]

There is a big difference on my Klipsch ProMedia 5.1s. 128 just sounds flat in comparison.

 

[ndee]

Originally posted by: Eug
192 vs 128 - Very easy to tell the difference, but not with cheap computer speakers.

192 vs 256 - Much harder, but I often can tell the difference.

256 vs 320 - I can't tell the difference.

256 vs CD - I can't tell the difference. Well maybe once in a while I think I can, but it may just be chance.

ie. For a convenience format 256 is certainly enough for me.

BTW, I'm using Fraunhofer CBR 256 normal stereo.

why not VBR?

 

[radioouman]

128 sounds like ass to me... 192 is much better. With a good set of speakers, it is easy for me to tell.
(I usually play MP3s through my receiver with JBL speakers.)

 

Originally posted by: amdskip
I would say it varies by song and what you are playing it back with.

^ yep

 

[Zenmervolt]

Depends on the encoder used too.

ZV

 

[Aves]

Yep as long as the speakers aren't crap.

 

[CraigRT]

depends on how they are encoded.. a lot of the time, i can easily hear the difference.. you can't have cambridge speakers or some garbage though, you need something that actually sounds good..then you can hear the differences.

 

[Viper GTS]

My roommate tested me once using his SB Live + my Grado headphones, I was able to tell the difference between 256 VBR AAC, 320 VBR MP3, and the original uncompressed WAV the files were encoded from.

I identified all three correctly, so yes, I can tell the difference.

Viper GTS

 

[PliotronX]

Originally posted by: ndee

Originally posted by: Eug
192 vs 128 - Very easy to tell the difference, but not with cheap computer speakers.

192 vs 256 - Much harder, but I often can tell the difference.

256 vs 320 - I can't tell the difference.

256 vs CD - I can't tell the difference. Well maybe once in a while I think I can, but it may just be chance.

ie. For a convenience format 256 is certainly enough for me.

BTW, I'm using Fraunhofer CBR 256 normal stereo.

why not VBR?

Because Fraunhofer doesn't do VBR too well (at least not nearly as well nor as flexible as Lame does), and its Joint-stereo implementation is inferior as well 😉

Kidding aside, he's probably got it built-in to a ripping program, most likely on his Macintosh (Eug became the forum's biggest Macuser not too long ago 😀) *cough* iTunes *cough* More kidding, but I'm a bit punchy right now... sorry Eug.

 

[Acanthus]

i encode everything at 256 VBR because im lazy and have the HD space 😛

I cant tell the CD from the MP3 on my Aiwa Surround on an Audigy2.

 

[SunnyD]

128Kbps encoding you can hear the "block noise" and/or tinniness on the higher end of the spectrum (alto+ voice/instruments, cymbals/hi-hat especially) a lot more than with 192Kbps.

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: CraigRT
depends on how they are encoded.. a lot of the time, i can easily hear the difference.. you can't have cambridge speakers or some garbage though, you need something that actually sounds good..then you can hear the differences.

eh, even cambridge speakers aren't that bad, i had a pair a while back and i could tell the difference between 128 and 192 on em🙂 u have to have really really lousy speakers to not be able to tell.🙂

 

[Bullhonkie]

Usually fairly easily, using a set of Sennheiser HD580's with a decent headphone amp. Assuming it'd be the exact same track using the same decoder with identical settings apart from bitrate.

 

[Confused]

Yeah, I can tell the difference between 128kbps and 192kbps MP3.

I use 192kbps Ogg Vorbis, however, and I can't really tell the difference between that and CD.


Confused