mp3 direct mastering
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- KVRAF
- 8389 posts since 11 Apr, 2003 from back on the hillside again - but now with a garden!
It's interesting you saying that aka_bip.. I've been doing double blinds on myself with some music.
I encoded an album using Bonc, first with settings very similar to those Aleksey posted, and second using a CBR of 192k.
The file sizes were remarkably similar. The music was some Steve Reich (6 Pianos, and Music for Mallet and Strings), which has quite a tonal and dynamic range. I have been doing it to see which I would prefer on my MP3 player - So I've been doing the tests with the headphones from the player.
I'm really disappointed that there's been no statistically significant difference! Yes, it's got a lot to do with the headphones, but I hoped I'd be able to get a decent discernible difference.. I can tell straight away a ripped wav against either mp3 - the acoustic space is severely compromised in the mp3s.
128k mp3 is noticeably more poor, but 192CBR and 320VBR was difficult to tell on my in-ear 'phones.
I'd try flac by my mp3 player doesn't support it - neither does it support OV. Are there any mp3 players that do? I don't mean portable media players, I mean dedicated music players.
DSP
I encoded an album using Bonc, first with settings very similar to those Aleksey posted, and second using a CBR of 192k.
The file sizes were remarkably similar. The music was some Steve Reich (6 Pianos, and Music for Mallet and Strings), which has quite a tonal and dynamic range. I have been doing it to see which I would prefer on my MP3 player - So I've been doing the tests with the headphones from the player.
I'm really disappointed that there's been no statistically significant difference! Yes, it's got a lot to do with the headphones, but I hoped I'd be able to get a decent discernible difference.. I can tell straight away a ripped wav against either mp3 - the acoustic space is severely compromised in the mp3s.
128k mp3 is noticeably more poor, but 192CBR and 320VBR was difficult to tell on my in-ear 'phones.
I'd try flac by my mp3 player doesn't support it - neither does it support OV. Are there any mp3 players that do? I don't mean portable media players, I mean dedicated music players.
DSP
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- KVRian
- 600 posts since 29 Dec, 2006 from Sealand, North Sea
Yeah, Winamp does . . . http://www.winamp.com/duncanparsons wrote:It's interesting you saying that aka_bip.. I've been doing double blinds on myself with some music.
I encoded an album using Bonc, first with settings very similar to those Aleksey posted, and second using a CBR of 192k.
The file sizes were remarkably similar. The music was some Steve Reich (6 Pianos, and Music for Mallet and Strings), which has quite a tonal and dynamic range. I have been doing it to see which I would prefer on my MP3 player - So I've been doing the tests with the headphones from the player.
I'm really disappointed that there's been no statistically significant difference! Yes, it's got a lot to do with the headphones, but I hoped I'd be able to get a decent discernible difference.. I can tell straight away a ripped wav against either mp3 - the acoustic space is severely compromised in the mp3s.
128k mp3 is noticeably more poor, but 192CBR and 320VBR was difficult to tell on my in-ear 'phones.
I'd try flac by my mp3 player doesn't support it - neither does it support OV. Are there any mp3 players that do? I don't mean portable media players, I mean dedicated music players.
DSP
I'm with you on the ear test thing. I have long lost my ability to tell the diff between a 320 mp3 and a wave file. I, personally, to not think mp3s suck. It's just the popular thing to say these days to make one seem aurally superior on audio forums.
I still think, your punctuation sucks, and your spelling isn't cool! So there...
- KVRAF
- 4760 posts since 26 Apr, 2002 from the bogely factory
- KVRAF
- 16881 posts since 8 Mar, 2005 from Utrecht, Holland
Probably yes... But not lower than 192kbps presumably! FM radio doesn't go higher than 15kHz anyway.spacedad wrote:so would the likes of radio1 play mp3?
I always wanted to do an RMAA analysis, so here is it:




We are the KVR collective. Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated. 
My MusicCalc is served over https!!
My MusicCalc is served over https!!
- KVRAF
- 4760 posts since 26 Apr, 2002 from the bogely factory
i see.thanks.BertKoor wrote:Probably yes... But not lower than 192kbps presumably! FM radio doesn't go higher than 15kHz anyway.
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- KVRist
- 220 posts since 17 Apr, 2008
I don't know if it has been mentioned already, but when using mp3, one should ALWAYS use the LAME encoder (currently version 3.97) with the "-V 0 --vbr-new" preset. I would love it if all other mp3 encoders just dissapeared magicaly, so that those pointless discussions about mp3 quality can stop. the V0 preset is totally transparent to 99.9% of the population and there's no point in using anything else (heck, even V2 should be enough for nearly everyone, it is for me). For archival purposes, use FLAC at level 8.
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- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 13 posts since 17 Jun, 2008 from New York
Oy Oy Oy - veering off topic.
Here is what the majority of you are suggesting:
A. Never use an ipod only listen to audiophile (btw FM radio is worse than ipod)
B.
master => convert to mp3 => see if it sound of for the medium I want to use => remaster => reconvert => remaster => reconvert
C. Master and convert and what comes out on the other side is perfect because that is the world
What I am suggesting is
D. Allow to A <=> B with mp3 degredation preview in mind while mastering as a refernce to make sure nothing sounds wrong
Anyway I am writing the plugin and we shall see the results...
Here is what the majority of you are suggesting:
A. Never use an ipod only listen to audiophile (btw FM radio is worse than ipod)
B.
master => convert to mp3 => see if it sound of for the medium I want to use => remaster => reconvert => remaster => reconvert
C. Master and convert and what comes out on the other side is perfect because that is the world
What I am suggesting is
D. Allow to A <=> B with mp3 degredation preview in mind while mastering as a refernce to make sure nothing sounds wrong
Anyway I am writing the plugin and we shall see the results...
High Power New York Live Brass Sound at http://NewyorkBrass.com studios
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- Banned
- 4072 posts since 7 Nov, 2007
newyorkbrass wrote:Oy Oy Oy - veering off topic...
your fitting in quite nicely, imho. welcome to kvr.

