Are MP3's still a thing?

Discussion in 'The Guru's Pub' started by jbscotchman, Apr 4, 2020.

  1. Kaleid

    Kaleid Ancient Guru

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    Well, for most of the time when being outside the noise is not possible to hear because of other sounds, but it's a bit astounding that high-end phones that can play 32bit audio files do not play it with 16bit SNR levels.
    I even checked a few phones by Marshall who of course make music equipment / gear and it's the same with them.

    My own is at Audio quality Noise -91.6dB / Crosstalk -91.8dB, Motorola One Zoom. I certainly do not listen to music at home with these.
     
  2. Toadstool

    Toadstool Member Guru

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    Marshall is just riding the brand recognition at this point. The fact they're apparently making phones now really cements that they're just a name slapped on a product. I can't think of anything noteworthy they've put out since the JCM800 in the 80's, it's all reissues of what made them famous in the first place and cheap chinese amps they plaster the logo on.

    For listening on the go or listening to music or a podcast at work I can deal with less than ideal quality, in a noisy environment I'm not going to really notice.
     
  3. XenthorX

    XenthorX Ancient Guru

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    "A good quality 320kb/s mp3 is virtually identical to a 16bits wav file", quote from a record producer, session musician, university professor, studio engineer:

     
    Noisiv and AsiJu like this.
  4. Alessio1989

    Alessio1989 Ancient Guru

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    lmao. MP3 still sample crap when there are a lot of different frequency waves in the same sample unit and still cut high frequencies bad (although a lot of adult people cannot hear them at all). But of course the major issue of crap quality music is dynamic range compression. Anyway, people still thing that crap support called vinyl gives better sounds while is the different trace that makes is (usually with less or no dynamic range compression at all) , instead the analogical support ruins the trace in fact.
    If you still choose mp3 or ogg or wma or aac or whatever is just about a space matter. (F/A)LAC are a thing since usually they come directly for CD/high quality source instead of being recompressed a gazillion of time.
     
    Last edited: Apr 17, 2021

  5. Raserian

    Raserian Master Guru

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    I think that most people are used to distorted sounds and music from electronic players. Radios, computers, phones...etc have not really improved much in this area. And the actual music, especially contemporary mainstream music has tones so distorted, that it doesn't really matter. That's why most people are going to continue to download mp3 files instead of waw or flac. I even think that most people owning a high end audio gear and large FLAC collection only have it because they have a spare money and pride in the thing but don't really hear the difference. I find quality of 320kb mp3 files adequate for my listening. It's kind of like with pictures, you get the grain and worse contrast on JPG files but as long as you see what is in your picture you are not going to bother with TIFF or BMP. It's same with music. Compact formats are not the best or even good in many cases but are adequate most of the time, that's why everyone uses them.
     
  6. Loobyluggs

    Loobyluggs Ancient Guru

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    I couldn't be bothered to watch that video, can someone tell me what soundcard they used, so, 24, 32 bit?
     
  7. Astyanax

    Astyanax Ancient Guru

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    theres no such thing as 32bit audio.
     
  8. Alessio1989

    Alessio1989 Ancient Guru

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    I know that there are a lot of sources of distortion etc.. but FLAC/ALAC are probably the lossless compression formats more supported in most devices, (that's why not choosing a more efficient format), plus it's easier to check if they come directly from a CD/high quality lossless source or not. Since storage space is almost not an issue at all, that's the more straightforward way for me. And yes, music would be totally sound better if that crap called dynamic range compressor wasn't existed at all, just try "old" CDs with recent remastered version. Choose the same format/compression method, I challenge to state seriously that dynamic compression improved the trace at all (yes in some cases they were able to remove some analogical noise of mastered versions recorded in some crap audio studios but whatever...).
    well technically there is.. not on consumer area.. and doesn't improve things at all in most of cases even in production (and even if it does, than the producer would make it all a pile of crape with the procreating dynamic compression).






    ...



    Anyway I know music today is just youtube/spotify streaming, where trace quality and trace depth doesn't care at all. And I know than people spending a lot of money to fake the quality with expensive toys... Which most of cases are underused on their capabilities by the users or just used for make the sound even more loud without a clue.
     
  9. Loobyluggs

    Loobyluggs Ancient Guru

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    But, there is such a thing as a 32-bit soundcard with a 32-bit DAC in it....which was my question.
     
  10. GamerBoyManuel16

    GamerBoyManuel16 Member Guru

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    Hm,
    i have some of my music stored on my pc to be able to copy and listen it on the phone, but those are mostly cd's i own and copied to mp3s
    i also have bought some music and those are all flac

    Most of the time i just use spotify or youtube ^^
     

  11. Corrupt^

    Corrupt^ Ancient Guru

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    Almost true, but higher frequencies sound a tad more smooth or clear for me on lossless (varies wildly from song to song though, if the source material isn't superb, it might not even be that noticeable). Maybe it's related to this: https://wiki.hydrogenaud.io/index.php?title=LAME_Y_switch

    But in general: perfection in audio doesn't exist, but that doesn't mean we can't strive for it.
     
    Last edited: Apr 20, 2021
  12. Noisiv

    Noisiv Ancient Guru

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    meh...
    I don't even get triggered anymore by $5000 DAC, $50 headphones wearing audiofools and their cable, lossless, 24bit nonsense. People are going to people.

    http://abx.digitalfeed.net/lame.320.html
     
  13. GamerBoyManuel16

    GamerBoyManuel16 Member Guru

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    The best thing i've seen abou this is an Optical Cable (Toslink stuff) with golden ends there are many on amazon.
    .. Just why? xD
     
  14. SplashDown

    SplashDown Maha Guru

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    Some of the FLAC sites are straight I've used them but not flacstore, there is others but don't want to list them.. No problems or anything.
     
    Last edited: Apr 21, 2021
  15. SplashDown

    SplashDown Maha Guru

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    Thats why they have accurip to compare your rip too. If I'm misunderstanding you sorry.
     

  16. Texter

    Texter Guest

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    That's right but you can still see messages like :
    '
    None of the tracks are present in the AccurateRip database

    No errors occurred
    '

    and

    'No tracks could be verified as accurate
    You may have a different pressing from the one(s) in the database
    '
     
  17. DannyD

    DannyD Ancient Guru

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    Basically Mp3s have been replaced with FLACs. generally a mp3 will be around 10mb, a flac around 100mb with great sound quality.
     
  18. SplashDown

    SplashDown Maha Guru

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    Yup ur right ... same with CTBD I think it is.
     
  19. Astyanax

    Astyanax Ancient Guru

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    no there isn't.
     
  20. Loobyluggs

    Loobyluggs Ancient Guru

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    It's in my computer. So, I have been lied to?
     

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