Can I hear a difference between MP3s and uncompressed audio?
1–10 of 39 posts
Re: Can I hear a difference between MP3s and uncompressed audio?
#2I will concur with that.
When I first started encoding MP3s I used a 128kbps rate which is noticeably inferior to the original CD. I noticed this in the early 2000s when I would up listening to a CD of some music I usually listened to as a 128kbps MP3 and was blown away with how much more I heard.
I'd say that 192kbps is much better and the 320kbps that the author advocates is basically transparent.
Re: Can I hear a difference between MP3s and uncompressed audio?
#3Correctly identified with 100% accuracy. The author said they can't, but for me the mp3 versions have noticeable high frequency artifacts that make the recording sound slightly less clear. Using Sony XM5
Re: Can I hear a difference between MP3s and uncompressed audio?
#4Some people simply have better hearing than others.
Also, you can train yourself for what to listen for, to a point.
Re: Can I hear a difference between MP3s and uncompressed audio?
#5Pretty great demo! It'd be great to see a 128/192 comparison.
I had Tidal many years back, and from the Lossless v Regular I only ever noticed a difference when it came to breathy sounds/etc. I did see that Tidal would burn through like 50GB of data monthly though.
Also - you may want to test some more modern recordings, the microphone/mastering quality of things nowadays is far better than what it was 2 decades ago (despite what some audiophiles may claim)
Re: Can I hear a difference between MP3s and uncompressed audio?
#6Some people simply have better hearing than others. Also, you can train yourself for what to listen for, to a point.
Noted, but I think I'll pass. Doesn't seem to be much benefit if you have to train yourself to discern a difference just so you can stream massive files.
Of course this does matter to some people and I say "have fun".
Re: Can I hear a difference between MP3s and uncompressed audio?
#7Correctly identified with 100% accuracy. The author said they can't, but for me the mp3 versions have noticeable high frequency artifacts that make the recording sound slightly less clear. Using Sony XM5
You might enjoy this: https://mattmontag.com/audio-listening-test/
Re: Can I hear a difference between MP3s and uncompressed audio?
#8Pretty great demo! It'd be great to see a 128/192 comparison. I had Tidal many years back, and from the Lossless v Regular I only ever noticed a difference when it came to breathy sounds/etc. I did see that Tidal would burn through like 50GB of data monthly though. Also - you may want to test some more modern recordings, the microphone/mastering quality of things nowadays is far better than what it was 2 decades ago…
I’ve done a bunch of testing over the years including a similar test of ‘can people hear mp3 compression’ as well as comparison of mp3 variable bit rate qualities.
In practice, on average playback equipment (by which I mean decent hifi) in an average listening environment most people can’t tell the difference.
But… I’ve also done blind testing with a top mastering engineer on studio speakers and he was able to identifying 48 vs 192 reliably.
Mastering quality was ruined by the battle for perceived loudness. So masters with decent degrees of dynamic range is definitely helpful.
Re: Can I hear a difference between MP3s and uncompressed audio?
#9Pretty great demo! It'd be great to see a 128/192 comparison. I had Tidal many years back, and from the Lossless v Regular I only ever noticed a difference when it came to breathy sounds/etc. I did see that Tidal would burn through like 50GB of data monthly though. Also - you may want to test some more modern recordings, the microphone/mastering quality of things nowadays is far better than what it was 2 decades ago…
I’ve done a bunch of testing over the years including a similar test of ‘can people hear mp3 compression’ as well as comparison of mp3 variable bit rate qualities. In practice, on average playback equipment (by which I mean decent hifi) in an average listening environment most people can’t tell the difference. But… I’ve also done blind testing with a top mastering engineer on studio speakers and he was able to identi…
I mean 48 is pretty much trash. Id hope a top mastering engineer can tell the difference between that and 192...
Re: Can I hear a difference between MP3s and uncompressed audio?
#10Correctly identified with 100% accuracy. The author said they can't, but for me the mp3 versions have noticeable high frequency artifacts that make the recording sound slightly less clear. Using Sony XM5
The high-frequency "swishiness" the usual giveaway.
But sadly today most popular music is ruined beyond repair with dynamic compression, not data compression. The craven stupidity of the loudness war may be unequaled in the history of art, and yet even the artists often don't seem to understand what the problem is. You see legendary artists complaining about modern sound quality (Dylan, Neil Young, and so forth) but then cheerleading for absurd sampling rates and bit depth. NO. That isn't the problem. I have 45-RPM records that sound better than their "lossless," "remastered" incarnations on streaming services.
The biggest problem in popular music (and I would say this probably pervades everything but classical at this point) is dynamic compression.