I've started noticing that CDs have a better bass/treble ratio. Is that true?
Quality of digital downloads vary, more specific please.
Of course they are. Downloads range from 192-320kbps, CDs are the equivalent of 1411kbps.
Yes. So much. Downloading music gives you functional, OK sounding shit. While a CD makes it sound like a work of art.
Vinyl>CD>FLAC>V0>320
[QUOTE=Sanjuaro;16916348]Vinyl>CD>FLAC>V0>320[/QUOTE]
Almost.
CD = FLAC > V0 VBR > 320kbps CBR
Also, the vinyl part is opinion.
Depends on bit rate. 256kbps and up is usually about the same as the CD.
There's such thing as lossless quality audio files.
[QUOTE=gnome;16916747]There's such thing as lossless quality audio files.[/QUOTE]
But what digital download site actually uses those? They're not easy to get a hold of.
boomkat offers flacs
I can't stand MP3s, Sure you can make them listenable with obscene bitrates, But nothing beats a nice juicy lossless audio file.
I don't need juicy lossless audio files when I'm walking around outside listening to my headphones, that's why I save the best quality for when I'm sitting at home listening to music.
If you encode MP3s at VBR V0 or 320kb/s CBR then you should find it pretty difficult to tell the difference from a CD.
FLAC and other lossless files should sound exactly the same as a CD but that has the disadvantage of taking up more space than an MP3. Most digital download sites fail to provide FLAC unfortunately, if they did I would use them.
With VBR V0/CBR 320 you would find it hard to point out the artefacts and inequalities unless directly compared to a higher quality source.
Anything lower than V0 and 320 you will start noticing audible inaccuracies in the song. That being said you many not perceive them as annoying, its very much a personal matter.
Don't believe me? Take a look at this article
[url]http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09/03/11/153205[/url]
[QUOTE=kitthehacker;16916237]Yes. So much. Downloading music gives you functional, OK sounding shit. While a CD makes it sound like a work of art.[/QUOTE]
Lol what? I'd have to disagree, I have a Green Day CD and downloaded versions of the songs. (Downloaded them when I lost the CD.) They only sounded different because my CD player has a different sound set up. However, as for comparing them on the computer. I played both the CD and the downloaded songs on my computer and they sound pretty much the same. Hell they sound exactly the same. You have provided no additional information to support you.
[QUOTE=Zeke129;16916383]Almost.
CD = FLAC > V0 VBR > 320kbps CBR
Also, the vinyl part is opinion.[/QUOTE]
it depends how the record is produced. with newer CDs (especially for the more popular artists), the trend in production is just to make it loud, which means you lose some of the dynamic range of the music.
there's just no way to cut a vinyl like that, so often you can get some more of the subtlety of the music.
[QUOTE=mike;16922657]it depends how the record is produced. with newer CDs (especially for the more popular artists), the trend in production is just to make it loud, which means you lose some of the dynamic range of the music.
[/QUOTE]
I fucking hate when they mix their music loud.
It starts to sound wrong after a while of listening to it - it fatigues you.
I use cassette tapes still. :c00l:
I've never used iTunes...so I might as well ask this question since it's kinda relevant to this thread.
How is the music quality if downloaded from iTunes? Is it distinguishable from CD's?
I started buying CDs a few years ago, specifically because I got tired of the crappy sound quality of digital downloads.
[QUOTE=mike;16922657]it depends how the record is produced. with newer CDs (especially for the more popular artists), the trend in production is just to make it loud, which means you lose some of the dynamic range of the music.
there's just no way to cut a vinyl like that, so often you can get some more of the subtlety of the music.[/QUOTE]
I hate the loudness war.
Californication (album) by the chili peppers was ruined because of it - It's just far too harsh on your ears, had no dynamic range and because of all the distortion and clipping going on theirs allsorts of horrible high end clicks that come from your tweeters, It's digusting - I wish they would remaster it.
Trying to get my hands on the vinyl cut of Stadium arcadium, 4 LP box.
I love vinyl. It's more fun than a CD, because if you're a part time DJ like me, then it's loads of fun to mix other songs in, or to scratch to.
[QUOTE=Zeke129;16916217]Of course they are. Downloads range from 192-320kbps, CDs are the equivalent of 1411kbps.[/QUOTE]
Not true, normal bitrate of downloads are 128kbps, or well iTunes is, and then you can pay some more for 256kbps...
[QUOTE=TheDKer;16924012]Not true, normal bitrate of downloads are 128kbps, or well iTunes is, and then you can pay some more for 256kbps...[/QUOTE]
iTunes is 256kbps.
[QUOTE=Tezza1234;16916910]I can't stand MP3s, Sure you can make them listenable with obscene bitrates, But nothing beats a nice juicy lossless audio file.[/QUOTE]
there is no difference. Then again I'm an HLDJ DJ so... whatever
[QUOTE=toastedspyro;16922788]I've never used iTunes...so I might as well ask this question since it's kinda relevant to this thread.
How is the music quality if downloaded from iTunes? Is it distinguishable from CD's?[/QUOTE]iTunes plus is 256kbps so there's some small differences from CD quality but probably nothing you'd find annoying.
Many record companies nowadays only press shit on a CD. They're compressed and limited as fuck. Look up "Loudness War".
The best you can get are leaks from radio stations or such. They get their shit almost unprocessed to use with their own audio processing, thus you have a lot more dynamic range.
[editline]08:05PM[/editline]
[QUOTE=Ian D;16924337]iTunes plus is 256kbps so there's some small differences from CD quality but probably nothing you'd find annoying.[/QUOTE]
The bitrate doesn't say a thing if the format is completely different.
Or find vinyl (re)masters, Usually they are mastered by an engineer that knows what he's doing and respects dynamics :D
I don't notice the difference. I got Scar Symmetry's [i]Holographic Universe[/i] online, and I borrowed my friend's CD of Scar Symmetry's [i]Pitch Black Progress[/i] (after letting him listen to [i]Holographic Universe[/i], he fell in love with SS, and bought their other two albums), and I can tell no difference quality-wise between the two.
My vote is if there [i]is[/i] a difference, then unless you're an audiophile (RE: you can't stand anything less than FLAC) you won't notice a difference.
It also depends on what you're listening with, I find MP3s mangles the high frequencies a bit, especially at 192kbps and below, but I only hear this If I listen on the wharfedales (Before argos took hold of the brand name).
I must say though, As long as the bitrate is at or above 192kbps I don't think the average listener will ever notice.
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