Re: [Jack-Devel] Network Audio Transmission - Quality

On Mon, Jun 24, 2013 at 04:05:00PM +0200, Adrian Knoth wrote:
> On Mon, Jun 24, 2013 at 02:06:42PM +0100, Matthew Robbetts wrote:
> 
> 
> > >> If I couldn't hear a difference between an original .wav file and a
> > >> 256kb/s mp3 I'd repair my monitoring equipment.
> > > .. and join the small though not empty set of people who are capable of
> > > doing this. double blind testing of 256kbps mp3s and uncompressed digital
> > > audio generally reveal a failure to be able to differentiate, despite what
> > > is said so often in mainstream and technical publications.
> > Is the set really not empty, with a good encoder? I am surprised, frankly.
> 
> Generally speaking, if you're hearing impaired, your ear no longer
> functions as anticipated by the psychoacoustic model. That said, the
> encoder will produce something which sounds different to what you're
> used to, thus making such files distinguishable.

Interesting theory. I can definitely hear the difference quite clearly between even
a 320kb/s mp3 and the original .wav file. That's using lame on the highest quality
setting, so it isn't as if I'm using a broken encoder. It becomes less distinguishable
if the playback system is bad enough, but it doesn't take esoteric equipment to reveal
it.

Most of the other audio engineers and many musicians I work with can hear the same
thing. That's quite interesting as it covers many styles of music like classical and
acoustic folk, not just loud stuff.

I'm more inclined to believe that those who use critical listening skills in their
work can develop the ability to hear these things through constant practice.

John

1372102042.13395_0.ltw:2,a <20130624185414.GA2933 at localhost dot localdomain>