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mrsallee
195
Super* Review
Jan 19, 2019
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IMO, music production + recording quality makes a much bigger difference than file format or streaming service. I like using FLAC files so that I know that the file format isn't the limitation, but I also have a bunch of albums in MP3 that sound as good as I can hear. For anyone who thinks file format matters much, here's a challenge: https://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2015/06/02/411473508/how-well-can-you-hear-audio-quality What I look for in music production is basically (1) a clean recording, and (2) separation in the instruments, with good use of stereo. A popular example is Michael Jackson tracks, I think the album The Wall is especially good. Stellar production (and fun songs) you can use to test all kinds of headphones. I've recently been listening to this album by Eddie Palmieri, which I'm linking because it's available on Bandcamp to listen for free. IMO, I can tell the difference between the web streaming on Bandcamp and the FLAC downloads you get if you buy the album, but this should give you a good idea. https://eddiepalmieri.bandcamp.com/album/mi-luz-mayor
Jan 19, 2019
thebigdirt
11
Jan 21, 2019
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mrsalleeGood Masters recordings turned into a high res flac file is the best. Mediocre recordings don't have a major advantage.
Jan 21, 2019
D00MSHARK
10
Jan 21, 2019
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mrsalleeHa, after taking the NPR challenge I will have to agree that music production and recording quality are more important than file structure. I scored a 5/6 using AKG Q701's through an Aune X1, though I must admit that a couple of my correct selections came down to what I can only describe as "intuition", or rather desperate and somewhat arbitrary selections to justify my pretentious music library. OK, kidding aside. The value of file structure will vary by person, equipment, and even genre. I generally listen to music that is best suited for a wide and accurate soundstage, such as modern compositional, electronica, etc. Heck, even some of those noise compositions that are popular on boomkat. My headphones are also on the analytical side and my ears are relatively young. Certain entries in the test were quite obvious to me, such as the Mozart piano concerto. It truly benefited from having more precise placement across the soundstage, and to me the sound had a little more depth and roundness. Other enteries were less obvious. To me, lossless formats have a little extra value, and I'm happy to sacrifice the extra hard drive space. That being said, I am guilty of keeping an entirely lossless music library ( due to a combination of passion and mild OCD), and realize that not all recordings benefit from being in a lossless format 😜 🙃
(Edited)
Jan 21, 2019
mrsallee
195
Super* Review
Jan 21, 2019
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D00MSHARKYeah, last time I took the test, I successfully weeded out the 128Kbps file every time, but was 50/50 on picking between the lossless WAV and the higher-bitrate MP3. That said, I still store everything in lossless that I can, but some music I get is only available in MP3 and I'm OK with that.
Jan 21, 2019
D00MSHARK
10
Jan 21, 2019
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mrsalleeI forgot to mention I appreciate your post. Thanks for giving me new respect for 320 kbps mp3s!
Jan 21, 2019
Florianski
55
Jan 26, 2019
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mrsalleeFinally someone that understands what he is talking about. Bitrate and format matters no where near as much as the recording quality.
Jan 26, 2019
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