AAC @ 128kbps listening test discussion Options

[rjamorim]

Hello.

I'm creating this thread so that we can discuss how the upcoming AAC @ 128kbps listening test will be handled.

The encoders I plan to feature are:

-Nero AAC encoder VBR profile Streaming :: Medium (@Ivan: Fast or HQ mode?)
-Apple iTunes 4.2 128kbps
-FAAC "whatever VBR setting comes close to 128kbps"
-Compaact! "same thing as above"
-Winamp AAC encoder 128kbps
-FhG l3enc 1.0 as anchor

Some codecs that might be considered to replace another:
-Real Producer
-NCTU AAC
-Emuzed
-Imagine Technology


I am personally very fond of the idea of using l3enc as anchor. It'll be a good insight on how perceptual audio coding developed since the first MP3 implementation. It'll be like "the oldest vs. the newest".

Of course, as usual, EVERYTHING is still open to discussion. Remember I am conducing these tests for you, not for me, so please make your opinions heard.

Actually, only one thing is not open for discussion: the amount of codecs. There won't be more than 6 (including anchor), no matter what.

Some other topics I want to discuss:

-Samples tested. IMO we should definitely replace some samples. Specifically Polonaise (I would suggest Fossiles as replacement) and Illinois (I would replace it with our old friend Fatboy). Do you believe something else should be replaced?

I wouldn't like to replace Waiting. I love that sample for it's wacky behaviour, so I want to force you guys to listen to it over and over again until your ears pop out of your skull :B


-Should only LC be tested? Or maybe test other (better?) profiles when the encoder supports them, like FAAC and Compaact. I think an argument for this would be that it's like VBR vs. CBR - you shouldn't penalize some codecs because others lack that feature. A very good argument against this would be that LC is waaaay more supported now and probably in the future. Opinions?


-Do you think there is any need for encryption (it will definitely be used on the Multiformat tests)? If so, we'll only use Schnofler's comparator, since ff123's doesn't support encryption.


These are the subjects I can think about ATM. I'll post more ideas/questions as I come up with them.

Thanks for your help.

Best regards;

Roberto.

This post has been edited by rjamorim: Feb 8 2004, 01:18

[plonk420]

How about VQF as anchor? According to AudioCodingWiki , it is(was?) a part of MPEG-4 Audio version 1.

Actually, TwinVQ is part of MPEG4 audio. It's slightly different from VQF, and in MPEG4 audio it's limited to veeeery low bitrates - around 8-16kbps

That said, I was planning to use it as an anchor in the multiformat test that will come after the AAC test.

VQF ran at around 80-96kbps. i should know, i was the one that was so happy about it intially (with my 128kbps mp3 vs 96kbps vqf) i spammed the mp3 newsgroups and mp3.d newsgroup about it when i first started playing with it. (i wouldn't even touch it now, altho i think it's in my audio tools collection somewhere X)

can't find it or anything else that's helpful .. seems to have fallen off google

oh, here we go.. here's one at least... http://www.mp3-tech.org/tests/pm/VQF-96k.htm

This post has been edited by plonk420: Feb 9 2004, 13:35