Discussion related to multiple format tests' resul, Split from AAC @ 128kbps listening test Options

[duartix]

Split from here. This topic has been discussed to death in the threads related to the multiformat listening tests.
If you want to add something here, re-read these threads first. Only post here if you have something new to say, please
- tigre
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There is something else that I think would give all codecs a fairer chance. Even though using VBR whenever possible it would be helpfull trying to achieve similar filesizes.
(I remember the multiformat 128kpbs test where Musepack was a winner but at the expense of files 11,7% larger than the close second QT AAC.)

This post has been edited by tigre: Feb 12 2004, 21:06

[Continuum]

I'm quite sure, that the results would look completely different, if all samples had been low volume classical pieces (which MPC often underbits and which then sometimes sound terrible at this quality setting).

This is a mighty hefty claim. Can you post some samples and ABX results please. I normally don't like throwing TOS #8 at people, but with 400+ posts I think that you really should know better.

I didn't know that this was surprising for anyone. The choice of samples has a deep impact on the results. I noticed this effect when I made a small private classical music listening a few months ago, MPC (and Vorbis BTW) had problems with some low volume pieces, more so than Lame. Sadly, I lost my results in a Partition Magic failure, but I can give you at least one example:

Billy Budd.flac (0:25, 1.31 MB): Sample is part of the last track of a recording from 1998 of Benjamin Britten's Billy Budd (under Kent Nagano, singer is Anthony Rolfe Johnson).
I compared
1. Lame 3.90.3 -alt-preset 128. Bitrate is 124 for selection, 125 for whole track,
2. MPC 1.14 --quality 4. Bitrate is 100 for selection, 107 for whole track.

Lame is much better to my ears!
(Out of interest I tried Lame ABR 105 as well. Quality is comparable, but I still find Lame preferable.)

This post has been edited by Continuum: Feb 12 2004, 22:58