48 kbps listening test, pretest discussion thread, Pretest thread / Encoder settings Options

[Shade[ST]]

Hello!

After assisting like many of you on the controversy of guruboolez' tests concerning the Nero AAC encoders and having seen many suggestions towards preparing a listening test around 48kbps - in particular with the different HE encoders, I decided to take matters into my own hands.
I currently have 8 samples testing for tonality, transients and stereo separation. These are generally classical music, but also include electronic music, 80s pop, and I might add a jazz recording for ambience reproduction.
As for encoders, I'm stumped.

Should I also include an old version of nero (old being relative) as to see the progress in a general evaluation ? At this bitrate, many encoders is not really a problem, is it? For now, I was thinking :

-Nero AAC Tape / PNS Enabled / HE / High (Should I enable hint track?)
-Ogg Vorbis, latest AoTuV, q -2 to -4 (whatever's approximately the same bitrates ~42-53)
-Lame ABR 48 (any tunings suggested?)
-mp3pro, probably, at any close bitrate I can achieve (adobe audition's encoder)
-Itunes AAC (HE if available)
-CT encoder (winamp 5.12) 48kbps, HE.

If I should use an older nero as well, where can I find it?

Also, could anyone help me prepare the ABC/HR logs? (eg, Sebastian Mares)
Thanks in advance,
Tristan.

[Sebastian Mares]

I think the whole thing is too rushed. Personally, I would check what people want more and then start the "advanced" discussion about encoders, samples, settings...

• 128 kbps extension test featuring ATRAC3, MusePack and WMA Standard (later might be problematic because of the settings)
• Low bitrate (32/48/64 kbps) multiformat test
• Low bitrate (32/48/64 kbps) AAC test

I would also wait until the end of January and check if Apple has an HE-AACv2 encoder ready.

This post has been edited by Sebastian Mares: Dec 12 2005, 17:52

[naylor83]

Personally, I would check what people want more and then start the "advanced" discussion about encoders, samples, settings...[list]

We all know how that would end... Just be an enlightened dictator Shade, and use your wisdom.

[Sebastian Mares]

Personally, I would check what people want more and then start the "advanced" discussion about encoders, samples, settings...[list]

We all know how that would end... Just be an enlightened dictator Shade, and use your wisdom.

The result of the "Fifth competitor..." poll was pretty clear, so I see nothing wrong in running a poll again.

Edit 1: Also, so far, I see you have six encoders in mind. If you include an older version of Nero, that makes seven - without any anchor. That is too much, so I would sort out some of the encoders leaving only five and a high anchor - maybe the 128 kbps winner?

And sure, I can help you set up the ABC/HR configuration files. Do you have ICQ or another IM client, Shade[ST]?

Edit 2: Is there any major difference between the mp3PRO encoder included in Nero and the one from Audition?

This post has been edited by Sebastian Mares: Dec 12 2005, 18:30

[naylor83]

The result of the "Fifth competitor..." poll was pretty clear, so I see nothing wrong in running a poll again.

Yes, the poll was great! I was more thinking about the discussion that went on for eternity. (Which I hardly need tell you is a heck of a long time, to quote Rowan Atkinson aka The Devil aka Toby.)

[Shade[ST]]

I was thinking maybe about making LAME the low anchor.. lame @ 32? And maybe set ogg vorbis around a bitrate of 100, or something of the like, to make it perceptible to some, but not annoying -- Personally, I was quickly irritated in the 128 test by not being able to discern anything.

I don't mind adding WMA std to this test, either. The samples are pretty much chosen, I think - I've spoken to guru about this, and I'll try to have sebastian mares tell me if my samples are ok or not.

I don't think many people use itunes to encode at such a low bitrate, but then again, who knows? some cell phones come with itunes now. I'm arguing with myself as to keeping it or not.

I sort of insist on this being a 48kbps test only : I don't like the number 32, it's ugly (dictator, says naylor83?), and IMO 64 kbps will still be too hard to make out.

This needs to be a quick-and-dirty test, making it easy to pick up a few samples in 15 minutes of spare time and send in results. I'll also set up a gmail for recieving test results. I could give out the password later to anyone wishing to organise another listening test, or to a HA admin or whatnot, if results are wished to be kept.

For now, that's all I can think of. If anyone wants to hear / comment on samples I chose, you can PM me or leave a message on this thread (preference for PM), and contact me on MSN messenger (or, by email.)

Comments are welcome,
Peace,
Tristan.