Has the iTunes AAC encoder changed recently?, specifically between version 7.0.2.16 and the current 7.3.4 Options

[STL]

I want to know if the iTunes AAC encoder has changed since 7.0.2.16? If so, are the changes -- overall -- for the good or bad? I don't want to upgrade if the current version of the encoder has some bad tweaks in it.

Moderation: Fixed typo in topic. ACC -> AAC. To help future searches.

This post has been edited by JensRex: Nov 6 2007, 19:47

[dbAmp]

So I don't know who else has looked into this yet... but I'm not entirely happy with the results I'm getting with the new encoder. I don't think the encoder has necessarily gotten worse... but the old settings I use are no longer producing acceptable results. I've tested this across many tracks. With both the old and new versions, I've encoded using iTunes at 128 AAC w/VBR.

For example, AC/DC - What Do You Do For Money Honey? encoded with iTunes 7.4/QT 7.2 produced a 143 kbps file that I could not ABX from the WavPack source with any reasonable consistency. Encoding the same file with the same settings with iTunes 7.5/QT 7.3 produced a 138 kpbs file with a noticeable artifacts in the high end (primarily ringing and smearing in the cymbals) that was easily ABX-able 100% of the time.

I'm not saying that the new encoder is worse... just that the same setting produce worse results. Your millage may vary. Has anyone else been experience this type of behavior with the new codec?