Anyone else use 320 kbps mp3's?, n00b here. Options

[JAKE196]

Hi, I'm kinda new to compressed audio encoding. . .

My Mp3 player supports mp3, aac, wma, and wav files and after doing a lot of listening to the different lossy formats and bitrates I decided to use 320 mp3's because to my ears they sound almost as good as CD quality, minus the frequency cut off.

I'm just wondering if anyone else here uses 320 kbps mp3's at all?

I've looked at some other threads and a lot of people say that if you are going to use 320 kbps mp3's you might as well use a lossless codec, and I understand that. (however, I use them because my player doesn't support any compressed lossless format)

I've also seen a lot of statements that 320 kbps is a pointless bitrate and something like 256 vbr is the highest thats worth using no matter what. I really don't agree with this, there is definitely an audible difference between 256 CBR or 256 VBR files and 320 files, to my ears anyway. (do I have really good ear's? I'm wondering) I have to admit LAME mp3's can pick up a lot of detail at 256 and 192 kbps, but they still don't sound as good as 320 mp3's.

I usually use 320 kbps mp3's, with the exception of fairly simple songs or exceptionally long songs, for which I use 256 kbps.

Just wanted to express my opinion and see how many other people use them, peace.

So answer the poll if it works. (this is my first post. . . )

I'll check back later.

[smok3]

Is there any way we can set up a test on this site?

for mp3 vs mp3 and AAC vs AAC it should be possible to write an ABX flash 'applet' (or abchr), so just start coding (I can also host it, if that additional bandwidth would be a problem for HA) - this would also help to prevent threads like this poping out or rather making them shorter.

I'd be very interested to see this in action. It could be useful around these parts.

I think the simplest way (to avoid coding in flash):
a. some serverside language to read variables from GET type of the url (that is probably doable via js as well, dunno)
b. playback component allready done in flash, that takes variables as input, some player like
http://www.jeroenwijering.com/?about=JW_FLV_Media_Player | js api http://code.jeroenwijering.com/trac/wiki/FlashAPI
c. some javascript for controling the (at least) two instances of the player
or one instance and make it load different clips via js interface
d. js for the buttons, for the math, for filling the X player (if possible)
e. some serverside for storing results (user:date:url_tested:abx_results)
f. some generic user manipulation script, one could upload samples, test sample lenghts to make everything legal, ect
g. abstract: a way to present the test with one url and someuser-results via another url
h. abstract: security layer, smart preloading/hidding system for the samples, they need to be in the buffer before the test starts, ect
h2. study what js implementation had to offer over flash one - security related mostly.

p.s. about b. : with enough abstraction this component could be later replaced with java one for example to load/play some other formats (vorbis maybe).

This post has been edited by smok3: Jul 31 2008, 12:12