MP3 advice

da-ron

Joined: Jan 02, 2009
Posts: 1305
The original Plymouth, UK.
United Kingdom

Posted on Dec 22 2014 05:39 AM

I've had an interesting week learning about recording and CDs. Mike from Green Cookie sent a comment about our recordings (on the website) sounding 'thin', which was a surprise as the recordings were originally really good. So I compared our CD on iTunes with the original mastered CD from the studio. There was a world of difference. The CD sounded awesome in comparison. On my iTunes, I've been using MP3 compression, which probably explains the rubbish sound quality.
Can anyone recommend formats and/or software to give decent sound quality for online listening?

—

http://thewaterboarders.bandcamp.com/

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crumble

Joined: Sep 09, 2008
Posts: 3158
Guildford England
United Kingdom

Posted on Dec 22 2014 06:19 AM

I use the lame encoder set to 320kbps (insane) No to VBR (variable bit rate) or any another form of file size reduction.

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crumble

Joined: Sep 09, 2008
Posts: 3158
Guildford England
United Kingdom

Posted on Dec 22 2014 10:11 AM

pass

Last edited: Dec 22, 2014 15:16:13

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JakeDobner

Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
5 News Pins

Posted on Dec 22 2014 10:15 AM

What do you mean by 'on-line' listening?

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da-ron

Joined: Jan 02, 2009
Posts: 1305
The original Plymouth, UK.
United Kingdom

Posted on Dec 22 2014 11:27 AM

Jake, we have files online at Bandcamp and our website - I'd like them to sound as good as possible...

—

http://thewaterboarders.bandcamp.com/

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JakeDobner

Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
5 News Pins

Posted on Dec 22 2014 11:40 AM

Bandcamp is cool, because you can have music of any format. We have 24-bit 96khz files up, this is higher than a CD's 16-bit 48khz. I'm not sure what Bandcamp does for streaming, but chances are they downsample for the streaming portion. But, for the downloads you can upload any file you want.

I would suggest getting the highest quality file you can get from whoever mastered your album. This isn't the CD master, this is the native master files.

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Steve

Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 86
Tewksbury, MA

Posted on Dec 22 2014 02:35 PM

I buy all my digital releases as ALE (Apple Lossless Encoding) (preferred) or FLAC, which I then convert to ALE. Since my DAC can't do more than 44.1khz (Jake, isn't 48khz DAT?) I wouldn't bother with anything higher.

Nowadays disk is sooo cheap, it doesn't make sense to me to bother with lossless encodings.

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SURFmole

Joined: Nov 22, 2007
Posts: 901
Portland, OR
United States

Posted on Dec 24 2014 05:13 AM

If you upload the highest resolution files to Bandcamp, they sound good IMO. Bandcamp will convert them to MP3 (or serve them at full resolution), but they do a decent job of it.

—

www.apollo4.com

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simoncoil

Joined: Sep 28, 2012
Posts: 915
Berlin, Germany
1 News Pin

Posted on Dec 24 2014 06:19 AM

da-ron wrote:

So I compared our CD on iTunes with the original mastered CD from the studio. There was a world of difference.

We have a similar problem: When we put our latest release up on iTunes the last track (PipeOut) just sounded horrible, even in comparison to other mp3s. Since I don't use iTunes and our bass player handles alls this stuff, I don't really know if or how we found a solution for this.

—

Los Apollos - cinematic surf music trio (Berlin)
"Postcards from the Scrapyard" Vol. 1, 2 & 3 NOW available on various platforms!
"Chaos at the Lobster Lounge" available as LP and download on Surf Cookie Records!

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JakeDobner

Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
5 News Pins

Posted on Dec 24 2014 09:33 AM

Steve wrote:

44.1khz (Jake, isn't 48khz DAT?)

Yep, You are correct!

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da-ron Joined: Jan 02, 2009 Posts: 1305 The original Plymouth, UK.	Posted on Dec 22 2014 05:39 AM I've had an interesting week learning about recording and CDs. Mike from Green Cookie sent a comment about our recordings (on the website) sounding 'thin', which was a surprise as the recordings were originally really good. So I compared our CD on iTunes with the original mastered CD from the studio. There was a world of difference. The CD sounded awesome in comparison. On my iTunes, I've been using MP3 compression, which probably explains the rubbish sound quality. Can anyone recommend formats and/or software to give decent sound quality for online listening? — http://thewaterboarders.bandcamp.com/ Top
crumble Joined: Sep 09, 2008 Posts: 3158 Guildford England	Posted on Dec 22 2014 06:19 AM I use the lame encoder set to 320kbps (insane) No to VBR (variable bit rate) or any another form of file size reduction. Top
crumble Joined: Sep 09, 2008 Posts: 3158 Guildford England	Posted on Dec 22 2014 10:11 AM pass Last edited: Dec 22, 2014 15:16:13 Top
JakeDobner Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 12159 Seattle	Posted on Dec 22 2014 10:15 AM What do you mean by 'on-line' listening? Top
da-ron Joined: Jan 02, 2009 Posts: 1305 The original Plymouth, UK.	Posted on Dec 22 2014 11:27 AM Jake, we have files online at Bandcamp and our website - I'd like them to sound as good as possible... — http://thewaterboarders.bandcamp.com/ Top
JakeDobner Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 12159 Seattle	Posted on Dec 22 2014 11:40 AM Bandcamp is cool, because you can have music of any format. We have 24-bit 96khz files up, this is higher than a CD's 16-bit 48khz. I'm not sure what Bandcamp does for streaming, but chances are they downsample for the streaming portion. But, for the downloads you can upload any file you want. I would suggest getting the highest quality file you can get from whoever mastered your album. This isn't the CD master, this is the native master files. Top
Steve Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 86 Tewksbury, MA	Posted on Dec 22 2014 02:35 PM I buy all my digital releases as ALE (Apple Lossless Encoding) (preferred) or FLAC, which I then convert to ALE. Since my DAC can't do more than 44.1khz (Jake, isn't 48khz DAT?) I wouldn't bother with anything higher. Nowadays disk is sooo cheap, it doesn't make sense to me to bother with lossless encodings. Top
SURFmole Joined: Nov 22, 2007 Posts: 901 Portland, OR	Posted on Dec 24 2014 05:13 AM If you upload the highest resolution files to Bandcamp, they sound good IMO. Bandcamp will convert them to MP3 (or serve them at full resolution), but they do a decent job of it. — www.apollo4.com Top
simoncoil Joined: Sep 28, 2012 Posts: 915 Berlin, Germany	Posted on Dec 24 2014 06:19 AM da-ron wrote: So I compared our CD on iTunes with the original mastered CD from the studio. There was a world of difference. We have a similar problem: When we put our latest release up on iTunes the last track (PipeOut) just sounded horrible, even in comparison to other mp3s. Since I don't use iTunes and our bass player handles alls this stuff, I don't really know if or how we found a solution for this. — Los Apollos - cinematic surf music trio (Berlin) "Postcards from the Scrapyard" Vol. 1, 2 & 3 NOW available on various platforms! "Chaos at the Lobster Lounge" available as LP and download on Surf Cookie Records! Top
JakeDobner Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 12159 Seattle	Posted on Dec 24 2014 09:33 AM Steve wrote: 44.1khz (Jake, isn't 48khz DAT?) Yep, You are correct! Top

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