iPod Audio Bitrates

[mrgreen4242]

Hi mrgreen4242,
I can notice a nicer sound as I bought different headphones and I like some didn't spend a lot but enough to make it a difference. I think mine were $30-40 and it seems like a nice balance. I too have been exposed to loud sounds but not that much of a loss for me...at least I think (looks to see if someone is talking). But even with my friends Sony headset $20 has a better sound to me then the stock buds.
When you did the tests how was the EQ setup? just wondered if this would make a difference for your tests. Anyway nice thread about this i may have to do some just out of being curious.

My EQ (on the iPod) was set at 'Off'. I used the stock iPod headphones because that's what I use with my iPod mostly due to their very convienient size.

I have a set of large completely cover the ear style Koss headphones that were "cheap" ($25 on sale, marked down from about $35). I don't recall the model off hand (I'm at work), but I did a little research before I bought and they were rated as, more or less, "if you only have $30 to spend on headphones, you could do a lot worse than these".

They are very comfortable, do a great job blocking out noise (and keeping sound in). I bring them along for plane trips and other stuff like that, but the size means that I generally just have the iPod standard buds.

 

[mrgreen4242]

OK, I did test #2, and the results were even more interesting, IMO. I took 1 minute samples from 2 songs; Night Ride Across the Caucasus by Loreena McKennitt and Two Step (Live and Accoustic) by Dave Matthews with Tim Reynolds.

I encoded each of these samples as Apple Lossless, 256CBR AAC, 128CBR AAC, and 96VBR AAC. I then also converted the 128CBR file to a 96VBR file.

I put all 10 of these tracks in a play list and listened to them each in shuffle mode, and rated them with a subjective star rating based on perceived quality while I listened to them on my iPod mini with Koss UR-20 over the ear headphones (they're not GREAT, but better than the iPod earbuds).

Here the results from my blind test #2:

Night Ride Across the Caucasus:
Lossless - *****
256CBR - ****
128CBR - ***
96VBR - ****
96VBR from 128CBR - ****

Two Step:
Lossless - ****
256CBR - ****
128CBR - ***
96VBR - *****
96VR from 128CBR - ****

Oddly, the 128CBR was lowest on both tracks, and also odd is the 96VBR did best on Two Step when I felt SURE that I had pegged the Lossless file... the subtle acoustic guitar finger picking by Tim Reynolds sounded richer and with a better range between the lowest and highest notes.

I'd really love to see some other people do some similar test, but I am getting the feeling that I either have really bad hearing, or I have trained myself to prefer compressed music, or both.

 

[Artful Dodger]

mrgreen4242
I'd really love to see some other people do some similar test, but I am getting the feeling that I either have really bad hearing, or I have trained myself to prefer compressed music, or both.

Hi mrgreen4242, if I get a chance this weekend I'll gladly help out and run a few tests like the ones you did. One difference will be two tests, one with the EQ off, then with it on.
Since I've never used it with the EQ off it should be somewhat interesting

 

[cello in BC]

Great thread!

I was just thinking about this the other day. Great work! Very interesting read.

I'll contribute what I can when I get home.

Very interesting. And great community you guys' got here too!