Do you hear the difference between a 128 and 320 kbps mp3? (test yourself inside!)

[profit42]

Hi,

I just noticed this website with stumbleupon: http://mp3ornot.com/

It lets you test if you hear the difference between a 128 and a 320 kbps mp3 file. While I hear the difference, I have to say that the difference is very small, even on my B&W 685 speakers (using my iMac's built-in soundcard..., I think that that's the problem). What do you guys think about it?

 

[Iscariot]

I was wrong, and I guessed completely. I could not tell a difference. My ability to distinguish sound quality and complexity is very low.

 

[Cromulent]

Good site. It does somewhat depend on whether you are used to hearing a particular piece of music or not as to whether you can pick out its subtleties though.

 

[killmoms]

It would be a more useful test if one could go A/B directly at any point in the clip (i.e. both are "playing" synced and you can simply switch between the two at any point) and be able to scrub, but I did guess correctly (I went mostly off the tambourine right towards the end).

In this case, until you have a particularly good system and have it turned up to a sufficient degree, classical music tends to compress pretty well, so the differences will not be as pronounced between a 128kbps file and a 320 one. However, throw on some extremely multi-layered pop or rock music with a lot of high treble stuff going on (lots of cymbals + distorted guitars) and the weaknesses of 128kbps will QUICKLY become apparent.

 

[Drumjim85]

not really the best source to be testing on .... distant classical music.. or in your face pop, rock, or something more modern

 

[Much Ado]

Got it easily, and that was through iPod headphones

/Smugness

 

[bartelby]

That was easy. You can hear the graininess of the lower bitrate version clearly in the percussion towards the end.

 

[killmoms]

I'm sure if I was at home where I could play it on my much better speakers and much louder (as opposed to here at work), it wouldn't have been as tough.

 

[cycocelica]

That was easy. You can hear the graininess of the lower bitrate version clearly in the percussion towards the end.

Thats where I picked up on it.

 

[Prof.]

I got it right! One sounded clearer than the other.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that I didn't use any headphones. I just used the MacBook speakers. Oh yeah, I'm that good.

 

[fridgeymonster3]

I got it right using my sennheiser headphones. I threw a pair of crappy iPod in-ear phones on and I couldn't tell any difference.

 

[ghall]

I got it right, it sounded somehow....better. I can't even place my finger on what made it better, it just seemed...better.

 

[d_and_n5000]

I got it right, it sounded somehow....better. I can't even place my finger on what made it better, it just seemed...better.

Same here. Something about it...

But I'm not entirely convinced that its not just my imagination, seeing as I've got a three year old low-end-for-its-time Dell and seven year old bottom-of-the-barrel speakers.

 

[Nabooly]

I got it right using logitech speakers. Was about to grab some headphones but i was a little lazy, lol. But i could hear the difference clearly with the speakers

 

[Sesshi]

Does anyone actually have any trouble spotting a difference? I'd be amazed.

 

[GoCubsGo]

That was easy. You can hear the graininess of the lower bitrate version clearly in the percussion towards the end.

That and if you're using external speakers, one clip (attempting not to ruin it for others) thumped louder. I was right the first time around.

 

[ErikCLDR]

I was right. Easy.

 

[notjustjay]

The 320 one seemed like it had crisper highs to me.. or rather, when I heard the 128 kbps one, it seemed deader and duller than the other.

Of course, it was very subtle, I might have even made it up and guessed correctly by chance, and it will obviously depend on what audio equipment you have connected. I used my built-in iMac speakers, by the way, but I'm sure the result would have been far more dramatic if I had played it on my dad's home theatre system.

 

[RainCityMacFan]

Yeah the difference is subtle but it seems like a big difference and I'm using the iMac's built-in speakers.

Now we just need a test that includes 128, 192, 320, and Apple's Lossless/AAC. Because I still haven't figured out the perfect formula to get quality and disk space >.<

 

[killmoms]

Now we just need a test that includes 128, 192, 320, and Apple's Lossless/AAC. Because I still haven't figured out the perfect formula to get quality and disk space >.<

For me personally, AAC @ 256kbps (VBR) strikes a good balance between file size and quality. Once I have a real stereo in my living room I might need to buy more CDs and start building a serious Apple Lossless library, but until then I think I'm pretty good with what I've got.

 

[alFR]

There are more listening tests than you can shake a stick at over at hydrogenaudio.

 

[Abstract]

Got it right with my MacBook speakers.

I didn't even max out the volume.

 

[nikopolidis]

Nice one! I also got it right!
I've never had any doubts about my hearing!

 

[pinktank]

depending on the source

 

[d_and_n5000]

I just took it a second time, and I didn't remember which one was which.

I got it wrong.

Apparently my hearing isn't as good as I thought it was.