Geno

Even (if not especially) with background noise, good, clear sound is better than muffled, tinny sound.

subterFUSE

I am basing it on a couple of sources:

1. Personal comparison. Music production and DJing are big hobbies for me, and I work with audio software all the time. I have compared many MP3 encoders, including iTunes, SoundForge with LAME, EAC, and others.

2. Experience of others. I spend a lot of time reading forums like this one, for music production. Many people there have also compared encoders.... and again, Exact Audio Copy is by far the most preferred. iTunes is not well regarded, even though these forums are loaded with Mac enthusiasts.


Certainly an uncompressed format such as AIFF or WAV will sound better than a compressed format.... but it won't be the same as CD. I have tested this on my Logic 7. I ripped a CD with SoundForge to extract a WAV format. I saved the uncompressed file, and put it on my iPod. (60 gig, color) I then compared the WAV file to the original CD, in the car. The difference was very noticable. The difference was in bass response. On the CD the bass is much more clear, and punchy. The iPod lacked the same definition.

In my car, I have removed the caps/resistors from the AUX cable... so this is not the reason for the difference.

The question is... is it the iPod, or the AUX input of the Logic 7? Since I don't have another player, I can't do this test.

originalsnuffy

EAC, as I recall, natively creates unmodified wav files from CDs. You can add in an MP3 converter (like Lame), and then choose compressed mode but I don't think EAC comes with its own mp3 converter. Is that correct, or do later versions of EAC come with mp3 capabilities built in?

I assume that you use EAC with Lame?

Merzbow

Yup, EAC is just a ripper, you have to use it with LAME. Or, in my case, I use it with FLAC, now that hard drive space is ultra-cheap. Only a very few people can tell the difference between the original and (well-compressed) 256kbps MP3 however, and only on specific clips of music. Go here for too much information:

http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?act=idx

nwilliams

The difference in quality between raw uncompressed audio and an mp3 is in my opinion pretty small in such a terrible listening environment as a car......Logic 7 or not.....When comparing an extracted .wav vs. a 192 mp3...it really would take a pretty serious audiophile to tell the difference.....Don't get me wrong...there IS a difference...I just don't think it matters in a car....!!!

I can't really tell the difference in my car...but I can at work!!!
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hollywoodtrash

Geez man That sure beats my Allen & Heath

nwilliams

LOL

I like Allen & Heath boards !!!

Geno

nwilliams,

Seems like you know something about mixing and pot settings, so do you have an E60 with Logic 7? If so, how do you set it?

subterFUSE

My DJ mixer is A&H. Xone 62.


I just ordered the new Xone 3D, though. Should have it in a few weeks.


They make the best DJ mixers for sound quality, bar none.

subterFUSE

I have read many articles which claim that even top audiophiles have been fooled by MP3 recordings, claiming they could tell the difference but were duped. But, to me the difference is very noticable. I never understood how an audiophile could be fooled. I think these articles were probably written by strong MP3 proponents, who were trying to slant the story. Because I know that these "audiophiles" must have better ears than I do, yet I can tell you the difference between a 320 mp3 and Wav or vinyl on a good danceclub system, fairly easily. You just have to know what to listen for. For me, it's all in the bass response.

You are correct that in a typical car, the system is so shitty that the difference won't be as easily noticable.... because it would be hard to tell the difference between compressed audio distortion, or just plain shitty stereo distortion (which the Logic 7 has plenty of). I am astounded by the artifacts which the L7 processors introduce to my music. It drives me nuts, but I leave the L7 on because I can't stand having no frontal stereo image. With L7 on, I get the soundstage up front where I like it. Without it, the vocals sound like they come from the rear driver-side door. I have messed with the balance and fader settings, but to no avail. So, I keep the L7 on concert hall setting and just live with the distortions.