MP3 vs WAV: The Blind Test - Can YOU tell the difference?

[maswot]

Nice idea, but had to give up after waiting ages for the first clip to download. So all I have heard is Clip A. Unfortunately, my PC is not hooked up to my audio system, so I had to use a set of inexpensive Sony headphones. Not ideal, and perhaps as a result of the equipment, Clip A sounded pretty flat and lifeless, and the dynamics were definitely limited (no punch  in the big orchestral hits). In short, Clip A sounds to me like an MP3 file, and I haven't even compared it. If its a WAV file, then I don't think I want to hear the MP3 version. Then again, this could be because I am listening to it via headphones on a PC. But Clip A, whether a WAV or an MP3, did not sound good to my ears. If Clip B ever downloads, I'll let you know if it sounds any better.

[George]

Clips A and D: either 128 or 192kb I really could not distinguish between the two...
Clips B and C: 320kb or the WAV... I tried B and C back to back and like A and D, there was no difference between the two.

Yes, this is very much what I got. I think, however, that the first climax gives away which is the WAV, for it has a bit more ounch to it IMO. 

[maswot]

OK, Clip B finally downloaded. Not much difference but perhaps a touch better dynamics. Still not a stellar experience, but that could be the recording or the headphones or my el-cheapo soundcard. Clip A sounds to me like an MP3, and Clip B could be a WAV, but there's not much difference, indeed. Given the download times, I don't think I'll bother with C and D. Nice experiment, though.

[George]

Incidentally, I may well run this test again - using a different clip - pitting AAC against WAV. People tell me that AAC is 'better' than MP3. I'd love to put that to the test.

Might even do a blind listening test between AAC and MP3 ... watch this space.

Yes, Mark I await that one. 

[George]

This Rock Star person, Kelly Keeling, agreed to sing a couple of songs for my project last year. The straw that broke the camel's back was that he asked me to send him backing tracks to sing on , quote "32-bit WAV by 5:oo" the very same day. That was a little too Rock Star for me and I accidentally/on purpose lost his phone number.

Did he also ask for a couple cases of Evian to wash his hair? 

[M forever]

No problem. You have until Sunday July 1st until I reveal the answers.

I think it will take at least that long until the files are actually *downloaded*. Right now, I am sitting here and watching how the first file downloads at 22KB/Sec. Is this part of your time machine idea? Downloads like in the long gone Dark Ages of dialup?

[Mark]

If you're experiencing slow download times, I can only apologise. I'm limited to 60Gb bandwidth for traffic per month for all of my sites, including my business one. This undoubtedly is having an impact for some of you. I, OTOH, am getting pretty rapid downloads at speeds close to 180kbps (which is slow for my connection, actually).

Thanks for perserving, those of you who are. You might find it easier to configure your computers to play the files as they download rather than waiting for each to come down separately. That's what I've done, and things move a lot faster.

[George]

If you're experiencing slow download times, I can only apologise. I'm limited to 60Gb bandwidth for traffic per month for all of my sites, including my business one. This undoubtedly is having an impact for some of you. I, OTOH, am getting pretty rapid downloads at speeds close to 180kbps (which is slow for my connection, actually).

Thanks for perserving, those of you who are.

Yeah, I think it's just a matter of trying later when less people are on it, right Mark?   

[Mark]

Yeah, I think it's just a matter of trying later when less people are on it, right Mark?   

More than likely. So many people are currently trying to grab these files that even I'm getting jerky, broken playback as each file attempts to (effectively) 'stream' into my media player.

[Haffner]

Did he also ask for a couple cases of Evian to wash his hair? 

I draw the line at brown-only M&Ms.

[Todd]

I'd sample these clips (after burning to CD-R), but downloading them takes too long and I'm too impatient.  I had to stop on the first clip.

[M forever]

A
Big, ballsy playing, impressive brass, wow! This has real drive and bite. Must be CSO/Solti.

B
Mushy, all edges smoothed over, too polished, faceless, unathmospheric bombast. Definitely Karajan. BTW, Karajan was a member of the Nazi party, you can hear here why.

C
Analytic, lean, intellectual. But too uninvolved. No doubt Boulez. Orchestral playing definitely subpar. Sounds like a French orchestra. Probably a live recording from the 70s.

D
This can only be Russian orchestra. Intense, edgy, yet highly expressive. The trombone sound is definitely an acquired taste. Doesn't sound as expressionist as Rozhdestvensky. More disciplined. Most likely USSRSO/Svetlanov.

[Mark]

Um, M ... you might want to re-read the OP (unless your guesses were a joke?). The clips are ALL Davis/VPO (1990). What you're trying to determine in this test is which is the original WAV file, and which are the three different bitrates of MP3 file.

[tjguitar]

I suppose this brings me on to the precise reason why I chose the three bitrates that I did.

iTunes Music Store gives you 128kbps files by default (in AAC, I know ... we'll come to that test in time ).

eclassical (and many others) gives you 192kbps files.

Classics & Jazz (Universal's site) gives you 320kbps files.

Linn Records (and a few others, I'm told) gives you uncompressed files.

It's long intrigued me to know whether or not people really hear the differences in these varying bitrates. Or maybe we just assume something is better because we're told so. In some respects, this test mirrors M Forever's Mystery Orchestra challenge. When you can't see the label, can you tell the difference? That's what interests me.

Chandos has WMA lossless. amd 192kbps mp3.

[Tancata]

Um, M ... you might want to re-read the OP (unless your guesses were a joke?). The clips are ALL Davis/VPO (1990). What you're trying to determine in this test is which is the original WAV file, and which are the three different bitrates of MP3 file.

Definitely Karajan. BTW, Karajan was a member of the Nazi party, you can hear here why.

Uhh...Mark - I think he knows  .

[Haffner]

Mushy, all edges smoothed over, too polished, faceless, unathmospheric bombast. Definitely Karajan. BTW, Karajan was a member of the Nazi party, you can hear here why.

I must be missing it.

[Mark]

Chandos has WMA lossless. amd 192kbps mp3.

Yes, I know.

Uhh...Mark - I think he knows  .

Yes, I thought the reference to the Nazis was M's way of saying, 'This is just me fooling around.'

[Haffner]

Yes, I know.

Yes, I thought the reference to the Nazis was M's way of saying, 'This is just me fooling around.'

Kinda like Mahler's "Roman Catholicism"

[M forever]

Yes, I thought the reference to the Nazis was M's way of saying, 'This is just me fooling around.'

No, Mark, *the whole post* was very obviously a concentrated parody of all the idiotic, biased, generalized, and totally hollow "opinions" a lot of people perpetrate and the kind of nonsense against which I tirelessly campaign. And one of the reasons why I created "Mystery Orchestra". But thanks for thinking that I could be such an idiot.

I always knew you were a little slow, but not definitely not *that slow*. I knew something was wrong when I saw your new picture. You may *look* like the old Mark, but who are you really? What did you do with Mark? Is he alive? Are you an alien which has nested itself in his brain (in which case I assume you must be a very small alien)? Do you come in peace? I mean, infesting Mark's brain isn't really that nice, but we can overlook that and move on, be all friends, OK? Intergalactic friends.

Speaking of slow, this totally sucks. I have 3 of the files now, the third download stalled 3 times, and I had to start download of the last file 4 times. Streaming is definitely not an option. I have to take a nap now, then I will try to get the last file. I haven't listened to any yet as I want to copare them all directly side by side. Maybe you can find a better solution, like uploading them to a filesharing service. Many allow you to do that for free. When you zip or rar them, they are just one file=one download ticket, and even though some of those sites, like rapidshare, are a little bit on the slow side, too, they aren't that slow. But it would be good to have them all zipped or rared as one file, because many of these free filesharing sites make you wait between multiple downloads.

[Haffner]

No, Mark, *the whole post* was very obviously a concentrated parody of all the idiotic, biased, generalized, and totally hollow "opinions" a lot of people perpetrate and the kind of nonsense against which I tirelessly campaign.

Your sense of irony might be the main thing missed about you on this forum. As well as your inexhaustible crusades.

I knew something was wrong when I saw your new picture. You may *look* like the old Mark, but who are you really? What did you do with Mark? Is he alive? Are you an alien which has nested itself in his brain (in which case I assume you must be a very small alien)? Do you come in peace? I mean, infesting Mark's brain isn't really that nice, but we can overlook that and move on, be all friends, OK? Intergalactic friends.

A facsimile Mark...(thinking of a classic "Law and Order" episode entitled "See Me")