What is your Standard Audio Quality?

[DazzyD]

I, too, use 7Digital and the downloads are 320k. Also, if I remember correctly, 7Digital was the first to offer 100% DRM-free downloads which means their tracks are not restricted as to how you play them.

[MikeW]

You can get 320kbps MP3's from 7Digital

Thanks for that Scott

[Glenski]

I still use some of my CD collection when permitted or needed, but otherwise the digital route for me is using HQ MP3 VBR's

Digital karaoke downloads vary in quality, but i do try and get stuff on CD+G then convert to HQ MP3 VBR.

To be honest, nothing is really noticable when playing the HQ MP3's over a PA system by me or my clients ... each to their own i suppose.

And Lee, to my knowledge, apart from the website that is down and Mastermix, no one else offers WAV files for download.

Thank you

Glenn

[mattred]

There is of course some loss of sound with a mp3 compared to a wav because mp3 is a lossy format however alot of the drop is outside of what our ears can hear and I am happy to admit I cant hear the difference between a 320kbps mp3 and a wav on any system I have played on.

I dont expect any of us play on a pa system that you could hear the difference. Perhaps in a very high quality studio set but not on any mobile or club system.

I did read a really good article years ago but I cant find a link to it which had interviews with lots of sound professionals plus tests with general members of the public. They found most of the "public" couldn't hear any difference until the mp3 got below 192kbps.

I think a lot has to do with the original file and / or what has been used to convert it. I have been sent some 320kbps promos and I assume it was bad mastering but it didnt sound right on a big system. Same with converting cds. Many of the tracks from say the 70s just wont have the same punch as many of the newly produced stuff.

I guess bottom line for me is wav / aiff would be best but I am more than happy with a 320kbps mp3 and wouldnt pay more for a wav

Matt

[Excalibur]

Also, I believe that say Amazon use VBR, and thus achieve the same quality at lower bitrates as 7Digital using CBR. Allegedly. As far as I understand. ( Which isn't much, bear in mind )

[MORGEY]

I use all my mp3s at 320mbs.
I ripped all of my cd's through Media Monkey at 320mbs.
I buy my downloads from Digital 7 at 320mbs.
I prefer to buy my Cd's and then rip them to mp3.
I don't like i tunes anymore and will not use them.
I wish this thread had started a couple of months ago when I had already converted a load of my cd's through i tunes at 180mbs and then spent hours and hours re doing them. The difference in sound through my play out system from 180mbs to 320mbs is very noticeable to my thick ears.

[leelive]

Thanks to all who voted. Not the outcome I expected.
Lee

[Shaun]

Thanks to all who voted. Not the outcome I expected.
Lee

Hi Lee,

The outcome was exactly what I was expecting.

I still believe that with the types of equipment mobile DJs use, neither punters nor DJs alike will be able to hear an audible difference between 320 Mp3's and WAV....I know I can't.

True audiophiles using really high end 'audiophile' equipment maybe, but not your average 'DJ' Joe and his equipment.

[gharbud]

i use 320 mp3s, ripped from cds, and purchased from tescos online, or 7digital, have never had a problem with quality on big playouts etc. I do the occasional bit of club djing mainly commercial music and have never had an issue in sound quality between mp3 and other formats. Other djs in clubs that i have worked with i would say 7/10 of them use mp3s at 320 and swear by them

[Steve the DJ]

In a way I wish I hadn't bought a really decent sound system because I was happy with MP3's before I did, but now the difference is like night & day!

The final nail in the MP3 coffin for me was a New Years Eve gig through a 20k Line Array where the Sound Engineer just kept shaking his head at me.

99% of the punters can't tell the difference, but I can now my ears have been opened (so to speak), and it has started to really bug me.

So everything is being re-ripped and my 320kbps MP3's are being ditched for WAV. That is the only way for me to be content with my sound.

I can totally understand why people are happy with MP3 though, I was for years and Joe Public, well, most of them couldn't care less.