wav vs mp3

[velocityroadshow]

I personally use 320kbps MP3. The only reason is I don't use a laptop but a cortex device. It does not store the file details with the WAV file so can't search easy. I don't even download from iTunes anymore as I want the higher quality and iTunes does not offer that.

Personally I can't tell the difference between 320Kbps and WAV on my system. However if you're playing out at a concert arena, the system gets bigger and I can imagine the audioable difference does as well.

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

I couldn't care less to be honest. I use 320 mp3s and I'm more than happy with it, once you get past a certain level of quality the law of diminishing returns sets in.

Back in the day when I was a rock god I used to invest thousands in all the top of the range guitars, amps and boutique pedals.

I could hear and feel the difference all day long. Even now more often than not I can still pick out the correct guitar on any given track but I once took a girlfriend who had pitch perfect hearing to a shop to try out a few pedals.

She couldn't tell the difference between a £400 boutique overdrive and a cheap ass Boss pedal - if she couldn't tell the difference in sound and quality standing 5 feet away in a quiet show room, who's going to be able to tell the difference when they're drunk in a loud venue full of people sapping up the soundwaves.

Is there a difference, yes, does it MAKE a difference in the grand scheme of things? IMO no

[Excalibur]

I couldn't care less to be honest. I use 320 mp3s and I'm more than happy with it, once you get past a certain level of quality the law of diminishing returns sets in.


Is there a difference, yes, does it MAKE a difference in the grand scheme of things? IMO no

Oh Jim, how squarely and firmly you have struck the nail on the head. Bravo.

The next question is, should we strive to be the best possible, or just good enough? Heavens, but I'm coming up with all the deeply philosophical questions today, aren't I?

[ukpartydj]

I couldn't care less to be honest. I use 320 mp3s and I'm more than happy with it, once you get past a certain level of quality the law of diminishing returns sets in.

Back in the day when I was a rock god I used to invest thousands in all the top of the range guitars, amps and boutique pedals.

I could hear and feel the difference all day long. Even now more often than not I can still pick out the correct guitar on any given track but I once took a girlfriend who had pitch perfect hearing to a shop to try out a few pedals.

She couldn't tell the difference between a £400 boutique overdrive and a cheap ass Boss pedal - if she couldn't tell the difference in sound and quality standing 5 feet away in a quiet show room, who's going to be able to tell the difference when they're drunk in a loud venue full of people sapping up the soundwaves.

Is there a difference, yes, does it MAKE a difference in the grand scheme of things? IMO no

I entered to Metallica play Wembley years back - James switched between a £ 3000 guitar and one you can pick up for 400... I at the time was a bit shocked but I didn't hear a difference it was just I know one is cheap and one is not!

It's not what you use but how you use it to a certain extent!

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

I entered to Metallica play Wembley years back - James switched between a £ 3000 guitar and one you can pick up for 400... I at the time was a bit shocked but I didn't hear a difference it was just I know one is cheap and one is not!

It's not what you use but how you use it to a certain extent!

To add another musical example:

If you've ever seen the setup the edge from U2 uses behind the scenes, it is ridiculous I'm talking a couple of 6 foot racks with dozens of processors, effects, EQs, pre amps, compressors etc... in addition to all of the junk he has in a pedalboard sat in front of him as well as a huge midi switching system.

Go to Youtube and you'll find plenty of folk matching some of his siganture sounds with a cheap guitar, a practice amp and a £60 Boss delay pedal

[ukpartydj]

To add another musical example:

If you've ever seen the setup the edge from U2 uses behind the scenes, it is ridiculous I'm talking a couple of 6 foot racks with dozens of processors, effects, EQs, pre amps, compressors etc... in addition to all of the junk he has in a pedalboard sat in front of him as well as a huge midi switching system.

Go to Youtube and you'll find plenty of folk matching some of his siganture sounds with a cheap guitar, a practice amp and a £60 Boss delay pedal

A friend of mine had a pedal like that ... had presets like "ACDC - Thunderstruck" so you could play the song with the correct settings, no idea how accurate they were!

[BeerFunk]

This old chestnut again!

No difference for me. If you're running through any sort of PA system, the 'bottlneck', so to speak, is never going to be the bitrate of the file. Even the best PA systems pale in significance to an audiophile's home setup.

Simply put, it's one of the smallest factors in the ultimate quality of the output.

[yourdj]

I use 320 mp3 for 90% of my music and I can't hear any difference, although there probably are for anal sound engineer geeks.
Its not like we are supplying background for the albert hall is it.

I only notice when I play some of my older MP3's probably at 124 and that can usually be adjusted via EQ and gain to sound reasonable.
I use RCF, LD Dave if anyone is the slightest bit interested.

[Pe7e]

The next question is, should we strive to be the best possible, or just good enough? Heavens, but I'm coming up with all the deeply philosophical questions today, aren't I?

That begs another question Peter, Who Decides? the logical answer is the audience. Now I've been behind the decks on and off since 1967, and I suspect you may not be a million miles behind me Over those years I've had some pretty basic kit through to really nice high end kit in recent years, along the way I've had the odd complaint, it's too loud, it's not loud enough, can't you play something decent, you haven't played my (unsuitable) request, etc. etc. BUT not once in all that time has anyone complained about the quality of the sound coming from my speakers. My conclusion from this is, unless you are using a really dreadfull PA system, no one is likely to notice, or care. Playing the 'right' music is much more important.

[yourdj]

That begs another question Peter, Who Decides? the logical answer is the audience. Now I've been behind the decks on and off since 1967, and I suspect you may not be a million miles behind me Over those years I've had some pretty basic kit through to really nice high end kit in recent years, along the way I've had the odd complaint, it's too loud, it's not loud enough, can't you play something decent, you haven't played my (unsuitable) request, etc. etc. BUT not once in all that time has anyone complained about the quality of the sound coming from my speakers. My conclusion from this is, unless you are using a really dreadfull PA system, no one is likely to notice, or care. Playing the 'right' music is much more important.

My main DJ has a £7000 Nexo rig and mine cost about £900 if that.
There is a difference I grant you but not IMO a £6000 one