192khz .. playback fidelity lower than 44.1khz?

[Christian Borg]

Tony Hardie-Bick skrev 2012-03-07 01:00:
> On 06/03/12 23:37, Christian Borg wrote:
>> (But even with all reading I always wonder about 24bit vs 32bit FP and if it
>> actually does any difference for me soundwise. Guess I'm destined to back and
>> forth there ...)
>
> until about a month ago I would swear that 224 kbps or similar vbr mp3 was good enough 
> for my ears. then i got into Steve Roach (so far: "The Magnificent Void" and "Mystic 
> Chords & Scared Spaces - some of the best ambient music I have ever heard...)
>
> At the start of the first track of Mystic Chords (jeez, crap title...), "Palace of 
> Nectar" the main melody is way back in the mix, behind an entire rain forest and 
> un-nameable analogue synths (well, Oberheim, if one must...), and I wondered if I would 
> hear a difference with an uncompressed original. So I grabbed a Flac of the same piece, 
> and... yep, really there's a difference. It's subtle, but major.
>
> Here's the piece I'm talking about (compressed, obviously):
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b09Xg9KF-PI
>
> Let me describe the difference carefully, as it is quite weird.
>
> The melody is "louder" in the mix in the flac version. You hear it coming in just that 
> bit sooner as it emerges and disappears against the mush of surrounding texture.
>
> There is a power to the music which is absent in the mp3. Also stereo detail. It's a 
> quality of awareness, too.
>
> These are very subjective values, I know.
>
> I cannot listen to the mp3 version any more.
>
> And so now, with much of my music in 224 (approx, vbr etc) mp3, I'm freaked out about 
> what might be missing elsewhere.
>
> The Steve Roach material is the supreme test however. I have piano music, for example, 
> where I'd be less concerned that I could tell the difference.
>
> But am I right?

You are! :)
(we're kinda OT now but I hope that's alright)

There is a difference. Sometimes the difference is too small to notice but sometimes it's 
clearly present.
I've noticed it several times! And I don't even know about the Steve Roach material. ;)
Whether it's due to bad encoders or simply the format I dare not guess.

Funny coincidence; check this thread I've been following
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/mastering-forum/702605-mastered-itunes-guidlines-apple-6.html
Post 171 has an interesting test.

You will have to weed it out a bit but there's a lot of interesting information regarding 
codecs, joint stereo and imaging. Before and after that post.

-- 
Christian B

  :: "compress that dissonance, if you dare" ::