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-Alex
PS4/Nvidia Shield --> Emotiva XMC-1 --> Emotiva XPA-5 --> Ascend Acoustics Sierra Towers and Horizon Center w/ RAAL tweeters (L/C/R), HTM-200 SE (Surrounds), 2x Rythmik F12 subwoofers
Sorry, I only know of the discs. Surround mixes are on dvd and blu-ray.
https://www.dgmlive.com (FLAC)
Enrico Castagnetti @ Rythmik Audio
Media Room: Ascend Acoustics Sierra Towers w/ RAAL, Horizon w/ RAAL, Sierra 2s & Lunas | Rythmik F12SE (x2) + FV25HP | Emotiva XMC-1 | Emotiva XPA-3 & XPA-200 (x2) | Panasonic 820 | Bluesound Node 2 | Sony VW295ES | 92" Stewart ST100 |
Desktop: Dynaudio BM5 mkIII | Rythmik L22 | Apogee Quartet | 27" iMac|
Bedroom: B&W 685 S2 | Rythmik LVX12 | Marantz SR6013 | Sony 65Z9D |
Music Only Setup
Sierra Tower w/ RAAL in Satin Espresso
SVS SB13 Ultra Subwoofer
Marantz SA-KI-PEARL SACD Player
Sony HAP-Z1ES Network Audio Player/Music Server
Mapletree Line 2C RM Tube Preamp
Parasound Halo A21 Power Amp
ATS Bass Traps and Acoustic Panels
The human memory and ears are so fallible. The only way to be sure is to do an ABX test. Use a high quality playback program like foobar2000 to do a blinded ABX comparator test and prove to yourself that you can hear the difference. Unless you've done so, you cannot claim to hear the difference as the human auditory memory is fallible. The normal human ear cannot tell the differences in the high quality sound compression. Yes, I am insisting that an MP3 encoded in a high quality way (using LAME encoder at V0, V1, or V2 variable bit setting) is indistinguishable from the CD to almost anyone on a reference system. The only way to prove it to yourself is to perform an ABX comparator test between the FLAC file and the MP3. Crappy MP3s don't count. You need to encode it yourself with an error-free rip from a CD (using Exact Audio Copy) and LAME encoder... not relying on automated encoders from some other third party program.
If you have excellent or "golden ears", you won't be listening to the music per se, but various subtle distortions in parts of the track that might sound different. Most files will are indistinguishable, but there is a rare bird once in a while that is easy to ABX because some portion of the track cause an obvious echo or distortion under compression. To my ears, LAME V2 setting is transparent on probably 99% of audio tracks (not distinguishable from FLAC) on reference headphones. I may have average ears. And by the time we're 40 years old, almost all of us have lost some amount of hearing. And 50? Hmmm..... even an experienced sound engineer who can claim that he can hear differences because he will have hearing loss on audiometric testing. There are many "golden ears" out there with an uncanny ability to discriminate subtle sound details. But in general, audiophiles consistently overestimate their own ability. I remember one especially picky audiophile in my office who had mild sloping to profound sensorineural hearing loss but still insisted on paying tens of thousands of dollars for speakers. Maybe his marked hearing loss allowed him to focus on low frequency distortions that might otherwise not have been audible to normal ears.
https://hydrogenaud.io/index.php/topic,16295.0.html
http://www.chrismyden.com/bestmp3guide.php
Last edited by bkdc; 01-29-2017 at 06:50 AM.
Interesting I'm not saying I have ge I will do the test sounds like fun. I guess most of the MP3 I've heard is third party rubbish. I'll give it a shot. I've always said I don't care how it was done just want it to be involving and sound good. I have some Orleans that actually sounds good on MP3
Mixed Music / 5.1 Home Theater system
Sierra 2's LCR
Rythmik E15HP
Def Tech bipolar surrounds
Anthem MRX510
Emotiva UPA7
Amazon FireTV
Oppo 103D
VPI Classic 1 with Soundsmith Carmen
Manley Chinook phono pre-pro
XBOX 360
LG OLED 65E6P
Slowly upgrading to 4K / Atmos.. next step is probably the Oppo 203,