Westsounds
Addicted to Fun and Learning
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Many listeners cannot hear the difference between uncompressed audio files and MP3s. I came across this test whilst watching a Rick Beato video on YT, Audiophile or Audio-Fooled? How Good Are Your Ears.
Use your best speakers, headphones, and ears
Can you distinguish the difference?
The link is to the multiple choice test.
https://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2015/06/02/411473508/how-well-can-you-hear-audio-quality
It just goes to show. Can we completely trust our ears? The answer is simply, no!
I tested with headphones Sony MDR7506 via a DAC amp, and got 3/6. Just for reference, I’m 50 and my hearing has been tested, and it is excellent according to the audiologist.
My test results if you’re interested, and by not revealing which is which on the test either.
For me the first was easy, I got it right, but on reveal the lower compressed sound actually sounded better to me than the higher compressed file.
The second was a guess, and I was right, I couldn’t tell a clear difference between any of them despite multiple attempts of listening.
Third was very difficult, but I think I could tell the lowest quality one, but didn’t between the two better ones for me. And I guessed wrong, as I thought the high compression MP3 had the edge over the uncompressed.
Completely wrong on 4. It was a toss up for me, but finally revealed I was guessing between the lowest compression and the uncompressed. And my final answer was wrong, I actually picked the 128 file
Number 5 was a bit of a guess, it’s so hard to tell. In the end it was a toss up between the uncompressed and the high bit rate mp3, so I was on the right lines. But easy after knowing because I couldn’t tell much difference between them all in reality. I did get it right, but it was a guess.
Number 6 I really could not tell which was which at all. And a random guess it was. And I picked the lowest quality file, with that guess being the 128 file
I think it really depends on the music as well. I’ve conducted this test sighted with some music I’m familiar with, and I have found a significant difference between high compression files and uncompressed. But that was sighted and with very well recorded music, some of it. How accurate is that test, really. I did however struggle when the file was a less compressed file like a 356kbs MP3.
Use your best speakers, headphones, and ears
Can you distinguish the difference?The link is to the multiple choice test.
https://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2015/06/02/411473508/how-well-can-you-hear-audio-quality
It just goes to show. Can we completely trust our ears? The answer is simply, no!
I tested with headphones Sony MDR7506 via a DAC amp, and got 3/6. Just for reference, I’m 50 and my hearing has been tested, and it is excellent according to the audiologist.
My test results if you’re interested, and by not revealing which is which on the test either.
For me the first was easy, I got it right, but on reveal the lower compressed sound actually sounded better to me than the higher compressed file.
The second was a guess, and I was right, I couldn’t tell a clear difference between any of them despite multiple attempts of listening.
Third was very difficult, but I think I could tell the lowest quality one, but didn’t between the two better ones for me. And I guessed wrong, as I thought the high compression MP3 had the edge over the uncompressed.
Completely wrong on 4. It was a toss up for me, but finally revealed I was guessing between the lowest compression and the uncompressed. And my final answer was wrong, I actually picked the 128 file
Number 5 was a bit of a guess, it’s so hard to tell. In the end it was a toss up between the uncompressed and the high bit rate mp3, so I was on the right lines. But easy after knowing because I couldn’t tell much difference between them all in reality. I did get it right, but it was a guess.
Number 6 I really could not tell which was which at all. And a random guess it was. And I picked the lowest quality file, with that guess being the 128 file
I think it really depends on the music as well. I’ve conducted this test sighted with some music I’m familiar with, and I have found a significant difference between high compression files and uncompressed. But that was sighted and with very well recorded music, some of it. How accurate is that test, really. I did however struggle when the file was a less compressed file like a 356kbs MP3.
