CD audio (44.1/16) Club

[SuicideSquid]

MP3 works not by reducing dynamic range or frequency response, but by discarding data that's less likely to be heard.

< caps from the internet quote.

If one wants to hear the difference between a -let's say- a 256k MP3 and FLAC, do *not* expect to identify it by expecting to not hear the higher frequency ranges. You'll fail. If anything, the MP3 will harshen them some and make them thinner-sounding. Which is why often people think the MP3 sounds actually "better", since the detail has been flattened with the psychoacoustic model used in MP3. *Not* by reducing the frequency range.

Part of the data that's discarded because it's unlikely to be heard is most or all (depending on the bitrate) of the content above 13kHz.

 

[SuicideSquid]

I can just talk for myself. I have taken care of my hearing my entire life, more or less by accident. I have very sensitive ears inasmuch as it easily hurts and gives me a headache pretty quickly. I have also always ridden motorcycles and always wear earplugs while doing so. I also must wear earplugs to sleep, becaue a mouse farting behind a wall will wake me up. But noise sensitivity doesn't mean having golden ears for audio, I just think that's the way my brain processes noise in general.

This is called hyperacusis - I suffer from the same thing and it's been a blessing in disguise for me as well. I wear earplugs to the movie theatre because two hours of crashing and banging gives me a headache. I *always* wear earplugs when practicing or performing with my band because I'll get a headache in about five minutes if I don't. I'm 39, I last had my hearing checked at 35 but I could still hear all the way to 20kHz at that time.

 

[LeftCoastTim]

That's surprising, as the primary way that lossy audio compression cuts down on space is by removing content above about 13kHz - there are other artifacts introduced by lossy compression as well, especially at lower bitrates, but the most obvious way to identify an MP3 vs. a WAV is lack of any content in the 13-20kHz range. I assumed if you're struggling to hear above 14kHz you'd struggle to hear the difference.

Well actually...

Below is a chart showing where the low-pass filter is for LAME encoder. My ability to ABX LAME -V0 is not because of the low-pass filter, but the pre-echo characteristics of the mp3 format.

Frequency cutoff is not the primary way of how lossy audio compression works. For example, Opus at 128kbps has no low-pass filter. LAME -V0 at about 250kbps is still only about 1/5 of CD file size.

 

[Mnyb]

I ve also read that perceptual codecs migth actually be less effective on people with hearing problems ?

They rely on masking to some extent and if you can’t hear the masker you migth realise something’s missing ?

Is it any truth in that ?

 

[hnash53]

I'm 72 and I can't hear shit. LOL

What was that?

 

[pablolie]

...
Between my service as an infantry soldier in Viet Nam ..

All hail to real military veterans.

Back in my day we had mandatory military service in Europe. 18 months of one's life. Earplugs not allowed. It was utter misery to me - yeah the NATO exercises with big bangs... and has anyone heard how LOUD a tank is even if you stay 100ft away from it? And then, as someone that was used to sleep with earplugs, I could not do it there, it'd get the NCO screaming about you not wanting to be part of it etc.

Never saw action though (and thank heavens for that). I bet my earplug antics would have been deadly in the jungle, where every little click probably demands attention.

 

[ribonucleic]

For me this article destroyed the myth of an audio paradise beyond the Redbook horizon. With science!

24/192 Music Downloads are Very Silly Indeed

people.xiph.org

 

[Sal1950]

All hail to real military veterans.

Thanks, much appreciated, and Thank you for your service.
Very surprised at the ban on ear protection in training.
Very understandable in a combat situation, a lack of awareness could cost you your life, but in training, that's nuts.

 

[Ricardus]

I love my CDs.