MP3 Listening Test
Last night I decided to test to see if I could really hear the difference between the original recording and a CD burned from an MP3 copy. My test track was the first movement of Sibelius’ violin concerto played by Cho Liang Lin conducted by Salonen. It’s a very transparent disc. I ripped it first at 320 kbs using EAC with LAME. On my system, which is pretty good (Rega Apollo, Creek 5350SE, Von Schweicker Mk2 speakers; for the dollar inclined, we’re talking about 5k), I could not reliably tell the copy from the original when my wife, irritated at the request, put me through a blind test. When I ripped it at 256kbs using the same method, however, I could hear the difference immediately and the 256 sounded much less transparent. To me, at least, 256 is just not good enough, at least on my home system.
Granted, this is not so scientific, but it was blind. I plan to do more tests in the future, if my wife will humor me. I’d be interested in testing 320 with other discs. It should be said, though, that very few places offer 320kbs downloads for sale. Amazon’s downloads are at the inadequate 256, and emusic and others are even worse. More evidence, for me at least, that buying mp3s is not an option right now.