[X4U] Rip It Up - iTunes Import Settings Survey

[Alex]

On May 5, 2005, at 11:00, revDAVE wrote:

> Years ago, the standard was MP3 at 128 bitrate - sample rate 44.1

There is no standard, and there can't be (note that sample rate is not 
really an MP3 issue). For several reasons.

First, due to the way MP3 works, quality depends not only on bitrate, 
but also on the encoder. Most of the time, one encoder's product will 
sound better at 160Kbps than the same encoder's product at 128Kbps; but 
one encoder's product may sound at 128Kbps as well as another encoder's 
at 160Kbps.

Second, perception of music varies with age, training, and experience 
-- and circumstances. Therefore, the "average" settings are as relevant 
to any particular individual as the average shoe size is for someone 
who wants to buy shoes.

What you need to do is this. Get the musically richest and best 
recorded source you can. Encode it with various encoders and different 
settings. Listen to it on the best audio system available to you. 
Decide which settings sound best to you, and use them. Or, to be on the 
safe side, use the next setting up the scale.


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