[Ti] AAC vs MP3 (slightly OT)

[Tarik Bilgin]

On Wednesday, April 30, 2003, at 01:34  pm, Sam Hotchkiss wrote:

> On 4/30/03 12:42 AM, "Tarik Bilgin" <tarik at opalblue.com> wrote:
>
>> It all depends on the quality of the original encode and what you are
>> playing them through (in terms of analogue audio equipment).
>>
>> I haven't done any tests yet, but I have it on good authority that if
>> you listen to AAC vs mp3 of a similar file size side by side the AAC
>> wins hands down.
>
> While not the GREATEST equipment, I did perform my tests using both 
> high-end
> sennheiser and bose headphones

I hope you didn't use the headphones out socket on your TiBook. I was 
about to throw my

Although pursuing excellence in almost all areas, Apple does not yet go 
beyond the call of duty on Powerbook soundcards.

In fact no manufacturer does. Seems there is no "market" for it yet, 
although I am sure this will change.

It's not easy either, given you have to shield the analogue 
amplification stage from the rest of the computer.

Try this:

Connect your TiBook to a good quality hi-fi audio separates system.

turn up the volume (not too high) and listen to the "hiss". now kick of 
a large disk copy, and hear the sound of the disk working in the 
background noise...

The solution seems to be a USB  (Firewire if you are in Pro Audio) or 
PCMCIA based sound card.

There is a nice one from a company for only $99 that was recently given 
excellent reviews at tomshardware.com that should give us (close to) 
hi-fi line out from our Ti's

I'll track it down and post the links to the products here for those 
interested.

If you were listening to it on a hifi mp3 player (ipod?) then i'm 
flumoxxed
take it easy,

--
Tarik Bilgin
Opalblue
tarik at opalblue.com