Can You Tell the Difference in Quality?

[Jason Tate]

Can you tell the difference between 256 KBPS and 128 KBPS AAC files? Take the test and poll here (http://blogs.pcworld.com/staffblog/archives/003993.html).

[xcarlupanddiex]

i think i can't , but i can between 128 and 320

[IAmAmazing]

No, I really can't.

[OilyTheOtter]

Honestly, I can't hear it on crappy headphones at all, but I think its a different story in my car. I think it really is largely dependent on your sound system.

[brianl7]

They should have done a blind test.

[TheByrus]

actually, i can.

[gladnads]

I just downloaded them on a school computer for nothing. Really it usually depends it the system or headphones are good, but you can tell differences.

[TBNolan]

the $0.30 will be worth it if it was 320kbps.

[xerovision1]

i can never tell the difference on my computer through desktop speakers or headphones, but in my car i could probably tell the difference..

[bnizzle182]

256 sounds slightly cleaner, but if it was 320 there would a larger difference.

[snowtires]

it's way more obvious in the r.e.m. sample, but it's definitely still noticeable in both. they should just go to 320, though.

[Burnout2888]

It's noticeable in headphones, especially on the low end. It sounds fuzzy to me.

[SwedishHeat]

Yes, yes I can.

However, the fact that I have to pay MORE to obtain a DRM-free song legally, while I can still obtain a DRM-free song at an even higher-quality illegally doesn't really make the situation any better.

This isn't a victory for consumers.

[Iamhome]

This is lame.

[Neptune]

small steps. while its still retarded that the consumer has to pay more to actually own his music from itunes, at least its a step in the right direction. you know steve jobs final goal is still to offer music without drm for 99 cents a song, and this is only the first step towards that goal.

with that said, i dont use itunes to purchase music. im still a cd guy

[Scott Weber]

You can definitely tell the difference in both songs. I refuse to listen to music at 128, even though 128 AAC sounds better than 128 mp3 or wma.

[tonighttonight0]

not really...

[Tom Good]

not really, but that could be because I am listening on my crappy computer speakers

[asmolitor]

with any decent set of speakers/headphones, the quality is different. 256 has like a wider/deeper sound to it.

[Joe DeAndrea]

Haha, I don't notice any difference.

[theguilt engine]

the better KBPS isn't worth the extra amount of space on the hard drive. I mean, I can't really tell a difference. Plus, if I was really concerned...I'd just buy the actual cd?

[TheJon]

I've always found it pretty difficult to tell the difference on normal computer speakers. But those songs aren't even very good choices for the test. It's a lot easier to tell on a really compressed recording. You're losing a lot of subtly in those recordings, but in a big compressed rock song you're going to be missing essential sound.

But whatever. So long as they've raised the price it's a step in the wrong direction. The quality & flexibility are just side shows to price of digital music.

[catchingthieves]

the differences are in the lows and the treble. you can def hear the cymbals get digitized on the lower bit rate. I still think its funny that labels pay so much money to make records sound as good as possible but then people just buy mp3s of it. I guess if you cant tell the difference though then who cares but give me cds anyday.

[12:46AM]

i agree that it's more noticable on the rem song, and i also think it should have been a blind test. then all these alleged elitists would find out that they really can't tell as well as they thought they could.

[Gigantor]

I personally think the iTunes encoder is pretty weak. I use the LAME encoder. If anyone is as much of an audio quality freak as I am. You can learn about it here - http://lame.sourceforge.net/index.php There is also many places you can learn about audio quality. Just search Google.

I know most can't hear the difference or give a shit, sadly. But sound quality is a huge thing for me. If Apple and iTunes sold their music in a Lossless format. Which I know they have talked about in the past. I would purchase from them. But for now its vinyl and CD's for me. Mostly vinyl :)

[harryCane]

It's funny cause there was just a discussion about this in the b-side thread. I said, since the songs you buy off iTunes are at a (comparably) low bitrate, it makes zero sense to re-rip them at 320kbps. This other kid disagreed and called me names. It was fun...

But you can definitely hear slight differences in those examples.

[Smash Adams]

I can hear a slight difference, but the first one sounds okay to me

[SophmoreSyd]

I could hear it, but we have terrifically expensive computer speakers.

[kevinrocks409]

I buy CD's.
the only time I-tunes is ever useful is to grab a b-side...but there is the request bsides thread so...

[boldt_action]

On the REM track I could easily, the Mozart was a little harder.

[youcomebeforeyo]

I can but only from a few years of audio expereince. There's more brilliance in the strings.

[ealtamirano]

i agree...i think it does sound different if playing in a good sound system

[frozenphoenix32]

I can't tell the difference at all...