1/3 of People Can't Tell 48Kbps Audio From 160Kbps

An anonymous reader writes "Results of a blind listening test show that a third of people can't tell the difference between music encoded at 48Kbps and the same music encoded at 160Kbps. The test was conducted by CNet to find out whether streaming music service Spotify sounded better than new rival Sky Songs. Spotify uses 160Kbps OGG compression for its free service, whereas Sky Songs uses 48Kbps AAC+ compression. Over a third of participants thought the lower bit rate sounded better."

Comments

Re:I've conducted my own blind tests...

[ottothecow]

We had a party recently...the girl in charge of the music gave us an ipod touch and it sounded like CRAP.

We figured the first gen touches must have crappy audio since when we would start the same track on a computer plugged into the same speakers it would sound way better. I devised a party computer solution using a limited account on an ibook that could only run itunes without a password (and itunes was in presentation mode...hiding the menu bar/dock). We did this to prevent people from loading shit on youtube where you have to wait for it to buffer (bad when people want to dance) and it usually sounds like crap. We didn't have time to test out the music so we copied the girls playlist as well as some other party music to the limited accounts itunes library...Still sounded like crap sometimes...but the party had started so we didn't really deal with it.

The other day I was cleaning up the account and I noticed none of her mp3's had ID3 tags...just filenames. I look more closely and they have titles like "Artist - song LYRICS!" or "Artist - Song with captions" or even "New Artist video for Song"...I soon realized these were all ripped from YOUTUBE! 64kbps 22khz mono...no wonder the volume was funky and they sounded shitty on the ipod touch...can't believe anyone finds this acceptable for listening

Transparency is not always possible

[tepples]

When choosing compression, the better way to go is to shoot for transparency versus the uncompressed source, not which audio sounds better to your ears.

Unless you're trying to send the signal over such a low-speed link that transparency can't be achieved with available technology. In that case, you want the highest quality that can fit.