Are All 320 kbps MP3s Created Equal?
Results 1 to 8 of 8
  1. #1
    Tech Convert Boogiepop's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Time and Space (2011 / NY)
    Posts
    19

    Default Are All 320 kbps MP3s Created Equal?

    Last night while sorting my library I noticed that all my purchased music was encoded in stereo whereas the tracks picked up through DJ communities / shares utilize dual and joint stereo formats. After researching the 3 respectively I've come to understand the differences (I think), but thought I'd gain some extra and perhaps even expert insight here as to which are best to play out with? Many established laptop DJs make it a rule of thumb to only perform with trusted 320 kbps MP3s, is there a similar preference concerning dual stereo, joint stereo, and stereo encoding?
    Samsung RV511 [i3 380m @ 2.53GHz / 4GB RAM / 500GB HDD] - Kontrol S4 - TP2 - Alesis M1Active 320 USB - MDR V700 - TMA 1 +

  2. #2
    Tech Mentor
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Portland, OR
    Posts
    184

    Default

    In a word, no. 320 refers only to the bitrate, it has nothing to do with dynamic range or anything else that goes into making a track hit right or sound good.

  3. #3
    Tech Guru SirReal's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    San Fran Bay Area
    Posts
    2,219

    Default

    Really? Please tell me more.
    "Walking the fine line between Stupidity and Genious" My Soundcloud ---- My Mixcloud
    MBP Retina 2015--TSP 2.10--2xDNSC5000--2xDNSC2900--2xDNSC2000--NI F1--Denon DN-X1700--HDJ2000--Stanton STR8-80--QSC K12's--Crown Amplifier--Urei Monitors

  4. #4
    Tech Mentor Nicadraus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Tatooine
    Posts
    415

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by SirReal View Post
    Really? Please tell me more.
    Do some research...

    [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MP3"]MP3 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]
    Works1200 - Technics SL-1200/1210 specialist
    Dell Inspiron 14R N5437 i5 4200u, 16gb RAM/750gb 7200rpm/Win8.1
    TSP 2.6.8 + Audio 4 DJ + Kontrol X1 + Novation Dicer
    Technics SL-1200 MK3D x 3 + Ecler Nuo 4 + Pioneer DJM-250 + V-Moda M100 + Sennheiser HD280 Pro
    Alesis RA-300 + KRK ST8 + Jamo Sub200 + MGM Studio HT-3D 8" powered sub

  5. #5
    DJTT Moderator Dude Jester's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Noiseeland
    Posts
    12,426

    Default

    you mean fake reencoded 128's right ;p
    Acer E5 i7 16GB 512SSD 2TBHD ~ WIN 10 ~ TSP 2.11 ~ AUDIO 6 ~ DUAL X1s ~ DN-X1600 ~ SPECTRA ~ TWISTER ~ ATH-PRO500 MK2 ~ ZED6FX ~ AT2020

    " I’m the Dude, so that’s what you call me. That or, uh His Dudeness, or uh Duder, or El Duderino, if you’re not into the whole brevity thing. "

  6. #6
    Tech Mentor Dj.You.S.Bee's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Whistler, BC
    Posts
    145

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Jester.NZ View Post
    you mean fake reencoded 128's right ;p
    transcode is the proper term, and for those who don't know how to pick thru them with frequency analyzers they can be a nightmare, i highly recommend everyone going and downloading spek(http://spek-project.org/) and checking that your files are real, as for joint stereo vs regular stereo i have noticed that aswell, and almost every webstore sells in stereo that i know except for digital tunes does joint stereo for some reason, but i think technically there not that dif, joint stereo is just designed to save space by only making a second channel rather then duplicating it, but only where the values are not identicle, so if 320 mp3 isnt capuring enough data in the first place (wich some believe) then i guess joint stereo could be better cause its not waisting space on 2 identicle channels, but its not like the files r any more dynamic or anything so i dont get it

  7. #7
    Tech Mentor
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    195

    Default

    personally I actually prefer joint stereo over stereo. its kinda like V0 and 320 CBR.

  8. #8
    Tech Convert Boogiepop's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Time and Space (2011 / NY)
    Posts
    19

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by CryderSteez View Post
    In a word, no. 320 refers only to the bitrate, it has nothing to do with dynamic range or anything else that goes into making a track hit right or sound good.
    Ah, I knew one of these were coming. The title of my post wasn't literal, and meant more to grab attention in efforts to have potential repliers read its actual subject matter. That said, I'm very appreciative for your timely response.

    Quote Originally Posted by Dj.You.S.Bee View Post
    transcode is the proper term, and for those who don't know how to pick thru them with frequency analyzers they can be a nightmare, i highly recommend everyone going and downloading spek(http://spek-project.org/) and checking that your files are real, as for joint stereo vs regular stereo i have noticed that aswell, and almost every webstore sells in stereo that i know except for digital tunes does joint stereo for some reason, but i think technically there not that dif, joint stereo is just designed to save space by only making a second channel rather then duplicating it, but only where the values are not identicle, so if 320 mp3 isnt capuring enough data in the first place (wich some believe) then i guess joint stereo could be better cause its not waisting space on 2 identicle channels, but its not like the files r any more dynamic or anything so i dont get it
    Yeah, I realized joint wasn't necessarily a downgrade from stereo, but more so an exploit in the encoding process. Its just sort of troubling and perhaps telling for my library that the more prominent digital music retailers don't utilize joint or dual. All the music I've acquired over the last 1 ½ years since I began taking mixing more seriously have been purchased to ensure quality control and perhaps make me a better person. Unfortunately many of the obscure tracks that distinguish my selection and craft my sound were previously acquired through more dubious means ( -_-)

    Spek was recommended to me in the DDJT forum as well, so I'll most definitely look further into it. Thanks for the info and insight, you're awesome ! !
    Last edited by Boogiepop; 12-09-2011 at 10:46 AM.
    Samsung RV511 [i3 380m @ 2.53GHz / 4GB RAM / 500GB HDD] - Kontrol S4 - TP2 - Alesis M1Active 320 USB - MDR V700 - TMA 1 +

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •