352kps in Hi-MD?

[guymrob]

Hello,

Have anybody try HI-MD in 352kps using sonicstage V.4.0? Compared with 256kps record via optical and 256kps via sonicstage V.4.0? What is sound quality? Note the recording is done on normal MD formatted to 300MB in Hi-MD mode. Thank You.

Edited September 5, 2006 by guymrob

[Tunster]

To start off with, it doesn't matter you use a formatted MD disc or Hi-MD 1GB disc. Makes no difference.

With my experience, 352kbps is no much different to 256kbps (in my ears anyway). I see 352kbps there to ensure there very few artifacts any artifacts in your recording.

If you can't hear any difference in your ears (when you compare the same audio piece), then 256kbps it is.

[Tiesto]

If you're ripping an audio CD or PCM file then there wont be any audible difference, but if you're going to convert a mp3 file to Atrac, I think it would be better to use high bit rates.

[jonny mac]

If you're ripping an audio CD or PCM file then there wont be any audible difference, but if you're going to convert a mp3 file to Atrac, I think it would be better to use high bit rates.

It depends on the MP3. An MP3 at 128kbps won' sound better at 352 that it does at 256. Or 192. Or probably 132 for that matter. You can't add info that's already been lost and using higher bitrates, especially for a second encoding, is always going to be a process of diminishing returns.

Standard MP3 don't go over 320 (yes, I know it's possible with some programs) and I'd regard a 352kbps version of a 320kbps MP3 as a bit of a waste of space. Why use the max bitrate for something that's never going to be top-notch quality anyway?

[ATELETRONICS]

i always use the highest rate i can. but i think recompressing at 352k instead of 256k is probabily a waste of space but using 256k would be a good idea if you want to preserve as much sound quality as possible.

[A440]

It depends on the MP3. An MP3 at 128kbps won' sound better at 352 that it does at 256. Or 192. Or probably 132 for that matter.

Why do you say that? Wouldn't you want to preserve as much as possible of the original mp3, even if it is already marginal? Certainly 132 would further degrade the quality, introducing new compression artifacts, while a higher bitrate would at least save what's already there. Nothing will improve it, true, and the difference between 256 and 352 is probably something for dogs to hear, but I'd think you should at least go 192 or above.