[Marius]

Hi,

Just out of testing purposes I loaded an Mp3 rip as a first on my BDP1. I must say it is astonishing how good that sounds. I've tested the lot of flac and wav files, even hires downloads and compared them to cd's. Did always like the BDP1 because of convenience and sound quality compared to those counterparts.

But this really is another world... Don;t know why, don;t know how, but these Mp3 192bit files sound just great on the Bdp1. Nothing compared to iTunes through the BDA1 with the same files.

Thank you Bryston!
Marius

btw the test file was Murray Heads Between, a sin of my Youth.
How many ways are there left...

[ronman]

Hi Marius

What DAC are you using??   I was never a fan of mp3. Connected the BDP-1 to the Anthem D2v and played some mp3's through its DAC. I wasn't too impressed. WAV and FLAC sound gorgeous though the D2v, but mp3 is rather lacking. Then I connected the BDP-1 to the BDA-1 (into the Mark Levinson pre-amp) and was somewhat impressed with the sound quality of the same mp3's.   (Hmmm...should've tried connecting the BDA-1 to the D2v..... that's something to do on my next day off when there is miserable weather)   
Ronald

[Marius]

BDA1

shortly after I wrote this, I did notice the shortcomings of the Mp3 quite substantially, especially in the higher vocals, but still, the overall sound quality was astonishing.

Marius

Hi Marius

What DAC are you using?? 

[adprom]

But this really is another world... Don;t know why, don;t know how, but these Mp3 192bit files sound just great on the Bdp1. Nothing compared to iTunes through the BDA1 with the same files.

It is largely because itunes is a terrible player and is not capable of a bit perfect output. It would be interesting for you to do a comparison with say using foobar or some other audio playing software which can produce a bit perfect output of the decoded source file through the sound card. The problems with itunes are rather well known (not to mention it is a hideous bit of software) but you don't really have a choice in using it if you have apple products usually.

[ajzepp]

It is largely because itunes is a terrible player and is not capable of a bit perfect output. It would be interesting for you to do a comparison with say using foobar or some other audio playing software which can produce a bit perfect output of the decoded source file through the sound card. The problems with itunes are rather well known (not to mention it is a hideous bit of software) but you don't really have a choice in using it if you have apple products usually.

I'm not doubting what you're saying, but do you have any links that back up what you're saying about iTunes? I have been using it for the last few years and love it...never been able to tell any difference between iTunes playback and CD playback.

[adprom]

I'm not doubting what you're saying, but do you have any links that back up what you're saying about iTunes? I have been using it for the last few years and love it...never been able to tell any difference between iTunes playback and CD playback.

http://thewelltemperedcomputer.com/Intro/SQ/BitPerfectPlayback.htm

That explains it as well as anything - the short of it is that itunes sends audio through the windows sound mixer (or mac) and it gets resampled there causing a loss in resolution. Same for mac essentially.

On windows, using foobar and the wasapi plugin is probably the easiest way of getting pure bit perfect playback.

[Marius]

HI Adprom,

I never stated I used iTunes... And your Pov that a Mac won't deliver Bit perfect playback, well, at least 2 programs on my Mac do, so let's not go that road.

What struck me is the stunning sound quality of the BDP1 when playing mp3's even the 192kb ones. It was still obvious they weren't lossless music files, compared to the flac/wav rip's in full resolution I have of the same tracks, but the sound was really fine.

And on the subject of iTunes: for me it;s not the garbage some people make it out to be, and I kind of like the interface, much better than some rivaling software.

Adding to the iTunes subject: what;s your opinion on Bitperfect, the iTunes add-on that takes over processing, and keeps the convenience of the interface? Still not Bitperfect up to the above specification? Again, there are people that state it doesn't play Bitperfect at all, and only enhance volume.... I dl'd it, installed it, but did not test it to the limits yet, would be interested in your opinion. I did notice a problem with Audirvana + and Bitperfect, they don;t work together.

BAck to the original topic: Where I originally kept my files ordered physically devided in mp3 on the one hand and lossless files on the other, I now no longer feel that need, and believe I can have them all mixed, because of the quality of playback  the BDP1 delivers, and the convenience as a result of that.

Thanks for your thoughts!
MArius

http://thewelltemperedcomputer.com/Intro/SQ/BitPerfectPlayback.htm

That explains it as well as anything - the short of it is that itunes sends audio through the windows sound mixer (or mac) and it gets resampled there causing a loss in resolution. Same for mac essentially.

On windows, using foobar and the wasapi plugin is probably the easiest way of getting pure bit perfect playback.

[adprom]

HI Adprom,

I never stated I used iTunes... And your Pov that a Mac won't deliver Bit perfect playback, well, at least 2 programs on my Mac do, so let's not go that road.

Firstly I did not say that, the OP was about iTunes and iTunes does not deliver a bitperfect playback. Also, yes you did actually state iTunes in the OP.

these Mp3 192bit files sound just great on the Bdp1. Nothing compared to iTunes through the BDA1 with the same files.

And on the subject of iTunes: for me it;s not the garbage some people make it out to be, and I kind of like the interface, much better than some rivaling software.

The interface might not be (although that is debatable) but as a player, it is not capable of a bitperfect output. So as far as functionality goes, it is not a good player for going through a DAC and providing a bitperfect output.

Adding to the iTunes subject: what;s your opinion on Bitperfect, the iTunes add-on that takes over processing, and keeps the convenience of the interface? Still not Bitperfect up to the above specification? Again, there are people that state it doesn't play Bitperfect at all, and only enhance volume.... I dl'd it, installed it, but did not test it to the limits yet, would be interested in your opinion. I did notice a problem with Audirvana + and Bitperfect, they don;t work together.

Well then you aren't using iTunes as the player - sure it provides an interface but it isn't responsible for how the data gets to the output on the sound card.

They are both expensive (i.e. not free) addons for something which is easier and far more seamless with software available on other operating systems (and the inherent support - i.e. WASAPI). However, if they provide the functionality they promote (i.e. bitperfect playback) then that is fine. It is either bitperfect or it isn't.

[Marius]

Ok, point taken. (though I always like to stay out of the Windows/Mac debate, on both sides I read the same arguments)

I guess what I wanted to make clear is the way the BDp1 made these mp3's, that don't have the full musical information per design, sound rather acceptable, to say the least.

Even when played through bit-perfect-able software, those Mp3's are far from Music-perfect, and because of that, can't sound the way full resolution lossless rips can. Still, played on the BPD1, they sounded quite alright.

If I can find a nice way to index and play the mp3's through the BDP software/mpd-server, both worlds would come together. Chris is working on this Nas-interface that makes just that possible, I hope.

Thanks,
Marius