[Rob Babcock]

I've been doing some listening to MP3's lately, comparing my Denon DCM-380 to my Denon DVD-2200.  Mind you, this is only concerning MP3, not Redbook.

Well, it's no comparison at all.  The '2200 completely smokes my CD carousel.  To the point that I'd think my CD player was defective if it didn't work so well with CD's.

Honestly, I was starting to think that MP3 just couldn't be musically worth using until I switched to my '2200.  Then everything snapped into focus:  tight, powerful bass, clean highs, concise focused midrange...just great sound.  Nearly on par with CD.

Certainly this could be an interaction with the software used to rip music; the '380 specifically says it isn't designed to do VBR or stuff over 360 kbps.  So it could just be compatibility.  But the MP3s ripped to HiRate VBR sound great thru the '2200.

Has anyone else had a similar experience?

[mca]

I have been wanting to make up some MP3 CD's for use on my 2900. Have you found the VBR the best sounding way to make them?

[Rob Babcock]

Yes, so far I think the highest rate VBR is the way to go.  As a nice bonus, the file is often a bit smaller than at a constant 320 kbps.  I don't have any explanation as to why my CD carousel souned so bad with that last disc.  I haven't played a lot of MP3 on it, but the ones I've played worked fine.  It could just be that it's the first time I listened critically and to a lot of songs.  But the '380 only plays MP3 thru the analog output, whereas the '2200 will decode it and pass it thru the digital out.  Maybe that's the diff.

MP3 recorded at hi bit rate MP3 sounds extremely good thru the DVD-2200; I encourage you to give it a try.  It works especially well for rock music, although I'm not sold on MP3 for classical.

NOTE:  I'm not saying MP3 can replace Redbook or SACD/DVD-A!  I ad that caveat so people don't jump down my throat for advocating lossy codecs, here.

[Tyson]

how much can be stored on a single cd using VBR at the highest bit rate?

[Rob Babcock]

I burned an MP3 @ VBR, highest rate, and put 70 Chris Isaak songs on the disc and MM said it was 59% full.  So maybe about 100, give or take.