Blind Test: mp3 vs. 24bit


Hello Audiogon Members~
PMA magazine is conducting a study to see if we can hear which is better between an mp3 and a 24/96 file in a side-by-side comparison. So far, the results are surprising. If we all participate, we’ll know the truth. It’s also a fun test. Please go to the page below to participate:

https://www.pmamedia.org/en/home/can-you-hear-the-difference


johnson0134

Showing 1 response by calvinandhobbes

I did get all three choices correct, but even on my home system the differences were close. Focusing on a specific voice or instrument was how I decided on the difference between the tracks. My impression is that the recording quality has usually been a more significant factor for sound quality than the resolution of the file.

Also, one difference that seems more apparent to me when comparing hi-res files vs MP3 files are spatial cues and "air" around voices and instruments. These are more audible to me when listening via speakers and less so via headphones.