Sound Quality in MP3 players

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OwnallConsoles

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#1 OwnallConsoles
Member since 2010 • 404 Posts

I really don't get the sound quality debate in MP3 players.

If I have the exact same mp3. Lets say it's encoded at 320 kpbs. Assuming I am using the same premium headphones I seriously doubt there is going to be any major sound difference between say an Itouch and Cowon s9. Maybe eq settings come into play but I don't get the whole crowd who says one "sounds awful" and the other has "great sound"

90% of the audio quality is going to depend on the type of phones/buds you use to play them with anyway.

Of course if your using Flac it may be dramatic but the average user normally uses Limewire etc to get mp3s.

What is the big deal?

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psychobrew

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#2 psychobrew
Member since 2008 • 8888 Posts
I personally don't understand how people can argue sound quality on MP3s. MP3s aren't made for sound quality, they are made for convenience. Having said that, the digital to analog converters can make a huge difference (as well as things like electromagnetic interference, or the lack of it), but again, that difference is seriously limited by the MP3 format itself.
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KHAndAnime

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#3 KHAndAnime
Member since 2009 • 17565 Posts
[QUOTE="psychobrew"]I personally don't understand how people can argue sound quality on MP3s. MP3s aren't made for sound quality, they are made for convenience. Having said that, the digital to analog converters can make a huge difference (as well as things like electromagnetic interference, or the lack of it), but again, that difference is seriously limited by the MP3 format itself.

The Mp3 player counts as a DAC, and how well it performs as a DAC and Amplifier for your headphones decides the quality of the mp3 player. 320kbps is easily enough for where the MP3 player's DAC can make a difference. For most people, it doesn't make a difference, because I estimate 95% of music listeners don't care about music quality.