Hi,
This is my first post here, but I tried to do this properly.
I decided to make a few high bitrate encodings with several different encoders after hearing how obvious the artifact is with LAME 3.97b1 -V 2 --vbr-new.
I chose: LAME 3.90.3, LAME 3.97b1, Musepack 115v alpha, Vorbis 1.1.1 aoTuvB4 and iTunes 5.0.0.35 AAC.
Here are my ABX results:
LAME 3.97b1 -V 2 --vbr-new (158 kbps) vs. original
foo_abx v1.2 report
foobar2000 v0.8.3
2005/09/17 14:47:10
File A: file://D:\Test\herding_calls sample\herding_calls 397b1 -V 2 --vbr-new.mp3
File B: file://D:\Test\herding_calls sample\herding_calls.flac
14:47:11 : Test started.
14:50:55 : 01/01 50.0%
14:51:10 : 02/02 25.0%
14:51:28 : 03/03 12.5%
14:51:37 : 04/04 6.3%
14:51:49 : 05/05 3.1%
14:51:54 : Test finished.
----------
Total: 5/5 (3.1%)
- a low pitched rattling artifact during the first part (0 - 3.5s). More pronounced in the left channel.
LAME 3.97b1 -V 2 --vbr-new -b 128 (165 kbps) vs. original
foo_abx v1.2 report
foobar2000 v0.8.3
2005/09/17 14:52:23
File A: file://D:\Test\herding_calls sample\herding_calls 397b1 -V 2 --vbr-new -b 128.mp3
File B: file://D:\Test\herding_calls sample\herding_calls.flac
14:52:25 : Test started.
14:52:49 : 01/01 50.0%
14:52:53 : 02/02 25.0%
14:53:00 : 03/03 12.5%
14:53:12 : 04/04 6.3%
14:53:21 : 05/05 3.1%
14:53:23 : Test finished.
----------
Total: 5/5 (3.1%)
- a low pitched rattling artifact during the first part (0 - 3.5s). More pronounced in the left channel. Not better than without the -b 128 switch.
LAME 3.97b1 -V 0 --vbr-new (188 kbps) vs. original
foo_abx v1.2 report
foobar2000 v0.8.3
2005/09/17 14:52:23
foo_abx v1.2 report
foobar2000 v0.8.3
2005/09/17 14:59:02
File A: file://D:\Test\herding_calls sample\herding_calls 397b1 -V 0 --vbr-new.mp3
File B: file://D:\Test\herding_calls sample\herding_calls.flac
14:59:03 : Test started.
14:59:17 : 01/01 50.0%
14:59:22 : 02/02 25.0%
14:59:29 : 03/03 12.5%
14:59:36 : 04/04 6.3%
14:59:43 : 05/05 3.1%
14:59:53 : Test finished.
----------
Total: 5/5 (3.1%)
- a low pitched rattling artifact during the first part (0 - 3.5s). Not better than -V 2 --vbr-new
LAME 3.97b1 -V 0 --vbr-new -b 128 (192 kbps) vs. original
foo_abx v1.2 report
foobar2000 v0.8.3
2005/09/17 15:00:28
File A: file://D:\Test\herding_calls sample\herding_calls 397b1 -V 0 --vbr-new -b 128.mp3
File B: file://D:\Test\herding_calls sample\herding_calls.flac
15:00:29 : Test started.
15:00:42 : 01/01 50.0%
15:00:46 : 02/02 25.0%
15:00:51 : 03/03 12.5%
15:00:55 : 04/04 6.3%
15:01:00 : 05/05 3.1%
15:01:02 : Test finished.
----------
Total: 5/5 (3.1%)
- a low pitched rattling artifact during the first part (0 - 3.5s). More pronounced in the left channel. Not better than -V 0 --vbr-new without the -b 128 switch.
LAME 3.97b1 -V 2 (161 kbps) vs. original
foo_abx v1.2 report
foobar2000 v0.8.3
2005/09/17 14:54:02
File A: file://D:\Test\herding_calls sample\herding_calls 397b1 -V 2.mp3
File B: file://D:\Test\herding_calls sample\herding_calls.flac
14:54:03 : Test started.
14:54:29 : 01/01 50.0%
14:54:40 : 02/02 25.0%
14:55:04 : 03/03 12.5%
14:55:16 : 04/04 6.3%
14:55:24 : 05/05 3.1%
14:55:27 : Test finished.
----------
Total: 5/5 (3.1%)
- a low pitched rattling artifact during the first part (0 - 3.5s). More pronounced in the left channel. Much better than any 3.97b1 --vbr-new, but still easy to ABX.
LAME 3.97b1 -V 0 (188 kbps) vs. original
foo_abx v1.2 report
foobar2000 v0.8.3
2005/09/17 14:56:43
File A: file://D:\Test\herding_calls sample\herding_calls 397b1 -V 0.mp3
File B: file://D:\Test\herding_calls sample\herding_calls.flac
14:56:44 : Test started.
14:57:08 : 01/01 50.0%
14:57:31 : 02/02 25.0%
14:57:53 : 03/03 12.5%
14:58:17 : 04/04 6.3%
14:58:33 : 05/05 3.1%
14:58:35 : Test finished.
----------
Total: 5/5 (3.1%)
- a low pitched rattling artifact during the first part (0 - 3.5s). More pronounced in the left channel. Probably not any better than 397.b1 -V 2.
LAME 3.90.3 --alt-preset fast standard (160kbps) vs. original
foo_abx v1.2 report
foobar2000 v0.8.3
2005/09/17 14:52:23
foo_abx v1.2 report
foobar2000 v0.8.3
2005/09/17 15:04:01
File A: file://D:\Test\herding_calls sample\herding_calls 3903 --alt-preset fast standard.mp3
File B: file://D:\Test\herding_calls sample\herding_calls.flac
15:04:02 : Test started.
15:04:15 : 01/01 50.0%
15:04:22 : 02/02 25.0%
15:04:30 : 03/03 12.5%
15:04:38 : 04/04 6.3%
15:04:45 : 05/05 3.1%
15:04:47 : Test finished.
----------
Total: 5/5 (3.1%)
- a low pitched rattling artifact during the first part (0 - 3.5s). More pronounced in the left channel.
LAME 3.90.3 --alt-preset fast extreme (180 kbps) vs. original
foo_abx v1.2 report
foobar2000 v0.8.3
2005/09/17 14:52:23
foo_abx v1.2 report
foobar2000 v0.8.3
2005/09/17 15:04:01
File A: file://D:\Test\herding_calls sample\herding_calls 3903 --alt-preset fast standard.mp3
File B: file://D:\Test\herding_calls sample\herding_calls.flac
15:04:02 : Test started.
15:04:15 : 01/01 50.0%
15:04:22 : 02/02 25.0%
15:04:30 : 03/03 12.5%
15:04:38 : 04/04 6.3%
15:04:45 : 05/05 3.1%
15:04:47 : Test finished.
----------
Total: 5/5 (3.1%)
- a low pitched rattling artifact during the first part (0 - 3.5s). More pronounced in the left channel. Not better than 3.90.3 --alt-preset fast standard.
LAME 3.90.3 --alt-preset standard (160 kbps) vs. original
foo_abx v1.2 report
foobar2000 v0.8.3
2005/09/17 15:02:19
File A: file://D:\Test\herding_calls sample\herding_calls 3903 --alt-preset standard.mp3
File B: file://D:\Test\herding_calls sample\herding_calls.flac
15:02:20 : Test started.
15:02:36 : 01/01 50.0%
15:02:44 : 02/02 25.0%
15:02:52 : 03/03 12.5%
15:03:00 : 04/04 6.3%
15:03:05 : 05/05 3.1%
15:03:06 : Test finished.
----------
Total: 5/5 (3.1%)
- a low pitched rattling artifact during the first part (0 - 3.5s). More pronounced in the left channel. Much better than 3.90.3 --alt-preset fast standard & extreme.
LAME 3.90.3 --alt-preset extreme (197 kbps) vs. original
foo_abx v1.2 report
foobar2000 v0.8.3
2005/09/17 15:02:19
foo_abx v1.2 report
foobar2000 v0.8.3
2005/09/17 15:05:05
File A: file://D:\Test\herding_calls sample\herding_calls 3903 --alt-preset extreme.mp3
File B: file://D:\Test\herding_calls sample\herding_calls.flac
15:05:06 : Test started.
15:05:27 : 01/01 50.0%
15:05:35 : 02/02 25.0%
15:05:43 : 03/03 12.5%
15:05:51 : 04/04 6.3%
15:05:57 : 05/05 3.1%
15:06:01 : Test finished.
----------
Total: 5/5 (3.1%)
- a low pitched rattling artifact during the first part (0 - 3.5s). More pronounced in the left channel. Probably not any better than 3.90.3 --alt-preset standard.
LAME 3.97b1 --preset CBR 160 vs. original
foo_abx v1.2 report
foobar2000 v0.8.3
2005/09/17 14:16:21
File A: file://D:\Test\herding_calls sample\herding_calls 397b1 --preset cbr 160.mp3
File B: file://D:\Test\herding_calls sample\herding_calls.flac
14:16:22 : Test started.
14:17:26 : 01/01 50.0%
14:18:56 : 02/02 25.0%
14:20:50 : 03/03 12.5%
14:21:11 : 04/04 6.3%
14:21:30 : 05/05 3.1%
14:24:29 : Test finished.
----------
Total: 5/5 (3.1%)
- distortion at the beginning of the second part (at 3.5 s).
LAME 3.90.3 --preset CBR 160 vs. original
foo_abx v1.2 report
foobar2000 v0.8.3
2005/09/17 14:32:39
File A: file://D:\Test\herding_calls sample\herding_calls 3903 --alt-preset cbr 160.mp3
File B: file://D:\Test\herding_calls sample\herding_calls.flac
14:32:40 : Test started.
14:36:48 : 01/01 50.0%
14:37:26 : 02/02 25.0%
14:38:11 : 03/03 12.5%
14:38:33 : 04/04 6.3%
14:39:00 : 05/05 3.1%
14:39:05 : Test finished.
----------
Total: 5/5 (3.1%)
- distortion at the beginning of the second part (at 3.5 s), but slightly better than 3.97b1.
LAME 3.97b1 -V 2 (161 kbps) vs. LAME 3.90.3 --alt-preset standard (160 kbps)
- couldn't ABX
LAME 3.97b1 -V 2 new (158 kbps) vs. LAME 3.90.3 --alt-preset fast standard (160 kbps)
- couldn't ABX
Also, I couldn't ABX these vs. the original:
LAME 3.90.3 --alt-preset cbr 192
LAME 3.90.3 --alt-preset insane
LAME 3.97b1 --preset cbr 192
LAME 3.97b1 --preset insane
Musepack 115v radio (146 kbps)
Musepack 115v standard (198 kbps)
Musepack 115v extreme (240 kbps)
Vorbis 1.1.1 aoTuVB4 Q5 (150 kbps)
Vorbis 1.1.1 aoTuVB4 Q6 (168 kbps)
Vorbis 1.1.1 aoTuVB4 Q7 (188 kbps)
Vorbis 1.1.1 aoTuVB4 Q8 (212 kbps)
iTunes 5.0.0.35 AAC CBR 160
iTunes 5.0.0.35 AAC CBR 256
iTunes 5.0.0.35 AAC VBR 160 (160 kbps)
iTunes 5.0.0.35 AAC VBR 256 (256 kbps)
It seems the problem is not specific to 3.97 version. The same artifact is present in all LAME VBR samples and it is more pronounced with the Fast switch. Versions 3.90.3 and 3.97b1 are quite similar.
A different artifact is introduced with 160 kbps LAME CBR samples. Increasing bitrate to 192 kbps seems to help.
In my opinion the three other encoders were perfect with this sample.
I used the Terratec DMX6 fire 24/96 soundcard and KOSS PortaPro headphones. I also confirmed some of the results with my old, but still excellent KOSS HV/1A headphones.
The encoded files are available here: herding_calls_sample.zip (I can keep them on my server for a week or so.)
REMOVED, please make your own encodings.
[span style=\'font-size:7pt;line-height:100%\']Edit: The bitrate for Musepack Extreme was wrong.[/span]
[span style=\'font-size:7pt;line-height:100%\']Edit2: Removed the sample package.[/span]