Best of Audio Compression Technology BEST SOUND QUALITY in COMPRESSED AUDIO
MIRROR SITE

My Background.


I have been working with compressed audio for a while,
and with pro-audio and hifi for more than 20 years.

I also do beta-testing for several companies, with
audio quality as my prime area of interest.
I know it is subjective so this is basically my
experience with audio compression systems, you
are recommended to make yours.

Reference Setup


I am delighted to report that I have chosen a new
Reference Setup again, the K+K MP02 TAC package.

I am part of developing this and as such I cant be
completely objective about it, but i still think I can
give some facts and info about it and other formats.

It gives reference audio quality (like lossless)
compression, LPAC .... in high bitrates and with its
ABM (adaptive bitrate managing) it also gives best
possible audio compression in lower bitrates, actually
down to below 100 kbps.

You can see on the graph that freq. response is flat
to beyond 20 kHz and the sound quality is very good too.
The player is a plugin for Winamp 2.xx (the most popular)
multiformat player.

The K+K MP02 TAC package isnt released yet , but it is
scheduled for a release around late june 99.
I shall come back with more news as soon as I have it.

You can find link below to K+K homepage with TAC demos.

My favorite CD-RIPPERs are EAC 081 and CDEX 015

COMPARING AND RATING SYSTEMS.
I have encoded 5 different tracks and compared the sound
quality of these tracks encoded with different programs and
in different formats.

I have played the tracks through a high-quality soundcard,
a high-quality HIFI power amp and a set of high quality
HIFI speakers. (CAD/AUDAX)

A new rating has been devised, Best sound quality in same
bitrate, meaning best sound quality with smallest files.
The rating also uses "points" so you can compare quality
from one bitrate to another (10 points is best quality).

MP2 Systems

MP2 is mostly used in the pro-audio field, for film and
radio and has also been proposed for DVD. There are few
software MP2 encoders (a great deal of hardware encoders
though) and also few dedicated MP2 players.
Many MP3 players can play MP2 files also, Winamp, Wplay...

MP2 was released before MP3, to my ears it has better
sound quality, I believe because MP2 encoding isnt
tweaking the wav files so much. Another feature of MP2
is that the CPU usage is generally lower.


Only disadvantage is the somewhat larger files
(MP2-192 is 50% larger than MP3 in 128 kbps).


There is however still development done in MP2,
mostly reducing encoding time.


Lately I have tested a number of MP2 encoders, LINK
to test here:TEST OF MP2 ENCODERS

Tested MP2 encoders are:
Record-It (Iomega)
MpegDJencoder (Xaudio) (fastest)
MP2ENC (Wav2mp)
SoundLimit 2.0
Qdesign Imedia 2 (best quality)


Preferred bitrate is 192 kbps, giving very high
audio quality and reasonable size files.


The main difference between MP2-192 and MP3 (128 and up)
is that the sound is more open, natural and dynamic.
MP2 does not have the phasing , squishy effect of some MP3s
and it does not have the distant and dull character of VQF.


Best MP2 programs are:

RIPPERS: (also for the other formats)
CDEX 015
EAC 081


ENCODER:
Qdesign Imedia 2

PLAYER:
PHILIPS MPEG PLAYER
WINAMP 2.xx

MP3 Systems

MP3 (Mpeg 1 Layer 3) is the most common audio
compression system around. There are many encoders,
lots of players, some rippers/encoders , etc.
Looking for the best in audio quality will quickly
sort out the majority of them. I have made a list
of the best programs with audio quality in focus;

Best MP3 programs are:

RIPPERS:
EAC 081b (FREE)


ENCODERS:
AudioActive Production Studio Pro


PLAYERS:
WINAMP 2.xx
NAD/AE 3.0 (private beta)





VQF Systems

Sound VQ (VQF) is an encoding scheme made by NTT /
Yamaha. It is quite new and has gained some popularity,
mainly because of its smaller file size (some 25% smaller
than MP3) and quite high audio quality. I have been using
VQF for a year and find it quite ok. Recent developments
in MP3 and new (read PAC and AAC) techniques, combined with
lack of VQF development does that I would not recommend it.
A serious shortcoming is the long encoding times, up to 40
times that of fastest MP2 encoders.....
Do check it out, you might like it though.
It is quite easy with software, there is 1 encoder and
1 (2?) players available.
Best VQF programs are:

RIPPERS:
EAC 081b (same as MP3.....)

ENCODERS:
YAMAHA VQE 254 (FREE)

PLAYERS:
YAMAHA VQP 251 (FREE)
Kjofol 0.5x

PAC Systems

PAC (Perceptive Audio Coding) is made by Lucent Technologies
and implemented by Celestialtech. The program is called
Audiolib 1.0 and it is a encoder-database-player program.

Encoding speed is high (real-time or better) and sound
quality is like (best of) MP3 and better than VQF.
Audiolib/PAC uses its own file-format which is unique,
ie. no other players will play the files (the database).
Files and databases can be imported/exported between PAC
programs. Preferred filesize is 128 kbps.

RIPPERS:
EAC 081b (like MP3.... next version includes CD-Ripper)

ENCODERS:
AUDIOLIB 1.0

PLAYERS:
AUDIOLIB 1.0



Windows WMA systems

Microsoft launched their new WMA (MS Audio) compression scheme
with a lot of hype in may 99. It was promised to sund as good as
MP3 in HALF bitrate and also be very good at much lower bitrates
still. Well it doesnt seem to do just that, actually it is a bit
lower sound quality than MP3 in SAME bitrate.
If MS had believed it themselves they would hardly have uploaded WMA
files in mono and MP3 files for comparison in stereo (cheap trick!)
But the quality in lower bitrates are accaptable , like RealAudio
os so, but for Best Audio Compression i think they have a long way to
go.Basically it uses a modified VQF encoding (Voxware) and I have
serious doubt it shall ever be as good as promised.

Best WMA programs are:

RIPPERS: EAC 081b (same as for MP2/MP3....)

PLAYERS:
Microsoft Media Player


ENCODERS:
Microsoft ODMA Producer

AAC systems

MPEG2-AAC is a new encoding system. The main advantage of AAC is
the better sound quality, CD-like quality in 128 kbps and also
quite good quality in 96 kbps. The disadvantage of AAC is the long
encoding time and the cpu-consuming playback, hopefully this will
improve in the future.

BitAAC and Homeboy encoder are both "yesterdays news" together with
Homeboy AAC plug-in for Winamp. Sound quality is NOT on level with the
other systems. The AAC files are supposed to be compliant with ISO
specifications, but the sound quality certainly leaves room for
improvements. It doesnt seem as if there is much (any?) development
going on.


There is a "new" published AAC encoder published, PsyTel AAC.
It seems very similar to Homeboy AAC , the encoding speed is
slow and the sound quality is lower than Astrid 02.
Naturally this can change and I shall test new version as they
appear. There also seems to be some problems with ISO compliance
and thus what player actually plays these AAC files.


Another AAC encoder, Astrid/Quartex came out in october 98.
Its based on ISO source from NTT and its way better than
Homeboy/BitAAC. Astrid/Quartex AAC files will only play with
Kjofol 05x player and are not compliant with other AAC programs.
It seems that development of Astrid AAC has stopped so maybe we
have seen the last of it.

Lately I took part of developing K+K AAC , probably the best AAC
encoder/decoder made, it was stopped some tima ago, partly because
the AAC license made it almost impossible to release it and partly
because we felt that we could do better with TAC. It gives provision
for ABM (variable bitrate with clever bitrate managing) and also omits
some of the built-in flaws of AAC.
NEW AAC INFO PAGE
Best AAC programs are:

RIPPERS: EAC 081b (same as for MP2/MP3....)

PLAYERS:
WINAMP 2.xx+ K+K plugin

ENCODERS:
K+K AAC Encoder MP01
& K+K FRONTEND

TAC systems

TAC is the only compression (to my best knowledge) which ,together
with lossless audio compression like LPAC gives true HIFI audio
compression.
We have all heard that MP3 is near CD-quality in 128 kbps.
We have also heard that AAC gives real CD quality in 128 kbps.....
I am sorry but its isnt true, do some comparisons for yourself,you
may just compare critical tracks with wav and AAC, there you go.

Of course different tracks require different encoding to achieve the
best audio quality, we think that our ABM used in TAC is the best
system built to do just that.If you set the desired quality to the
highest , thats exactly what you will get. Total transparency to the
wav file, nothing more and nothing less.

Best TAC programs are:

RIPPERS: EAC 081b (same as for MP2/MP3....)

PLAYERS:
WINAMP 2.xx+ K+K TAC plugin

ENCODERS:
K+K TAC Encoder MP02

K+K RESEARCH TAC

Hardware - Soundcards

A somewhat overseen aspect of sound quality in computers
is the soundcard. I know that there are lots of them around,
some are good and many are not so good. Minimum for best audio
quality is Creative Labs Soundblaster 128 LIVE.

Other good types are Ensonic AudioPCI and TurtleBeach Fiji.
Specs dont say too much, I may include tests of few cards
later on. I can recommend the Ensonic cards for best
performance/price ratio. For real top-quality audio it
is recommended to use soundcard with S/P DIF output and
external DA-converter (like the TUrtle Beach.....)
It is even possible to make your own S/P DIF output on
a cheap card and get very good audio quality.

CONCLUSION - RATING OF SETUPS

This is my list of programs/setups for best audio quality encoded sound.
Used CD-Ripper is EAC if nothing else is stated. (max. 10 points)


Best Sound Quality in 192 kbps :


10. K+K MP02 TAC  + Winamp 2.xx (TAC plugin)	TAC	192 kbps	REFERENCE QUALITY

9. Imedia 2 + Philips MPEG player (MP2)		MP2	192 kbps	VERY HIGH QUALITY

7.5  Blade Encoder 0.76 + Winamp 2.xx		MP3	192 kbps	VERY HIGH QUALITY

7.  AudioactiveProducerPro + Winamp 2.xx	MP3	192 kbps	VERY HIGH QUALITY



Best Sound Quality in 128 kbps:


10. K+K MP02 TAC + Winamp 2.xx + (TAC plugin)	TAC	128 kbps	BEST QUALITY / REFERENCE

10. K+K MP01 AAC + Winamp 2.xx + (AAC plugin)	AAC	128 kbps	BEST QUALITY

9.5 Liquifier Pro (with Fraunhofer AAC)		AAC	128 kbps	VERY HIGH QUALITY

7.5. Astrid/Quartex Encoder + Kjofol 05x  	AAC	128 kbps	VERY HIGH QUALITY

6.5 XING Audio Catalyst 2.0 VBR			MP3	128 kbps	HIGH QUALITY

6.5. AudioActiveProducerPro +  Winamp 2.xx	MP3	128 kbps 	HIGH QUALITY

6.5. AUDIO LIBRARY 1.0 				PAC	128 kbps	HIGH QUALITY

6. Microsoft WMA 				WMA	128 kbps	GOOD QUALITY

4. MusicMatch 2.2 				MP3	128 kbps	MEDIUM QUALITY

2. Homeboy AAC enc0.5 + BitAAC 1.04 player	AAC	128 kbps	MEDIUM QUALITY



Best Sound Quality in 96 kbps:


7.5. Astrid/Quartex Encoder + Kjofol 05x 	AAC	96 kbps		HIGH QUALITY

6. AUDIO LIBRARY 1.0 (PAC)			PAC	96 kbps		HIGH QUALITY

6. Microsoft WMA				WMA	96 kbps		HIGH QUALITY

5. Yamaha 254 encoder + Yamaha 251 player 	VQF	96 kbps		GOOD QUALITY

LINKS

Here you can find LINKS to mentioned programs, some of which are shareware
and some demos of commercial programs and also links to more information.

If you need explanation of the various formats you can find more in-depth information here:

AUDIO COMPRESSION FORMATS

K+K RESEARCH

PHILIPS MP2 PLAYER

AUDIOLIB 1.0 PAC AUDIO SYSTEM (suggested retail $195)

Sound Limit 2.0

Mpeg DJ Encoder

Record-It

Qdesign - Imedia

EAC RIPPER

WINAMP 2.XX

CDEX RIPPER

For more in-depth information on audio encoding technology you can visit AUDIO FRONTIERS ,
a site I made with 2 friends AUDIO FRONTIERS

For a good overall site about new programs ; Daily Updated MP3

To know more about me/us and what we are working with (pro-audio & hifi) follow this:
CAD AUDIO NETWORK HOMEPAGE

If you have some great ideas about page-design and layout and/or if you want to make
a new layout please contact me.

For comments etc. you are also welcome to send me an email;

[Email to KM]

Last updated: 2205499 - version 2.0