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Topic: ATRAC3, and ATRAC3plus listening test (Read 4117 times) previous topic - next topic
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ATRAC3, and ATRAC3plus listening test

Hiya folks,

I don't know if i'm the only one but i'm quite excited about the new HIMD format.. I'm pretty much certain that i'm going to get one.. my motivation though is purely as it allows for PCM field recordings in a tiny package, and i can keep original recordings on their mini discs and never again suffer when hdds crash

Anyways as a bonus i'll have this player with atrac3/3plus functionality.. the listening tests i speak of are here

http://www.sony.net/Products/ATRAC3/tech/l...tening_test.pdf

I'm just going to have a read myself.. I'm quite excited at the scope for nice quality out of the highest rate version of 3plus.. at near 300k/s its gotta sound good.. be interesting how the others fare..

Anyone will smarter ears and brains care to comment on the above results

Cheers

Jim

ATRAC3, and ATRAC3plus listening test

Reply #1 –
Interesting test. Too bad they tested encoded sample vs. encoded sample, instead of encoded sample vs. reference.

Results are also interesting. Specially about Atrac3plus at 64kbps being slightly better than MP3 at 128kbps.

I'm considering featuring some sort of Atrac in my 128kbps test that should start next month.

ATRAC3, and ATRAC3plus listening test

Reply #2 –
yeah it looks quite good.. for me i'll still be focusing about PCM recording.. the transcoding is something i'm sick of so i wont be doing much of it unless i start needing a lot of music on the road ( i already have my nomad jukebox3 and lame mp3s but following a spurt of CD purchases i'm just using the CDs directly for lack of encoding them due to my PC dying too often ) ..

I did read it all.. i've just noticed i've linked the wrong page, i linked the pdf directly.. this is the referring page

http://www.sony.net/Products/ATRAC3/tech/lab/

There is a 2nd PDF at 3meg with 29 pages..

I just noticed what you pointed out too.. that they're not testing against the reference.. strange.. I read into it that the 128k mp3 and atrac3 file at 132k were very similar.. i read this as them thinking it was transparent compared to the reference..

I'd love to see real codec killer samples and other codecs.. just like your test rjamorim.. its just i'm assuming ATRAC3plus is the focus of the new HIMD players and at the moment isn't something we have access too.. don't think they'll play on a PC too .. I don't know..

ATRAC3, and ATRAC3plus listening test

Reply #3 –
Quote
There is a 2nd PDF at 3meg with 29 pages..

Scary stuff. Graphical analysis? Heh...

And the test method is the same. Of course, Sony doesn't want to know what sounds closer to the original, but what sounds subjectively better. It does work, but testing against reference would be more interesting, IMO.

At least they are using several samples, and not doing a weird mess like c't did.

Quote
I'd love to see real codec killer samples and other codecs.. just like your test rjamorim.. its just i'm assuming ATRAC3plus is the focus of the new HIMD players and at the moment isn't something we have access too.. don't think they'll play on a PC too .. I don't know..


SonicStage 2 encodes and plays Atrac3 (66, 105 and 132kbps) and Atrac3plus (48, 64 and 256kbps  ), so yes, it's available for PC users already.

Of course, this crazy step in bitrates would leave me no choice other than featuring Atrac3 in my test, if users agree it's worth being tested.

BTW, where to find SonicStage 2:
http://forums.minidisc.org/viewtopic.php?t=4210&

Regards;

Roberto.