M
mr.Les
New member
Recently, I decided to post my first music on a site, but all my recording work using a Fostex VF-80 has been saved on regular audio CD's. Although I could re-record it from the Fostex as a MP3 save option ( I think), I decided to get a program to convert the existing audio file. For reference, this was a 4.5 minute stereo recording and required almost 48 Megs of storage.
I found a freeware well reviewed on the net and downloaded it. The program is called the dbPowerAmp Music Converter. For free, you can convert between CD Audio <---> MP3. They also support another file format. For an upgrade fee, you can get many other file formats. Any way, it downloaded and installed on my PC with no problems and was simple to use. You just locate an audio file with explorer, put the mouse over the name, and right click to select convert.
Then the surprises began. In the options area you have an option to select something called frequency. I suspect this is like sampling rate, or whatever. Anyway, lower freq. makes smaller files, higher freq. makes larger files.
To listen, I was just plugging in a pair of modest quality RCA head phones into my PC. They sound pretty good with the portable RCA CD player.
When I played back the MP3 files of the two lowest frequency sounded terrible. Strange sounds, almost like a feedback, which were not on the original CD. OK, my CD may have some strange sounds, but those are not what we are discussing. The low quality file was about 1 Meg. A medium quality conversion sounded much better and produced a 2 Meg file. A higher quality conversion produced a 6 meg file. It sounded a little better.
I wonder if this distortion is normal for the lower quality conversions, or folks have had differing experiences? Perhaps this explains some of the poor sound people report recording their guitars direct on PC's if they are going direct to a MP3 file? I read variations of this all the time on the boards.
Is 2 megs too big for a posted MP3?
I will post mine shortly, as the site is not quite finished.
Appreciate any comments.
I found a freeware well reviewed on the net and downloaded it. The program is called the dbPowerAmp Music Converter. For free, you can convert between CD Audio <---> MP3. They also support another file format. For an upgrade fee, you can get many other file formats. Any way, it downloaded and installed on my PC with no problems and was simple to use. You just locate an audio file with explorer, put the mouse over the name, and right click to select convert.
Then the surprises began. In the options area you have an option to select something called frequency. I suspect this is like sampling rate, or whatever. Anyway, lower freq. makes smaller files, higher freq. makes larger files.
To listen, I was just plugging in a pair of modest quality RCA head phones into my PC. They sound pretty good with the portable RCA CD player.
When I played back the MP3 files of the two lowest frequency sounded terrible. Strange sounds, almost like a feedback, which were not on the original CD. OK, my CD may have some strange sounds, but those are not what we are discussing. The low quality file was about 1 Meg. A medium quality conversion sounded much better and produced a 2 Meg file. A higher quality conversion produced a 6 meg file. It sounded a little better.
I wonder if this distortion is normal for the lower quality conversions, or folks have had differing experiences? Perhaps this explains some of the poor sound people report recording their guitars direct on PC's if they are going direct to a MP3 file? I read variations of this all the time on the boards.
Is 2 megs too big for a posted MP3?
I will post mine shortly, as the site is not quite finished.
Appreciate any comments.
Last edited:
