Encoders 256 kbit/s

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AAC VBR@264.6 (iTunes 7.6) 8.46 (≈9%)     AAC CBR@250.3 (iTunes 7.5) 6.96 (≈4%)     ATRAC3plus CBR@256.9 (Hi-SP) 6.20 (≈4%)     mp3 CBR@256.1 (Audition 1.5) 6.14 (≈3%)     AAC CBR@257.4 (iTunes 7.1) 5.71 (≈3%)

AAC CBR@257.4 (iTunes 7.1) - MPEG-4 AAC CBR Low Complexity, 257.4 kbit/s FBR CODER: AAC Encoder from iTunes 7.1.1.5 - Stereo Bit Rate: 256 kbps - Sample Rate: 44.100 kHz - Channels: Stereo - Use Variable Bit Rate Encoding (VBR): No - Optimize for voice: No DECODER: iTunes 7.1.1.5 AAC CBR@250.3 (iTunes 7.5) - MPEG-4 AAC CBR Low Complexity, 250.3 kbit/s FBR CODER: AAC Encoder from iTunes 7.5.0.20 - Stereo Bit Rate: 256 kbps - Sample Rate: 44.100 kHz - Channels: Stereo - Use Variable Bit Rate Encoding (VBR): No - Optimize for voice: No DECODER: iTunes 7.5.0.20 AAC VBR@264.6 (iTunes 7.6) - MPEG-4 AAC VBR Low Complexity, 264.6 kbit/s FBR CODER: AAC Encoder from iTunes 7.6.2.9 - Stereo Bit Rate: 256 kbps - Sample Rate: 44.100 kHz - Channels: Stereo - Use Variable Bit Rate Encoding (VBR): Yes - Optimize for voice: No DECODER: iTunes 7.6.2.9 ATRAC3plus CBR@256.9 (Hi-SP) - ATRAC3plus (used in Hi-MD and Sony's solid-state and CD walkman products), 256.9 kbit/s FBR CODER: SonicStage 3.3 - 44100 Hz Stereo DECODER: SonicStage 3.3 - "Create an Audio CD" mp3 CBR@256.1 (Audition 1.5) - MPEG-1 Layer 3 CBR, 256.1 kbit/s FBR CODER: MP3/mp3PRO(R) Encoder for Adobe Audition 1.5 - Codec: Current - Best Quality - Allow Mid-Side Joint Stereo: No - Allow Intensity Joint Stereo: No - Allow Narrowing of Stereo Image: No - 44100 Hz Joint Stereo DECODER: MAD 0.15.2b

How to read the ratings

The ratings are updated live as new participants add their grades to the system. Rating bar consists of the following elements:

- Device or technology being tested.

- Value of actual perceived audio quality (rating) which is also indicated by a bar length . Anchor points could be interpreted as follows:

In most cases using this device/technology:

1.0 – you will hear heavily distorted sound
2.0 – you will hear unpleasant sound artifacts
3.0 – you will hear distinctly audible but tolerable sound artifacts
4.0 – you will hear faintly discernible sound artifacts
5.0 – you will not hear any sound artifacts
above 5.0 – all sound artifacts will be beyond threshold of human perception with corresponding perception margin

and - The high and the low of a rating. As each device is tested under nine different sound items, there are nine different local ratings for a device. In fact, the actual rating is an average of those nine local ratings. The highest and the lowest ones are indicated. Big gap between them means that sound quality of device/technology is not consistent enough. It will vary with type of sound material: music of different genres and complexity, voice with or without music, noisy/clear recordings etc. The lowest local rating is more important in this sense as it indicates worst case behavior of tested device.

- Reliability of rating. It is also indicated by the color of bar - more reliable ratings have less percentage values and darker bars. Reliability depends on number of grades returned by participants. In most cases 5% or less is OK.

- Ruler for convenient measuring of highs and lows.