Date: Sat, 27 Feb 2010 12:54:43 -0800
Reply-To: Al Knoll <anasasi@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Al Knoll <anasasi@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Friday topic: MP3s in a vanagon?
In-Reply-To: <699b6e3f1002271156t127d2e34s5719f7e789f4084f@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
The amount of music storage provided on a CD is dependent upon the bitrate
at which the particular track was recorded. The higher the bit rate the
larger the file size. WMA is arguably better at compression without
sacrificing quality than MP3. Perhaps not at a 2:1 ratio, but still
better. I presume modern decks and head units can read WMA. Mine can't
but that makes no difference to me. (see actuarial comments below)
A test you can try to see if it makes a difference is to choose a difficult
piece (big dynamic range, complex sounds) and rip it in several increasing
bit rates. Check the file sizes just for fun then listen critically to the
compressed files on as good an audio system as you have. If you intend to
use it mainly in your van, use the system in your van, try it stopped and
silent and try it while traveling. Only your perception will be valid as to
what level of accuracy is acceptable. Keep the media as a test media for
verifying future upgrades. You may discover that your 23yr old hearing is
overwhelmed by your 23yr old bus noise ambiance under way and even a 96kb/s
is fine. For those ghostly silent moonlight nights at China Spring where
the only interruption is the call of the occasional poorwill or coyote,
better stuff may be required. To know for certain you must test it and
remember the results.
The overall effect is limited by the quality of the weakest link in the
system, perhaps those original cherman vanagon 3.5" speakers. (horrid).
One of the better solutions is a set of wired headphones of extremely high
quality, you get the full effect of whatever it may be without annoying
either the poorwill or the coyote or Rocket J who may be camped nearby.
Or in some of our cases, the actuarial audio falloff makes our choices a bit
simpler.
My grandfather had full hearing loss in his left ear, from a close encounter
in the trenches during the great war. He had the most magnificent Hi-Fi I
had ever heard, monaural but nice. One Klipshorn and a McIntosh amplifier
an AR Turntable and other bits of finery. Worked just fine for him at the
time and Caruso, Ima Sumac, Sir Georg Solti, Pavarotti, and others of that
ilk. One of my favorites was early Les Paul of which he had a small
collection. De gustibus non disputandum est.
But do test to see what level of overkill your finances can afford. Let us
know so we may be enlightened and pursue the shining path towards audio
satisfaction as our diminshing vanagon resources permit.
Pensionerd. (sounds OK to me)
On Sat, Feb 27, 2010 at 11:56 AM, PB <pbrattan@gmail.com> wrote:
> Modern CD players will play MP3's as well as WMA's. Approximately 200
> MP3's
> (counting 3.5 minutes per song) will fit on a CD, but if converted to WMA,
> 400 songs will fit on a single CD. All the music I might possibly want to
> hear in a week will fit on 3-5 EASILY REPLACEABLE CD's, so I don't have to
> lug around 120 to 200 CD's, or keep switching CD's to hear other albums.
> I
> will admit to being very ignorant of how to create playlists, but the
> Alpine
> stereo that was already in my Westy when I bought it does allow me to
> navigate to folders, which I can create before I actually burn the CD. I
> have opted to create a folder for each album. There may be a way to create
> a playlist, allowing me to mix songs from various albums, but I have yet to
> learn that.
>
> I prefer to use CD's full of WMA's because I don't have to worry about
> loss,
> theft, or damage from heat in the summer. If anything happens to my 400
> song CD, all I have to do is just burn another at a cost of approximately
> $.05 to $.10 a CD. I specifically don't want an iPod for use in a vehicle
> because it's less to worry about.
>
> There may be some question as to the sound quality of a WMA, but the
> Vanagon
> is noisy in the first place, so I really don't notice a compromise in
> stereo
> quality. In fact, I don't even notice a compromise at all, no matter where
> I am. (Maybe I've never been taught or don't notice the difference.)
>
> By the way, if you download your iTunes as M4A's, you will not be able to
> play them on a Windows computer without iTunes or a converter. If there is
> a choice, it's better to choose MP3's. They are pretty much universal.
> (WMA's won't play on a Mac or an iPod, unless converted to MP3's or M4A's.)
>
> I tried out another device that accepts secure digital cards and plays
> songs
> through your FM radio. It doesn't work quite as well, as sometimes the FM
> signal weakens or is lost. I'm going to stick with my cheap-o CD's!
> Patti
> 90 Westy Automatic
> ******************
> On Sat, Feb 27, 2010 at 8:55 AM, Max Wellhouse <dimwittedmoose@cfu.net
> >wrote:
>
> > So what if I want to have high quality reproductions from my old
> > vinyl collection? Do you really think a $90 Chinese-made turntable
> > and cartridge/stylus(and its electronics) is going to faithfully
> > reproduce those sounds?
> >
> > Find me a system that will incorporate my $800(1970's prices) B&O
> > Beogram 4002 turntable with tangental tracking tonearm. There's
> > probably some Thorens tonearm and Ortofon moving coil cartridge folks
> > out there wondering the same thing...... Of course, if the speakers
> > and amplifier are crap, you likely won't hear the difference
> > anyway. Remember, it all starts with the source material.
> >
> > DM&FS, who doesn't mind the ticks and pops, and had a Nakamichi 700
> > tape deck to get rid of the hiss and loss of hghs....
> >
> >
> > At 11:15 PM 2/26/2010, neil n wrote:
> >
> >> On Fri, Feb 26, 2010 at 7:14 PM, Loren Busch <starwagen@gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >> ...
> >>
> >> > Google 'rip vinyl' and you will find a bunch of options if you
> >> are loking to
> >> > convert old records (78s, 45s or 33 1/3) to digital formats. Right
> now
> >> > Costco has one full setup complete with turntable for $90 shipped.
> >>
> >>
> >> w/turntable?
> >>
> >> WhaddaDeal!
> >>
> >> I can't recall when I last had a turntable.
> >>
> >> Another project for another day. (though I would really enjoy hearing
> >> my Joni Mitchell, Jaco, Brecker et al double album in my Westy)
> >>
> >> http://www.jacopastorius.com/music/essential/joni_shadowsandlight.asp
> >>
> >> Neil.
> >>
> >>
> >> --
> >> Neil Nicholson '81 VanaJetta 2.0 "Jaco"
> >>
> >> http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/
> >>
> >>
> >>
> http://groups.google.com/group/vanagons-with-vw-inline-4-cylinder-gas-engines
> >>
> >
>
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