Beatport, Boomkat mp3´s are clipped

interceptor · Post by **interceptor** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 11:23 am

Anyone else here noticed that mp3´s from boomkat goes over 0 db?

I bought 2 albums from them, and both of them are distorted.

Edit: That goes for beatport as well.

Lo-Fi Massahkah · Post by **Lo-Fi Massahkah** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 12:57 pm

A digital audio file can't really go over 0db. It might be distorted during mixing/mastering, though. If that's the case with your files I don't know.

.m

interceptor · Post by **interceptor** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 1:07 pm

Well all files peaks into red in audacity anyway. And that´s reaching 0db at least. If it´s over i cant really tell.

It´s two diffrent albums from different producers and labels. It cant be meant to be that way.

swishniak · Post by **swishniak** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 1:31 pm

which records?

interceptor · Post by **interceptor** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 1:35 pm

DEEP CHORD - Vantage Isle Sessions
ANTHILIAWATERS - The Miles Without You

Nod · Post by **Nod** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 1:52 pm

interceptor wrote:It cant be meant to be that way.

Without hearing the original audio it could happen due to the MP3 algorithm itself and the encoding methods applied to the original signal. Iirc if you encode a signal which has peaking anywhere over -1db the resulting encoded file will appear to be clipped at the output when decoded.

http://ff123.net/norm.html

kaffein · Post by **kaffein** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 5:00 am

When you encode raw audio to mp3, some high and low end is lost and other frequencies are are boosted as a side effect. Things get clipped unfortunately.

There are ways to minimize this before encoding, such as lowering the volume of the raw audio by -.3dB giving it room for gain. (This is typically enough, but trial and error is the best method)

I've been waiting for years for someone to come out with an encoder that: test encodes, checks how much gain is added, automatically adjusts the levels before really encoding, and voila. That or a true limiter in the encode process, so level is not*lost.

kaffein · Post by **kaffein** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 5:02 am

This is also not a retailer issue, this is a distributor issue.

The retailers ask for specific encodes from the distributors, and the distributors job is the make all the encodes/file types for each retailer.

edit: unless the retailer happens to be a distro as well.

FMB · Post by **FMB** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 12:18 pm

Hi, I agree with kaffein. I tried everything even a limiter (-0.2db) in-between the wav to mp3 conversion, but the result was allways clipping. The only thing that worked for me is lowering the level (with a limiter -3 db instead of -0.2db) or only the normal level -3db lower then normal.

I find it strange that not many people are aware of this fact and as a result you will see a lot of mp3's clip, because it's a error in the different mp3 decoders.

D

vid

kaffein · Post by **kaffein** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 12:29 pm

FMB wrote:Hi, I agree with kaffein. I tried everything even a limiter (-0.2db) in-between the wav to mp3 conversion, but the result was allways clipping. The only thing that worked for me is lowering the level (with a limiter -3 db instead of -0.2db) or only the normal level -3db lower then normal.

I find it strange that not many people are aware of this fact and as a result you will see a lot of mp3's clip, because it's a error in the different mp3 decoders.

D vid

About 99.9% of consumers don't know or even care about this unfortunately.

Crash · Post by **Crash** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 12:35 pm

http://wiki.hydrogenaudio.org/index.php ... Replaygain

kaffein · Post by **kaffein** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 12:42 pm

Crash wrote:http://wiki.hydrogenaudio.org/index.php ... Replaygain

Not related...

Crash · Post by **Crash** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 1:25 pm

Your mother's not related!

With lossy files, another benefit of Replay Gain scanning is that the peak information can also be used to prevent loud songs from clipping.

http://replaygain.hydrogenaudio.org/pla ... pping.html

kaffein · Post by **kaffein** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 2:01 pm

Crash wrote:Your mother's not related!

With lossy files, another benefit of Replay Gain scanning is that the peak information can also be used to prevent loud songs from clipping.
http://replaygain.hydrogenaudio.org/pla ... pping.html

From clipping the playback device, but the mp3 is still fucked.
The problem here is retail outlets getting encodes that have been clipped and selling them.

kaffein · Post by **kaffein** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 2:02 pm

p.s. I buy FLAC.