ABC/HR Version 1.0, 6 May 2004
Testname: FhG Family BlackBird
1L = C:\Test_Samples\BlackBird\CEP 2.0 BlackBird.wav
2R = C:\Test_Samples\BlackBird\Fastenc 1.02.wav
3L = C:\Test_Samples\BlackBird\Fastenc 1.02 -hq.wav
4L = C:\Test_Samples\BlackBird\MP3Enc 3.1.wav
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General Comments:
Sample 1= I think I can hear a very slight click but the max bandwidth is too low making it dull sounding is what I can ABX, Easy to ABX
Sample 2= Can't hear a click, slightly less dull than sample 1, Easy to ABX
Sample 3= Not dull sounding but click makes it easy to ABX, I prefer this to the dull sound, Very easy to ABX though
Sample 4=More Dull sound than 3 + click is present as in sample 3
1 & 2 are similar 3 & 4 are similar, I prefer Sample 3.
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ABX Results:
Original vs C:\Test_Samples\BlackBird\CEP 2.0 BlackBird.wav
16 out of 16, pval < 0.001
Original vs C:\Test_Samples\BlackBird\Fastenc 1.02.wav
16 out of 16, pval < 0.001
Original vs C:\Test_Samples\BlackBird\Fastenc 1.02 -hq.wav
16 out of 16, pval < 0.001
Original vs C:\Test_Samples\BlackBird\MP3Enc 3.1.wav
16 out of 16, pval < 0.001
C:\Test_Samples\BlackBird\CEP 2.0 BlackBird.wav vs C:\Test_Samples\BlackBird\Fastenc 1.02.wav
8 out of 10, pval = 0.055
C:\Test_Samples\BlackBird\Fastenc 1.02 -hq.wav vs C:\Test_Samples\BlackBird\MP3Enc 3.1.wav
10 out of 10, pval < 0.001
Well I belive this is fastenc -hq's worst problem sample & it really is not that bad to my ears, I have tested on some other samples too & I have to say I prefer fastenc -hq more than the others FhG encoders maybe because it has more fidelity, I'm not sure. I know I'm sensitive to high frequencies & that's where it shines also a higher max bandwidth doesn't help the other encoders much I'm not sure why. It may already be common knowledge as the NT crash bug that I was not aware of but in 2 samples I have tested so far fastenc's stereo image has collapsed where fastenc -hq does not, it's possible it doesn't have this bug. My vote would be for fastenc 1.02 -hq as the FhG encoder in the next MP3@128kbps public listening test.