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Topic: Mysterious Encoder MP3 (Read 3345 times) previous topic - next topic
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Mysterious Encoder MP3

I recently downloaded an MP3 file and, as usual, analyzed the acoustic spectrum. I realized that the range reached very high peaks that the Lame would never reach. I would venture to say it might be a Fraunhofer encoder, but I'm not sure. As you can see from the screenshot, the track doesn't have any tags or metadata to help assert it. Does anyone have any idea what software this song was submitted?

Re: Mysterious Encoder MP3

Reply #1
LAME does have some settings to extend the highs.     But generally, the idea is that wasting 'bits" on sounds that are usually masked or otherwise inaudible means fewer bits where they might be more important and overall the sound can be worse.     (When people hear compression artifacts, it's usually not a loss of highs that they notice/hear.).

Re: Mysterious Encoder MP3

Reply #2
I think not. Lame encoded files contain a xing tag that persists in removing metadata and tags. I tried to remove the Lame tags with FFmpeg, xvi32, Mutagen (Python), VBR Fix and this tag still remains.

Re: Mysterious Encoder MP3

Reply #3
I've tested my encoders and neither Fraunhoffer nor Helix don't write TOOL part. As far as I remember, Helix allows encoding of ALL frequencies.
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Re: Mysterious Encoder MP3

Reply #5
I have some encoder called mp3sencoder, version 1.5. I don't know where I got it from, probably some shady site. But I think it shouldn't be impossible to find it on the net. But that encoder doesn't have command line switch to encode whole spectrum. It's the other one, Helix.
EDIT: I just tried it, at 320 kbit it preserves more of the spectrum but the cut at 16 kHz can be seen. Helix also does the same thing. although, it does cut at exactly 20 kHz.
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Re: Mysterious Encoder MP3

Reply #6
Sounds like the old MP3 Surround encoder. Now there's a format that went exactly nowhere.

Re: Mysterious Encoder MP3

Reply #7
Try to look at the file in a hex editor maybe the encoder left a tag in there.

Re: Mysterious Encoder MP3

Reply #8
What about the old Blade encoder? I think it didn't use a lowpass.

Re: Mysterious Encoder MP3

Reply #9
Blade was such an encoder that might do that. It may very well be a Blade encode. Lots of people were apparently fooled by its dubious claims of quality.

Re: Mysterious Encoder MP3

Reply #10
What about the old Blade encoder? I think it didn't use a lowpass.

I had multiple licenses of Blade Encoder in the year 2000, but I don't think I have kept much for comparison and I honestly don't feel the need, also because I would have to install the OS of the time.

 

Re: Mysterious Encoder MP3

Reply #11
I analyzed the track in the hex editor and found iTunes metadata. I downloaded iTunes and tested it myself and I'm pretty sure it was encoded there. I have tested almost all Really RareWares MP3 encoders and Blame did the best. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any binary projects for this iTunes MP3 codec. I really prefer the quality of M4A files over MP3, if it wasn't for the bad m4a tagging system I would have migrated completely.