HydrogenAudio

Please post all samples for the multiformat 48 kbps listening test here. Here are two from me:

Jethro Tull - Locomotive Breath (http://rarewares.soniccompression.com/samples/Locomotive_Breath.wv)

Vangelis - Alpha (http://rarewares.soniccompression.com/samples/Alpha.wv)

Original posts:

http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....st&p=382918 (http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=43684&view=findpost&p=382918)
http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....st&p=352782 (http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=40108&view=findpost&p=352782)

From the AAC48 test, I'd suggest:

*aquatisme: "unusual" music, might trip some encoders

*bibilolo: bandwidth test. AAC-LC was clearly muting some parts

*kraftwerk: (very) sharp transcients test

*TomsDiner: voice, "classical" sample

*twist_shout: stereo separation test

Nobody else to suggest samples?

Here's a Rock sample (Gypsy by Uriah Heep):

http://rarewares.soniccompression.com/samples/Gypsy.wv (http://rarewares.soniccompression.com/samples/Gypsy.wv)

Debussy for a low volume sample...

What about MoOzOoH's Autechre Test Sample?

I know it's originally intended for Vorbis Q4-Q5, but its heavy amount of attacks might easily reveal quality differences (f. e. pre-echo) in this low bitrate region, too.


Sample (http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=2618)
Original Thread (http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=49601)

Nero ABR@48 produces obvious distortions with this sample.

Enya - Amarantine (genre: new age, @Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Amarantine-Enya/dp/B000B8QEYC/sr=8-1/qid=1163075111/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-6864533-1493500?ie=UTF8&s=music)). [attachment=2691:attachment]

I think we should also include some samples of male and female voice - maybe from an audiobook. Do you think multiple languages are needed (German, French, English perhaps)?

Another sample: The Wizard by Uriah Heep (http://rarewares.soniccompression.com/samples/The_Wizard.wv)

Acoustig guitar and male voice during the last seconds.

The choice of languages seems fine, though I think it's no big difference if we take samples from one language, but with different voices. On the other side, artefacts might be easier to spot if you listen to your native language.

I'd like to post a sample, but where should I upload it to?  It's a 23.5MB flac.

Thanks,

John

How big is it? You are supposed to post only 30 seconds samples.

How big is it? You are supposed to post only 30 seconds samples.

Oh, sorry, I didn't realize that.  It is the full track in flac format ~23.5 MB!  It's 'China Doll' from The Grateful Dead's 'Mars Hotel' album.

So should I select the most 'challenging' 30 secs. of the track?  I participated in your last test, but I'm still pretty new at this.

Thanks,

John

This one may be interesting. High-pitched violin + orchestral peaks. Very clean recording and strong dynamic (40dB; it's a concerto).

[attachment=2696:attachment]This sample has some electric harpsichord, acoustic guitar and a little percussion.

One more from 'The Irving Berlin Songbook Volume 2' - Ella Fitzgerald:

[attachment=2705:attachment]

My contribution: Poets of the Fall - Shallow. 8 seconds intro. A killer sample for most encoders at this bit-rate.

/Kef

Blade Runner title music, lots of flanged synthesizer effects.

Brothers in Arms, Why Worry. Very, very quiet track.

Celtic Odyssey, Puirt a Beul, female vocals only.

And finally, The Celts Rise Again track 3, some REALLY LOUD bag pipes, along with other instruments fighting to be heard.

This sample has very sharp sound at high frequencies.

*twist_shout: stereo separation test

I offered this alternative Beatles sample already here: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....st&p=362721 (http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=41248&view=findpost&p=362721). It has an artistically very nice and important stereo separation effect:

Eleanor_Rigby.wv ( 2.81mb ) (http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=2066)


Also, I reuploaded the "Twist and Shout" sample, so you can compare these two samples.
[attachment=2714:attachment]

What about MoOzOoH's Autechre Test Sample?

I know it's originally intended for Vorbis Q4-Q5, but its heavy amount of attacks might easily reveal quality differences (f. e. pre-echo) in this low bitrate region, too.


Sample (http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=2618)
Original Thread (http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=49601)

Jesus Christ, why didn't you say that the first seconds are silence? I turned up the volume almost to the max wondering what was happening when I was suddenly blasted into the wall.

Quote from: Gabriel on 2006-11-07 09:36:27

*twist_shout: stereo separation test

I offered this alternative Beatles sample already here: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....st&p=362721 (http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=41248&view=findpost&p=362721). It has an artistically very nice and important stereo separation effect:

Eleanor_Rigby.wv ( 2.81mb ) (http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=2066)


Also, I reuploaded the "Twist and Shout" sample, so you can compare these two samples.
[attachment=2714:attachment]

Thanks, but I am afraid that I cannot compare such tracks myself because I have a totally deaf left ear.

---

OK, I downloaded all samples suggested here and listened to them. I think we should also use a Jazz sample (atrain?) which I think is lacking here and was wondering about three things: is Tom's Diner "female voice" enough, or do we need something like a news reporter or book reader? Should we also use a male voice sample? Finally, do you think we also need something from a movie, such as a scene with an explosion or whatever?

Samples tested for sure:

• Alpha
• aquatisme
• bibilolo
• debussy
• Eleanor_Rigby
• Gipsy
• kraftwerk
• Locomotive_Breath
• TomsDiner

Samples not tested for sure:

• Brothers_in_Arms___05___Why_Worry
• twist_shout

Funny that I have to ask, but does anyone still have the samples from my last test? I might eventually end replacing some of the samples in the "for sure" section with some samples used in my 128 kbps test.

Should we also use a male voice sample?

I think so. I'd suggest the SQAM german male speech sample, because of the sibilants

Funny that I have to ask, but does anyone still have the samples from my last test? I might eventually end replacing some of the samples in the "for sure" section with some samples used in my 128 kbps test.

I seem to have the original 18 zip files in my "128 test folder". PM me if you need them.

Quote from: Sebastian Mares on 2006-11-17 13:38:59

Should we also use a male voice sample?

I think so. I'd suggest the SQAM german male speech sample, because of the sibilants

Do you have a link?

Nevermind: ftp://ftp.tnt.uni-hannover.de/pub/MPEG/au...am/spmg54_1.wav (http://ftp://ftp.tnt.uni-hannover.de/pub/MPEG/audio/sqam/spmg54_1.wav)

OK, updated list of samples (14 files so far, 4 missing):

Alpha: pre-echo, pretty low
aquatisme: weird
bibilolo: bandwidth test
debussy: low volume
Eleanor_Rigby: stereo separation, violins
Gipsy: stereo separation, electric guitar
kraftwerk: pre-echo, electronic music
Locomotive_Breath: flute, some piano, cymbals, some electric guitar
macabre: symphonic orchestra
Senor: jazz, French female voice
SQAM German male voice
TomsDiner: English female voice

Edit:

Paganini_Allegro_spirituoso: classical, dynamic
The_Wizard: acoustic guitar (longer than guitar_potf)

OK, I decided to use 20 samples:

Alpha: pre-echo, pretty low
aquatisme: weird
bibilolo: bandwidth test
BigYellow: English male voice, easy listening / pop
debussy: low volume
Eleanor_Rigby: stereo separation, violins
Flyin___to_Fly: high tones, sort of Indie music (at least that's what I think of when I listen to it)
Gipsy: stereo separation, electric guitar
kraftwerk: pre-echo, electronic music
LesJoursHeureux: instrumental (harpsichord)
Locomotive_Breath: flute, some piano, cymbals, some electric guitar
macabre: symphonic orchestra
MysteriousTimes: usual pop / trance
Paganini_Allegro_spirituoso: classical, dynamic
Senor: jazz, French female voice
SQAM German male voice
symphony_metal: pretty loud mixture of symphony orchestra with percussion and electric guitar
The_Wizard: acoustic guitar (longer than guitar_potf)
TomsDiner: English female voice
WhiteAmerica: rap, English male voice, "strong"

Please continue discussion here: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....showtopic=49803 (http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=49803)