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Topic: Term definition of "CD quality" (Read 4117 times) previous topic - next topic
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Term definition of "CD quality"

hi all,

i'm looking for a precise term definition of the common saying "cd quality". unfortunately, HA search doesn't allow two-letter search requests, so that "quality" alone returns way too many results.

just point me to a related thread. thank you.

bye
MS

Term definition of "CD quality"

Reply #1 –
CD-quality is used about an encoded file that sounds identical to the original source.
However, everyone has different sensitivity to compression, and what one may perceive as CD-quality, others may not, so there is no exact definition of when an encode is CD-quality, it's all subjective.

Term definition of "CD quality"

Reply #2 –
Quote
i'm looking for a precise term definition of the common saying "cd quality". unfortunately, HA search doesn't allow two-letter search requests, so that "quality" alone returns way too many results.

As far as I know, the HA search engine also allows combined terms within quotation marks, so "cd quality" should do it...

Quote
just point me to a related thread. thank you.


Maybe the exact definition of "indistinguishable" would be even better, because it is used in formal listening tests by organisations like the EBU:

http://www.audiocoding.com/wiki/index.php?...distinguishable
ZZee ya, Hans-Jürgen
BLUEZZ BASTARDZZ - "That lil' ol' ZZ Top cover band from Hamburg..."
INDIGO ROCKS - "Down home rockin' blues. Tasty as strudel."

Term definition of "CD quality"

Reply #3 –
is "CD-quality" something indestinguishable from the CD, or something that has the same subjective quality (although perhaps an audible difference) compared to audio from a CD? r3mix.net talked about this (see #22, "Definition"). But beware, some of the other information on that page is not to be trusted, especially the frequency analysis graphs. It's almost enough to make me just quote the relevant section, rather than post a link.

Edit: fixed link, added disclaimer.

Term definition of "CD quality"

Reply #4 –
CD quality only refers to uncompressed or lossless compressed 16bit 44100hz stereo audio.

To describe lossy compressed audio, which is indistinguishable from the original source the term transparent is used.

The information on r3mix.net on this issue is just wrong!

dev0
"To understand me, you'll have to swallow a world." Or maybe your words.

Term definition of "CD quality"

Reply #5 –
In addition to the above.

'CD quality' (or more honestly 'near CD quality') used to be used for 128kbps Mp3s. This was at a time when 128 was the top bitrate available from encoders and used more as a selling point than a technical description. Quite meaningless in this sense nowadays.

Bit of a loose phrase this, the context may give a better clue to what it means.

UJ

Term definition of "CD quality"

Reply #6 –
"CD quality" means linear pcm, 16bits, stereo, 44.1kHz, eventually compressed without any mathematical loss.

This term is often misused by many vendors in a wrong way. They mean "perceptual cd quality", which means that in some particular configurations only known by the vendor, for some selected people (usually nearly death people), the sound will seems to be identical to the original cd.

It is usually as scientific as if you go to a supermarket and ask the vendor why this computer is better than this other one.

Term definition of "CD quality"

Reply #7 –
There are two terms, many a time confused;

CD-Quality[/u]- Exact sound as original CD.

Transparency[/u]- What sounds to you like CD-Quality.

For example; an xtreme MPC, is not CD-quality. Yet if you, in ABX tests, listen to the xtreme MPC and the WAV, and can't tell a difference, it's transparent[/u], meaning to you it sounds CD-Quality, even if it isn't.

Lossless codecs, are always CD-Quality, since they are indeed lossless.

Term definition of "CD quality"

Reply #8 –
Quote
i'm looking for a precise term definition of the common saying "cd quality".

No one can tell you what is "CD quality", but I could give you some definitions.
1) PCM 44.1KHz 16 bit stereo or loselessly compressed file with the parameters above.
2) It was widely used as a synonym for "high quality" and for years MP3 file with a constant bitrate of 128kbps and FhG codec was called "CD quality". The same is for WMA (almost any version) at 64 kbps.
3) As no one can clearly tell you what it is, it was widely used in various kinds of ADs. Many codec developers, software and hardware manufacturers used to use it just to tell, that sound has "high fidelity" (even though it's not true).
4) r3mix.org site gives a great definition of "CD quality" as a synonym to "transparent", i.e. not distinguishable from the original in tests.
Choose anything you want and be careful each time you hear something, like "our newest top codec gives you CD quality at XXkbps".
And, yeah, read answers above...
 

Term definition of "CD quality"

Reply #9 –
thank you all!!!