I’ve received two emails from customers asking if Resonant Vibes has plans to start offering music in WAV format. Our current policy is to offer tracks, mixes, and albums in the format of 320 kbps MP3s (the highest quality) while offering our samples as uncompressed WAV files.
For nearly as long as I can remember, I’ve had an ear that was fairly sensitive to differences in the qualities of musical recordings. …so I figured this evening I would do a careful test to try to observe the differences between the WAV and MP3 formats.
To do my test, I used a pair of Sony MDR-V700 DJ headphones and plugged them into my Altec Lansing computer speakers. Then, I cued up Andy Caldwell’s “The Waiting Game (Dub Mix)” in Windows Media Player (as a WAV file) and also in Winamp (as a 320 kbps MP3 file). I focused intently for a good while as I went back and forth between the WAV and MP3 files for the same parts of the song.
THE VERDICT – It was Very Difficult for me to tell the two files apart or to say that one file sounded better than the other.
I take a bit of pride in the fact that I am usually sensitive to, and appreciative of, the subtle aspects of quality, especially in music recordings. I might have felt bad about the fact that I cannot hear a clear difference between the 320 kbps MP3 and WAV formats, except that I read a very interesting article on this subject in DJ Magazine. Sam actually referred me to the article. It’s called “Format Wars,” and you can read it by clicking here. The premise of the article was to assemble a panel of five highly respected industry professionals to test their ability to distinguish between various compression formats and WAV files.
The conclusion of the article was that the panel had difficulty hearing the difference between the WAV and compressed formats. In some cases, the majority of the panel said the compressed files actually sounded Better than the corresponding WAVs.
My test and the article from DJ Magazine have left me a bit perplexed…
What are the grounds for people being highly concerned about getting WAV files? Maybe I’m missing something…or maybe the hoopla is just the result of a quirk in the culture of the electronic music industry…a culture in which many of us take pride in being true audiophiles…a culture in which it can be somewhat uncomfortable to say things like, “You know what…I can’t really hear a difference between WAV and higher quality MP3 files.”
I’m not sure what lies at the root of the recently arisen desire for WAV files, but I will certainly keep an open mind on this subject. In fact, I welcome and look forward to receiving any feedback that might help me better understand the issues at play.
Eddie B
Tags: Electronic Music, MP3, WAV
4 Responses to “WAV Format Superiority – Myth or Reality?”
To be honest, I’d never buy a wav file if the 320kbs is an option. It is much bigger to store and more expensive, without any advantage. No, I don’t hear the difference either.
Seeing my label’s turnover I see that although many people request wav as an option, they don’t buy it that often. Further to it, if 192 kbs is an option, due to the better price some people still buy it.
I can imagine how much investments the shops are required to do to store the entire catalogue in wav format and how much bandwith they need to transfer it. This investment might reduce the profit of the store, I don’t know if the extra wav charge would cover the extra costs, I doubt.
Of course, if there is a market for this, I don’t think the shops will stop it. For me as a label, it is indifferent.
10/05/2006
“a culture in which many of us take pride in being true audiophiles…a culture in which it can be somewhat uncomfortable to say things like, “You know what…I can’t really hear a difference between WAV and higher quality MP3 files. ”
That sums it well I think.
But also, it is probably true from a mathematical point of view that a WAV file should sound better than a compressed file (i.e mp3)… simply because of the fact that you leave all your frequencies intact and your spectrum is bigger than with compressed files. However I’m pretty sure, as you say, that compressing a WAV into a MP3 (320) will mostly result in no audible difference. I also read once in a article that ripping into MP3 (at least in 320kbps) only removes the inaudible freqencies, so if that’s the case, how would you hear the difference… your dog would, yes, but you won’t.
Also, I read that compressing waves means adding noise and artifacts… so it’s more a question of keeping your tracks 100% clean rather than hearing a clear difference in tone and/or sound quality.
Anyway, to get back on that first point, that’s just a mirror of our society as well. It’s always better to look smarter than the guy in front of you, even if it’s not true, that’s how it works. It’s a matter of Ego. Sad but true. Anyway, long debate here so won’t start on that part. I think in some cases you can hear a difference (mainly due to bad ripping then), or maybe some true audiophiles with trained ears can too, sometimes only though, but if you would carry out a real test with proper experiments, asking people to find out which one is the MP3 and which one is the WAV in a bunch of 50 different songs, you’d be quite disappointed with the results, I’m sure! (Perhaps something worth trying).
cheers
10/09/2006
First off…what’s up Eddie? Great topic and very well conceived thoughts.
I think the real issue is the difference between vinyl and digital. Whether you start with a high quality .wav, .mp3, orbis, wma etc….it really doesn’t make a big difference. It’s the mastering, and pressing to vinyl…and then the sonic capabilities of vinyl that really make the difference.
IF you play a well produced track off of a CDJ in a big night club, it is going to sound great…but that same track on vinyl is going to sound better (imo) It will be warmer and more pleasing, with well behaved mids and thick, chunky bass.
Now if you add the common variables of poor pressing, lousy mastering, cheap vinyl blanks, dirty needles, and rumble from inadequately isolated turntables etc….the CD will probably sound better. This is an inherent problem with vinyl, as everything in the signal path need to come together perfectly to truly get the best results.
But I can say without hesitation, that if you take a well designed sound system and DJ booth, and drop a slab of fresh vinyl on a platter with a clean, crisp needle….there is nothing in the digital realm that even comes close.
Then again, I have been a vinyl DJ for 25 years….so maybe I have a little bias.
10/17/2006
Try listening to the difference in wav/mp3 on a club PA and you may notice.
11/15/2006