New Audio Format: mp3HD

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UNORTHODOX

Father Timeless
ill o.g.
Battle Points: 44
http://www.topspinmedia.com/2010/10...m=t.opsp.in-copypaste&utm_source=facebook.com

Topspin clients tend to have hard-core fans who LOVE their music and care deeply about their sonic experience. That’s why 40% of Topspin consumers choose a higher-definition audio format when purchasing digital downloads. Hopefully that number will increase soon, because we’re pleased to announce we’ve partnered with Technicolor to offer the newest digital-compression format, mp3HD.

The original MP3 compression standard was created in the early 1990s, and its less-than-pure audio quality has gotten a lot of FLAC (see what I did there?) from audiophiles. As Internet bandwidth and data-storage capacity have increased over the past two decades, transmission and storage of larger files has become much easier for most people. But lossless audio, with its huge file-size and compatibility issues, has remained a world apart from everyday music listeners.

Last year, Thomson Consumer Electronics, a part of the team who developed the original mp3 compression standard, launched an upgraded format called mp3HD. This new format allows lossless compression of audio material while preserving backward compatibility to the mp3 standard. mp3HD files’ bitrates are around 876 Kbps, which blows standard mp3s out of the water. With file sizes between 20 – 25 MB, mp3HD files are slightly larger than mp3s (5 to 10 MB) but much smaller than FLACs (35 to 50 MB), and unlike FLACs or AACs, they can be played on any device that supports the mp3 standard.

As of today, Topspin clients can offer their music in mp3HD format. To make this format available, simply edit the Spin for the buy button on a digital product. Under “Include These Audio Track Formats”, check “MP3 HD”, save that panel, and publish the changes. Your buy-button will automatically update to include mp3HD as an option in the purchase flow. Be sure to tell your fans that your music is available in this new format, and start spreading the word. High-quality digital audio is available to the masses. Hallelujah!
 

UNORTHODOX

Father Timeless
ill o.g.
Battle Points: 44
Exactly, I cant wait till its everywhere! haha
 

Fade

The Beat Strangler
Administrator
illest o.g.
I think it's just a new medium that they're trying to market to the masses. Really, who's gonna buy into this? Young people that can say they only buy HD music now, LOL. I could be wrong, but think about it! Everything today is Blu-Ray, HD, now TV and Movies are tripping over each other trying to re-release everything in 3D, c'mon! It would be cool to see Jason slices someone's head off in 3D but I'm not one for sitting there with those 1950's glasses on.

As for this MP3HD, how many people are going to say they notice a difference? Audiophile nerds for sure, but the average music listener won't be able to tell. Hell, most people just want to throw on some music while they're getting fucked up on the weekend...
 

UNORTHODOX

Father Timeless
ill o.g.
Battle Points: 44
...As for this MP3HD, how many people are going to say they notice a difference? Audiophile nerds for sure, but the average music listener won't be able to tell. Hell, most people just want to throw on some music while they're getting fucked up on the weekend...

I love the idea knowing my music is 1 step closer to being heard the way I originally made it. Or, I can use (The boxed in, monopolized) Mp3s in a high quality. Close to how (Insert artist) intended it to be heard.
 

lion-ucs

ILLIEN
ill o.g.
I swear I thought I told ya'll about this XD

the EP on my site is in mp3HD

tho, I'm going to edit the site so standard mp3 is available as well.
 

UNORTHODOX

Father Timeless
ill o.g.
Battle Points: 44
I swear I thought I told ya'll about this XD

the EP on my site is in mp3HD

tho, I'm going to edit the site so standard mp3 is available as well.

word? what are you using to render?
 

dacalion

Hands Of FIRE!
ill o.g.
Battle Points: 259
I agree with Fades perspective on this and I will go one step further... Should we rename Hip Hop to HD Hip Hop? To me it's just a part of the essence of Hip Hop to be a little grimey "so to speak". Record hiss, pops and crackle kinda defines Hip Hop imo. I can't think of any other genre where these deformities are truly looked at as being a good thing. Once again, does it really need to be any clearer than what you can get from mp3? I think it would be perfect for Jazz, R&B or whatever and no one said this was for any genre in particular...but not Hip Hop. It's like trying to take the distortion out of "Rock" guitars. All that said, I'm gonna view this with an open mind but who keeps their Hip Hop saved as FLAC files?
 

lion-ucs

ILLIEN
ill o.g.
word? what are you using to render?

Only one I know of is from all4mp3 http://www.all4mp3.com/SoftwareHD.aspx




I agree with Fades perspective on this and I will go one step further... Should we rename Hip Hop to HD Hip Hop? To me it's just a part of the essence of Hip Hop to be a little grimey "so to speak". Record hiss, pops and crackle kinda defines Hip Hop imo. I can't think of any other genre where these deformities are truly looked at as being a good thing. Once again, does it really need to be any clearer than what you can get from mp3? I think it would be perfect for Jazz, R&B or whatever and no one said this was for any genre in particular...but not Hip Hop. It's like trying to take the distortion out of "Rock" guitars. All that said, I'm gonna view this with an open mind but who keeps their Hip Hop saved as FLAC files?

Itsa not really the same thing tho. There is still lo-fi artistic expression, all the lossless codecs are just to preserve the audio without the encoder squashing it down a whole lot. While I do see the value in having lossless, I still think there are alot of pros that complain FAR too much about the quality of standard mp3s -- its just at that point its about the listeners, not the profession environment.

But even still, there are ppl out there that want lossless and if it doesn't cost you too much, why not give it to them?
 

UNORTHODOX

Father Timeless
ill o.g.
Battle Points: 44
thank lion. Yo, you are aware that this converts after right? I hope it doesnt take long to get this in DAWs

Dac 808's was a great example of high quality low-fi. Low-Fi and Hi-def arent mutually exclusive. I do agree sometimes. well, most times. Things are too hi-def. It loses a vibe and a pre-determined level of attention. Hi-def has everything bright, its harder to keep attention spans long. Especially since we've grown up on Standard/Low-Def.
 

dacalion

Hands Of FIRE!
ill o.g.
Battle Points: 259
I feel what you guys are saying. Personally, I have yet to meet anyone that can audibly tell the difference between high quality low-fi and HD or true hi-fi (consistently) in an uncontrolled environment (what we normally listen to music in...i.e. our car, living room or den/bedroom areas). Even "audiophiles" do their "listening tests" in controlled atmospheres. The next criteria would be the type of music that they're listening to...i.e. Classical being the best and Metal being the worst.

Back in the day, we use to compare the sound from metal-oxide cassettes (before it started degrading) to digital sound that never degraded and the difference had to be measured on an oscilloscope to even see that there was a difference. But again, it was in an uncontrolled environment.

@lion - I agree with "if it's available then why not?" 100%

edit; don't get me wrong, I'm playing devils advocate more than anything here. I love the thought of mp3HD. I have tons of FLAC files and a kick @$$ software player, I just dont listen to Hip Hop using any type of loseless format.

Here is my FLAC player (it plays a ton of others also if anyone is interested) http://download.cnet.com/Total-Video-Player/3000-2139_4-10552696.html
 

UNORTHODOX

Father Timeless
ill o.g.
Battle Points: 44
I feel you Dac.
 

UNORTHODOX

Father Timeless
ill o.g.
Battle Points: 44
Wait, can I put this in, say a "codecs folder" to render as such?
 

mono

the invisible visible
ill o.g.
Battle Points: 20
I think it's just a new medium that they're trying to market to the masses. Really, who's gonna buy into this? Young people that can say they only buy HD music now, LOL. I could be wrong, but think about it!

i think you are.. but who's going to re-rip all the shit available on mp3. we need a plan!
 

Pug

IllMuzik Mortician
Moderator
ill o.g.
I will only buy it if it's Double D HD with dual layer audiotronic phaser shifter controllers.
 
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