Real vs. Layer 3

All-

I am currently testing real audio and mpeg layer 3 as potential compression
formats. I have recorded a short progression and converted it both ways...

http://lumma.org/list/centaur.rm
http://lumma.org/list/centaur.mp3

What do you think? Which one sounds better? Is the extra quality worth
the download time? Could you get the real audio version to stream?

The recording was done in mono on a Soundblaster Live card using Cool Edit
96 and tuned to Kraig Grady's "centaur" scale with Graham Breed's Midi
Relay software.

Excellent mpeg audio players may be download for free at...

http://www.winamp.com/
http://www.freeamp.org/

Carl

On Wed, 17 Feb 1999, Carl Lumma wrote:

> I am currently testing real audio and mpeg layer 3 as potential compression
> formats. I have recorded a short progression and converted it both ways...
>
> http://lumma.org/list/centaur.rm
> http://lumma.org/list/centaur.mp3
>
> What do you think? Which one sounds better? Is the extra quality worth
> the download time? Could you get the real audio version to stream?

You need to contact set up the correct mimetypes for those file extensions
on your web server.

-Bram

Carl,

With a little bit of fiddling, getting RealAudio to stream is a slam-dunk.
For whatever reason, your .rm file would not play on a RealPlayer Plus 5.0
-- is it the newer, G2 format? You might want to consider backward
compatability, at least to 5.0 which is quite widespread.

For your uses it would seem highly desirable to have *both* formats
available: Real for the easy ability to listen in real time (streaming),
and if the listener wants to investigate further then they can download an
.mp3 file. Get them hooked and then deliver the goods.

I've been using Real stuff for over two years on the Partch site, before I
even had a RealServer. While the audio quality is not as good as pure
digital audio files or even .mp3, it serves it's purpose in being fast,
cheap, and available to a wide audience (most of the browsers support it
right from installation). Write off-list if you want some tips (like you
should probably set up a .ram file to stream the audio in the first place...)

Cheers,
Jon
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jonathan M. Szanto | Corporeal Meadows: Harry Partch, online. . .
jszanto@adnc.com | http://www.corporeal.com/