Who has the best sounding compression algorithm?

 

Fabfilter, IMO.

 

Let's find out which each use ?
If it is mp3 etc there is a great chance that the all use teh same library,
eg.: ffmpeg
Or do they all have own self implemented libraries ?

 

Who cares if your music is shit? Do you think anybody cares about algorithms? Stop thinking about this bullshit and concentrate on improving your tracks. This is classic procrastination! Diverting attention away from doing your work. The work being "making music" not obfuscation about compression algorithms. Just get your tracks out there! If you do, I promise you won't give two farts about how good the compression is.

 

Last edited by a moderator: Jun 4, 2021

e x a c t l y

 

Question should be more about who delivers the highest quality/better sounding Stream...

Compression algo/format is related and important,
but the level of quality at which the algo is set, is more determinant than which algo is actually used.

Also it's difficult that a single person has direct experience with all the platforms,
and it's possible that paying users can access to higher quality streams..

I can tell you Youtube sounds much better than Soundcloud, specially with a high res/HD mp4..
But I have only used Spotify and Tidal once, I don't recall how they compare quality wise.

Best thing you could do is research on the platforms themselves, their FAQs or support area,
where they usually explain the details of the streams, which algo/format and level of quality they use, etc..


In any case, whatever you use,
I think the best ting you can do is upload direct/fresh 24bit undithered wav/flac masters,
as this will allow the algos to do their job properly..

 

Last edited: Jun 4, 2021

Offer your fans a download in addition to your music video.
Write and explain that these video platforms may falsify the original sound and
that you are providing your original sound! Maybe as MP3 and as a WAV file.

 

Last edited: Jun 4, 2021

one of my fav show. I love that satanic black metal dude.

 

WAV

WAV (Waveform Audio File Format) is a standard for different audio formats developed by Microsoft and IBM in 1991. This Waveform Audio File Format is actually a file container that usually contains uncompressed audio signals in PCM format, which allows Windows and Mac systems to process them more easily.
The result is excellent sound quality, but also very high storage space requirements. Another disadvantage of the WAV format is that only rudimentary metadata (artist, album, song title) is available and can be saved.

You don't want to compromise

Do you have a large music collection and want the best possible sound quality without compression?
Then you should choose PCM, WAV or AIFF. Due to the high level of compatibility, the WAV audio format is the safest option.

You want resource-saving hi-res

In the Hi-Res area, DSD, FLAC, ALAC, MQA and WMA are available as audio formats. Since DSD is practically reserved for Super Audio CDs and MQA is still in a niche, the formats are FLAC, ALAC or WMA. The latter, however, is hardly supported any more. If you are not bound to Apple systems, you should therefore rely on FLAC. Otherwise, ALAC is the audio format for you.

Source: https://hifi.de/ratgeber/wav-flac-besten-audioformate-musik-13468

 

Come on Lenny, you may be right but still it's an interesting question. They're not two exclusive things as long you don't overdo it.

 

Many care. Its a legit question.

 

Qobuz (after a 7 sec Google search). It's not in the poll. But it has lossless wav, flac (compressed lossless), AAC, etc.
https://www.soundguys.com/best-streaming-services-17247/

 

Last edited: Jun 6, 2021

@Lenny Belardo II - Do you mind if I steal your literacy and use it as a song title? A very inspiring word that opens up incredible musical possibilities.

 

Last edited by a moderator: Jun 4, 2021

Unfortunately for engineers, music doesn't matter much. They look at music more from signal perspective than musicality's. Even the questions that keep their minds occupied are more about signal alterations.

 

As a side note, neither mastering for CD or LP is suitable for most streaming services, it requires readjustment. While I accept that is the way of the Internet music world digital streaming sites these days, it does scream. Every non-streaming-adjusted CD in lossless format you can download still sounds better.
That said, Soundcloud seems to be consistent if I have to choose lossy(added).
In perspective with engineers, without music there is no use for an audio engineer, other than perhaps outdoor ambient recordings, FX or sample manipulation which musicians can also do. Even then, with a Producer the engineer is a grunt soldier that does what they are told or they get fired. If they are hired by the musicians, the same thing occurs. It is their job to give their client what they want and nothing more. Even in film audio it is the same delegation. Some people will take suggestions, some will not, but they are an employee.
In order for an engineer to run the show, they have to write their own audio or fund the entire project. That's just reality. Even if they own the studio being hired, they still have an obligation to their client and without the client, the music and musicians, they are unemployed.

 

Last edited by a moderator: Jun 4, 2021

Soundcloud has no loudness normalization (turning the volume down), correct. But their streaming quality is shitty 64kbps Opus (for free membership users). Far from lossless.

 

I never indicated ANY of them were I was very clear on that - I said "if I have to choose". (i.e. if I have to choose a streaming site) I clearly stated CD and LP as lossless the sentence before. I would not choose ANY of them - They all are shite and none of them are particularly good. Soundcloud is as good or bad as any of them....and.... people get what they pay for, or do not as the case may be.

EDIT: The terms lossy and lossless are interesting. Anything that changed the original master the artist chose to something else no matter the quality, has lost something, so therefore to me, it is lossy. While not technically correct in audio specs, it is actually correct because the original was changed and is no longer the original.

 

Last edited by a moderator: Jun 4, 2021

Another YouTube alternative

BitChute is a video portal based on the BitTorrent method.
BitChute mainly use video producers whose channels have been deleted or demonetized by established portals such as YouTube.
https://www.bitchute.com/

 

It would be a legit and interesting question if we, as producers had to choose only one streaming service with the best sound quality. But how many Billboard hits are exclusive to Spotify or Amazon? And if you have a hit are you going to deny Apple Music access to its distribution and sales because you don't like their compression algorithms? And let's make the jump to "you have a worldwide smash hit"..... are you going to withdraw it from the worst sounding platform?
So in short, this is a purely academic question. For the audio trainspotters. I can't imagine the equivalent question being posed on a film makers forum asking whether HBO or Netflix has a better compression algorithm. It doesn't matter. What matters is that your film has been picked up by someone and is being aired globally.

 

Last edited by a moderator: Jun 5, 2021