Bitrate vs Venue Size

[Tide]

I've looked around for answers regarding this, and I am aware of a few things, particularly:

- higher bit rate (from original source) is always better

- equipment will generally dictate how the bit rate needs to be

- re-encoding low bit rates to higher bit rates won't increase quality

Although, I've never seen anything regarding venue size. Since bit rate mainly becomes noticeable as you start playing louder and louder. Roughly what bit rate is good for what size venue? e.g varying from house parties, to basketball sized areas and up.

Kinda just wondered this since iTunes sells things at 256kbps and have heard, through word of mouth, that there are people who go lower than that.

On a side note, I've heard various things about raising bit rates to higher qualities different things depending on who I asked (e.g nothing, makes it handle better on louder systems)?

Thanks!

[eggssell]

cant answer the different in venue size question but i do know when you compare itunes bitrates to other bitrates its not apples for apples. prior to the latest bit rate itunes was inferior but i thought their current ones are equivalent despjye having a lower number.

people like craze buy tunes from itunes and play bigg massive fests.

but dependent on genre id stick to juno. cheaper and better to boot. but of course if you looking for hip hop or pop or rock then yeah options are limited in aus. as usual

[lloydc]

itunes is 256kbps aac, not mp3.

however, it sounds the same as 320kbps MP3s

I remember reading that laid back luke says that 256 mp3 is fine for big systems. I tend to believe him

[Tide]

I guess a better phrasing of what I'm looking for is "What is the lowest bit rate that would still be appropriate for venue size of say, a venue like ..." Though, I'm not sure that's much better.

@eggssell

Thanks for the info so far. I'm thinking hardstyle/hardcore/Europop-y stuff/dubstep at the moment. I'll look into Juno as a source, thanks.

@lloydc

So 256kbps aac is approximately good enough for 320kbps mp3? Cool, that'll be nifty to know, thanks.

[lloydc]

in my experience, they sound roughly the same (quality wise).... some will argue, but test it for yourself. compare a track off beatport(320kbps mp3) and a track from itunes (256kbps aac), but generally any track is only as good as it's production.

but in answer to your original question, I rip all my albums at 192kbps and have zero problems playing them at house partys of 50+ people

The lowest I have played on a bigger sound system at a venue is 256kbps (mp3), but generally I would only opt to use 320kbps whilst playing out.

hope that makes sense

[SourceRaver]

128 - Headphones

192 - Medium sized venue (house party etc)

320 - Clubs and large venues

But if your looking to go pro, aim to source the highest bitrate possible as it will be suitabel for all venues.

(...to be honest ,most punters wont notice the difference anyway)

[DJAdumbration]

With MP3's, they will all sound pretty much the same. What you will be missing is, primarily, the very low level bass that you 'feel' more than hear you also lose the very high frequencies). This is the bass that makes your whole body vibrate. Compressed audio formats remove these frequencies to save on space as you can't hear them. But, play the same track compressed and uncompressed in a big-assed club system and you will feel the difference. This could make the difference between a great set and an average set.

[johnyboy]

I wouldnt go anything lower than 320kbps, but would reccomend wav all day long ,The conisseur of sound will always be able to tell the difference between wav and compressed sound

[Tide]

@lloydc

Thanks for the little bit more.

@SourceRaver

Pretty much summed up exactly what I was looking for, which was pretty awesome. Thanks!

@DJAdumbration

That's intriguing. What would be a good place to buy audio files for hardstyle/hardcore in any of these "ground shaking frequency" inclusive formats, and what formats would they be?

[Tomy]

itunes encoding is different to the PC 320kbps they claim their 256kbps is just as good.

always play tunes at 320kbps or .wav then you'll never have to worry.

[DJAdumbration]

You really want uncompressed, so that means WAV format. Beatport does sell them but you pay extra Dance Music Hub I'm not sure about, but they don't have a great selection of hardcore/hardstyle music - at least the last time I looked (I mix hard dance as well...)

[SolDios]

You really want uncompressed, so that means WAV format. Beatport does sell them but you pay extra Dance Music Hub I'm not sure about, but they don't have a great selection of hardcore/hardstyle music - at least the last time I looked (I mix hard dance as well...)

thats why I keep all my music in WAVE format, I only lose like 0.03% quality.

[Jaz]

Wave Format?

[dim]

good posts here but it's worth mentioning:

there is less difference between all the mp3, aac formats etc if they are played directly from software, i.e. traktor/serrato etc.

if you are burning them to cds and playing them they will suffer much more as this is converting an mp3 back to .wav

.wav is the way fwd, but it's very true: most punters wont notice the difference. If you are playing mp3/aac and are feeling something lacking you can up your gain (sometimes called trim), or use your eq to boost the bass and treble and cut out some of the mid. It wont restore the original but it may help you craft your own overall "sound."

I use any bit rate anytime coz you never know what will work until you've tried it. If it isnt working for the crowd I change it, simples.