CD vs. CR-R...

[PeruvianSkies]

Tonight I did a thorough comparison between these three discs:

David Crowder's SUNSET & SUSHI Redbook CD
CD-R burned w/ iTunes using WAV settings via Powerbook
CD-R using 7:1 tower CD/DVD burner 48X

All three were compared using the first 3 tracks on my main system w/ both digital and analogue outs tested.

The results:

The CD-R burned using a tower is about as identical as it gets. The volume was identical, the bass was similar, and I couldn't really detect much difference. In a blind test it would be hard to determine which is which.

The CD-R burned on my Laptop was again...vastly different with the volume being 3x softer and the bass was lacking as well as the overall fidelity. It didn't have any energy to it.

Unless I am still not using the correct settings, I am pretty convinced that it will be impossible to get an exact copy on my laptop like I can with an external device like the tower.

[Troy]

Unless I am still not using the correct settings, I am pretty convinced that it will be impossible to get an exact copy on my laptop like I can with an external device like the tower.

You must be using the incorrect settings cuz no one else that I know that uses iTunes has this problem.

[PeruvianSkies]

You must be using the incorrect settings cuz no one else that I know that uses iTunes has this problem.

Do you think it has to do with having the 'sound check' box checked??? Could it be decreasing the volume?

[Slosh]

Do you think it has to do with having the 'sound check' box checked??? Could it be decreasing the volume?

Yes, that's your problem. Sound Check attempts to make all of your rips have the same average level; in other words, compresses dynamic range.

My daughter uses iTunes and rips all of her music in Apple Lossless and I can confirm all of her mix CDs she makes with iTunes are bit-perfect to the original. She's using the most up to date version of iTunes, FWIW. Her settings:
- Disc Format: Audio CD
- Preferred Speed: 16x
- Gap Between Songs: None
- Use Sound Check: unchecked
- Include CD Text: checked
- MP3 CD: unchecked
- Data CD: unchecked

edit: I forgot to add if you ripped with the Sound Check box checked you'll have to re-rip again, as your files are not bit-perfect. Also I disagree with Troy in that there is no reason not to opt for Apple Lossless over AIFF or .wav. You'll save about 40% HDD space with no loss of fidelity, plus the meta tag data will be in the m4A files themselves, as opposed to the xml library that potentially can become corrupted.

You're not related to TLADINY are you?

[bobsticks]

You're not related to TLADINY are you?

ouch.

[PeruvianSkies]

ouch.

I'd like to think of myself as fairly computer savvy and I am very familiar with Macs, but the problem with iTunes and such is that they don't really explain much to you or really tell you the best ways to operate it. If it did...I wouldn't have to ask so many questions.

[Slosh]

Hey PSkies, I'm assuming you know this but in case not, that was just a little joke. Sorry if you took it otherwise.

[Jim Clark]

Hey PSkies, I'm assuming you know this but in case not, that was just a little joke. Sorry if you took it otherwise.

Odd thing is, I was actually starting to wonder the same thing although I"m not pointing any fingers : )

Did a little search on Blade Runner and the first thread I find has someone pointing out to Peruvian Skies that Lexmark/TLADINY's favorite movie was Blade Runner. Weird, huh?

I'm just saying...that I'm not saying nutin'.

jc