Topic: mp3 vs fm stereo

[docsialu]

hi guys, good day, just like to know which one would have a higher music quality, listening to fm stereo from a local music station or one from an mp3 player, tnx

[av_phile1]

IMO, I'd prefer an MP3 player playing MP3 files maxed out or encoded at or close to 320kbs.  For most musical materials, you'd be hard pressed to distinguish them with CD's using earphones on portable iPods or players.  FM inherently has more background noise and will be apparent with mediocre FM tuners.  And I would bet portable FM tuners would not meet the specs of a stand-alone audiophile-grade FM tuners.  The downside with MP3 is that you'd need lots of storage space as each pop tune encoded at 320kbps could easily eat around 5-6mb.  With FM listening, you won't. 

[barrid]

was just wondering if we would distinguish the difference between  music encoded on 128 and 320 kbs on a noisy environment  [in the street, riding PUV]?

[av_phile1]

was just wondering if we would distinguish the difference between  music encoded on 128 and 320 kbs on a noisy environment  [in the street, riding PUV]?

There's a really good chance you won't.  With the quality of headphones, portable players and the bandwidth-constricted files, it may not matter much.  But just the same, I prefer encoding MP3s at their highest possible bitrates.   After putting some wav files into mp3s and squeezing them to fit as a ringtones on memory-challenged cellphones, I've heard on my PC how the noise floor rises getting to lower bitrates.   Going from wav to mp3 is already enough compromise on quality.  I don't see the need to go any further down.   Unless, ofcourse, I want to squeeze in as many files as I have to on a limited storage device.  But that's just me.

[docsialu]

good day sir, but then again most mp3 i see are encoded in 128 bits only, would this still beat fm radio?

[rascal101]

On entry level audio systems MP3s and CDs do sound alike. Very hard to distinguish. Unless you have a good FM tuner it would be difficult to match MP3s (even encoded with 128bits).

[odyopayl]

good day sir, but then again most mp3 i see are encoded in 128 bits only, would this still beat fm radio?

My opinion, MP3 player still the better choice (I might say advantage). First, FM is a radio transmission, there are a lot of factors for distortion (e.g. weak signals, location etch). FM signals depends on how good is your receiver for a real stereo sound poor multiplexers.
MP3 player if you have a large storage you can store your favorite song and can play it again & again in a discrete signal unlike fm signal you have to wait for the DJ (wait....i'm out of topic).

Listen to a good MP3 player lets say iPOD you will be surprise with  the sound no matter how much the encoded bits.

(BTW, I'm talking about portable system.  Using sophistacated tuners & system is another story.)

[gearhead]

you'd be surprised to know how many radio stations (fm/am) right now plays ripped mp3 (or some other form of proprietary lossless/compressed digital music file) material in their programs. automation is much simpler using these formats than, say LP or CD. music tape and LP have gone the way of the dodo in radio production environment, except perhaps for tape used for on-air recording.

[vapo_chill]

you'd be surprised to know how many radio stations (fm/am) right now plays ripped mp3 (or some other form of proprietary lossless/compressed digital music file) material in their programs. automation is much simpler using these formats than, say LP or CD. music tape and LP have gone the way of the dodo in radio production environment, except perhaps for tape used for on-air recording.

Good point.

There is a difference between broadcasted FM music and MP3, FM stations use compressors to minimize or "narrow" down the musical spectrum (hehe, kakaibang terM) to help transistor radios.

but the things is, when you listen to FM radio, you have a feeling of being connected to the outside world, no silence in between tracks.

[audiojunkie]

high bitrate MP3 music could not be matched with FM sound unless the source of mp3 tracks were ripped from mono or low quality media.