i tested for myself many different tracks, qualities and sources. what i found out is: The only tracks that reaches consitantly 22kH are tracks that i digitaly recorded from my orginal vinyl. Even CD rips are often below 22kH. Some CD rips are just reach 19 kH. I think it has also a lot to do what they mastered and recorded for the original track files. probably original files may do not have high frequencies up to 22 kH or the mastering studio cut them already for the master tapes off. the quality of FLAC from sources like 7digital often doesn't reach 22kH. mostly they just reach about 19kH. so it still leaves many questionmarks. the only trusted sources are vinyl rips. but there you have light divergent running smothesses from the turntable and of course BACKGROUND noise or even pops wich kills the quality of the music on another level.
nice video. Wasn't too sure how to read and understand spek. Wasn't sure what cut offs were and why my files weren't going passed the 20khz mark. But now a much better understanding. Thank You.
I came out with this conclusion too: So, if the artist did encode the master file at a lower bitrate, there's no file that will reach 22 Hz. So for example, the track from Aphex Twin called Alberto Balsalm seems to be one such case. All of the Flac files I've found cut at 16 Hz. That tells me that when AFX encoded this track, he did at a lower bitrate for some reason, and no track in the world will hit above 16 KHz. That doesn't mean that someone re encoded a 128 kbps mp3 to Flac, it just means that unfortunately the master file is of a lower quality.
How do I create a mass IMAGE snapshot of my 7300 MP3 collection in one folder, rather than manually dragging each file then saving the Spek image? There must be an automated way of doing this?
Unfortunately I don't know that, but if you do find a way, and if you remember please share it with me! I do it as I download tracks that aren't coming from a verified source, mostly bootlegs and what not so
you can get away with more on a large sound system most of the time. a fine tuned large system (which most are not) might highlight quality loss, but when the system is loud many of the imperfections are drowned out versus a flat headphone or studio setup
Hey man, that's a great video, very useful thank you very much! I have an issue that I don't know where's originated from: basically I always try to download flacs and then convert it to mp3, so when I check the flac the graph is great and it's usually between 20khz and 22 or more khz, but when i convert that same flac to a 320kbs mp3, the graph often gets much worst and the files rarely reach 20hz, they're usually between 16 and 19. Do you think that's a problem coming from the converter? Or it could be something else? As a converter I'm using mediahuman audio converter. Thanks in advance and keep the great work up!
So what if a track doesn't hit a certain frequency, is there a cutoff in the kHz too? Like some of my tracks have like some cutoff at 16kHz but the track is alot of bass.
if the track doesnt hit the frequency range its supposed to, it can mean several things, but the jist is that the track may not actually be the bitrate its encoded as; a lower bitrate file thats been converted to a higher one, or the track was not properly mastered.
I did a bunch of tests here and everything checks out with your findinds, except for a weird case. I have a bunch of 320 mp3 from an album that goes up to 22 Khz. How is that even possible?
From ChatGPT: The ability of an MP3 file to reach 22 kHz, even though the cutoff is typically lower for MP3s at a bitrate of 320 kbps, is due to several factors related to the encoding process and the characteristics of the MP3 format itself. Sampling Rate: MP3 files are typically sampled at 44.1 kHz or higher. The Nyquist theorem states that the highest frequency that can be accurately reproduced is half the sampling rate. Therefore, a 44.1 kHz sample rate can theoretically reproduce frequencies up to 22.05 kHz. The MP3 format can store these frequencies, but whether they are present after encoding depends on other factors. Encoding Process: During encoding, the MP3 codec applies various compression techniques, including psychoacoustic modeling, which removes sounds deemed inaudible or less important to human perception. While lower bitrates aggressively cut high frequencies to save space, higher bitrates like 320 kbps retain more of the original audio spectrum. Bitrate and Quality: At 320 kbps, the MP3 codec aims to preserve as much of the original audio quality as possible. This includes retaining higher frequencies. Although some encoding algorithms might apply a low-pass filter to cut off frequencies above a certain threshold (often around 20 kHz), it's possible for some frequencies slightly above this to still be present, especially if the filter is not absolute.
unfortunately not, any altering of the track will just further compress the track, and as far as i know it would need to be remastered at a stem level. but most systems and most people wont hear a difference, and if its noticeable to you then you could always just buy the track again or if its a smaller artist contact them directly.
Thanks for making this! Are there any specific differences that SPEK is showing us in the blue/green areas? Some of my tracks seem to cap out at like 16HZ, but have the blue streaks going way up high to 20HZ, sort of like the song you loaded at :55. Not sure what to make of those ones.
Great video, thanks for this! One note, your mic is sideways when you're using it in this video. Next time you should rotate it 90 degrees for the best sound quality!
Are you talking about the message that Apple won't launch it because it can't confirm the publisher? If so, you go into system settings -> Security and say launch anyway.
unfortunately theres no way to check an entire library that i know of. chatgpt might be able to write a script, but its easiest for me to just scan every song as you download it
i tested for myself many different tracks, qualities and sources. what i found out is: The only tracks that reaches consitantly 22kH are tracks that i digitaly recorded from my orginal vinyl. Even CD rips are often below 22kH. Some CD rips are just reach 19 kH. I think it has also a lot to do what they mastered and recorded for the original track files. probably original files may do not have high frequencies up to 22 kH or the mastering studio cut them already for the master tapes off.
the quality of FLAC from sources like 7digital often doesn't reach 22kH. mostly they just reach about 19kH.
so it still leaves many questionmarks. the only trusted sources are vinyl rips. but there you have light divergent running smothesses from the turntable and of course BACKGROUND noise or even pops wich kills the quality of the music on another level.
great point, im going to pin this
nice video. Wasn't too sure how to read and understand spek. Wasn't sure what cut offs were and why my files weren't going passed the 20khz mark. But now a much better understanding. Thank You.
NICE VID MAN REALLY APPRECIATE THIS KIND OF CONTENT
Great little video, thanks for this. It helps.
Great tool and great explanation for using it!
Pobrałem utwór z YT pasmo ucina na 20KHZ tyle że nie 44.1 a 48 jak to możliwe przecież YT nie oferuje jakości MP3 320kb/s... Czyli to jest fausz??
I came out with this conclusion too: So, if the artist did encode the master file at a lower bitrate, there's no file that will reach 22 Hz.
So for example, the track from Aphex Twin called Alberto Balsalm seems to be one such case. All of the Flac files I've found cut at 16 Hz. That tells me that when AFX encoded this track, he did at a lower bitrate for some reason, and no track in the world will hit above 16 KHz. That doesn't mean that someone re encoded a 128 kbps mp3 to Flac, it just means that unfortunately the master file is of a lower quality.
How do I create a mass IMAGE snapshot of my 7300 MP3 collection in one folder, rather than manually dragging each file then saving the Spek image? There must be an automated way of doing this?
Unfortunately I don't know that, but if you do find a way, and if you remember please share it with me! I do it as I download tracks that aren't coming from a verified source, mostly bootlegs and what not so
@@cuttinrugs I found an app that can do it! the only problem it takes ages based on a 1092x768 PNG resolution save at 1.5 Mb per file
@@Red-Red-Red-Red can u name the app please?
@@Velo.kavousi What is this app called?
What is the ''DB'' is lower on one mp3 versus another? Does that affect it on the large soundsystem?
you can get away with more on a large sound system most of the time. a fine tuned large system (which most are not) might highlight quality loss, but when the system is loud many of the imperfections are drowned out versus a flat headphone or studio setup
Hey man, that's a great video, very useful thank you very much! I have an issue that I don't know where's originated from: basically I always try to download flacs and then convert it to mp3, so when I check the flac the graph is great and it's usually between 20khz and 22 or more khz, but when i convert that same flac to a 320kbs mp3, the graph often gets much worst and the files rarely reach 20hz, they're usually between 16 and 19. Do you think that's a problem coming from the converter? Or it could be something else? As a converter I'm using mediahuman audio converter. Thanks in advance and keep the great work up!
any conversion you do will compress the track. you should try to get the track in the bitrate that you'll keep it in
So what if a track doesn't hit a certain frequency, is there a cutoff in the kHz too? Like some of my tracks have like some cutoff at 16kHz but the track is alot of bass.
if the track doesnt hit the frequency range its supposed to, it can mean several things, but the jist is that the track may not actually be the bitrate its encoded as; a lower bitrate file thats been converted to a higher one, or the track was not properly mastered.
@@cuttinrugs Thank you. I got some tracks from beatport and they don't hit the frequency they supposed to. So probably not mastered properly.
I did a bunch of tests here and everything checks out with your findinds, except for a weird case. I have a bunch of 320 mp3 from an album that goes up to 22 Khz. How is that even possible?
From ChatGPT:
The ability of an MP3 file to reach 22 kHz, even though the cutoff is typically lower for MP3s at a bitrate of 320 kbps, is due to several factors related to the encoding process and the characteristics of the MP3 format itself.
Sampling Rate: MP3 files are typically sampled at 44.1 kHz or higher. The Nyquist theorem states that the highest frequency that can be accurately reproduced is half the sampling rate. Therefore, a 44.1 kHz sample rate can theoretically reproduce frequencies up to 22.05 kHz. The MP3 format can store these frequencies, but whether they are present after encoding depends on other factors.
Encoding Process: During encoding, the MP3 codec applies various compression techniques, including psychoacoustic modeling, which removes sounds deemed inaudible or less important to human perception. While lower bitrates aggressively cut high frequencies to save space, higher bitrates like 320 kbps retain more of the original audio spectrum.
Bitrate and Quality: At 320 kbps, the MP3 codec aims to preserve as much of the original audio quality as possible. This includes retaining higher frequencies. Although some encoding algorithms might apply a low-pass filter to cut off frequencies above a certain threshold (often around 20 kHz), it's possible for some frequencies slightly above this to still be present, especially if the filter is not absolute.
@@cuttinrugs Interesting. Thanks. I have another info but I'll creat a new post instead of a reaply so more can read it.
Helped a lot, thanks. Some of my aiff files aren't true, is there a way to possible make them true w/ an independent system?
unfortunately not, any altering of the track will just further compress the track, and as far as i know it would need to be remastered at a stem level. but most systems and most people wont hear a difference, and if its noticeable to you then you could always just buy the track again or if its a smaller artist contact them directly.
@@cuttinrugsor split the stems and clean them up and remaster....
Thanks for making this! Are there any specific differences that SPEK is showing us in the blue/green areas? Some of my tracks seem to cap out at like 16HZ, but have the blue streaks going way up high to 20HZ, sort of like the song you loaded at :55. Not sure what to make of those ones.
Those comefrom re-encording a lower bitrate file to a higher bitrate and the software adds whitenoise to make it so
The streaks are clipping
@@djdashkenya Thx!
Great video, thanks for this! One note, your mic is sideways when you're using it in this video. Next time you should rotate it 90 degrees for the best sound quality!
thanks for the tip! : )
Great video brother
What's the colors that called dB meaning ? I still don't understand (Blue, Green) Thanks
It basically means that the sounds with higher frequencies are less loud than the ones with lower frequencies
@@heuteleidernicht9237 Thanks!!! So the colors are not about the quality.
i can finally see if my plates are real
Cant figure out the mac download. says not available wit new update
Are you talking about the message that Apple won't launch it because it can't confirm the publisher? If so, you go into system settings -> Security and say launch anyway.
By the way, MP3 (LAME) Encoder is transparent at 192KB/s and higher.
and that colors?
An you batch check your entire library ?
unfortunately theres no way to check an entire library that i know of. chatgpt might be able to write a script, but its easiest for me to just scan every song as you download it
Thanks!
hmmmm interesting. This spek seems like a really useful tool for quickly gauging the quality of music
What is the cut off for .aiff files?
Aiff has no cut off. It's lossless
THank you for htis, I love my music now, knowing htat they are not illegitamate heh
Helpful!