strange sound quality problem

[Blackbrook]

Hi,

I agree with MusicMeister: it seems that it is due to the MP3 encryption and the loss of high(er) frequencies.
Another point I am thinking of is the effects on your Xone:32. There are Low and Hi-Pass filters which are always on as far as I remember, even in centered position. Can you try to route your output from the audio interface straight into the recording input (bypassing the mixer to see if this cures the problem) ?

Cheers,

Steve

[Knite]

I've tried using master wav recordings and it even happens in internal mixing mode (recording inside Cross) bypassing any analogue equipment mixer etc

[MusicMeister]

Try using this file for pink noise.

http://ia700402.us.archive.org/8/items/ ... Noise.flac

It's a FLAC recording of pink noise and it will actually be a slope that runs up to about 23KHz or so.


On the recordings you have there is DEFINITELY a 16KHz LPF in place on the resulting files we see above.

[Knite]

yeah that seems to come through fine with no degradation, as does wav/flac files (i obviously hadnt checked before my bad)

i can only assume it must be the mp3 decoder within Cross? as ive tested other demos of different software and the sound comes through fully, even with altered pitch etc

or could there be other parts of my setup that need to be changed?

good spot, getting closer to finding out whats going on

i play 95% 320kbps mp3s by the way

[Knite]

also i went back to some old PC mixes i did many many years ago on something called pcdj red, splitting stereo signal etc... anyway the highs were fine on them recordings, basic sound card basic software and some of them were even 128kbps mp3s ?!?!?

[MusicMeister]

Mac or PC?

Using Audacity and LAME, export the FLAC file as MP3.

Load the MP3 in Audacity and do the same check and then play it in Cross and record it internally and externally.

Check each of the 3 to see if there is a difference.

In the meantime, I'll convert the FLAC file I posted to MP3 and attempt the same thing here and let you know the results.

[Support@MixVibes]

- disable master tempo
- disable limiter
- don't peak outputs
- pitch @ 0
- record file into Cross from source (Deckj A or B), not from master

[Knite]

merry xmas guys hope you all had a goodun

right first capture is the direct mp3 file encoded from the flac pink noise file within audacity...



next is the recording internally within Cross of the mp3 being played back (recording set to just deck a)



last is the mp3 being routed out to my mixer and back on a line in



this last one i did after the others was the original flac file being played out externally (in Cross) through my mixer to line in

[Support@MixVibes]

Ok, so your issue is that when reproducing an MP3 into Cross you have lost some frequencies beyond 16Khz ?

[sylMV]

Hi Knite,

I investigated a bit, and you're right, the mp3 decoder we're using is cuting frequencies over 16kHz.
This is because most of the mp3 encoders used to get rid of these frequencies and our decoder is a bit old

However, this ain't a real sound quality issue as:
- hardly anybody (if not nobody) can hear these freqs.
- DJ sound systems quality is often too poor for these freqs.
- bass frequencies are often way louder in modern music.

That said, we'll fix the issue in a future update.
And thanx for pointing this out!

Seasons Greetings,