Ensuring the Best Quality of Music

[ChasingPluto]

I'm going to preface with with the fact that I'm probably one of the farthest things from an audiophile but I can appreciate good music. Back around Black Friday I purchased the Sennheiser HD598s. I use a MacBook Pro (Mid 2012) for my general media consumption. While I know I don't need an amp, what I should be doing to ensure that I'm getting the highest quality of audio? I guess its worth noting I get my music primarily in disc form with the second most frequent being iTunes and lastly Google Play.

[Laputacake]

Use ".flac" files

[SirRoderick]

MAke sure your sound files are high quality. I would go for 320kbps MP3s generally, FLACS if you don't need storage space

[DeViLzzz]

If you listen to this all the time it will ensure you are listening to the best quality of music out there and ever known to mankind.

[Sauron]

320kb/s 48khz mp3s are already of a higher quality than you can actually perceive ^^ flac (or in general, lossless) files are only truly useful to audio editors.

[Guest]

If you listen to this all the time it will ensure you are listening to the best quality of music out there and ever known to mankind.

 

[ShearMe]

Good music and good mastering trumps anything you can change on your end.

[IMPERIUS]

If you listen to this all the time it will ensure you are listening to the best quality of music out there and ever known to mankind.

 

From where is that clip? LOLZ

[DeViLzzz]

From where is that clip? LOLZ

It is from Uranus.

[UselessBread]

Use ".flac" files

Since he is using iTunes he would actually need to use ".alac" files, as there is still no flac support in itunes.

[DigitalHermit]

At least 192kbps mp3 files or losless (.flac)... (at least for me)

 

fine-tune your EQ settings... save as many profiles as you need for this one...

[ChasingPluto]

I may have gotten lost in other threads but thanks a ton guys!

[Laputacake]

Since he is using iTunes he would actually need to use ".alac" files, as there is still no flac support in itunes.

Yeah, that ^

[theodoro]

I don't usually say people "you can't hear the differenct between FLAC & Mp3".
Some people can do it and they know it. Just try it for your self. Just do an ABX test and see if you can pass the test. If you passed it, think how hard was it for you to pick up the differences and deside if the much larger file (.FLAC) is worth it. 

Also, I heard that Macs have good sound cards so... that's pretty much it for you. If you want better audio just upgrade your headphones or speakers. 

But always remember: If you can't hear the difference between audio sources and audio equipment, you don't need them. (at least for now )

[Paralectic]

Use ".flac" files

Nah.

All placebo mate

[SSL]

I don't usually say people "you can't hear the differenct between FLAC & Mp3".

Some people can do it and they know it. Just try it for your self. Just do an ABX test and see if you can pass the test. If you passed it, think how hard was it for you to pick up the differences and deside if the much larger file (.FLAC) is worth it. 

Also, I heard that Macs have good sound cards so... that's pretty much it for you. If you want better audio just upgrade your headphones or speakers. 

But always remember: If you can't hear the difference between audio sources and audio equipment, you don't need them. (at least for now )

 

Even for those that can hear the difference, the difference is so small as to contribute very little to the music listening experience.

[theodoro]

Even for those that can hear the difference, the difference is so small as to contribute very little to the music listening experience.

Yes, indeed. They have hard time compairing two songs even with the ABX testing, which allows you to switch songs back and forth easily. 

It's very hard to just listen to one song and understand if it's Mp3 or FLAC. I personally can't, but some people can find flaws in Mp3s. 

[Pomfinator]

Since he is using iTunes he would actually need to use ".alac" files, as there is still no flac support in itunes.

Misleading, he should be using ALAC, but ALAC is held in m4a just like AAC is. Just say FLAC or ALAC. The file extension is sometimes misleading like using OGG when you mean Vorbis, since it can also hold Opus and Theora video.