iPod and Home Stereo

Oscar · #1 05-27-2009, 02:08 AM

We finally installed some speakers on the back deck. I have a rack of CDs but a CD player that only loads 5 CDs at a time.

I was thinking of finally biting the bullet and getting an iPod and plugging it into the home stereo system. Then loading the iPod with all of our current CDs plus new stuff. What really hapens here is that the 5 CDs never come out of the player unless we rent a movie.

What is the sound quality of playing mp3s through the main stereo sysem? Would I be severely disapointed? If this works at home I would look at changing my music system in my truck.

banditpowdercoat · #2 05-27-2009, 02:31 AM

Thats all I listen to at home. I have my computer hooked up to the home stereo as well. All my music thats on my computer is on my Ipod. The both sound perfectly fine on the home stereo. Home system is a Yamaha 7.1 surround, with Paradigm speakers all the way around. As long as your not one of them Nutz Audiophiles, you'll be pleased. Seems they can never be pleased LOL I am a stereo enthusiast. I used to compete in car stereo shows years ago, for sound quality, not loudness. There is some M3's that sound a little off, but the are ripped at a low bit rate. I rip all my CD's at 320Kb/s the fastest rate. Takes up a little more space, but its worth it fro quality. I have about 50Gb of music on my Ipod and comp.

Slick Fork · #3 05-27-2009, 02:31 AM

They're both digital music formats so the sound should be exactly the same depending on the quality of the recording. I have an Ipod with the bose sound dock and the quality of the music is fantastic.

I've also got the ipod adapter for both our vehicles, we hardly listen to cd's anymore and if we do it's only because it's one that hasn't made it onto the ipod yet.

Oscar · #4 05-27-2009, 02:38 AM

OK. I am feeling a little warmer and fuzzier about this. Now what about mp3 downloaded from iTunes or Puretracks. Any issues there? I always wondered whether mp3 format was good enough for ear buds but sucked on a decent home system?

Not an audiophile but just do not want to be disapointed with another techy purchase (besides my wife looks at all of this stuff and just rolls her eyes).

banditpowdercoat · #5 05-27-2009, 02:42 AM

Most Itunes and other downloaded music is at 124Kbs I belive. the lower bitrate makes for easier downloads. Now, I tunes itself will rip music into it's format, AAC. I havnt used that yet. I strictly use Windows Media Player ofr ripping my CD's to MP3. In Media Player, go to Options in the upper tabs, then click Rip. in there will be settings on what folders WMP saves the ripped music to, and what fromat, MP3, WMA etc. Stay away from WMA. can only be played on windows media that way.... Damn MS

Any other questions feel free to ask

Oscar · #6 05-27-2009, 02:58 AM

Yeah, I have been using mostly Media Player for manageing my music, in particular ripping from store bought CDs. Is the quality of downloaded CDs, whether mp3 or WMA format the same as store bought?

I have a lot of purchased CDs to rip, which is where I would start first.

BTW: My wife bought us tickets to see the Hip in Penticton this summer. Who thought they would ever come here? Got me focused on updating my Hip collection.

Quote:

Originally Posted by banditpowdercoat

Most Itunes and other downloaded music is at 124Kbs I belive. the lower bitrate makes for easier downloads. Now, I tunes itself will rip music into it's format, AAC. I havnt used that yet. I strictly use Windows Media Player ofr ripping my CD's to MP3. In Media Player, go to Options in the upper tabs, then click Rip. in there will be settings on what folders WMP saves the ripped music to, and what fromat, MP3, WMA etc. Stay away from WMA. can only be played on windows media that way.... Damn MS

Any other questions feel free to ask

mark · #7 05-27-2009, 03:10 AM

works great and really on the deck, nothing wrong with MP3s.

Can get the docking station to keep the iPod charged up or just get a cable with the headphone plug on one end, RCA on the other (probably $10-15).

As for ripping, I just use iTunes. It rips then sorts into artist directories all on it's own. Know a few people who detest iTunes and use Media Monkey for everything.

iPod and computer speakers work well also for just for a quick/simple system. Got computer speakers on all my Radar sites, just plug into the headphone jack of the iPod.

banditpowdercoat · #8 05-27-2009, 03:12 AM

The Hip, cool. Would like to go see them.

No quality difference on downloaded music and music you rip from a CD if the bitrates are the same. A lower bitrate will have lower quality. But 9 times out of 10, you will never notice. Sometimes you can hear it in the highs. The cymbals and such are not as crisp.

lastlight · #9 05-27-2009, 03:16 AM

I personally love 192kbps AAC. Sounds exactly like a CD to my ears. I always found 320kbps took up way too much space and sounded somehow tinny to my ears. My collection hovers around 300gigs now. Sold all my CDs to help fund my new tank!

mark · #10 05-27-2009, 03:22 AM

sort of relates so not really a highjack but what do people use for artwork?

Had been using tunesleeves (freeware) for years but recently reinstalled my OS and when I went to get tunesleeves again found now has limited downloads. Liked it as it worked with iTunes, searched then dropped in the artwork automatically.