Bad Audio Quality on iTunes & Audible

Posted: Jan 08, 2009 @ 4:08AM 18 replies

Dear FDO and fellow Junkies a grave situaion has come to my attention.

Firstly Scott I wish your wife a swift and complete recovery, mine and my family's thoughts are with you.

Yesterday I downloaded Contagious from the UK iTunes store. I am currently in rural Italy on holiday and was really excited to get home and start listening to the whole story! However, I was massively disappointed at the sound quality, it is simply awful compared to what we always have from our FDO. Scott, this is not good, you spend so much time making these stories sound great for us and these guys have ruined it! Your mobile rig quality is 10 times better than this! So 24 hours later I have returned to my local internet cafe to download Contagious from Audible. Unfortunately the quality is not much better than that of iTunes. Scott, what can I do? I assume if I buy the audio CD I'll get full quality? I'm gonna ask for a refund from Apple & Audible cos it simply aint good enough. Scott it not your fault, I simply expected the quality to be the same as always.

Laters Junkies

SynapticJam

Re: Bad Audio Quality on iTunes & Audible

Posted: Jan 08, 2009 @ 6:08AM

But the quality seemed fine to me... Other Junkies can speak up, but I didn't notice a problem... Maybe it's just you. Maybe the dreaded Hutchinnnsssss had Kilroy write a piece of code to jack up your audio feeds... Just a thought.

SynapticJam on Toast - hhhmmm... tastes like chicken (aka PUVJK) #3 in crack hits (Special? Ain't I just)

S.H.I.T. Award Recipient and all-around uberjunkie!

hhhmmm... SynapticJam on Toast - hhhmmm... tastes like chicken (aka PUVJK) #? in crack hits (Special? Ain't I just) Multiple S.H.I.T. Award Recipient! Double Dipper and Triple Threat! All-around uberjunkie!

momma_dee

Re: Bad Audio Quality on iTunes & Audible

Posted: Jan 08, 2009 @ 9:24AM

What do you have(player)? What O.S.are you using How are the other files on your device playing.Have you ever downloaded files from Audible before? Don't Start Nothin' Won't Be Nothin'

Don't Start Nothin' Won't Be Nothin'

Scott

Re: Bad Audio Quality on iTunes & Audible

Posted: Jan 08, 2009 @ 9:54AM

This could be an issue with the format conflicting with your device. I agree, my rigs sound better than the recording quality, however, it still sounds pretty good, so that tells me there could be some kind of conflict. Can you describe the sound quality? Maybe I can figure out the problem. iTunes/Audible may have downsampled the tracks, making them smaller size, and that could mess things up. My podcast version is taken right from the audio CDs, so I don't know that they would help you.

MuchAdo

Re: Bad Audio Quality on iTunes & Audible

Posted: Jan 08, 2009 @ 10:41AM

But believe me I ain't starting nothin' cause I don't want there to be nothin'.

"Well. I'll tell you what. You gonna kick it with me. Or I'm gonna kick you out. What you think of that?" Sister Mary Clarence

Proud member of Girlco and friend of GirlCo's official mascot

MuchAdo

Re: Bad Audio Quality on iTunes & Audible

Posted: Jan 08, 2009 @ 10:41AM

But believe me I ain't starting nothin' cause I don't want there to be nothin'.

"Well. I'll tell you what. You gonna kick it with me. Or I'm gonna kick you out. What you think of that?" Sister Mary Clarence

Proud member of Girlco and friend of GirlCo's official mascot

MuchAdo

Re: Bad Audio Quality on iTunes & Audible

Posted: Jan 08, 2009 @ 10:43AM

did you get very far? Tell me more, tell me more like does he have a car?" What movie do these words come from?

"Well. I'll tell you what. You gonna kick it with me. Or I'm gonna kick you out. What you think of that?" Sister Mary Clarence

Proud member of Girlco and friend of GirlCo's official mascot

Wolf

Re: Bad Audio Quality on iTunes & Audible

Posted: Jan 08, 2009 @ 11:01AM

"Grease"

WOOF, WOOF

MuchAdo

Re: Bad Audio Quality on iTunes & Audible

Posted: Jan 08, 2009 @ 11:17AM

Translated that means Yes, Yes!!!!!!!

"Well. I'll tell you what. You gonna kick it with me. Or I'm gonna kick you out. What you think of that?" Sister Mary Clarence

Proud member of Girlco and friend of GirlCo's official mascot

Wolf

Re: Bad Audio Quality on iTunes & Audible

Posted: Jan 08, 2009 @ 11:22AM

I speak fluent doggie. Almost all breeds, at that!

WOOF, WOOF

momma_dee

Re: Bad Audio Quality on iTunes & Audible

Posted: Jan 09, 2009 @ 1:10AM

However since he has downloaded files from 2 different places & the files are not playing right tells me it could be his device & not the files themselves. I troubleshoot MP3 players for my friends & load their players. Alot of them have the F.D.O. on them now. But if he is using an Ipod I can tell you I don't really fool with them since you can only download from one computer. I think that sucks

so I never recommend anyone that wants me to upload their device to buy one those Don't Start Nothin' Won't Be Nothin'

Don't Start Nothin' Won't Be Nothin'

MuchAdo

Re: Bad Audio Quality on iTunes & Audible

Posted: Jan 09, 2009 @ 5:45AM

It sounded as though it was a device problem or an earphones problem to me as well!!!! I was just funning you as you sound just like a scientist!!!!!! Asking lots of questions is exactly the way to get an answer!!!!!!! I do have an iPod and hate that you can only sync to one computer at a time. That means I have to either sync at work or home but not both!

"Well. I'll tell you what. You gonna kick it with me. Or I'm gonna kick you out. What you think of that?" Sister Mary Clarence

Proud member of Girlco and friend of GirlCo's official mascot

Muffers

Re: Bad Audio Quality on iTunes & Audible

Posted: Jan 09, 2009 @ 6:15AM

Hi Guys,

Ok so, I use a Mac (naturally as it is the choice of our FDO) and an iPhone. I have downloaded many files from iTunes and Audible before without any issues. I also suspect it is to do with down sampling. I can notice the difference between the podcasts and this audiobook. I wouldn't think it i has anything to do with my iPhone as everything else on it is fine and the same audio difference are obvious on my Mac. Judging by all your theories is sounds to me like they just compressed it to much for my liking! To answer your question Scott the sound is much 'tinnier' and nowhere near a rich as your podcasts. I am a video editor by trade and I think that it's simply a case of I have sensitive ears and I can tell the difference.

I assume FDO then that I need to purchase a CD? I live in the uk so what's the best way for me to do that?

Thanks

Scott

Re: Bad Audio Quality on iTunes & Audible

Posted: Jan 09, 2009 @ 9:05AM

Sorry for your troubles, but I totally understand the thing about sensitive ears. I'm not an expert by any means, but after four years of this stuff, I can tell the difference between rigs. For example, I asked Junkies to tell me about the sound of my "road rig," which sounded drastically different to me than my "home rig," but most Junkies couldn't tell the difference.

Buy the CD from Borderlands (info@borderlands-books.com). They will take care of you and ship it right to you. You can even have me autograph it there if you like.

momma_dee

Re: Bad Audio Quality on iTunes & Audible

Posted: Jan 09, 2009 @ 9:29AM

I don't have one & my daughter sold hers because of it. I have mostly Creative devices. Don't Start Nothin' Won't Be Nothin'

Don't Start Nothin' Won't Be Nothin'

Parp555

Re: Bad Audio Quality on iTunes & Audible

Posted: Jan 09, 2009 @ 9:38AM

I am the son of an audio dealer in a family of musicians. I am very sensitive to changes in pitch, even though I can't control my own when singing for crap.

-The OSU vs. Michigan game. 800 years of tradition and the rivalry is still strong as ever

Muffers

Re: Bad Audio Quality on iTunes & Audible

Posted: Jan 09, 2009 @ 10:39AM

No sweat, thanks for replying so swiftly. That would be great if you could sign it! I'll buy a book too at the same time if you're up to signing that too? I'll leave it up to you to send me special FDO message.

Thanks a million, I'll e-mail you directly once I have ordered the stuff.

Cheers.

Samjack

Re: Bad Audio Quality on iTunes & Audible

Posted: Jan 11, 2009 @ 2:17PM

You are not wrong in noticing the quality of the audio is lower on itunes and audible. The reason is that itunes books come from audible. The reason they are worse on audible than the podcast or cd is that the top audible quality file is recorded at bit rate 32kbps and sample rate 22.050kHz.

Our beloved FDO publishes his podcasts at CD quality. CD Quality is bit rate 128kbps and sample rate 44.100 kHz.

So there you go. That is why it sounds compressed/tinny etc from itunes and audible.