Answered

iTunes download - poor quality audio playback

  • 30 April 2023
  • 8 replies
  • 108 views
M
Badge +2

A strange one - perhaps?

I bought a used CD from Ebay recently - but when downloaded on iTunes and transferred to Sonos system the audio playback was poor quality.

So I cleaned the disc with Isopropyl alcohol and tried again - same poor sound.

I then acquired a second copy of the same CD from a different seller and repeated the download etc. - same result.

The chances of both discs being iffy must be slim I would have thought ?

When played on my “boom box” retreived from a cupboard the album reproduction was fine.

Any thoughts ?

 

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Best answer by jgatie 30 April 2023, 23:58

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8 replies

J
Userlevel 3
Badge +1

Surely iTunes music (as opposed to Apple Music) isn’t CD quality?  

J

Please can you explain what you mean by "downloaded on iTunes and transferred to Sonos system" means?

Does it mean "ripped to a lossless CD-quality file and added to my Sonos Music Library "?

M
Badge +2

Yes John B.

106rallye
Userlevel 7
Badge +17

What if you play the CD on your computer? Does it sound as bad then? What setting did you use ripping the CD?

M
Badge +2

Yes, audio on the laptop is also sub standard.

Used the AAC Encoder, 128 kbps for import on iTunes.

jgatie

128 kbps is pretty low.  Standard iTunes lossy is double that.  Lossless is 10 times that. Try AAC at 256 or 384.

M
Badge +2

OK, thanks - I’ll try that in the morning.

M
Badge +2

I tried different import settings - same poor quality.

Then found a CD that wasn’t in my iTunes library - it ripped no problem and the audio quality via Sonos is fine.

Logical conclusion is that both copies of the other disc in question are faulty - will return for replacement.

Thanks all for help, appreciated.

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