Audio quality questions

New to iTunes here. I think I'm settling in on using AAC at 256 kbs, VBR On as my default import mode for CDs onto my PowerBook HD as a decent compromise between quality/size. But I don't know what the difference is regarding the sample rate options of 44.1 vs 48 kHz. Right now I've got it set to auto, but am wondering what is the difference? And, any opinions regarding VBR On or Off on iTunes 7.5?
Also, how good in general is the output from a PowerBook (or various iPods) if playing an original CD or Apple Lossless file through a good stereo, vs. playing the same CD on a dedicated CD player on the same good stereo? Hope that made sense. What I am trying to get at is, I haven't been able to find any discussion on the relative quality of the D/A conversion or preamp capabilities of the portable players compared to "real" stereo equipment. Reason for asking is I had thought about ripping my CDs as Lossless, but figured I might not be getting all that the files could deliver if played back through average-level portables. Thanks for any insights or test links.

Purty Pitcher wrote:
I think I'm settling in on using AAC at 256 kbs, VBR On as my default import mode for CDs onto my PowerBook HD as a decent compromise between quality/size.
Sounds okay. Use Apple Lossless if you can spare the storage space or have a dedicated drive for your music. Then you won't have to rip your CDs again later if you find your needs change.
But I don't know what the difference is regarding the sample rate options of 44.1 vs 48 kHz. Right now I've got it set to auto, but am wondering what is the difference?
As Matthew Morgan rightfully pointed out, CD-DA uses 44.1 kHz, so don't upsample.
And, any opinions regarding VBR On or Off on iTunes 7.5?
It really doesn't make too much difference SQ-wise. Most likely, you'll just end up with bigger files on average with VBR enabled.
Also, how good in general is the output from a PowerBook (or various iPods) if playing an original CD or Apple Lossless file through a good stereo, vs. playing the same CD on a dedicated CD player on the same good stereo? Hope that made sense. What I am trying to get at is, I haven't been able to find any discussion on the relative quality of the D/A conversion or preamp capabilities of the portable players compared to "real" stereo equipment. Reason for asking is I had thought about ripping my CDs as Lossless, but figured I might not be getting all that the files could deliver if played back through average-level portables. Thanks for any insights or test links.
That's the toughest of your questions. Macs support bit-perfect pass-through out of the box when using digital out, so this is great for using your computer as a transport to an outboard DAC. Even the line out (in analog mode) of most recent Macs is pretty good in comparison with most "stock" computer hardware, as Apple tends to use very good DACs in their computers. My latest and greatest setup is as follows:
Hard drive containing Apple Lossless music > AirPort Express > harman/kardon HD 970 CD player (with digital input and extremely high quality DAC) > HeadAmp Gilmore Lite + Dedicated Power Supply > lots of different headphones.
There are many options you have as far as FireWire or USB DACs to use as a good and clean source for your music listening, and most of them have decent built-in headphone amplifier sections as well as support for balanced/unbalanced analog outputs for connecting to powered speakers or other hi-fi equipment, digital (coaxial or Toslink) output(s), and so forth.
iPods sound very good when using a line-out dock (there are many of them on the market) rather than the headphone jack. I use mine with an ALO Audio Cryo Micro Dock, a Ray Samuels Audio Hornet "M" headphone amplifier, and Etymotic ER-4S IEMs. I've been very happy with this portable setup for the past year, and really have no desire to improve upon it.

Similar Messages

Earphone and Audio Quality Question.

I have the 2nd generation iPod nano. Most of the my audio files are 128kbps. I am currently using the default earbuds.
I am thinking about buying these Shure SE110 (http://www.6ave.com/shop/SearchResults.aspx?kwd=SHURE)earphones. However, given the quality of my audio files, will the higher-end earphones even matter? Will there be any difference in sound quality/experience?
Thanks.

The answer is simple... with Logic you have to know what you're doing as opposed to Garageband which does some of the work for you. Logic is a program (generally) designed for professionals, it assumes you know a little bit about EQ, Compressors, Limiters...etc. If you don't, you need to learn if you wish to use Logic effectively. It also means you will need to study the ART of mixing, there's audio pros who say mixing can only be learned by doing it over and over and over....etc and listening to your mixes on as many different playback systems as possible.
Which version of Logic are you using? (important)
And what do you mean your CPU won't let you see the manual, the manual is online, if you have Safari you can see the manual.
Set Logic's master fader so your song never drives it over 0.0, but remember, louder is not necessarily better, first get a good mix/blend then worry about getting it louder.
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A few questions - audio quality, and remote capability

1) What is the audio quality of songs streamed from airplay?
2) Is there any way to change the volume of a song using the iphone/ipad remote?
Thanks!

Hello..
Not sure about the actual specs of Airplay SQ.
Using the ATV2 to access your iTunes Library you must control the volume with the volume control of the device through which you have the audio routed.. ie TV or Stereo. There is no volume level on the ATV2 remote or in the interface of the ATV OS that I can see.
Using the ATV2 as a speaker for iTunes from your Mac or PC you can control the volume through iTunes on the Mac or PC.
Using the Remote App on iPhone 4 or other device you can control iTunes on your Mac or PC. In addition you can select the ATV2 as a speaker for iTunes directly from the Remote App and in turn have control of the volume from the iPhone 4.
I like the last way best. Easier to navigate library, make selections and control volume all from anywhere within range of your wifi connection.
Message was edited by: rz22g

HP Slate 21 Kit Kat OTA Update Fix for Audio Quality and LAN Connectivity

Recent Over The Air (OTA) update for Slate 21 Update
Link to thread discussion here, fix listed below -
ISSUE:
A previously applied HP Slate 21 Kit Kat Update (Android 4.4.2) over the air (OTA) update may have caused issues with audio quality or wireless LAN connectivity.
Audio Quality: Bass response will be poor. Audio will play but bass frequencies will be lacking.
WiFi Issue: 5 GHz band not functioning properly
Status:
A new update (17r25.1-011-11-WW) has been released over the air (OTA) to end users
Resolution:
Apply update 17r25.1-011-11-WW
If the user was previously on 17r25.1-010-10-WW then a Factory Reset should be performed to complete the resolution.
I work for HP, supporting the HP Experts who volunteer their time and technical knowledge to help others.

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I work for HP

Poor Audio Quality in my new HP 15 R203TX

Hi I have just purchased HP pavillion 15 R2037TX laptop. It comes with 5th gen 5200U processor with 4gb ram, 2gb nvidia 820M graphics 1tb of hdd with DOS with realtek hd sound technology. I installed win 8.1 and accordingly installed all the drivers from the official hp website. After installing audio driver I found that DTS audio control panel was installed. My laptop is working fine except one thing I am not getting proper sound quality which i used to enjoy in my previous e038tx laptop that too came with DTS audio. The sound is not sweet or crisp rather very hazy when playing through external subwoofer and speaker. I enjoyed clear and crisp audio quality in the same speaker and sub woofer previously. Plus I can not understand why after realtek hd audio I get dts audio control panel. Because the audio vendor says its hardware is Realtek HD audio. Realtek has its own audio control panel which I do not find here. Whatever kindly help me how can i enjoy beautiful sound >? thanx in advance

swarup_s wrote:
Hello friend @lbrou87 I'm not hear to debate about the issue unless you are a Hp Support people (Which I think you are not). And I have explained everything in my previous replies then why are you asking absurd questions. This was my 2nd laptop after 7 years and I'm using 1st time a HP laptop. I could have gone with my previous brand laptop of DELL . I chossed Hp to try a new brand. I could have gone with purchasing DELL. If I pay a premium price for this hp model then why I'm getting a great featured laptop which gives me a low audio output. What you said in your reply HP don't want to update the technology in the drivers which make Hp customers to buy external speakers. Then what more I can say!!!... I'm really unsatisfied. The Hp support if they can't say anything then who should I go and ask. (sorry friend @lbrou87 if I'm being rude to you in this reply)
I was just trying to help. I've been through this with HP Support before with a similar issue. I though the premise of a forum was not only for HP's representatives to help, but other forum members as well. But, since you want to be rude and obnoxious to someone that only wants to help, I'm done with this thread. Wait for HP's representatives for help. Good day sir.

Import Quality Question

Ok I don't know much about this but,
How much audio quality do you lose when you import from a CD? Also, if the answer is lots, then does iTunes use that lossless audio encoder called apple lossless and if not where can I get and what do I need to use it? kinda 3 questions in one there...

Choose iTunes > Preferences> General pane and click Import Settings.
Choose an encoder from the Import Using pop-up menu.
You can listen to songs encoded in AAC or Apple Lossless formats in iTunes and on iPod models that come with a dock connector. If you plan to listen to your music using a different program or MP3 player, choose MP3 Encoder.
If you want to burn high-quality audio CDs with the songs you’re importing, without losing quality, choose Apple Lossless or AIFF. (Keep in mind that songs imported using this format use much more disc space.)
If you’ll be playing your songs on a computer that does not have MP3 software, choose WAV.
Choose a bit rate from the Setting pop-up menu (not available with Apple Lossless Encoder). In most cases, the default selection works well.
Higher Quality: Choose if you chose MP3 Encoder and plan to create your own audio CDs or listen to your music with high-quality stereo speakers.
High Quality: Choose if you play music in a noisy environment. This setting creates files that are about 1 MB in size per minute of music.
Good Quality: Use to fit more songs on a portable MP3 player with limited storage capacity.
Custom: Choose for greater control over the file size and sound quality.
To choose AIFF and WAV import settings:
Choose iTunes > Preferences>General pane and click Import Settings.
Choose AIFF Encoder or WAV Encoder from the Import Using pop-up menu.
Choose Custom from the Setting pop-up menu.
In the dialog that appears, choose settings:
Sample Rate: The number of times per second the music waveforms are captured digitally. The higher the sample rate, the higher the quality and the larger the file size. Don't choose a sample rate higher than the rate used to store the music originally or you'll waste space. CD quality, for example, is 44.100 kHz, so choosing a higher rate when you're encoding from a CD is unnecessary. In general, the best choice is Auto, which uses the same rate as the original music.
Sample Size: The number of bits used to store each sample taken as the music is encoded. The higher the sample size, the better the quality and the larger the file size.
Channels: If you don't have stereo speakers or if your audio files are monaural (mono files are about half the size of stereo files), choose Mono. If you'll be listening through headphones or a stereo system, choose Stereo or Auto. Auto converts monaural tracks into mono files and stereo tracks into stereo files.

What settings give the BEST audio quality (original audio CD to iTunes)

Further to my last post, can ya'll PLEASE help me get the bottom of this? I have heard so many different opinions & need to resolve ASAP....
What pref' settings will give me the VERY BEST audio quality, when importing original audio CD's into iTunes 4?
File size is of no issue (I have TONS of storage). I aim to import all at the highest quality possible (files need to be "broadcast quality" - for playing through a big PA system). I have been advised to either.....
1. Import using the AAC encoder at a stereo bit rate of 320 kbps with a sample rate of 48.000 kHz.
2. Import using AIFF (lossless uncompressed).
3. Import using Apple Lossless (lossless compressed).
WHICH ONE SHOULD I USE? Bearing in mind that the files will be played LOUD through a professional PA system & I'd prefer the crowd not to notice a significant diference between iTune files & orginal audio CD's (I will be spining both, side by side).
Cheers - Sweetamix.

You are finding out that the answer to this question tough. Everyone has their own opinion on this one.
I saved the responses to a topic I opened six months ago on this same subject. I saved them and cut and pasted them into one document. Here were the answers I received. Good luck. bob
Subject: Re: Classical Music & Bitrate
Date: Sunday, June 26, 2005 11:12 PM
To: <[email protected]>
RE: Classical Music & Bitrate
My experience with classical music (and music in general) is that the higher the bitrate, the better the quality and richness of the music. On the other hand, there is a limit to how much distinction your ears can make, and I think that anything above 192 kbps (mp3 format) is not significantly better (and not worth the larger file size). And in terms of volume adjustment, I personally have not found any need for it.
RE: Classical Music & Bitrate
I copied the same CD to my computer in 128, 160, 192, and 320 bitrates, and I couldn't tell a difference between any of 'em. I was listening to them with Grado SR60 headphones too.
RE: Classical Music & Bitrate
I’m sure you will get several if not many responses. You may also find they vary with the preference of the individual. However there are some rules of thumb. Generally speaking I think you will indeed find the higher the bit rate brings you closer to the CD sound.
Certainly, 32-bit rate does not offer very good sound quality. Actually going from 32 to 320 should have been noticeably better, if not…. Then you’re in good shape. Because what you don’t know is there, can’t be missed.
Also, the bit rate is only part of the equation. What format codec <http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=51910> are your songs ripped to.
Consider the following - iPod: About compatible song formats
<http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=61476>
MP3 (from 32 Kbps to 320 Kbps)
MP3 Variable Bit Rate (VBR)
AIFF
WAV
M4A AAC
Apple Lossless Encoder
It sounds to me as though your songs may be in MP3 format. As a suggestion you might try ripping your CD’s to 128 AAC format. The general consensus is that AAC is better than MP3. Give it a shot…for the heck of it, and see what you think.
Finally in the end…..it matters little what we all might think….If you think your sounds are better ripped at a MP3 320 bit rate……Great. If not…experiment, and play around till you find what sounds wonderful to you!
RE: Classical Music & Bitrate
Sorry for taking so long to get back to this thread: had two twelve-hour work days in a row.
I did a Get Info on a typical piece in my iTunes and got this
Kind: AAC Audio File
Bit Rate: 128kb (have some at 192 & 2 or 3 at 320)
Sample Rate: 44.100 kHz
Profile: Low Complexity
Channels: Stereo
Volume: +2.3
I was troubled that one responder couldn't tell the difference among 128, 160, 192, and 320 bitrates even using Grado SR60 headphones!
And another seems to be of a similar opinion when he says that I think that anything above 192 kbps (mp3 format) is not significantly better (and not worth the larger file size). Does this apply to AAC format, too?
However, I am going to continue to add tunes at the 320 bitrate - for a while - because I swear that I can tell a difference when I play them over my car radio via the cassette adapter.

Audio Quality WAV Files

Hi,
I´m new to Adobe Audition 3.0 and I have a question concerning the audio quality.
My original format is wav (uncompressed).
When I edit my wav audio files and save them and open them again, edit them, and save them again. My question: Is there any loss in quality?
Marcus

Not as long as you stick with .wav and at Auditions default bit depth of 32 bits. Even if you start with 16 or 24 bit always remain with 32 until the last step if you require 16 or 24 bits to be used in the final output file.

Can I modify the Export to... iTunes settings for better audio quality and compression?

I am working on some Music Videos to DJ at a party with, I notice that when I export them as .mov files with Final Cut HD Express, they have 320 kbps and 44.100 kHz in the audio compression settings. Once I export them in Quicktime 10.2, using the File / Export to... / iTunes drop down menu, the Second, (ipad, iphone 4, & AppleTV) setting (not using HD, so the Mac and PC tab is not an option.) The final exported file, that plays great in itunes, appletv, ipad, etc. has a reduced quality audio of Bit Rate of 159 kbps (instead of 320 kbps) and Sample Rate of 32.000 kHz (instead of 44.100 kHz). Is there anyway to change these preset settings somehow?
The Formats on the File / Export / menu are even less dinamic?
I also noticed that some of the Music videos I purchased from the itunes store some years ago, have a 256 Kbps and 44.100 kHz setting. Which is better quality than the ones exported from Quicktime 10.
I thought maybe with Quicktime 7 Pro, I could fine tune all the presets, but it got too complicated for me, might this be an option? What would the settings be?
Using Widescreen 853 x 480 at full quality .mov file.
thanks.

I am working on some Music Videos to DJ at a party with, I notice that when I export them as .mov files with Final Cut HD Express, they have 320 kbps and 44.100 kHz in the audio compression settings. Once I export them in Quicktime 10.2, using the File / Export to... / iTunes drop down menu, the Second, (ipad, iphone 4, & AppleTV) setting (not using HD, so the Mac and PC tab is not an option.) The final exported file, that plays great in itunes, appletv, ipad, etc. has a reduced quality audio of Bit Rate of 159 kbps (instead of 320 kbps) and Sample Rate of 32.000 kHz (instead of 44.100 kHz). Is there anyway to change these preset settings somehow?
Your question basically has too facets. The first is the quality of the source audio in terms of sampling rate and data rate. Under normal circumstances you don't want to export the audio using a sample rate or per channel data rate that is lower than your original source if you are trying to maintain the quality as high as possible and, on the other hand, you don't want to use settings greater than the source values since they increase the final file size without improving the quality of the audio.
The second is the workflow. Since you indicate you are using FCE HD for editing, then using QT X to re-export the data seems somewhat redundant. While it has been many, many years since I last used FCE HD, if I remember correctly, you have both "Export QT Movie" and "Export using QT Conversion" options. The first option takes the audio and video format in which you are editing and merely copies the edited data in that format to a new MOV file container. On the other hand, the second option allows you export the edited data format directly to a user selected compression format using user selected options (but does assume the user knows how to best use these options). These are, BTW, the same export options available in QT 7 Pro.
I thought maybe with Quicktime 7 Pro, I could fine tune all the presets, but it got too complicated for me, might this be an option? What would the settings be?
What is so difficult here? If the source is DVD stereo quality (usually 48.0 KHz @ 192 Kbps then set your output for stereo 48.0 KHz @ 192 Kbps. If you wish to save a bit of file space, the you can use 48.0 KHz @ 160 Kbps but that is normally as low as I go. As to setting combinations in QT 7 Pro, once you set the sampling rate, the application becomes cuntextually adaptive and will only allow you to select data rates that are "standards" compliant and non-compliant ones are automatically greyed out. Rendering quality settings are self-explanatory. These are the basics if you are using a preset option like the "Movie to MPEG-4" export option. If using more complex options like the "Movie to QT Movie" option, then you will need to also consider how you plan to use your file to select the correct encoding strategy. For instance, a constant bit rate is good for optical media from the standpoint of providing a constant flow of data to the player. Unfortunately, this is not very efficient since it forces the quality to vary as it maintains the constant data rate. A variable but contarined data rate is also good for optical media or fast start online files but allows the data rate to vary between user selected data rate excursions and thus provides improved quality over the constant data rate strategy. The variable data rate allows the user to target a specific level of audio quality and will then allow the data rate to vary as needed to maintain a constant level of quality. This option is better suited for playback on a computer since the bit rate can vary greatly in magnitude. The average setting allows the user to target a specific average target data rate but allows it fluctuate as the encoder applies predictor-corrector adjustments. This option, like the constant data rate option, is good for average complexity content when creating a target file of predictable size but can somtimes have problems towards the end of the file if the content suddenly becomes more complex than predicted.
Using Widescreen 853 x 480 at full quality .mov file.
I would rarely recommend using the full quality slider setting. This is more of a redundancy setting forcing the encoder to recycle through certain encoding routines in an effort to improve quality without increasing the data rate. You would like do better to increase the video data rate limit and decrease the quality slider to something in the 50 to 80% range. You also indicate the files are 853x480. Such files are frequently the result of anamorphic widescreen MPEG-2 or DV source files. If so, I would normally recommend retaining this anamorphic strategy by encoding the H.264 video at the same 720x480 matrix dimensions and allowing the player to properly display the files at their targeted aspect ratio. This strategy will either allow for slightly better quality at the current video data rate setting or allow the user to retain the current level of quality using a slightly lower data rate which, in turn, means a slightly smaller final file size.

Does Encoding AAC Files with VBR on Improve Audio Quality ?

Does Encoding AAC Files with VBR on Improve Audio Quality ?
Are there Disadvantages ?
Bonus Question 1:
Usually, an 'auto' type encoding tool will screw up the natural flow of the music and miss subtle changes in the energy, volume, etc.. -stuff that is just to subtle for it to catch -Generally I wouldn't trust an 'auto' type setting to pick up this subtle stuff. Yet people say using VBR improves sound quality (and NOT file size). Why and how ?
Bonus Question 2:
What is the max bit rate VBR uses ? If I set my AAC encoder to 320 kbps and turned VBR off, wouldn't the sound quality be superior to encoding with VBR on (simply because the kbps are set at 320 the whole time...) ? Sure, the files encoded with VBR off would be larger, but wouldn't the quality be better ?
Bonus Question 3:
Lastly, I did a little test and encoded one song with VBR off and one with VBR on. The VBR song was 1.5 MBs bigger - Huh, I thought, is that increased file size the result of improved resolution throughout the whole song, or just one little section (haven't had time to listen to them)?
Message was edited by: temptemp9

These are some pretty tough questions. I like VBR encoding in general, as it does allow for more complex passages to take advantage of higher bit rates while less complex passages fall back to a lower bit rate, while keeping within fairly consistent file size parameters. Whether VBR yields better results at different target/average bit rates is another matter, and really requires that you encode and properly test output files before deciding on anything but "recommended" settings.
At maximum lossy bit rates of 320 kbps, it doesn't make sense to use VBR. If I recall, the LAME MP3 encoder presets actually preclude VBR encoding for the highest quality files, and the same may be true for iTunes AAC.
I have to admit that to speak with any certainty or confidence about the issues surrounding your various questions, one would really need to encode a bunch of files with iTunes from lossless sources and test them in software such as foobar2000. I could investigate this easily on my own PC, but I don't encode music at 320 kbps AAC, since I have enough disk space to just listen to lossless files. iTunes doesn't display dynamic bit rate changes as foobar2000 does, and I haven't come across any Mac software that does as good a job of allowing for proper testing as foobar2000 for Windows does.
If you really need definitive answers to these three questions, then I think your best bet would be to do as I've hinted and use iTunes and foobar2000 if you've got access to a Windows computer to do this testing and evaluation for yourself, or sign up for a user account at Hydrogenaudio and post the same message there.

Online Number - Country vs. Audio Quality

Hi,
I am about to buy a Skype Online Number for a call that I will receive next week from someone in the UK, and I will be in Brazil. My question is -- for the best audio quality, should I buy a UK or Brazilian number?
Thanks!
Regards,
Guilherme

If the other person has a smartphone I recommend using Viber.Totally free and excellent quality. if you must use Skype buy the UK number as it will be cheaper for them to call you. Call quality is all about luck.

Audio Quality on Satellite C55-A-1AU

HI,
I am considering purchasing a Toshiba C55 model laptop, C55-A-1AU to be precise.
However I head a little read of the reviews and one or two people were unsatisfied with the audio quality of the machine.
I was wondering if anyone here is familiar with the C55 series and can comment on the audio quality and speaker quality of these laptops.
How are they for watching a move, or listening to music?
Do they produce clear non distorted audio?
are they loud enough (bearing in mind that I wear a hearing aid because I have terrible hearing.)
I have a Toshiba laptop at the moment, I've had it for nearly six years and feel it may be time for an upgrade.
My current model is a P300-16T and has served me very well.
I would appreciate any advice and answers to the questions I have asked, thank you for reading and for any help provided.

I've been looking around on websites for days at different Toshiba models and it seems that most of them, even the ones on Toshiba's own website have these same or similar speakers in them, its like their not even trying to provide premium quality machines anymore.
I've always used Toshiba laptops and have my heart set on a new model, I know that the speakers they are installing are unlikely to sound as good as the ones in my P300 but I would like them to at least sound good enough for some music and maybe YouTube and a few videos.
The only speakers on the advertised models that seem to come close to premium quality show that they have installed Onkyo speakers, there seem to be no more Harman/Kardon models around (I'm in the UK if it helps.)
It feels a bit distressing because audio is somewhat important to me, everything else is secondary.
As I mentioned I've had my heart set on Toshiba, really don't want to have to go down the Aple route at this point.

Adobe Premiere CS6 degrading audio quality

Hello everyone. I am new to video editing but have been learning very fast. However, I am having an issue that I can't seem to find an answer to.
When I import anything into Premiere, the audio quality gets noticably muffled. I have tried exporting at the highest quality settings, but I don't think that's the problem becuase it sounds muffled in the playback in Premiere itself.
Does anyone have a solution?
Thanks so much!

FAQ: What information should I provide when asking a question on this forum?

Cover Art, importing, & audio quality

In the process of ripping my CD's into iTunes in my Mac Mini I've noticed that iTunes doesn't always import the cover art. I know that this is a known issue among many posts in the forum but wanted to confirm that if the album isn't sold in the iTunes Store you won't get the cover art even if you are ripping your own CD's into iTunes. Is this correct? Also, is there no way to use something like Gracenote to import the cover art or do I have to do it manually. What is frustrating is that Windows Media Player on my Dell PC fnds these same CD's cover art no problem. Why can't iTunes do the same? Any thoughts or suggestions on an easy way to import missing cover art would be appreciated.
Also, I have a large amount of music files on an external hard drive that was originally connected to my Windows PC. What is the best way to import this music into iTunes on my Mac Mini?
Finally a question on audio quality of the various codecs available for ripping CD's into iTunes. I noticed that the ALAC encoding bit rate varies by CD whereas ripping as WAV always uses 1411 bps. I know ALAC is a lossless compression codec and so I am in the process of comparing the quality of the various codecs but was curious if anyone has any comments based on listening tests.
Thank you to all who reply with information.

I checked the latest episode and the MP3 file does not have an image embedded in it.
This is the method for adding it in iTunes on a Mac (I assume Windows would be similar):
Open iTunes and add the audio file to the library. Select it and hit command-i. Select the 'Artwork' tag. Drag your image to the space. Close, and when you play the track you should see the artwork. Drag the file out to the desktop and upload this version to the server. You can delete the copy in iTunes if necessary but if you are storing the file elsewhere you should replace it with this new version (which looks just the same, and note that the cover art does not appear in the QuickTime Player).

Audio quality on Apple TV G2.

I bought my Apple TV (G2) with the goal to no longer put my CDs and DVDs in a CD/DVD player and so have my audio library, concerts and movies cataloged into iTunes.
I've converted all my CDs (which are originally stereo) to MP3 but now I need convert my DVDs. The big question is regarding the audio quality, because most
of my DVDs has original sound in DTS. How do I convert the DVDs to make sure the Apple TV will play the 6 channel (5.1) with the same quality as the original DVD?

For audio, I did two tests:
FIRST TEST:
In this first test the file was played perfectly in iTunes (MacBook) and AppleTV2. Theoretically, I've got a 5.1 audio in AppleTV2.
SECOND TEST:
In this second test, iTunes perfectly played the file but AppleTV2 had an error and didn't played it.
You are still creating single track audio files. What nightstorm and I were suggesting is that you use the default audio pre-set also. This should ensure compatibility across both systems and devices. Some users have complained that movies containing only the AC3 audio track won't play on their TV devices. Others state that they do play. On my system the ones I've tested with only AC3 audio do play, but since this represents only a few random tests, I cannot say that all such files made this way will play. On the other hand, all of the files I've made with AAC only and AAC + AC3 audio tracks have played correctly (other than my initial 640 Kbps AC3 passthrough test made a year or so ago).
Once again, as you can see, the default Audio preset creates two audio tracks. The first, a stereo AAC track is encoded as Pro Logic II audio using a target data rate of 160 Kbps with a 48.0 KHz sampling rate. This track is the "default" audio used by systems and/or devices not capable of playing AC3 DD5.1 audio. In addition, if connected to a "active" PL II decoder, it will play surround sound. While not true "discrete" surround audio, it is generally audibly better than "passive" PL decoding. As to the AC3 DD5.1 track, it is normally played by "default" when played through an TV device connected to a AC3 DD5.1 decoder equipped TV, receiver, or amplifier and the user has not turned off the passthrough capability.
Here are the statistics for two test clip snippets taken from the same file encoded using my TV preset. As you can see, the audio and video data rates can vary by quite a degree during encoding. This will give you some idea as to how movie content can "drive" the encoder during the compression process. In the first snippet, there is a rapid close-up pan (very difficult to encode) and frequent loud noises in the background that help to drive up the data rates. The other snippet is what I tend to think of as a typical average indoor scene. In any event, I have uploaded both test files so you can download and test then on your system and/or TV device if you wish. I would be interested to know if they play correctly in both iTunes and on your TV2.
Test
Test2
Now I have the following questions:
- Will I get the best (same as the original AC3 5.1 source) audio quality with AAC?
- Why my AppleTV2 couldn't play the content with AC3?
Apple recommended preset is 64 Kbps data rate at 44.1 KHz sampling rate per channel. (I.e., 128 Kbps at 44.1 KHz for stereo.) When listening to things like piano overtones or rain falling on an empty street, I can hear a difference between these settings and stereo 160 Kbps at 48.0 KHz. So I admit I do use the latter for may AAC track. However, as I am on the "high side of 65" and my hearing is not as good as it could be, I really do not hear any differences above these settings. If you want you can try using stereo 320 Kbps at 48.0 KHz and see if you can hear any differences in the quality. Frankly, your target data rate of 448 Kbps seemed higher than necessary for stereo.
As to a comparison of AAC with AC3, a stereo 160 Kbps/48.0 KHz audio track is supposed to equal a stereo AC3 track at 192 Kbps/48.0 KHz which is the standard for DVD. As to AC3 DD5.1 the standard for a DVD is 448 Kbps at 48.0 KHz. As you can see if the data rate were divided equally between all 6 channels, the the allocation would only be about 75 Kbps per channel. Luckily, sounds allocated to each of the 6 channels rarely, if ever, require to push the full amount of data through all channels simultaneously. It might be more appropriate to say that each AAC channel has a higher sustained quality potential than each standard AC3 track, but that the increased number of AC3 channels provides a potential for more natural, directional sounds.
As to your not being able to play your AC3 only files, there simply is not enough information to evaluate at the moment. For instance, your system may be one that wants/requires/expects an AAC track be included in the file. Or, as previously mentioned, the audio data rate for your output files may exceed the limits allowed for streaming to the TV2 device. For that matter, while all of my tests were made using the "Auto" setting to output audio at 48.0 KHz, your screen shots of target settings do not confirm that your file output is, in fact, using a 48.0 KHz sampling rate. (I.e., some TVs/receivers may not accept other sampling rates which may be why Apple added the new "16-bit" audio preference setting.)
In any case, see if you can play the files I posted let us know the test results.

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