Music - Source Quality

[zapruder]

Just curious, does anyone keep an ear out for good (or bad) music quality in skate vids? Can you tell when the music is from youtube-to-mp3?

Lately I've been trying to rip music from original sources (CD, cassette, vinyl) or download straight from the artist's bandcamp/soundcloud if absolutely necessary. My thought is that if you start with super high quality/low compression audio file, it will compress onto a DVD or youtube better, not to mention you can mess with the EQ and really get the track to sound exactly how you want (sometimes those vinyl rips are a little off depending on which cartridge you use).

[Burton Ernie]

I personally don't notice unless it's obnoxiously poor quality. As far as sourcing, I'll try to get original files but have resorted to capturing YouTube audio and other means and I don't think it makes much of a difference in the end product. Nearly everyone consumes your exported video via YouTube on a phone or computer anyway, not a hifi system.

[suckmadeck]

Just curious, does anyone keep an ear out for good (or bad) music quality in skate vids? Can you tell when the music is from youtube-to-mp3?

Lately I've been trying to rip music from original sources (CD, cassette, vinyl) or download straight from the artist's bandcamp/soundcloud if absolutely necessary. My thought is that if you start with super high quality/low compression audio file, it will compress onto a DVD or youtube better, not to mention you can mess with the EQ and really get the track to sound exactly how you want (sometimes those vinyl rips are a little off depending on which cartridge you use).

Ay up Dan. I'm strictly a get the HQ possible type of person. If it means I buy a Hi-Res copy digitally fuck it I'm doing it. I don't want anything being ruined by YouTube's compression, including audio. If it's utterly desperate and I cannot find a 16bit 44.1khz .WAV at the minimum anywhere, I will use an .MP3 if I have to but I'll do everything in my power to avoid at all costs.

Shit this is why Bandcamp is so good. It's easy to find a 24bit 96khz track on there, from usually great artists. That's why I prefer to buy music then just stream it most of the time. I want/need that quality. And besides, 16bit audio is ok but it's so lacking in dynamic range that I find 24bit easier to mix skate audio with.

[yungthug]

Youtube to MP3 in 320 kbps is indistinguishable from a FLAC or CD rip to my ears.

256 kpbs is the lower limit before audio quality starts to drop off.

Past egregiously compressed audio, any subtleties you would pick up in source fidelity would probably be rendered out in the file export or video hosting website compression algorithm anyways.