CD/MP3 attached to a "stock" HU

[Blaaz]

Okay - I finally finished installing an Alpine CHA-S634 6 disc CD/MP3 changer. It is controlled by a stock HU - for a '97 Accord. Hon/Acu adapter plugged into the din plug in back of deck, KCA-140B adapter between, Alpine Ai-net cable then deck. Deck needs to be set to M-bus controls. Works great. I know many don't like stock decks, but a stock deck works fine for me and I don't worry about people breaking into the car to steal the deck.

Question - any recommendations for sampling rates for MP3 discs?

[FyreDaug]

No less than 192kbs if you have decent speakers. Thats the general minimum these days, but if you burn cd's and you download, try getting flac files. They are cd file clones and are lossless and sound just like the real cd. If your set on mp3s though, 192 minimum IMO

[frantik]

yeah i have my mp3 player hooked up to my stock HU thru the din plug too =D though the mp3 player is just a portable walkman type player

works pretty well and keeps that nice oem look :D

[TheWatcher]

I use 320 CBR, the highest rate available for mp3. LAME encoder at the insane setting. It's personal preference. If you can't tell the difference and/or don't care, go lower. Like Fyredog said, 192 is okay. Some people go VBR, that's fine too.

All the online store use LOWER bitrates, which is why there is still a market for CDs. The online stores want to sell you the songs ala carte, but since the bitrate is so low, it's an inferior product. Most people don't care/can't tell the difference (or why would so many people settle for 128 kbs)???

FLAC is lossless, but your CD/MP3 changer won't play FLAC (really nothing supports FLAC, LOL).

iPod fanboys love AAC, and AAC is a great music format (no security, Apple uses a wrapper). But again, moot point, since your CD/MP3 changers doesn't support it. And do you really want to rely on the opinion of iPod users? They don't even know or care what the SN ratio is on their iPods (NOT published by Apple or mentioned by reviewers ANYWHERE). LOL.

Now I know what you're thinking, if we are talking quality, why not just play the CD? Well, ask all the people who have to replace their CD collection courtesy of your neighborhood car thief. CDRs are cheap, and you can burn another copy if they are stolen, since they live with you at home. CDs are expensive, and once taken, must be purchased AGAIN at retail.

Hope this helps.

Peace.

[Blaaz]

I heard on another site that the CHA-S634 will process variable bit rates. I need to give it a try. Still trying to locate MP3 software. Thanks for all the tips.

For me, my CD collection is pretty small. I can probably put the entire collection in MP3 format into my 6 disc changer.

The one downer - I don't think the Accord HU has the ability to activate the random feature on the CD changer. I know that the Legend HU will support random play.

[TheWatcher]

Well if there's no random play, can it handle playlists? It's not the same as random play, but you control everything you hear, so you can leave out the mediocre songs. :)

Tons of software out there, you just need a ripper and an encoder. I don't want to influence you decision, since I don't know what type of music you listen to, or what you look for in software.

Peace.

[HostileJava]

I have a minimum of 256k that i listen to most things at and I rip at that or higher.

[Shaggsbud]

I shoot for 320 and go down from there, but I never burn anything lower than 192...I can just tell the horrid difference and it bugs the hell outta me..

I used to have Breaking Benjamin-Polyamorous but could never find one higher than 128...so it sounded like shiat, finally got a 320 and wow...way way way better :P

P.S. Flacfrontend is perfect for converting to 320 from FLAC...(yeah, some of you already knew that)

[frantik]

192kbps is a nice compromise between sound quality and file size. Considering you're using the stock sound system it may be difficult to notice much difference as you continue to go up in bitrate. if you're an audiophile and have thousands invested in your soundsystem then those extra bits will be a lot more crucial