why most traders dont trade mp3

reason 1: sound

the mp3 format is significantly inferior to cd audio, and other audio formats such as wav and shn

here is a basic visual spectrum/frequency analyzer sample of cd quality audio in wav (lossless) audio format.  the sound level in decibels is measured on the x axis, while the freqency in khz is measured on the y axis.  the blue represents "free run" (instantaneous) levels, the red long term average levels. file:                      radiohead's dollars and cents from the album amnesiac source:                cd audio type:                    extracted to wav format using exact audio copy filesize:                 approximately 50 megabytes average db:          approximately -50db frequency range:   approximagely 0khz to 44.1khz (only 0hz to 22khz is visable above)

for the sake of general comparison, here is a basic visual spectrum/frequency analyzer sample of a piece of fm broadcast sourced audio, specifically radiohead's dollars and cents as perfromed at canal+ studios and broadcast on bbc 1 radio extracted from the cd 'np amnesiac'. file:                     dollars and cents performed at canal+ studios source:               cd audio from fm broadcast type:                   extracted to wav using exact audio copy filesize:                approximately 48 megabytes average db:          approximately -50 db frequency range:   approximately 0khz to 20.5khz by comparing the filesize of the cd and fm sourced audio samples, it is clear that the two files are basically the same size. however, when comparing the visual spectrum/frequency samples of the cd audio and the cd audio sourced from an fm broadcast, it becomes clear that the sound levels of the fm broadcast cut off completely after roughly 20.5khz while the cd audio does not.  many scientists estimate the hearing threshold of the human ear to be between 20hz and 20khz.  this is why the the visual sample of the fm sourced cd audio file clearly cuts off at just after 20.5khz; including any sound above the 20khz range would require more advanced and expensive broadcasting and reception equipment and would be completely unnecessary as it would be beyond the range of human hearing.  however, discarding any sound information under this 20khz range is not desirable as though it would result in smaller and more convenient file size, it would eliminate necessary sound information, decreasing sound quality.  this is, unfortunately, exactly what the mp3 encoding format does.

here is a basic visual spectrum/analyzer sample of the same original segment of cd quality audio after being encoded into mp3 format (lossy). file:                       radiohead's dollars and cents from the album amnesiac source:                 cd audio type:                     extracted to mp3 (lame type) using easy cd-da extractor filesize:                  approximately 5 megabytes average db:            approximately -60 db frequency range:     approximately 0khz - 16khz by comparing the filesize of the wav file extracted from amnesiac and the mp3 file extracted from amnesiac, it is clear that the size of the mp3 file is significantly smaller than that of the cd audio file in wav format (roughly a tenth).  this in fact is the very reason the mp3 format was created: in order to convert large audio files into smaller files that could be more easily distributed over the internet.  however, by comparing the visual spectrum/analyzer samples of both the cd audio and mp3 files, it becomes clear that this smaller filesize is accomplished by "discarding" much of the audio information, specifically any information above the 16khz range.  again, many scientists estimate the threshold of the human ear to be between 20hz to 20khz.  so while the fm broadcast sourced audio cuts off at just over 20.5khz, which doesn't affect sound quality, the fact that mp3 sourced audio cuts off at around 16khz does affect sound quality as necessary sound information is discarded in order to maintain smaller and more convenient filesize. so basically, in terms of sound quality, audio sourced from fm or television broadcast is suitable for trading, audio sourced from mp3 is not. ---------------------------------------------- if you would like to test these results for yourself, or would like to determine if one of the concerts you have is mp3 sourced, it's actually quite easy.  just follow these two steps: 1: first extract a track from the show onto your hard drive in wav format (i recommend using exact audio copy, the highest rated program of this type among traders, and the most accurate audio grabber available anywhere, which can be downloaded for free here). 2: then open the wav file using a spectrum/frequency analyzer (i recommend analfreq v1.80, which can be downloaded for free here or here).  if the sound levels cut off after 20.5khz, the show is sourced from an fm or television broadcast (which is acceptable), and if the sound levels cut off around 16khz, the show is mp3 sourced (which is not acceptable).

reason 2: principle

there is no real reason to trade for recordings in an inferior audio format

if you are going to go through the work of buying cdrs, finding another trader to trade with, burning shows, and mailing them, you might as well end up the best quality recording you can find.  no show has ever been bootlegged in mp3 format, so these better quality recordings definately exist.  if i find a trader who has a show i want but it is in mp3 format, the only conceivable reason he has the show in mp3 format is because he doesn't have the better quality original recording, but instead something he probably downloaded off the internet.  but if this is the case, i could save myself a trip to the post office by downloading the show from the internet myself.  but for some reason, most people with mp3 shows expect you to go through the trouble of trading with them instead of telling you where they downloaded the show so you could download it yourself.  probably because they are middleman, and if you realize that they are unnecessary, they don't get anything. if for some reason the trader is offering me an mp3 show, but has a non mp3 version of the show, i would just trade for the non mp3 version, as mp3 is an inferior audio format. if you still want the show, but don't want an mp3 sourced show for the above reasons, with just a little more effort, you can find traders who don't deal with mp3, and even if you don't have any non mp3 sourced shows to offer them, they are usually willing to do 2:1 trades or b&ps. but even if you don't mind an mp3 sourced show, there is still no reason to go through the trouble of trading for the show, as mp3 shows are freely available for download on the interent. so if another trader has an mp3 sourced show, if i want the show and don't mind that it's mp3 sourced, i will download it myself instead of going through the trouble of trading for it, as most likely the trader got if off the internet.  if i don't want mp3 sourced shows, i will look around for a trader who has a non mp3 version of the show. so basically, there is no reason to trade for an mp3 sourced show.

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