I can hear a difference between my CDs + mp3s compared to the YouTube versions of his songs. Does anyone know whether the music videos used a higher quality audio source? Otherwise, I need to improve my conversion process from CD to mp3 for listening via iPhone + nice headphones, or find a better way to get high quality digital versions of his incredible collection. The detail in the mid-high end is noticeable and I can't stop listening!

GoldStandard said:

I can hear a difference between my CDs + mp3s compared to the YouTube versions of his songs. Does anyone know whether the music videos used a higher quality audio source? Otherwise, I need to improve my conversion process from CD to mp3 for listening via iPhone + nice headphones, or find a better way to get high quality digital versions of his incredible collection. The detail in the mid-high end is noticeable and I can't stop listening!

I'm not completely sure what the audio streaming quality for youtube is (it varies, and it's definitely dependant on the source), but youtube is capable os streaming extremely high quality video.

I'd you're talking about the official Prince channel videos, I checked randomnly and Diamonds and Pearls is streaming at 480. So I assume the audio is similiarly low quality.

All that said, I can guarantee you practically any video you stream is going to be of modarely lower to MUCH lower quality audio than a CD. I don't really want to dive into the numbers and details and I don't know that it would do you much good anyway. Just trust me on this. If your CDs sound bad, it's your stereo.

If you want the best listening exp you can get from a CD on iphone, don't stream (apple music, itunes match, etc). Import all your CDs into "Apple Lossless" or ALAC format, then actually store those files on your phone. Takes up more space, but it will be the best quality. To save space but still get pretty high quality that you probably won't notice a difference for, import in mp3 or AAC 320k.

Finally, if you still think youtube sounds better, it's probably your perception of them being louder or something because the Prince channel may have bricked out the sound for youtube to sound good over small computer speakers. It's loud, may make you say "wow!" when you A/B it with a CD, but it absoultey is inferior and your ears would wear out listening to it long term.

Summary:

best audio = don't stream. CD, imported for itunes as ALAC Apple Lossless, saved to phone/ipod.

Second best = CD, imported for itunes as mp3 or AAC 320

Oh and for the love of god, get some halfway decent wired earbuds or headphones. Don't use bluetooth (it will re compress and defeat the purpose of all that importing at high quality), and DON'T use the apple default earbuds that come with the phone - they are hot garbage.

GoldStandard said:

I can hear a difference between my CDs + mp3s compared to the YouTube versions of his songs. Does anyone know whether the music videos used a higher quality audio source? Otherwise, I need to improve my conversion process from CD to mp3 for listening via iPhone + nice headphones, or find a better way to get high quality digital versions of his incredible collection. The detail in the mid-high end is noticeable and I can't stop listening!

Start by not using MP3s, at all. There is a mistake in the coding that was never corrected, which is why they're deceiving you into making you think you're hearing something you're not. And once you encode a file as MP3 it can't be re-encoded to something better. The damage is done, so you have to start again at the source and create a new file in a new and better format.

High-quality MP3 is an oxymoron.