256kps MP3s: Better from a £500 Ipod Dock or Micro System?

[admin_exported]

Hi,

Will compressed MP3s generally sound better form an ipod dock system such as the Geneva M/Arcam rCube, which have been specifically designed to deal with the compression, or from an all-in one micro system and speaker combo at the same price, such as Marantz M-CR603 + Dali Zensor 1 , or Denon CEOL (RCD-N7)?

Thanks
Will

 

[Anonymous]

Hi, Will compressed MP3s generally sound better form an ipod dock system such as the Geneva M/Arcam rCube, which have been specifically designed to deal with the compression, or from an all-in one micro system and speaker combo at the same price, such as Marantz M-CR603 + Dali Zensor 1 , or Denon CEOL (RCD-N7)? Thanks Will

They sound the best from the best you can afford. Much of my stuff is in slightly lower bitrate format, and it sounds fabulous through my speakers, as does Spotify.

I would say expensive gear showing up the quality of the source material is more aimed at badly mastered recordings, than well compressed MP3s or AACs.

*edit. I would avoid anything "specifially designed to counter compression". That sounds to me like some flakey EQ setting, which may work on very low bitrate files, but is pointless on bitrates as high as that. I have a similar thing on my Creative xfi mp3 player too, which is left firmly "off"...it just bloats the bass and makes the files sound fake.