Audio cleaning in itunes

[admin_exported]

Does anyone know how to clean up bad sounds like hiss and cracks etc.on itunes.

I have lots of tracks on itunes that were lifted of records and tapes on to cd then put on itunes and they are beginning to annoy me as the quality is not the same as all the cd stuff i have put on.

I tried an audio cleaner called suprisingly audio cleaning by Magix but it does not work with itunes AAC format or maybe even itunes in general.

I suppose I could always record them again with the Magix cleaner at source but it would take a long, long time and to be quite honest I would rather put up with the hiss than do that !

 

[Clare Newsome]

That's a tad unfair - for a start, if you have to compress music (eg ultraportable player for gym etc), AAC sounds better than MP3 at the same file-size.

Secondly, I've been reviewing MP3 players since their inception, and iTunes is the most user-friendly software around.

Thirdly, iTunes and iPods now support uncompressed audio in widespread WAV format.

Where I do agree is that DRM and the whole iTunes lock-in is damn annoying. Hopefully thanks to the way the Amazon music service is taking off in the US, Apple may have to rethink.

Anyhow, back to the matter in question.... I'm sure i've seen a shareware app that allows you to clean-up AAC files. I'll have a good old search around and hopefully be back with a link.

 

[Clare Newsome]

I've just had a thought. Does the Magix software clean-up WAV files? If so, you could try converting the tracks to WAV in iTunes (there's now this conversion facility) and taking it from there. Worth a try.

Will still search for software though....

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your comments.

I have already contacted Magix and thier prgram does not support AAC..... which is a pain seeing that I have just bought it! Thinking on now I may just import the really bad ones in a WAV file and clean them up. ( I have all the stuff recorded on CD so its not a massive problem.)

I would still be interested in that link to the shareware if you can find it as it will make things easier in the long run.

By the way this is a great site full of useful links, articles and people willing to share knowledge it makes life so much easier!

Keep up the good work.

 

[Anonymous]

I've just seen your idea about WAV files that you posted just as I was posting my reply about possibly using WAV files ! !

At least I know my line of thought is in line with the experts!

I will try it....Cheers!

 

[Anonymous]

You are talking of things I know nothing about!

I am relativley new to the MP3 etc game. I try to understand it all but it gets confusing with all the different formats and ways of doing things.

I bought a new computer recently with good spec to put all my music on. I just use itunes cause it seems simple and is well laid out but I am no expert ! I just want to listen to lots of music at a reasonable quality without the need to change CD's I know it will not sound as good as the CD (I import at 192 VBR) but for my really favourite stuff I was going to import it with lossless or WAV or that one you were talking about "FLAC" .

I don't know!?

I could really do with some advice and you seem to know things.........SIMPLY PUT I want the majority of my music at a above average quality and some of it at the best quality possible. All on my 300GB hard drive. (I have a separate hard drive for back up too ) I thought I had it sort of right until the Audio Cleaning problem.

Any advice welcome, Thanks

 

[Clare Newsome]

I'd say you've got it right - for music you're really going to listen to and love, keep it as uncompressed as possible: in iTunes case., that means WAV. If it's just something you'll have on as background/need to transfer to a limited storage player, a lower bit-rate will be fine. Just don't go below that 192 rate - in fact i'd make 256 a minimum...

 

[Anonymous]

Ok I think I am getting there now!

So I import with WAV for my favourite stuff.

All other stuff I import at 256 min. I have another question.

Is Variable Bit Rate at 192 nearly as good as 256 Constant or not? Or should I maybe go for, as you said 256, but at VBR. Again I just don't know. All I do know is that any compression can be heard through my system as different from the uncompressed version. That is beyond question. Its all a matter of presence. At lower rates you can stll hear everything that the original has down to the finest detail. This is where people think that compressed music is just as good and say "I can't tell the diference" . But when we are talking of Hi Fi you can FEEL the difference. And FEELINGS mean more than analytical hearing.

Sorry I got lost then!

I know its a matter of trade off for quality and file size but you want the best which suits your situation. And now I have completly gone off my original question ............which was

pops, crackles and hiss in itunes.......................any other solutions? shareware?

Thanks

 

[Anonymous]

PHEW! Thanks for your reply.

I think I have my work cut out ! Even in just working out all the info you gave me!

I will do some more experimenting with those new formats but I feel a few questions coming on even as I type !

PS : When I said I could feel the difference. I was meaning between the CD version Playing and the 192 VBR version. when I did my tests the more bit rate I put in the more " PRESENCE" I felt when I got to 320 it was fairly even and I guess I would need a better system than I have to notice any problems with a good rip at 320 ! I will let you know. Gotta go now gotta headache!!!!!!......................