MP3 and FLAC sound awful

[jlm86]

Have nice 5.1 package and vtf 15..
Movies with DTS etc great...

I still can't believe mp3 and FLAC Files can sound so bad..
Someone gave me MFSL Flac and these are sometimes unlistenable..

It almost makes me listen to only DVD /Bluray concerts for music..

But I have old 50k song MP3 library sitting there.. 320bit

Anyone have any creativity thoughts?

 

[Topken]

What sounds good for movies isn't necessarily that great for music?

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Have you tried switching to stereo mode?
Flac sounds is exactly like a CD - there are no sound losses due to compression

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

MP3 and all types of files sound awesome in my system. It depends on the original source and recording.

Make sure these files are being BITSTREAM/BYPASS to your processor and not sent via PCM or Analog.

Also make sure to turn off all EQs.

 

[3db]

I have the same experience as AcuDefTechGuy in that all my MP3s sound good. Configure the source to BITSTREAM/BYPASS as suggested.

 

[shadyJ]

+1 on what everyone is saying. There is processing occurring that is messing up your two channel playback. Switch to a direct mode on your receiver.

 

[lovinthehd]

Sounds like excessive audio descriptions to me....unlistenable? Really?

 

[tyhjaarpa]

Have you tried switching to stereo mode?
Flac sounds is exactly like a CD - there are no sound losses due to compression

It sounds the same as CD IF the flac was converted correctly from CD. I have seen some people converting low bit rate mp3 to flac and expecting it to sound better. One reason I only use flac files converted by myself.

But to answer for op, it sounds like a processing problem like pointed out already. What do you use to play those files and how have you connected it to your receiver?