BigEd

being "thin"...

thecougar

It sounds like MP3s to me. Of course you are not going to get CD quality sound out of a 128 MP3 (the most common rate), but even as low as 192 it's pretty hard to tell the difference. If you are really picky encode the MP3s 320kbps.

Of course the higher the bit rate the fewer MP3s you will be able store on the DMS. I listen to MP3s over my home stereo all the time. Trust me any "thinness" someone may be complaining about is coming from their poor quality MP3 rather than the phatnoise system.

If you don't already have an MP3 collection the phatnoise software comes with the ability to rip MP3s. I'd rip a few at the different rates and then chose the smallest bit rate that sounds acceptable to you.

If you like music that contains lots of base or lots of high treble I would definitely recommend a high bit rate, at least 192kbps.

BigEd

CDA burned using your MP3 collection (which I assume you have, - at least that's what I play in my factory CD changer, home burned audio CDs made from my mp3 collection). Hope I am making sense here ;-)

thecougar

CDA = CD audio file
but PB = ?

Anyway I think I know what you are getting at. A MP3 is going to sound the same if not better than an MP3 that's converted back into CDA/WAV. The reason for this is every time you encode something you run the risk of losing quality.

BigEd

MP3 files played via PhatBox sound no worse than CDs (made from those same MP3s) played in your (former) CD changer?

thecougar

Without a doubt the same, if not better.