What We Tested
To simulate what a home user would do in “loading” a PC jukebox with tracks ripped from CDs, we used the ripping facilities and codecs of the appropriate software jukeboxes. For WMA, that was version 8.00.00.477 of Windows Media Player, and for RealAudio it was version 6.0.10.505 of the RealOne Player (available only for PCs, though the RealPlayer 8 available for Macs apparently uses the same RealAudio 8 codec). To give MP3 its best chance, we used the Fraunhofer-derived codec in CoolEdit2000 Version 1.1 in its highest-quality mode. The tracks were decoded into 16-bit WAV files by using the ripping software to burn them onto an audio CD-R. The decoded tracks were then re-ripped as 16-bit WAV files by SoundForge 5.0f, which I also used for general editing of the selections as needed for the ABX comparison software.

The Test Tracks
Most of these same tracks were also used in our two previous rounds of codec listening tests.

1. applause, small jazz club. Custom recording.
2. female pop vocal. Patricia Barber, “Too Rich for My Blood,” from Café Blue, Blue Note/Premonition 72435218102, Track 9 (00:39-01:09).
3. male pop vocal. Johnny Cash, “I Walk the Line,” from Johnny Cash’s Greatest Hits, Columbia CK9478, Track 2 (00:22-00:49).
4. solo castanets, from Sound Quality Assessment Material (SQAM), an out-of-print lab-standard test CD of extremely clean recorded sounds issued by the European Broadcasting Union. Track 27 (complete).
5. rock group. Pearl Jam,“Daughter,” from Daughter, Epic 34K77938, Track 1 (00:02-00:31).
6. pitch pipe. Custom recording.
7. solo violin. J. S. Bach: Chaconne from Partita No. 2 (BWV 1004). Rachel Podger, Baroque violin. Channel Classics CCS12198, Track 17 (00:00-00:36).
8. solo harpsichord, from SQAM, Track 40 (complete). This track can be downloaded from www.tnt.uni-hannover.de/project/mpeg/audio/sqam/
9. metallic percussion. Guy Klucevsek: Sweet Chinoiserie. Margaret Leng Tan, toy piano and percussion. Point 456 345-2, Track 10 (00:30-00:42).
10. cymbal ensemble. Custom recording.
11. solo chanting voice. Suzanne Vega, “Tom’s Diner,” from Tom’s Album, A&M 5363, Track 2 (00:00-00:10).
12. full orchestra and chorus. Carl Orff: “Invocatione dell’Imeneo” from Trionfo di Afrodite. Munich Radio Orchestra, Franz Welser-Möst conducting. EMI 72435555172, Track 9 (00:33-00:46).