Magix software fiasco

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

I have an older version of Magix MP3 Maker. It comes with a preset
number of mp3's you can rip before you have to buy the unlimited
version.

However, I ran into a flaw with their software, in that if I tried to
resample something from 44100 to 22050, it cut the play back rate in
half, i.e. plays twice as slow, one octave lower, etc.

When I sent in an email to get the unlimited version, thinking it was
free, they wanted 15 Euros for it. I asked if it worked correctly, as
what was in their application did not.

Following is the back and forth between me and their support personnel.
Instead of just owning up that their software doesn't work correctly
for that situation, they instead kept trying to convince me that I
shouldn't be using it like that.

Sort of like a carpenter building a house, the floor collapses in the
middle of the living room, and the carpenter's solution is to tell the
customer not to walk there, and everything will be ok.

===============================================================

> Ok, I just converted a file from 44100/256Kbps
> Stereo
> to 44100/56Kbps/Mono. I compared this to one
> converted to 22050/24Kbps Mono and the difference in
> size was 1102KB vs 473KB.
>
> I'd say that was a significant saving in size.
>
> I'm not going to argue the difference in sound
> quality
> because that is not the issue. That is a matter of
> preference.
>
> The issue is that your product does not work
> correctly. You have yet to address that.
>
>
>
>
> --- Magix Support System <otrs@magix.net> wrote:
>
> > Hello cz fanatic,
> >
> > Thank you for your message.
> >
> > The MP3 you sent me is "Stereo 44100 KHZ at 128
> kbps
> > which should be played back at 44100 KHZ it makes
> no
> > sence to convert the file
> > from 44100 to 22050 KHZ this will just make the
> > sound quality very poor just
> > for the sake of trying to save a very very small
> bit
> > of space on your hard drive.
> > it would be better to retain the quality and leave
> > it as an MP3 which already
> > compressed.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Best regards,
> > Sean Smith
> > otrs@magix.net
> >



> > > I've been converting files like this to 24Kbps,
> > 22050
> > > Hz, MONO to compress as much as I can without
> > > affecting sound quality to an unworkable degree,
> > given
> > > the less than optimal quality of the original
> > > recording.
> > >
> > >
> > > --- Magix Support System <otrs@magix.net> wrote:
> > >
> > > > Hello CZ ,
> > > >
> > > > Thank you for your message.
> > > >
> > > > please send me a sample of one of your songs
> so
> > we
> > > > can test it and help you a
> > > > little more.
> > > >
> > > > Many thanks.
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Best regards,
> > > > Sean Smith
> > > > otrs@magix.net
> > > >
> > > >



> > > > > I know 22050 is lower quality, but for my
> > purpose,
> > > > it
> > > > > works. Except your program changes the play
> > back
> > > > > rate, which is wrong, and anothter program I
> > have
> > > > > retains the original playback rate, which is
> > > > correct.
> > > > >
> > > > > My main objective is to give a reasonable
> > quality
> > > > of
> > > > > the song while optimizing size for limited
> > storage
> > > > > area.
> > > > >
> > > > > The playback rate should NOT be changing.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > --- Magix Support System <otrs@magix.net>
> > wrote:
> > > > >



> > > > > >
> > > > > > Thank you for your message.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Using 22050 KHZ is a very poor quality!
> > > > > > I would like to ask you a couple of
> > questions
> > > > > >
> > > > > > 1. what is the sample rate of the original
> > > > material
> > > > > > before you encoded it to
> > > > > > MP3 was it 44100 KHZ or 22050 KHZ ??
> > > > > >
> > > > > > If the material was recorded at 44100 KHZ
> > then
> > > > you
> > > > > > should use 44100 KHZ to
> > > > > > play it back, if you use a lower sample
> rate
> > > > such as
> > > > > > 22050 KHZ then the song
> > > > > > will playback at a slower speed!
> > > > > >
> > > > > > To check your playback settings, open your
> > > > software
> > > > > > and press the "P" button
> > > > > > on your computer keyboard and make sure
> the
> > > > sample
> > > > > > rate is set at 44100 and
> > > > > > not 22050 KHZ!
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > I have attached a screenshot to show you
> > what i
> > > > > > mean.
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Many thanks.
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

In article <1113354117.625171.297780@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com>,
duh <nodamnspamok@yahoo.com> wrote:

>I have an older version of Magix MP3 Maker. It comes with a preset
>number of mp3's you can rip before you have to buy the unlimited
>version.

You don't want to use LAME because you believe so strongly in law and
order than even the grayest gray area scares you? You're working in
Euros which means you live somewhere the Fraunhofer patent doesn't apply
anyway. There are good mpeg encoders out there.

I've switched to OGG and FLAC for all my own stuff.