Can you hear the difference?

http://mp3ornot.com/

B has slightly more clarity in the high freq, but that may be because it is slightly louder. They are so close.....

There are pretty much no high frequencies, sharp attacks or decay and not forgetting the missing background ambience on either, so differences will be minimal unless you really lower the bit rate down, try Heavy Rock, Classical or Jazz Trios if you want to show the differences up.
I will try them on my main audio system when I get back from work however, as even the best PC speakers are pretty much crap when it comes to accurate sound.

Bill

Just realised they use Flash Player for playback, which is itself a compressed media streaming format, so no comparisons are possible.

Bill

that is a good point! ^^^

Sure they use flash for a front end but I think it can't stop them from using actual mp3's loaded in memory

checked the web site though, there are no mp3 files.

I also thought b might be the better

For me, the primary difference comes in the cymbals, and also a general loss of 'focus' in the stereo soundfield when comparing mp3 to .wav. Plus, there's always a VERY slight loss of dynamics, things sound just a hair compressed (in the audio sense).

But Abacus is right, basically, if you are trying to compare on computer speakers, you are already listening to a VERY colored sound even with the .wav.

It amazes me how many of us here spend $2-3.5k on a TOTL arranger, and then PREFER it's built-in speakers or a Logitech system, or a combo keyboard amp..! NONE of which could even REMOTELY be described as 'flat' or 'accurate'. Play your arranger through a decent nearfield monitor system, and you can be amazed at the clarity and detail those built-ins lose, not to mention the solid bass you NEVER get (wooly bass is NO substitute!).

Well. the same pretty much applies to audio comparisons.

I guess we just have so much more vying for our discretionary dollar, these days, but it's a shame that the obsession with 'hi-fidelity' that was the trademark of 60's and especially 70's music lovers has just about totally disappeared. Sadly, even record companies are more concerned about whether a CD sounds good on crappy computer speakers than on TOTL hi-fi systems now, and have cranked up the average SPL of CD's so as not to challenge these poor pathetic systems with ant REAL dynamic range (the bellwether of a good system used to be how much RANGE it could handle).

BTW, the EASIEST listening test you all can do at home is simple... Rip a tune from your favorite CD to 16bit .WAV, and multiple MP3 rates. Connect your computer to your home stereo (basically, don't even bother with ANY of this if all you can listen to is computer speakers), then get someone to play the files randomly (and write down the rates in order) then you write down which you think is which. Compare.

It's a LOT easier to tell on your home stereo (if it's decent) or good studio nearfields (if you have them)....

The manufacturers are smart ( like foxes ) and use a sound system that showcases their trademerk sounds very well. It's no surprise to me that many of us love the tone that comes from our go-to keyboard's internal speakers.

I rely on the on board system for a monitor and send the signal to whatever is appropriate for the venue. ( almost always, the Bose L1 ll )
This formula work so well for me because I never need to compromise what I hear in order to send the correct tone/volume to the house.

I've said it b4 ... I will never use a "silent slab" in my setup. When Tower Of Power asks me to fill in .... I "might" think about using a different setup, but I'm sure that after they hear what I can do on this PA800 ... they might just rethink THEIR system!

BTW - I'm going to see Victor Wooten this week and TOP w/ AWB next week. Color me HAPPY !

Saw AWB last year (and TOP a few years before that) at House of Blues in NOLA... Great stuff!

AWB used a Nord, BTW...

Maybe it's been a while since you played with a muscular drummer, Dave, but I GUARANTEE you play onstage with any of those guys (or next to any non-brushes drummer) and you won't hear note one out of your PA800's speakers!