ERC-2 Skipping Certain MP3 Files

[rochesterboy]

My ERC-2 CD player skips certain MP3 files while playing a CD full of MP3 songs in various folders. I am not sure if it is the MP3 file size or higher bit rate or something else causing this issue.

Anybody has experience with this problem?

Thanks in advance.

[thompson12]

I play my ERC-3 daily when some no all CD's starts to skip I run a lens cleaner with little brushes on it then it works fine. My system is very clean but it still gets dirt or something on it that makes it skip now and then.


Mitch

[garbulky]

can it even do mp3?

[rochesterboy]

Any other experiences or suggestions?

[rochesterboy]

Here is what I got from Keith. He also called me to explain his response. Thanks to Keith and Emotiva support.




MAY 12, 2017 | 02:20PM CDT
Keith Levkoff replied:


There are several different options that may be used when creating MP3 files.
As a result of the fact that most of these options can be selected independently, there are a truly huge number of possible combinations and permutations.
In addition to this, different MP3 encoders implement different options, or may implement the same option differently.
Most software players can play most or all options and combinations of options, but hardware players are somewhat more limited.
We don't have a comprehensive list of the formats and options that do and don't work (as I said, there are lots of possible combinations).

When we tested the ERC-3 after it was designed, we tested it with several MP3 files created with the most commonly chosen high quality MP3 options, and all the ones we tried worked.
If you were creating your own MP3 files, we would suggest choosing an encoder program, deciding what settings you prefer, then confirming that they work, and after that continuing to use the same settings.
(We would usually recommend something like "320k VBR" for the best audio quality from an MP3 file.)
However, if you're playing a wide variety of files, from many different sources, and at various different quality settings and other options, it doesn't surprise us that SOME of them may not work.

If the software you have installed on your computer allows you to see the MP3 parameters used for each file, you may be able to figure out what settings are common to the ones YOU HAVE that don't play.
Also make sure that the names use only standard US characters, and aren't excessively long, or contain strange characters - like #%*&.....
You may also find that the ERC-3 won't play MP3 files with excessively long comment fields or other unusual characteristics

It should also be possible, using any of several software programs, to re-encode the ones that don't work to a more standard format.
Unfortunately, MP3 files lose quality when first encoded, and will lose more quality if you then re-encode them.

Keith

[vcautokid]

I am curious, why encode in mp3 in the first place? If you want allot of tunes on a disc, I get it, but .wav is easy, and no loss basically at all as it is a direct copy. Mostly at least anyway, less perhaps the "Keith" conditions. Media is really cheap, and quality is easy to get along with. But like I said I am curious, no ups or downs here. Just being me.

[novisnick]

May 20, 2017 19:54:09 GMT -5 vcautokid said:

I am curious, why encode in mp3 in the first place? If you want allot of tunes on a disc, I get it, but .wav is easy, and no loss basically at all as it is a direct copy. Mostly at least anyway, less perhaps the "Keith" conditions. Media is really cheap, and quality is easy to get along with. But like I said I am curious, no ups or downs here. Just being me.

Maybe, just maybe he has a zillion MP3's from the old Napster days and now cant find or afford to replace them all. Just fun to listen to. Maybe 🤓 

[vcautokid]

With or without the viruses. Gad, stop that. Naughty me. That could be. Maybe easier to play it from his computer or NAS, and feed into his system that way and enjoy CDs on his ERC-2.
Sorry too many negative memories with Napster for me.

But yeah, I see your point Novisnick.