iTunes - what does it do to our music?

[paul_g]

I notice that when I mix in Pro Tools and play back in a car stereo, home stereo, cd player, iPod (ear bud) etc.. or play it back using quick time through my 003 and monitors, my mix is very consistent.

The minute I bring any track into iTunes, whether it be my mix, or another commercial grade CD, it just sounds really different. The mix itself becomes thin (opposite of wide - not referring to bass) and very compressed.

I turn off all the enhancment junk in iTunes... etc. What exactly is going on under the hood of iTunes and why does music sound much different when it is played through iTunes, vs - car, home stereo, quick-time etc? What are they (Apple) doing to it?

[Hotcrazyfruit]

did u disable the EQ or make sure it is flat?

Nick

[albee1952]

I tend to hate iTunes or anything but background music. One thing to check is preferences as iTunes can import/rip to uncompressed wave files(which is desireable). I'm on Windows so I audition masters and mixdowns with WMP or Wavelab(which now works on Mac).

[filosofem]

Technically, iTunes codec (MA4) shouldn't do anything to your music as it's 'lossless', apparently.

[paul_g]

yes - the EQ was turned on and set to Rock - so unbeknown to me, I had this huge "Smile" EQ thing going on... It was horrible!

I turned that off and all seems a bit better. I still like the .wav or mp3 played through QickTime better.

p

[albee1952]

A wave file will always sound better than an MP3, and should sound better than MP4 as long as you are listening on an accurate system(NOT the car stereo or the average earbuds or home system).