Songs on the TV vs Songs on the MP3 Player

[Jin]

Okay so I started this conversation at work today as it was a slow day and I know that it would get everyone going.

I find that hearing a song on the tv, radio or shop sounds a lot better than it does on your mp3 player or computer.

It is kind of weird I have noticed this 5 years ago and brought it up at work the majority of us (6/8 the other two didn't care) seemed to agree and came up with a multitude of reasons.

For instance,

"the visual elements of the song makes it seem better ie, music videos, advert or movie scene."

"The quality the song is broadcasted at is far greater than the quality it is ripped or downloaded at on our mp3 players or computers."

"Our ears become accustomed to a particular set of headphones or speakers hearing the same audio from a different set makes us think of the song differently."

What do you guys think about this?

[samsaBEAR]

i agree with the visual comment, there are a lot of songs that i just can't listen to without imagining the video, and the song it's self doesn't sound the same without watching the video.
however i much prefer listening to music on my mp3. i pretty much always download or rip at 320kbps, so my music is always good quality, and i'm obsessed enough to say that music from my ipod scrobbles to last.fm, music on the tv doesnt :D

[RedStratocas]

it may seem like that also because in tv shows they usually edit the song so only the good/catchy whatever parts play, since they usually only need 30 seconds or so.

but i dont like watching music videos too much. lets just say every time i listen to "coffee & tv" by blur i just replay the goddamn milk carton's journey in my head.

[Chaos]

Depends if i hear the song for the first time on tv / radio or in a shop. I prefer it.

[Jxhn]

I personally prefer music on computer or mp3 player with a decent speaker system/pair of headphones.

The videos are good, but you can download decent quality music videos to computer (not youtube).

[Wahey]

Sounds loads better on TV

[joshuar]

Watching live music sounds alot better on TV than listening to it on your iPod. But yeah sometimes it does sound alot better with the video or live performance along with it.

[J0SH]

I preffer seeing it on TV first (for the music video) but then just rather have it on mp3 :)

[Jin]

I don't just mean for like music videos etc but I mean hearing a song that you have on your iPod play as a backing track to an adidas advert it just sounds so much better on the advert. Almost as if the song sounds different or better

[J0SH]

It's better projected in the room rather than in your ears with headphones

[RedStratocas]

I don't just mean for like music videos etc but I mean hearing a song that you have on your iPod play as a backing track to an adidas advert it just sounds so much better on the advert. Almost as if the song sounds different or better

the visuals can sometimes enhance it, they'll do shot cuts to match the beat or whatever. i dont think the song is ever actually better though lol