[lazka]

See "Why not use graphs / frequency analysis to compare codecs?" https://wiki.hydrogenaud.io/index.php?title=FAQ#:~:text=Why%...

"I decided that analysis should focus on the higher, more conventional rates – 48k and 44k1" - opus is always 48khz, so that doesn't mean much.

[mrob]

This. Your ears are not an oscilloscope. Lossy audio codecs are designed to exploit two major weaknesses in human hearing:

1. Poor sensitivity in bass and treble. See:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equal-loudness_contour

2. Limited ability to hear multiple sounds simultaneously, or almost simultaneously. See:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auditory_masking

Bernhard Seeber has some videos on Youtube with demonstrations of auditory masking:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9UZnMsm9o8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bU0_Kaj7cPk

The only fair way to evaluate lossy codecs is with double blind listening tests.

[Arech]

The problem with these weaknesses is that they are different in each human being. For me listening an mp3 is like a sanding an ear, while some don't even hear the difference between it and a live performance.

[concerndc1tizen]

I wonder how many people there are, that don't have these weaknesses.

And who are therefore forced to hear terrible audio because the compression method only considers the majority.