Xaudio MPEG Audio Engine Xaudio MPEG Audio Engine| Decoder Source: | Xaudio http://www.xaudio.com/ |
| Version: | NOT TESTED |
| Price: | free for individual use, licenses available |
| Settings: | n/a |
| Similar products: | decoding routine used in mp3 to wave, MusicMatch Jukebox and many others. |
| Verdict: | Very Good |
| VBR: | All |
| Full file: | Always |
| Major Flaws: | none |
| Minor Flaws: | glitches during particular lame encoded mp3 |
| Output level: | correct |
| 1-bit relative accuracy: | Excellent |
| 1-bit absolute accuracy: | Excellent |
Xaudio supply an SDK (software development kit) containing an mp3 decoder. The kit itself is not tested here. However, the Xaudio decoding engine is used in a variety of programs. The following decoders based on the Xaudio SDK have been tested:
As shown in the review of MusicMatch Jukebox, an error is found when decoding a particular lame encoded mp3 file. The file (a simple sine-wave sweep) is decoded perfectly by all the recommended decoders (see the conclusion for a list of these), so there is probably a bug in the Xaudio code. This may not cause concern for the average user, but Xaudio are working on fixing this problem for a future release.
Also, Xaudio agrees with l3dec when decoding Blade encoded files. However, all other mp3 decoders, including more recent ones from FhG interpret the Blade encoded mp3 differently. This hints that both Xaudio and l3dec are at fault. The error is large, but only present above 21kHz, so it is probably inaudible.
EXTRA NOTE: Xaudio provide a list of some programs based on the Xaudio code.
Return to the list of decoders.
Copyright 2000 David J M Robinson. All Rights reserved. You may not re-publish any information or content from this site without the authors' express permission.