Listen mode swaps sources instantly. Blind Game tests whether you can
actually hear the difference.
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Test FLAC against:
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0:00--:--
Vol
xHE trim0.0 dB
Source 1
click to play
Source 2
click to play
Round 1/10
· Score: 0/0
Match complete
0/10
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Tip: in Listen mode, scrub to a busy passage (cymbals +
dense mix), then step down through the bitrates to hear where it breaks.
In Blind Game, the A↔B compare button loops 10s of each source
back-to-back at the same musical moment — much more sensitive than
comparing memories of one source against another.
xHE trim: xHE-AAC carries a loudness-normalization target
in its bitstream metadata. Different browser/OS decoders apply different
fractions of it, so xHE files may play quieter than FLAC. Nudge the trim
until they sound matched; the value is saved in localStorage.
xHE-AAC playback needs an OS-provided USAC decoder (Chrome/Edge on Win10+,
Safari on macOS 12+/iOS, Chrome on Android 9+). Firefox cannot decode
xHE-AAC — only the FLAC source plays there.