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What sounds better than CD quality? CD-A, DVD-A and other formats claim to sound better than CDs. CD audio files are 16 bit depth at 44.1000 sample rates, the same file specifications as the RealTrack files available in the Audiophile edition of Band-in-a-Box. +++ HD Tracks, com +++ offers audio files created at higher bit depths and / or sample rates. Are they better? I don't know but you can visit the website, request the free sampler and find out for yourself.
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It's a lot like the difference between the regular and audiophile versions of BIAB (of which I've written an article in Tips and Tricks). I can clearly hear the difference between CD and DVD quality audio, but only on a good sound system in a good room. Add an air conditioner, a car outside, the wind, a bass solo, damaged hearing, etc., or play it on a boom box or earbuds or car stereo, and the difference disappears.
I love working in 24-bit audio while mixing, because of the added headroom. The final sound, though, would fool most people in a blind hearing test comparing it to 16-bit. Even more so for 48k sampled audio.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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snip ... I love working in 24-bit audio while mixing, because of the added headroom. The final sound, though, would fool most people in a blind hearing test comparing it to 16-bit. Even more so for 48k sampled audio. This is one conclusion the article mentions time and time again; the dynamic range 24 bit depth provides versus 16 bit depth is a valuable factor while mixing and helps deliver a better mix but has no affect on the listening process.
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I would love to see a double blind study done of randomly selected audiophiles regarding ability to discriminate amongst variable formats and sub-formats. Not just the ability to tell one from another but also the acuity needed to say which one is “best” (meaning meets the technical specs as best quality). Of course when you are reduced to my level of hearing it is a moot issue.
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos
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This is one conclusion the article ... What article? I only saw a vendor's page. Perhaps there is something in the sample kit you mentioned? Thanks.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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This is one conclusion the article ... What article? I only saw a vendor's page. Perhaps there is something in the sample kit you mentioned? Thanks. Sorry for the mix-up Matt. This is what happens when I work on two posts at the same time.  +++ THIS +++ is the article I mentioned.
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I would love to see a double blind study done of randomly selected audiophiles regarding ability to discriminate amongst variable formats and sub-formats. Not just the ability to tell one from another but also the acuity needed to say which one is “best” (meaning meets the technical specs as best quality). Of course when you are reduced to my level of hearing it is a moot issue. Bud, Tom's Hardware didn't perform a double blind test in the strictest sense. But they did test four different hardware configurations ranging in price from more than $2,000 to less than $2.00. The article is available +++ HERE +++
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I would love to see a double blind study done of randomly selected audiophiles regarding ability to discriminate amongst variable formats and sub-formats. Not just the ability to tell one from another but also the acuity needed to say which one is “best” (meaning meets the technical specs as best quality). Of course when you are reduced to my level of hearing it is a moot issue. Bud, Tom's Hardware didn't perform a double blind test in the strictest sense. But they did test four different hardware configurations ranging in price from more than $2,000 to less than $2.00. The article is available +++ HERE +++ Thanks for the link which I will soon read. I once read a study that in summary indicated that volunteer auidiophiles were unable to discriminate at statistical significance between a mid line Yamaha amp and an extremely high dollar and well reviewed unit.
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos
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I can clearly hear the difference between CD and DVD quality audio, but only on a good sound system in a good room. This is the most important thing to talk about before even starting a discussion like this. Over on Keyboard Corner, guys post excruciating details about the subtleties of this sound library or that hardware synth but that's not the worst. The worst is the Hammond B3 organ clone fanatics. They go crazy over tiny little details in the sound. Nobody mentions what they are listening through until I, ahem, bring it up. Then we find some are using $50 computer speakers, others are using consumer home theater setups you get at Best Buy, others use their PA speakers like JBL Eons for home monitoring, Roland KC500's etc. All of that totally sucks for trying to test out audiophile level sound. A few though say they have a pair of Genelec's or Adam's or like me an awesome pair of Altec Model 14's that had a list of $2,899 EACH in 1984. I picked them up used several years ago. Those people I'll listen to when they say one thing sounds better than another. Our long time (and no longer posting) forum friend Mac used to post a lot about this and he also posted details about how he built his own killer speaker systems for cheap. It's usually not cheap to get that sound quality but he was an expert. Bob
Last edited by jazzmammal; 10/10/17 04:51 AM.
Biab/RB latest build, Win 11 Pro, Ryzen 5 5600 G, 512 Gig SSD, 16 Gigs Ram, Steinberg UR22 MkII, Roland Sonic Cell, Kurzweil PC3, Hammond SK1, Korg PA3XPro, Garritan JABB, Hypercanvas, Sampletank 3, more.
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Our long time (and now departed) forum friend Mac
Bob
That don't sound right.... 
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I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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I can clearly hear the difference between CD and DVD quality audio, but only on a good sound system in a good room. This is the most important thing to talk about before even starting a discussion like this. Over on Keyboard Corner, guys post excruciating details about the subtleties of this sound library or that hardware synth but that's not the worst. The worst is the Hammond B3 organ clone fanatics. They go crazy over tiny little details in the sound. Nobody mentions what they are listening through until I, ahem, bring it up. Then we find some are using $50 computer speakers, others are using consumer home theater setups you get at Best Buy, others use their PA speakers like JBL Eons for home monitoring, Roland KC500's etc. All of that totally sucks for trying to test out audiophile level sound. A few though say they have a pair of Genelec's or Adam's or like me an awesome pair of Altec Model 14's that had a list of $2,899 EACH in 1984. I picked them up used several years ago. Those people I'll listen to when they say one thing sounds better than another. Bob Ive found the same thing, forums can be awesome or completely confusing, I just decided to get some real speakers, well near field ones and on almost the same posts can hear one speaker is great or tinny and needs to be chucked or cheerished. I payed attention to posts that actually told u what to look for on the specs and I finnly found a nice cheep pair with no colouration of sound, they r cheep but then my hearing sucks ( worked in construction my whole life). I think its just a breed of people that need to be right, and only the item they have sounds good and all others r crap. Guitar pickups, vst soundbanks, headphones etc etc if its subjective they come out of the woodwork. I look now for a post where it starts what u have is probably fine and if u look at the specs for the item it should be in this range
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I think good analog with tube gear (and tube saturation) sounds the best.
I have a couple of SACDs that I think sound noticeably better than regular CDs.
But I think that's also impractical for consumers.
My engineering mind says the higher the bit rate of digital, the better reproduction you should get, as long as everything else in the chain is the same.
But (and it's a big but), there is always a point of diminishing returns where the same amount of technical improvement offers less and less perceptible improvement. And that varies from one listener to another.
Another consideration is who are you recording for? If you are recording for the general public, it doesn't matter much. Since I was a child I see the general public's choice was 45rpm records, 8 tracks that sometimes even changed tracks mid-song, cassette tapes, early CDs (which IMHO sounded terrible on the systems of the day) and finally mp3s.
And they listened to them on systems that didn't have the bandwidth to reproduce the highs, lows, and dynamic response. Players with narrow bandwidth circuits, and either tiny, tinny speakers or low-fi earbuds.
Adequate resolution is all you need for that.
On the other hand, we have audiophiles who listen on high-end systems, have trained ears and listen for the sonic quality as much as they do the beauty of the music. You need to get as high up the path of diminishing returns for these people as you can afford to. But admittedly they are a small market.
These are the two extremes, there are many between those points.
And after all that, two sets of ears are not the same. Even if a person's hearing hasn't been damaged, some people just hear better or worse than others. Better frequency response, better perception and so on.
I guess it seems like I'm drifting off topic here, but the point I'm trying to make, is that there is no definitive best for everyone. You need to find what is best for you and your audience.
Insights and incites by Notes
Last edited by Notes Norton; 10/10/17 02:55 AM.
Bob "Notes" Norton  Norton Music
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100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
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Sorry, I changed that reference to Mac to (no longer posting)
Bob
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Thanks Bob (JazzMammal) edited mine as well
Bob (Notes),
I know what you mean. A few years back I spent decent money on a 'more than decent' living room surround system.
Then watched my family/friends plug their phones, ipads or ipods into it (as the source) and proceed to tell me how much they like it or what they didn't like about the system .. <grin>
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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Thanks Bob (JazzMammal) edited mine as well
Bob (Notes),
I know what you mean. A few years back I spent decent money on a 'more than decent' living room surround system.
Then watched my family/friends plug their phones, ipads or ipods into it (as the source) and proceed to tell me how much they like it or what they didn't like about the system .. <grin>
Yes people care about the song, the words, and as much of the music as they can understand (some more than others), but their point of diminishing returns for fidelity is much lower than mine. But as long as they are listening and enjoying, it's OK with me. I never owned an 8 track - what? Change tracks in the middle of a song!!!!!!!! I had a cassette in the car, but I recorded my own tapes from the vinyl that I bought. And since the early cassette machines not only had low fidelity but also got hungry and ate a cassette every now and then, it was a good move. I hated the early CD sounds as well, They have made improvements in D-A converters so that although I still think things sound better on a good analog system, I listen to CDs a lot. They are more convenient and there is a different kind of distortion. The LP has pops and clicks but the CD has quantization errors, which is worse? Besides, to listen to a symphony on and LP without flipping the disk in the middle. Insights and incites by Notes
Bob "Notes" Norton Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com
100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
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We're all such insulated geeks.
The average person knows nothing about what all of us obsess over. The bass is slightly muddy, no sizzle in the cymbals, weak stereo field, no depth, the mids need a boost and on and on and on...
Meanwhile they're listening through a $9 pair of earbuds "with bassboost!" they picked up with some ice cream at the drugstore.
Bob
Biab/RB latest build, Win 11 Pro, Ryzen 5 5600 G, 512 Gig SSD, 16 Gigs Ram, Steinberg UR22 MkII, Roland Sonic Cell, Kurzweil PC3, Hammond SK1, Korg PA3XPro, Garritan JABB, Hypercanvas, Sampletank 3, more.
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I just read that Toms Hardware article. Nothing new there but it was very interesting. As far as it relates to us on this forum it substantiates what most of us have been saying (and I just wrote) for years.
The number one most important thing is your speakers. The electronics are so good now even the cheapest amps and a PC's onboard soundcard sound so good these expert listeners could not tell the difference between the onboard Realtec chip and high priced DAC's when using high quality expensive headphones.
The related part of this is people keep asking if they need an interface to run the audio out from a laptop to their PA for example. That answer is no but, the key word is output. Not input for recording. A PC's onboard audio is really good to send sound out but the input if you want to record a vocal or instrument is pure crap. Recording and/or playing live through the computer is where you need a good audio interface.
Bob
Biab/RB latest build, Win 11 Pro, Ryzen 5 5600 G, 512 Gig SSD, 16 Gigs Ram, Steinberg UR22 MkII, Roland Sonic Cell, Kurzweil PC3, Hammond SK1, Korg PA3XPro, Garritan JABB, Hypercanvas, Sampletank 3, more.
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Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.
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Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac - Special Offers End at 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th, 2026!
Order before 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th and SAVE up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 for Mac Upgrade packages... and that's not all! With your version 2026 for Mac purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks... that's 222 NEW RealTracks available with version Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac!
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® today for as little as $49! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all available purchase options.
Learn more about the Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK here.
If you have any questions about which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We're here to help!
202 New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2026!
With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
Our new jazz, funk & blues RealTracks include a groovin’ collection of RealTracks and RealDrums! These include more requested “soul jazz” RealTracks featuring artists Neil Swainson (bass), Charles Treadway (organ), Brent Mason (guitar), and Wes Little (drums). There are new “smooth jazz” styles (4), which include a RealTracks first: muted trumpet, as well as slick new smooth jazz brushes options for drums. Blues lovers will be thrilled—there are more “classic acoustic blues” styles, including guitar (5), bass (4), and drums (10) with blues master Colin Linden, featuring understated and tasty background acoustic soloing, plus brushes drums and acoustic bass. There are also new electric blues RealTracks, including electric blues with PG favorite Johnny Hiland (3) and soulful electric slide guitar from Colin Linden (4). If you love funk & gospel, there are great new options this year, including gospel organ (3) from Charles Treadway, as well as new funk, tango, and rock ’n’ roll drums (3) and bass (1). And for big, bold arrangements, we have uptempo soul horns (4) featuring a three-part hip horn section with options for a full mix or stems of each individual horn — plus an accompanying rhythm section (4) of drums, bass, guitar, and electric piano!
Rock & Pop (Sets 476–482):
Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
Check out all the 202 new RealTracks (in sets 468-488)!
And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.
The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
With your version 2026 for Mac Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!
These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
- The 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
- MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
- Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
- Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
- Playable RealTracks Set 5
- RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
- SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
- iOS Android Band-in-a-Box® App
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
- 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
- FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
- MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
- Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
- Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
- RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
- SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
Learn more about the Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!
All of our XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs are on sale until May 15th, 2026!
It's the perfect time to expand your Band-in-a-Box® style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs. These additional styles for Band-in-a-Box® offer a wide range of genres designed to fit seamlessly into your projects. Each style is professionally arranged and mixed, helping enhance your songs while saving you time.
What are XPro Styles and Xtra Styles PAKs?
XPro Styles PAKs are styles that work with any version (Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition) of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). XPro Styles PAKS 1-10 includes 1,000 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 includes 3,700 styles (and 35 MIDI styles)!
The XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs are not included in any Band-in-a-Box® package.
The XPro Styles PAKs 1-10 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
The Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the Xtra Styles PAK Bundle for only $199 (reg. $349)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
Note: XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 19 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version as they require the RealTracks included in the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Supercharge your Band-in-a-Box today with XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAK Sets!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac Videos
With the release of Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac, we’re rolling out a collection of brand-new videos on our YouTube channel. We’ll keep this forum post updated so you can easily find all the latest videos in one convenient spot.
Whether you're exploring new features, checking out the latest RealTracks or Style PAKs, this is your go-to guide for Band-in-a-Box® 2026.
Check out this forum post for "One Stop Shopping" of our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Videos!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac is Here!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac is here and it is packed with major new features! There’s a new modern look, a GUI redesign to all areas of the program including toolbars, windows, workflow and more. There’s a Multi-view layout for organizing multiple windows. A standout addition is the powerful AI-Notes feature, which uses AI neural-net technology to transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI—entire mixes or individual instruments—making it easy to study, view, and play parts from any song. And that’s just the beginning—there are over 100 new features in this exciting release.
Along with version 2026, we've released an incredible lineup of new content! There's 202 new RealTracks, brand-new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two new RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Special Offers
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac and save up to 50% on most upgrade packages during our special offer—available until May 15, 2026. Visit our Band-in-a-Box® packages page to explore all available upgrade options.
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK Add-ons
Our Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK are loaded with amazing add-ons! The Free Bonus PAK is included with most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac packages, but you can unlock even more—including 20 unreleased RealTracks—by upgrading to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49.
Holiday Weekend Hours
As we hop into the Easter weekend, here are our holiday hours:
April 3 (Good Friday): 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM PDT
April 4 (Saturday): Closed
April 5 (Easter Sunday): Closed
April 6 (Easter Monday): Open regular hours
Wishing you an egg-cellent weekend!
— Team PG
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