WELCOME to the MP2 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) sheet.
Let us begin....
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?How do I play a WAV &/or MP2 file?
If you have Windows 95 and a sound card:
  inside the Windows Explorer:
    MP2 & WAV files will play by just
      clicking on them with your mouse.

If you use Windows 3.1 or a MAC or anything else:
  see "Useful Links" (on the Song Listening Booth Home Page).
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?How do I get an MP2 file to play with Near CD Quality?
1st use a file with a high bitrate (112k or higher).
2nd convert it to a WAV and play it in that format.
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?How do I convert an MP2 file to a WAV file:
1st download AMP.EXE. It's VERY easy to use.
            (It doesn't write to the registry, or install in any way.)

2nd read "How to use AMP.EXE properly with no typing" (recommended),
    or
    read "How to use AMP.EXE properly with manual command line entry".
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How to use AMP.EXE properly with no typing (THIS IS ALL YOU'LL NEED):
1st download the small (2K) EXE file for the MP2 you want to convert.
2nd make sure AMP.EXE and the MP2 and the small EXE are all together.
3rd double click on the small EXE (with the same name as the MP2).
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OPTIONAL: How to use AMP.EXE properly with manual command line entry:
1st make sure AMP.EXE and the MP2 are together
2nd depending on the MP2 you're converting,
    at the MSDOS prompt; type one of the following,
    then press the "enter" key:
amp.exe /q8 /g0.40 cali128x.mp2
amp.exe /q8 kims128x.mp2
amp.exe /q8 tree128x.mp2
NOTE; VERY IMPORTANT: Specific command line switches MUST be used
      if you want the MP2 file to be optimally converted
      to the best possible sounding WAV file....
or else your WAV file could end up sounding terrible!
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?If I convert a 32k BitRate MP2 file and I get a 44.1kHz WAV file,
    does that mean it's CD quality?
No. The BitRate of the source MP2 will limit the WAV's sound quality.
BitRate is directly related to sound quality.
(Higher BitRate means higher sound quality.)
32k BitRate is aproximately AM radio quality.
48k BitRate is just a little bit (excuse the pun) better.
112k BitRate and higher is Near CD Quality.
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?What can I do to make an MP2 sound better?
With a 32K-BitRate MP2 it doesn't make much of a difference. But with the
higher BitRates, sometimes the sound quality improvement can be dramatic.
The higher the BitRate, the more dramatic the sound quality improvement.

1st choice: properly convert it to a WAV and then play it as a WAV.
            NOTE: If you use AMP.EXE: be sure to USE THE RIGHT SWITCHES!
            (or you'll end up with a really terrible sounding WAV file.)
            There are many other programs that will convert MP2s to WAVs.
            CoolEdit, L3dec (registerd), etc., etc... see "Useful Links".   
2nd choice: get a better sounding player. The Xing player (see Useful Links)
            is better sounding than the Win95 player. Try different players.
            (I've only tried 2.) Some MP3 players will also play MP2 files.
            Hear which one sounds the best, then, please tell me about it.
            (But you may find that a WAV file will still sound the best.)
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To get the best sound from the Xing MP2 player: under the Audio menu, choose
MPEG Audio Player, choose Configure, then pick High Quality & 16 Bit.  The
higher the BitRate, the more dramatic the sound quality improvement.  (Xing
sounds better than just Win95, but a WAV sounds better than Xing, or Win95.)
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By the way....
In order to get a good idea of what a song REALLY sounds like:
you need to hear BOTH....
the mono Full-Length version,
as well as....
the stereo Near CD Quality excerpt version.
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