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[dma]

Which MP3 decoder are you using in XM-Play ?
Could it be the great MAD engine ?

[Ralesk]

Self-written, the best I recall.  Read the archives

[tigre]

I did a test some time ago MAD vs. XMPlay 2.5 and a beta version of 2.6 and posted the results here. I'll have to test with 2.6 final again, but if nothing changed, you can consider XMPlay and MAD equal under real life circumstances.