4 ms·

I was just talking to friends about this the other day. MP3s are convenient, but the fidelity isn't the same as a CD (or the nuisances of a record). Are we lowe

I was just talking to friends about this the other day. MP3s are convenient, but the fidelity isn't the same as a CD (or the nuisances of a record). Are we lowering our standards as a society, because we don't have time for Xbox, TV, Music, and Family. For the most part music is timeless. Will we get to the point where MP3s will be the only distribution medium and we lose the timelessness of Music? Perhaps we already have.

gort 17y ago
"the fidelity isn't the same as a CD" At what bitrate? I don't think I can tell the difference by 256...
- Edinburger 17y ago
  What are you listening on? I expect that most people could tell the difference if they listened on a reasonable quality separate CD player, amp and speakers and compared that with an MP3 player plugged into the same amp and speakers. Unfortunately I don't have an experiment I can cite but having tried it myself, I can say the difference is substantial.
  - ZeroGravitas 17y ago
    You're probably experiencing the placebo effect. If you care there's software that will let you double-blind test yourself to see what bitrate is transparent for you. LAME above 165 should be transparent (i.e. sound the same as the source) for most people even with good equipment.
    - magnade 17y ago
      well I think rphillips has proven his point with these replys I've done ABX testing with cd and mp3s and I always choose cds correctly those that can't tell the difference i suggest you stop using your ipod earbuds and get something better
    - zokier 17y ago
      notice what he said: "quality separate CD player, amp and speakers and compared that with an MP3 player plugged into the same amp and speakers" "MP3 player" I'd assume that it means iPod-style device, which probably doesn't have as high quality output as "quality separate CD player". Yes, its comparing apples to oranges, but its different from placebo
      - Edinburger 17y ago
        Good point. I haven't listened to high bitrate MP3s through something like an iPod but with a high-end outboard DAC. With a setup like that I believe it could become hard/impossible to tell the difference.
RyanMcGreal 17y ago
>Are we lowering our standards as a society My MP3 player sounds a hell of a lot better than the cheap ghetto blaster on which I played cassettes (often filled with songs recorded off the radio) as a child in the early 1980s.
sp332 17y ago
"For the most part Music is timeless." I think music is, speaking generally, a product of its time. Most remaining music from past centuries is the small portion that was timeless. That doesn't mean that the majority of music through history was timeless. Edited - no need to be rude

gort 17y ago

"the fidelity isn't the same as a CD" At what bitrate? I don't think I can tell the difference by 256...

Edinburger 17y ago
What are you listening on? I expect that most people could tell the difference if they listened on a reasonable quality separate CD player, amp and speakers and compared that with an MP3 player plugged into the same amp and speakers. Unfortunately I don't have an experiment I can cite but having tried it myself, I can say the difference is substantial.
- ZeroGravitas 17y ago
  You're probably experiencing the placebo effect. If you care there's software that will let you double-blind test yourself to see what bitrate is transparent for you. LAME above 165 should be transparent (i.e. sound the same as the source) for most people even with good equipment.
  - magnade 17y ago
    well I think rphillips has proven his point with these replys I've done ABX testing with cd and mp3s and I always choose cds correctly those that can't tell the difference i suggest you stop using your ipod earbuds and get something better
  - zokier 17y ago
    notice what he said: "quality separate CD player, amp and speakers and compared that with an MP3 player plugged into the same amp and speakers" "MP3 player" I'd assume that it means iPod-style device, which probably doesn't have as high quality output as "quality separate CD player". Yes, its comparing apples to oranges, but its different from placebo
    - Edinburger 17y ago
      Good point. I haven't listened to high bitrate MP3s through something like an iPod but with a high-end outboard DAC. With a setup like that I believe it could become hard/impossible to tell the difference.

RyanMcGreal 17y ago

>Are we lowering our standards as a society My MP3 player sounds a hell of a lot better than the cheap ghetto blaster on which I played cassettes (often filled with songs recorded off the radio) as a child in the early 1980s.

sp332 17y ago

"For the most part Music is timeless." I think music is, speaking generally, a product of its time. Most remaining music from past centuries is the small portion that was timeless. That doesn't mean that the majority of music through history was timeless. Edited - no need to be rude