<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><FONT SIZE=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0">In a message dated 6/8/2003 9:51:02 PM Central Daylight Time, boojum@charter.net writes:<BR>
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<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">A little off-topic, but MP3's are not inherently bad sounding. It<BR>
depends on the sampling rate and format. <BR>
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Some people argue that all MP3's are unacceptable.<BR>
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MP3's ARE inherently lower-fidelity than non-compressed PCM formats, such as the format used on CDs. MP3 employs lossy compression by definition. No matter the bitrate, SOMETHING is lost. It's certainly true that a 128k rate MP3 sounds much better than a lower bitrate file, and - for example- it can be argued that a 128k MP3 sounds better than FM radio, which is band-limited by FCC regulation to 15 kHz on the top end and which in real-life situations seldom exceeds 50 dB S/N ratio. (Many 48k MP3 streams could arguably sound better than typical FM- depending on content, IMHO)<BR>
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The best sounding Joe Frank there is would be the CD's. This is a lossless transfer from digital masters- the only possible problems come from any downconversion from the original sample rate. (For example, many digital studio, like those using ProTools, often record at 96 KB/s rate and 24-bit depth. A CD is 44.1 KB/s and 16-bits deep. There are some maniacs who record at 192 KB/s.......) If the recording engineers know their craft, then they'll choose parameters for downconversion that will preserve all that is possible so that the 44.1 KB/s 16 bit CD will be really very close to original digital studio work. (It's also possible that the original recordings are made at 44.1 KB/s 16-bit but that's unlikely these days, most recording studios work at high bitrates which gives them more room to manipulate the sound without degrading it.)<BR>
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I can certainly hear the difference on my computer speakers between a 44.1 / 16 uncompressed PCM file and a 128k MP3 made from that source. The MP3 encoding process introduces a certain amount of artifact into the sound. You can easily hear it if you know what to listen to. Still, a 128k MP3 sounds pretty good, compared to cassette or most FM. But next to a CD there really is a difference.<BR>
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And who knows maybe Joe Frank will someday be available on SACD or DVD-A.....</FONT></HTML>