[OT]Software patents end? ??:) light at the end of tunnel

Sean McNeil sean at mcneil.com
Fri Nov 28 16:01:20 CET 2008


Stroller wrote:
> On 28 Nov 2008, at 11:06, Sean McNeil wrote:
>   
>> ...
>> I'd like to point out also that the CD source is already lossy in that
>> it is a digital representation of analog signals. Recording companies,
>> however, compensate for this and work to make the sound output from  
>> a CD
>> player as ideal as possible,
>>     
>
> I understood otherwise:
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudness_war
>
> Google "loudness war" for many other posts on the subject - many of  
> these posts are very readable and are complaints from genuine music- 
> lovers disappointed with deteriorating audio quality on new releases.
>
> I don't listen to music so much these days - I've just gotten out of  
> the habit of it, I guess. But I have fond memories of the very early  
> 1990s, when CD was still the medium of audiophile choice, and the  
> argument against vinyl still raged. I would kick back with a Jimi  
> Hendrix remaster and pick out individual instruments to appreciate as  
> part of the whole. Each was pure and remarkable - or perhaps that was  
> just the spliff - but when I read about how the record companies are  
> reducing the dynamic range of the albums they now publish I wonder if  
> the same experience would be possible.
>   

Ah, now we are talking about opinion of "ideal" ;)

Yes, I agree with all you have said, but the interpretation of ideal for 
record companies is to appeal to the largest body of consumers and they 
are marketing it that way. Kids want it loud.

Back on topic, my point is you are starting with a lossy format to begin 
with even if you use FLAC. What really matters is how it sounds to an 
individual and the type of device you are using, quality of headset, 
etc. With choices, a user can see what he/she can tolerate and determine 
a reasonable compression to get the most music on a device.





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