Addressing the problems of compressed files, Brandon writes:
As much as I can't stand badly compressed mp3 files, I think the bigger problem today that continues to get worse each year is not bitrate compression, but rather audio compression (ie, the loudness war). So many songs today are slammed into a brick wall in the digital master, sucking all the dynamics and life out of them. I'd rather listen to a dynamic, low bitrate mp3 than a squashed, no dynamic recording, no matter how good the "quality."
Doug adds:
I completely agree with Brandon's comments about the diminishing quality of releases due to the effect of the "loudness war." I'm not a fan of compressed MP3, and I still buy most of my music on CD (or even SACD or Bluray Audio) and current mastering techniques clearly make music sound like crap. As an example, compare the 1986, 2004, and 2012 (so-called "25th anniversary") CD editions of Paul Simon's "Graceland." The sound quality has increasingly gotten worse on them. You can easily confirm this looking up the album on this website:
http://dr.loudness-war.info/album/list?artist=paul+simon&album=graceland
Badly compressed MP3 is often a problem, by the elimination of dynamic range is a much greater problem.
I still buy CDs. I have an I-Pod that is not used often.
Posted by: Angelo | July 15, 2014 at 07:35 AM
Reproducing quality sound is like a chain that requires a good source, a good DAC, good amplifier and good headphones/speakers. If any link in the chain is weak or missing, you're not going to hear what was intended.
Posted by: Ulysses | July 15, 2014 at 03:29 PM
In case you missed the $27 radioshack radio, this seller has one left at $24.77!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/R-S-AM-FM-Shortwave-Radio-with-Dual-Alarm-Clock-2000629-IN-BOX-/141348972863
Posted by: Paul | July 15, 2014 at 05:37 PM