Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1   Report Post  
 
Posts: n/a
Default Will MP3's take over CD's in the future?

It seems as though format MP3 is getting more popular amongst today's
generation with the advent of PC's, I-pods, etc. The big advantages are
smaller files, more storage, size and portability. Will this make the
CD obsolete someday? The average person loves the advantages of MP3's.
They don't really care about the audio quality vs. the storage and
portability.

I'm dreading the day CD's become obsolete and MP3's become the main
format for audio. Will this ever happen? Some people are still burning
CD's. Eventually people may be burning MP3's onto CD's, memory sticks
etc. Yikes! What's going to happen to the quality of the stuff we all
record?

Stan

  #2   Report Post  
polymod
 
Posts: n/a
Default


wrote in message
oups.com...
It seems as though format MP3 is getting more popular amongst today's
generation with the advent of PC's, I-pods, etc. The big advantages are
smaller files, more storage, size and portability. Will this make the
CD obsolete someday? The average person loves the advantages of MP3's.
They don't really care about the audio quality vs. the storage and
portability.


I do.........and I still buy albums.

young whippersnappers


Poly



  #4   Report Post  
Mark
 
Posts: n/a
Default


The limiting factor (pun intended) in the technical quality of music
these days is not the CD, not even MP3 compression, its the damn
dynamic range compression that is intentionally used to make it sound
LOUD.

A good recording with decent dynamic range reproduced via an MP3 at a
reasonable bit rate sounds MUCH MUCH better compared to a recording
that has had the dynamics squashed to kingdom come.

I'll take a good recording on an MP3 over a squashed recording on a CD
any day.

Another bad trend is excessive dynamic range compression even during
live performances.

Mark

  #5   Report Post  
Ricky Hunt
 
Posts: n/a
Default

wrote in message
oups.com...
It seems as though format MP3 is getting more popular amongst today's
generation with the advent of PC's, I-pods, etc. The big advantages are
smaller files, more storage, size and portability. Will this make the
CD obsolete someday? The average person loves the advantages of MP3's.
They don't really care about the audio quality vs. the storage and
portability.

I'm dreading the day CD's become obsolete and MP3's become the main
format for audio. Will this ever happen? Some people are still burning
CD's. Eventually people may be burning MP3's onto CD's, memory sticks
etc. Yikes! What's going to happen to the quality of the stuff we all
record?

Stan


The only reason MP3 came into existence was because of storage and
transmission limitations of the current technology. We're practically at the
point now where that will be irrelevant (meaning you'll be able to send true
CD-quality and higher files in the blink of an eye). Once all gadgets catch
up there'll be no need for data compression (other than the insatiable
desire for humans to want more than all matter in the universe could
provide). Of course the companies also want to push bigger and higher
formats (so they can sell us the same bits they've already sold us at least
twice already) so some compression may remain. But only if we bite. Just say
no.




  #6   Report Post  
 
Posts: n/a
Default

as a peripheral issue, i would note that over the past several months,
our sales of digital downloads from itunes and napster have slowly
started to catch up with sales of actual CDs. IMHO, it will not be
very long now before we are making more money from MP3 DL sales than
from CD sales.

  #7   Report Post  
 
Posts: n/a
Default

So are you saying CD's are on the way out? Is it a strong possibility?

Stan

  #8   Report Post  
 
Posts: n/a
Default

That's what I was thinking. People are getting more of their music from
MP3 downloads. CD sales have been on a downward trend. If this is the
case, hopefully the MP3 technology gets better.

Stan

  #10   Report Post  
Mark & Mary Ann Weiss
 
Posts: n/a
Default


I'm dreading the day CD's become obsolete and MP3's become the main
format for audio. Will this ever happen? Some people are still burning
CD's. Eventually people may be burning MP3's onto CD's, memory sticks
etc. Yikes! What's going to happen to the quality of the stuff we all
record?

Stan



The young-uns don't know good sound if it knocked 'em on the head.
I'm going the opposite direction by producing SACDs. 24/96 forever!


--
Best Regards,

Mark A. Weiss, P.E.
www.mwcomms.com
-





  #11   Report Post  
Mark & Mary Ann Weiss
 
Posts: n/a
Default

A good recording with decent dynamic range reproduced via an MP3 at a
reasonable bit rate sounds MUCH MUCH better compared to a recording
that has had the dynamics squashed to kingdom come.


I also do wedding videos, and the clients provide CDs for the soundtrack.
Some of the CDs I ripped were horrendous. I thought something was wrong at
first, because I was hearing classic intermod distortion when the beat/bass
was causing everything to clip. Looking in a waveform editor, I could see
about 12dB of peak clipping on this one CD.
So it's gone beyond compression to out and out clipping and nobody cares.
That is a scary trend! It means our art is dying.


--
Best Regards,

Mark A. Weiss, P.E.
www.mwcomms.com
-



  #12   Report Post  
Julian
 
Posts: n/a
Default

On 23 Jun 2005 14:38:34 -0700, "Mark" wrote:


A good recording with decent dynamic range reproduced via an MP3 at a
reasonable bit rate sounds MUCH MUCH better compared to a recording
that has had the dynamics squashed to kingdom come.


Perhaps, but a good CD not squished sounds MUCH better than an MP3
made from the same master. That's the one place where I can
definitely hear what mp3 is cutting out of the original sound. Reverb
tails and quiet sounds loose definition. But since most like it loud
these days, hardly anyone notices.

Julian


  #13   Report Post  
bsuhorndog
 
Posts: n/a
Default



wrote:
It seems as though format MP3 is getting more popular amongst today's
generation with the advent of PC's, I-pods, etc. The big advantages are
smaller files, more storage, size and portability. Will this make the
CD obsolete someday? The average person loves the advantages of MP3's.
They don't really care about the audio quality vs. the storage and
portability.

I'm dreading the day CD's become obsolete and MP3's become the main
format for audio. Will this ever happen? Some people are still burning
CD's. Eventually people may be burning MP3's onto CD's, memory sticks
etc. Yikes! What's going to happen to the quality of the stuff we all
record?

Stan


I agree with some of the previous posters that compression (of the
dynamic sort) is a much bigger threat to quality than that of the MPEG
sort. I have heard some absolutely horrendous pumping in some radio
tracks in recent months (not to name names *cough*Avril Lavigne*cough*)
Besides, some of the next-gen codecs (notably AAC) are catching on,
and people are starting to use the open stuff (OGG., et al) as well. I
think the odds of this converging into any one outcome (like all music
in MP3) is incredibly unlikely. It is far more probable that digital
music distribution will only get MORE confusing and complex as new
stuff comes to market (DVD-Audio should get there eventually. Maybe.
Or maybe not) While there is that drive to have DAYS of music on our
computers (I have 7, myself), there is also a standard of quality that
I refuse to relinquish. I rip everything at 128 kbps AAC and it sounds
pretty damn good. I can hear violinists turning pages in my recording
of Brahms 1 (yes, I know it's as much a tribute to the recording as the
compression, but it sounds great).
An interesting point is, however, that if the major labels push
ahead with their incredibly frightening DRM plans, I can just about
guarantee that piracy will skyrocket again, and if that means returning
to MP3, people will definitely do it. I know I don't want to be told
when and how to listen to my music, and if they try to integrate that
crap into my computer's hardware, I will skirt it any way I can.

/steps off soap box

Cheers,
Mike

  #14   Report Post  
bsuhorndog
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Wow, did I really use that many (I can't believe it) parenthetical
remarks? How annoying. I apologize.

Mike

  #15   Report Post  
Carey Carlan
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Julian wrote in
:

Perhaps, but a good CD not squished sounds MUCH better than an MP3
made from the same master. That's the one place where I can
definitely hear what mp3 is cutting out of the original sound. Reverb
tails and quiet sounds loose definition. But since most like it loud
these days, hardly anyone notices.


Let's qualify that. A good CD sounds better than a high bitrate MP3
assuming you have:

1) Undistorted source
2) Good speakers or headphones for playback
3) Quiet enough environment to hear the difference.

In the world of iPods and music-on-the-go, CD has no advantages, and one
major disadvantage--only 80 minutes per disk.


  #16   Report Post  
Joe Kesselman
 
Posts: n/a
Default

In the world of iPods and music-on-the-go, CD has no advantages, and one
major disadvantage--only 80 minutes per disk.


My take on it is that MP3 can be thought of as FM-radio-quality sound.
Which is good enough for most practical purposes.
  #17   Report Post  
Dan
 
Posts: n/a
Default

On 6/24/2005 1:51 AM, Julian wrote:
On 23 Jun 2005 14:38:34 -0700, "Mark" wrote:



A good recording with decent dynamic range reproduced via an MP3 at a
reasonable bit rate sounds MUCH MUCH better compared to a recording
that has had the dynamics squashed to kingdom come.



Perhaps, but a good CD not squished sounds MUCH better than an MP3
made from the same master. That's the one place where I can
definitely hear what mp3 is cutting out of the original sound. Reverb
tails and quiet sounds loose definition. But since most like it loud
these days, hardly anyone notices.

Julian



Try listening to a dynamic symphony in MP3 format! But everyone is now
listening to rap/hiphop that is no more than simple rhythm with bass on
drums. So for this crap MP3 suffices. Count me out!
  #18   Report Post  
Dan
 
Posts: n/a
Default

On 6/24/2005 8:43 AM, Carey Carlan wrote:
Julian wrote in
:


Perhaps, but a good CD not squished sounds MUCH better than an MP3
made from the same master. That's the one place where I can
definitely hear what mp3 is cutting out of the original sound. Reverb
tails and quiet sounds loose definition. But since most like it loud
these days, hardly anyone notices.



Let's qualify that. A good CD sounds better than a high bitrate MP3
assuming you have:

1) Undistorted source
2) Good speakers or headphones for playback
3) Quiet enough environment to hear the difference.

In the world of iPods and music-on-the-go, CD has no advantages, and one
major disadvantage--only 80 minutes per disk.


And that's why I use FLAC at home and OGG on my portable. I have 400GB
of FLAC on my music server so far, what is the 80 minute limit?
  #21   Report Post  
 
Posts: n/a
Default


les - i agree, especially considering that these young people are
spending money on the insipid crap they play on radio these days...

however, i did actually buy an album from iTunes recently that i could
not find elsewhere - inside the taj mahal by paul horn - i got the
album for $8.99, whereas it would have cost me something like $45 to
get a real CD of it on ebay. (it is out of print)

but again, i have to say, i dont think it will be ling before we are
making more money from digital downloads from itunes and napster than
we make from CD sales - it is a new world.

  #22   Report Post  
Julian
 
Posts: n/a
Default

On Fri, 24 Jun 2005 13:43:48 GMT, Carey Carlan
wrote:

Let's qualify that. A good CD sounds better than a high bitrate MP3
assuming you have:

1) Undistorted source
2) Good speakers or headphones for playback
3) Quiet enough environment to hear the difference.

In the world of iPods and music-on-the-go, CD has no advantages, and one
major disadvantage--only 80 minutes per disk.


I have no argument with that.

Julian


  #23   Report Post  
Julian
 
Posts: n/a
Default

On Fri, 24 Jun 2005 10:05:52 -0500, Dan wrote:

On 6/24/2005 1:51 AM, Julian wrote:
Perhaps, but a good CD not squished sounds MUCH better than an MP3
made from the same master. That's the one place where I can
definitely hear what mp3 is cutting out of the original sound. Reverb
tails and quiet sounds loose definition. But since most like it loud
these days, hardly anyone notices.

Julian



Try listening to a dynamic symphony in MP3 format! But everyone is now
listening to rap/hiphop that is no more than simple rhythm with bass on
drums. So for this crap MP3 suffices. Count me out!


I don't get what you mean. Do you think I disagree? Or are you
saying you agree with me? I said "quiet sounds" is one place where
mp3 "looses definition". I meant anything that has lots of dynamic
range which would include a symphony.

Julian

  #24   Report Post  
Julian
 
Posts: n/a
Default

On 24 Jun 2005 05:41:46 -0700, "bsuhorndog"
wrote:

I agree with some of the previous posters that compression (of the
dynamic sort) is a much bigger threat to quality than that of the MPEG
sort. I have heard some absolutely horrendous pumping in some radio
tracks in recent months


Lot's of people complain about this, but it is mostly due to the fact
that the majority of radio engineers don't have a lot of studio or
mixing experience and haven't well-developed ears. They hear their
manager saying "loud is good", so they adjust it so the levels look
great and don't have the ears to hear know what harm they are doing.
Maybe people need to complain to the station more often.

Believe me it is possible to process in such a way that helps you hear
the radio over your road noise but doesn't make it sound
objectionable. At least when I adjust the modulation processor it is!

Julian

  #25   Report Post  
Peter Larsen
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Joe Kesselman wrote:

In the world of iPods and music-on-the-go, CD has no advantages,
and one major disadvantage--only 80 minutes per disk.


My take on it is that MP3 can be thought of as FM-radio-quality
sound.


MP3 is way better or FM radio quality is way better, depending on FM
station. To get it really bad: store as mp3 on harddisk, put through
zquesiomagrgahgweg processor and play back on clipped boombox, gets you
the worst of all worlds ....

Which is good enough for most practical purposes.


I don't think it is about mp3 vs CD, it is about virtual media vs
physical media, there is no sale of full wordlength audio because nobody
tries.

Enough people have enough internet bandwidth to make it a realistic
option.

Yes, it may be a fringe product, quality audio always was, but there is
a big fringe out there with the planet as the market.


Kind regards

Peter Larsen
--
*******************************************
* My site is at: http://www.muyiovatki.dk *
* The Vienna Copyright convention applies *
*******************************************


  #27   Report Post  
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Dan writes:

On 6/24/2005 1:51 AM, Julian wrote:
On 23 Jun 2005 14:38:34 -0700, "Mark" wrote:


A good recording with decent dynamic range reproduced via an MP3 at a
reasonable bit rate sounds MUCH MUCH better compared to a recording
that has had the dynamics squashed to kingdom come.


Perhaps, but a good CD not squished sounds MUCH better than an MP3
made from the same master. That's the one place where I can
definitely hear what mp3 is cutting out of the original sound. Reverb
tails and quiet sounds loose definition. But since most like it loud
these days, hardly anyone notices.
Julian


Try listening to a dynamic symphony in MP3 format! But everyone is
now listening to rap/hiphop that is no more than simple rhythm with
bass on drums. So for this crap MP3 suffices. Count me out!


Well, BBC are releasing all the Beethoven symponies as MP3s so you can
try them.

The 6th will be available on the 28th I think.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/beethoven/
Yep, and the days following.

--
Paul Repacholi 1 Crescent Rd.,
+61 (08) 9257-1001 Kalamunda.
West Australia 6076
comp.os.vms,- The Older, Grumpier Slashdot
Raw, Cooked or Well-done, it's all half baked.
EPIC, The Architecture of the future, always has been, always will be.
  #28   Report Post  
Geoff Wood
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"Julian" wrote in message

I don't get what you mean. Do you think I disagree? Or are you
saying you agree with me? I said "quiet sounds" is one place where
mp3 "looses definition". I meant anything that has lots of dynamic
range which would include a symphony.


The most noticable MP# ''giveaway' to me is delicate hf sounds with a
masking louder sound ob=ver the top. The delicate bits usually end up sound
as thru a flanger.

geoff
"Shorter of breath, and one day closer to death."


  #29   Report Post  
Mark
 
Posts: n/a
Default



Julian wrote:
On 24 Jun 2005 05:41:46 -0700, "bsuhorndog"
wrote:

I agree with some of the previous posters that compression (of the
dynamic sort) is a much bigger threat to quality than that of the MPEG
sort. I have heard some absolutely horrendous pumping in some radio
tracks in recent months


Lot's of people complain about this, but it is mostly due to the fact
that the majority of radio engineers don't have a lot of studio or
mixing experience and haven't well-developed ears. They hear their
manager saying "loud is good", so they adjust it so the levels look
great and don't have the ears to hear know what harm they are doing.
Maybe people need to complain to the station more often.

Believe me it is possible to process in such a way that helps you hear
the radio over your road noise but doesn't make it sound
objectionable. At least when I adjust the modulation processor it is!

Julian


I'm talking about the CD iteslf. Yes its worse on the radio.

And no, its not the fault of the CD as a medium, but rather the fault
of the engineering or the producer.

Reply
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules

Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
mp3s and tubes Dandy Andy Audio Opinions 5 March 1st 05 04:59 AM
OPINIONS: Just How Good Are MP3's? MOSFET Car Audio 26 February 23rd 05 05:20 AM
An mp3 player that can play mp3s off dvds [email protected] Tech 0 January 9th 05 03:07 PM
Making backups of mp3's and CD limitations JohnCM Tech 20 February 1st 04 02:10 AM
Batch-encoding MP3s Allan Lewis Tech 3 September 4th 03 01:07 AM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 12:44 AM.

Powered by: vBulletin
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 AudioBanter.com.
The comments are property of their posters.
 

About Us

"It's about Audio and hi-fi"