Apple in talks to offer DRM-free MP3 tracks via iTunes

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  • Reply 61 of 65
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by JeffDM View Post


    You might not be able to account for individuals, but you can do systematic tests on populations. Properly performed tests can weed out a lot of psychosomatic responses, the only indications you should have are from the audio itself.



    I would *love* to see that experiment being done, especially the results. If it has already I would love to read about it. I wrote a lot about this on my blog a long time ago (but my blog is currently down at the moment). I would guess that the results of such a test would show that the general populous, as with I, have cloth ears and wouldn't be able to tell the difference between most higher bit rate files.



    Quote:

    There is a website that has a system for testing individuals that does the proper blind comparisons so people can test themselves. They test a lot of people at a lot of different bitrates and codecs.



    Please tell me where this is? I'd love to see/hear it.



    Quote:

    But beyond that, different encoders do encode differently, each potentially leaving their own subtle imprint on the signal.



    I know, of course they do. But that doesn't go to mean that most people are going to be able to tell the difference.
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  • Reply 62 of 65
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,953member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jowie74 View Post


    I would *love* to see that experiment being done, especially the results. If it has already I would love to read about it. I wrote a lot about this on my blog a long time ago (but my blog is currently down at the moment). I would guess that the results of such a test would show that the general populous, as with I, have cloth ears and wouldn't be able to tell the difference between most higher bit rate files.



    I think you could guess right, but I think it would also show that 128 CBR AAC isn't close to the same as 256 VBR MP3 despite one person's contentions here. The AAC codec is better, just not anywhere near that much better.





    Quote:

    Please tell me where this is? I'd love to see/hear it.



    I think this is it, or links to it:

    http://www.listening-tests.info/



    Quote:

    I know, of course they do. But that doesn't go to mean that most people are going to be able to tell the difference.



    I agree completely.
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  • Reply 63 of 65
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by JeffDM View Post


    I think you could guess right, but I think it would also show that 128 CBR AAC isn't close to the same as 256 VBR MP3 despite one person's contentions here. The AAC codec is better, just not anywhere near that much better.



    Agreed.

    Quote:

    I think this is it, or links to it:

    http://www.listening-tests.info/



    Thanks for the link - very interesting! This pretty much sums it up:

    http://www.listening-tests.info/mf-128-1/results.htm



    Read his comments as the results become more and more similar down the right hand side...

    I'd quite happily say at this point, would everyone just shut up about the whole MP3/AAC argument because I'd challenge them to tell the difference if they had all their files swapped without them knowing.



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  • Reply 64 of 65
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hillstones View Post


    However, you cannot play unprotected (AAC) music on your TiVo. This bothers me as well because I don't know why TiVo hasn't offered a software update to support AAC files. MP3's are so outdated. When I play music through my stereo, it is streamed through an AirPort Express and controlled with the Remote app on my iPhone.



    Unprotected AAC files play just fine on my TiVos. All you need to do is install LAME, which was a bit of a chore but once it's set up, you don't have to think about it again. TiVo Desktop will then happily use LAME to transcode the files on the fly and play them.



    It's nice that you don't mind being locked into Apple's hardware, but I enjoy the freedom of being able to listen to my music via my TiVos and PS3 and knowing if that some other really cool product comes out by any vendor I won't have to pass it by because half of my music contains Fairplay DRM.
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  • Reply 65 of 65
    The iTunes Plus link from the frontpage of the store is gone, it seems. See http://discussions.apple.com/thread....readID=1710391 for further discussion.
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