iPod vs vinyl: Report from CES

[boputnam]

Following, is an article from yesterday's WSJ, reporting on an A/B comparison at CES. No surprise, but an interesting read.

I would have loved to know how the comparison was between CD's with .wav files, and then SACD's...

[4313B]

Or, as was explained to me by veteran audio designer Demian Martin: "Until you know it could be better, you don't
know that it's bad."

Isn't that the cold hard truth! Ignorance is bliss

Thanks for the info Bo

I look forward to the day when every tune I could possibly want to hear can reside on my computer system and I can punch in any playlist I want. They would have to sound better than vinyl and certainly better than CD's do today.

[Mr. Widget]

Yes, I fell off the Eightfold Noble Path when I became addicted to audio. A very different yet sometimes also very rewarding path.

That was a good article, Bo.

A few years ago, I did a similar demo with a Tracy Chapman Album vs. CD for a room full of computer geeks that "knew" that CDs were "PERFECT SOUND FOREVER". Every one of them heard what was missing at 16 bits.

If MP3, or MP4, or MP5... is going to rein over the masses, that is OK by me as long as Hi Res is also given a chance to share a small corner in the market place.

[boputnam]

Originally posted by Giskard
I look forward to the day when every tune I could possibly want to hear can reside on my computer system and I can punch in any playlist I want. They would have to sound better than vinyl and certainly better than CD's do today.

Yea, me too.

My grab is the iPod comparison was doomed because of the MP3 compression (not a bad thing, mind you - and I'm quite fond of the 'Pod ingenuity but that was a dumb comparative start). Smarter woulda been full .wav files (uncompressed). Smarter still would be different D/A converters. Widget and I have gone 'round on this, and we are both convinced "better" (i.e., more expensive) D/A converters are quite audible.

Finer and finer (and more affordable...) integration algorithms will come. So, as technology marches on to Moore's Law, you're sure to get your wish, Giskard!