> > If you can't ever hear tell the difference, does it matter? I
>
> I submit that it does matter, for the reasons I mentioned in
> my previous post that future technology will enable the ability to
> vastly improve current recordings.
This is applicable for the "pro market", on the other hand the "consumer
market" has little interest in restoring their own recordings (people
are ditching their LP's in droves - whilst I'll snap them up at 50c a
LP :) :). If you are talking about making a live recording to keep
as a master for possible restoration in the future .. then yes get
the highest quality recording device you can "afford". But this
segment of the market is extremely small.
> And I'm not just thinking about restoring only the two track mix, I'm
> thinking about the ability to separate out instruments and remix, and
> create new soundstages and the like. With any lossy compression, that
> sort of thing becomes much more difficult.
Technically you are right, but do the "average" (a term I use loosely)
consumer really care? If they did, then the hottest selling micro stereo
systems don't have a right to exist. It's easy to get caught into the
trap that "If I think the best recording medium is X, then everyone should
be using that" ... Hi-Fi and PC's are the same, just cause I have a 1.4Ghz
P4 then how could someone be using their P3 450 still. This applies to
almost
anything when you start to move right to the top, sport is particularly
caught
in this trap (using Tiger Woods golf clubs will not make you a champion
golfer, Lance Armstongs Trek bicycle will not make you a Tour winner - does
make you feel good though)
> In the majority of cases, I cannot tell the difference between CD and
> the ATRAC on my MZ-R90. However, I did a recording with it of some
> acoustic guitar, where I didn't set the levels properly, and
> I can hear a difference between the ATRAC and the DAT version. (I used
> the R90 as a backup recorder, DAT optical out to R90 optical in.)
But what is playing them back ? ... the CD and R-90?, if so this isn't a
fair test. The R90 doesn't have digital out, hell it uses a combined
line-out/headphone out ! You need to master them both back to CD digitally
and listen with a common DAC (the most crucial element). You have to start
comparing apples with apples.
> I also notice a distinct decrease in quality when I start to
> process the ATRAC stuff with EQ or reverb or dynamic compression, and the
like.
> There's something about it that doesn't like to be messed with.
Naturally if you start messing with it, the compressed audio will be vastly
different. Compressed audio is designed to be played back according to the
way
it was recorded in the first place, mess with it in post production then
there is bound to be significant differences.
> I totally agree that MD has its uses. That's why I own one. The only
> reason for my first post on this subject was the statement that MD is
> High Quality recording. I just don't think so. And I do record
> concerts, and music for listening to on the train, and jams, and
> sketches, and I want an LP4 deck so I can cram tons of music on it and
> on and on...
I don't think any of the LP recording methods on MD are likely to
be that good (I can't verify this as I don't have one ... YET :)
But as MD SP stands I think it's of sufficiently high quality for
almost anything but producing an album (radio stations are using it
for playback).
> I was going to do this with some of my uncompressed PCM friends, but
> it's interesting how they backpedal when you bring up a proper
> doubleblind test. I may still do it however. I still really do want
> to. Perhaps we can work out something?
I'll be willing to help ... I can't help with the LP stuff but I have a
full digital computer recording setup and MD with SP. Amazing how many
people back-out of the true test when it's placed in-front of them. <grin>
> Agree with you again. I only object when someone says that MD is high
> quality recording, when it is middle quality recording.
In the ultimate pro market YES MD is middle of the road (I was listening to
some 96Hhz stuff that makes DAT looks like a dinosaur). But to
the consumer market MD is high quality recording and in the value for money
markets is streets (taking into fitness of use - cause who wants to go
jogging with a CD walkman?) ahead of almost anything.
Cheers GC
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