[Slowhand] Re: Disappointment and MP3s

[ToeKneeF]

Someone, please tell me that Trevor's message was also in the 
tongue-in-cheek spirit of AG's "offering". I cannot believe that his 
response was a serious one...........if so, oh boy.........we've really 
sunk to a new low. As for me, I was ROTFLMFAO as I listened to the new 
and improved WT.

As for the MP3 question, John (I KNOW you had a big mischievous grin on 
your face as you composed your message), you've hit on a pet peeve of 
mine which I will never understand. It is the tyranny of the trading 
community in enforcing some standards which make absolutely no sense to 
me. As long as a recording is properly labeled, NO COMPROMISES HERE, 
what's wrong with seeding MP3 material? I KNOW, MP3 is a lossy format 
and FLAC / SHN offer lossless compression, but is there nothing more 
ridiculous than seeing someone fuss over the lossless quality of a seed 
made from a bad (sub-4 quality) master? I can't tell you how many 
downloads, of older shows (more than 10 years old) I've trashed because 
of the wow and flutter. BUt that was acceptable to the trading 
community, as long as it was lossless!! True, I have also heard some 
shitty MP3s, but if you don't go below a 128 kbps bit rate (192 for 
sticklers), keep the the sampling rate at 44,100 Hz (necessary if you 
want to burn to CD), and MPEG quality "High" on your LAME CODEC, you 
will get a very good sounding recording. Younger listeners (25 or 
younger) may be able to HEAR a difference between a lossy and lossless 
file, but for most people past 25, you cant hear well in the sonic range 
that is impacted the most by MP3 compression.  Try this yourself, 
aurally, it is hard to distinguish a good MP3 from a FLAC file. The only 
way to be sure is to run the files through a spectrum analyzer and look 
for the severe high-end rolloff typical of MP3 compression. And I ask, 
do you listen with your ears or your eyes?

AG, as I said on ClaptonBoots, it's good to have you back and your 
"offerings" whether tongue-in-cheek or serious are always welcome, 
whatever the format!!...........................T

-- 
"The true danger is, when liberty is nibbled away, for expedients,
and by parts" ..................Edmund Burke