Computers

[Did you just call me Coltrane?]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
This one strikes me as quite odd. If you're spending $350 on a speaker product, you probably actually care about sound, and you probably already have a better stereo. I'd rather just get a small dock and a cable to run the line-in. Not to mention that if you really care about sound, you probably don't listen to mp3s except when out and about.

Is the format for downloaded music crappy sound-quality wise?

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Did you just call me Coltrane?
Is the format for downloaded music crappy sound-quality wise?

mp3 encoded at 128kbps (standard for iTunes and other online music) is regarded by many audiophiles and even people who have a decent ear as well short of CD quality. Probably not noticeable on mediocre headphones, or a boom box, or cheap speakers. But if you play it through a decent system, you'll notice, even more so if you use an A/B switch to compare to the same CD.

[Did you just call me Coltrane?]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
mp3 encoded at 128kbps (standard for iTunes and other online music) is regarded by many audiophiles and even people who have a decent ear as well short of CD quality. Probably not noticeable on mediocre headphones, or a boom box, or cheap speakers. But if you play it through a decent system, you'll notice, even more so if you use an A/B switch to compare to the same CD.

Ahhh. I've never played them through anything but the computer speakers and the ipod. So all of these downloaded songs are useless except with small speakers/headphones?

Songs I upload from CDs to the computer sound better?

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Did you just call me Coltrane?
Ahhh. I've never played them through anything but the computer speakers and the ipod. So all of these downloaded songs are useless except with small speakers/headphones?

Songs I upload from CDs to the computer sound better?

In theory. Depends on your encoding rate. If you encode at 128kpbs, it's the same issue.

Of course, plenty of people are satisfied, so it's not a big issue. But for Apple to call something "hi-fi" is probably going to draw cackles from people who realize that most iPod encoding reduces quality below hifi, and it can't be made up by good speakers.

[notcasesensitive]

Originally posted by Did you just call me Coltrane?
Ahhh. I've never played them through anything but the computer speakers and the ipod. So all of these downloaded songs are useless except with small speakers/headphones?

Songs I upload from CDs to the computer sound better?

If you are uploading them to iTunes, you need to change the default setting to a bigger file size to preserve sound quality. Someone who actually understands this stuff could actually relay this better than I can, I'm sure. I only repeat what others tell me.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by notcasesensitive
If you are uploading them to iTunes, you need to change the default setting to a bigger file size to preserve sound quality. Someone who actually understands this stuff could actually relay this better than I can, I'm sure. I only repeat what others tell me.

It's easy in iTunes. In preferences-->advanced-->importing tab, choose a higher bit rate than 128. Of course, the file size increases commensurately. It's just a tradeoff. If you listen to your music only with headphones on an iPod, and you're not an audiophile, I'd leave it at 128. But if you're NFH, or his wife, and have your iTunes wired into your multi-room nakamichi system, you might want to go higher.

[Did you just call me Coltrane?]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
It's easy in iTunes. In preferences-->advanced-->importing tab, choose a higher bit rate than 128. Of course, the file size increases commensurately. It's just a tradeoff. If you listen to your music only with headphones on an iPod, and you're not an audiophile, I'd leave it at 128. But if you're NFH, or his wife, and have your iTunes wired into your multi-room nakamichi system, you might want to go higher.

But that's only for uploading music from CDs, right? You can't download at a higher bit rate?

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Did you just call me Coltrane?
But that's only for uploading music from CDs, right? You can't download at a higher bit rate?

yeah, you take what they sell. I read an article about some website that was offering music at a higher bit rate, like 384kpbs, but the music wasn't in a format compatible with much of anything in the way of players, ipod or otherwise. good business plan.

[NotFromHere]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
It's easy in iTunes. In preferences-->advanced-->importing tab, choose a higher bit rate than 128. Of course, the file size increases commensurately. It's just a tradeoff. If you listen to your music only with headphones on an iPod, and you're not an audiophile, I'd leave it at 128. But if you're NFH, or his wife, and have your iTunes wired into your multi-room nakamichi system, you might want to go higher.

I would never be able to tolerate the sound quality of of an Ipod through my system.
Meridian system. My wife would hate it too. I have been told I have dolphin-like hearing. I don't know what that means, but I guess it means I have low tolerance for edgy brittleness - like what comes out of an Ipod. Fortunately the noise-cancelling Sennheiser headphones help a little.
Also, no multi-room system for me. Too much wiring. Individual systems in every room. It's the only way to go.

My Str8 moment...I met, and had my picture taken with the famous Ted Nakamichi. Who has a slight NY accent. Which freaked me out.

[Oliver_Wendell_Ramone]

Originally posted by NotFromHere
I would never be able to tolerate the sound quality of of an Ipod through my system.
Meridian system. My wife would hate it too. I have been told I have dolphin-like hearing. I don't know what that means, but I guess it means I have low tolerance for edgy brittleness - like what comes out of an Ipod. Fortunately the noise-cancelling Sennheiser headphones help a little.
Also, no multi-room system for me. Too much wiring. Individual systems in every room. It's the only way to go.

My Str8 moment...I met, and had my picture taken with the famous Ted Nakamichi. Who has a slight NY accent. Which freaked me out.

I'm assuming this was an attempted joke at one's own expense, and I'm therefore whiffing away, but, that said, wife?

[NotFromHere]

Originally posted by Oliver_Wendell_Ramone
I'm assuming this was an attempted joke at one's own expense, and I'm therefore whiffing away, but, that said, wife?

You have Burger on ignore?

[NotFromHere]

Which is too bad, because I think they're hateful devices.

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[Did you just call me Coltrane?]

Apparently I have to get one. Any suggestions? Vonage or any other broadband-based landline? Or traditional landline?

[bold_n_brazen]

Originally posted by Did you just call me Coltrane?
Apparently I have to get one. Any suggestions? Vonage or any other broadband-based landline? Or traditional landline?

WHy do you have to get one?

Vonage and other VoiP lines don't work so well with Tivo or with burglar alarms.

I eventually went with Vonage for my primary line and got a secondary Bell South line (for like $9.95/mpnth) for my Tivo and burglar alarm.

[NotFromHere]

Originally posted by Did you just call me Coltrane?
Apparently I have to get one. Any suggestions? Vonage or any other broadband-based landline? Or traditional landline?

Do you want 911? I know they were working on 911 for broadband stuff - has it happened yet? Do you need to fax?
You can get a traditional land line for cheap (which is what a lot of us do just to have faxing capabilities and a phone for very occasional use. Ask for a metered line and they'll charge for only minimal use.