Does Portable Music Have to be Compressed?

FunkeyMonk writes "The Christian Science monitor has an article discussing the gap between music fans and audiophiles when it comes to portable music. Would you pay a few cents more to have lossless downloads from iTunes and other online music retailers? As a classical musician myself, I choose not to download most of my music, but rather rip it myself in lossless format."

Doubt it will happen

[grimsweep]

I doubt any representative of the RIAA could keep their blood pressure down with the words 'losslessly reproduceable content' and 'internet' in the same sentence. Given the disputes over uniform music cost and how much they resisted distributing even lossy DRM'd audio in the first place, what are the odds we'll see this?

Re:MOD PARENT DOWN

[Anonymous Coward]

It's spelled "karma". Now give me some for pointing that out.

Oh wait, I'm an AC. Nevermind.

This is a fairly ridiculous argument

[DbZeroOne]

Working in the consumer electronics industry, I've met a few audiophiles over the years. The ones that are truly anal about sound quality can all be collected together in a single hotel. In fact, they are! Go to the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January and hop on over to the Venetian hotel where the high end audio guys congregate. They get their own special show where they can show off their $200,000 pairs of speakers. (To be fair, I did see those speakers for $185,000 as a show special). You'll know you're in the right place because it'll be crowded with grey beards and tweed jackets. MP3 audio is NOT FOR these guys. Who cares if they refuse to buy it?! Download lossless audio, like WAV files, for a "few cents more"? Ya right! Those files are something like 20x the size! Just like Audio Note has no plans to make an $80,000 tube amp with iPod interface for a teenagers bedroom, Apple, emusic and whomever else need not make any plans to satisfy the 100 or so people in the world who are REALLY into hi fidelity.

Re:FFS shut up already

[markov_chain]

I'm with you on this one. Even CDs are inferior to studio tape when I listen to them on my magnetically levitated speakers hooked up to the stereo with gold-plated cables. The tape heads are gold-plated too. The whole setup sits atop a few tons of sand bags and is located in an underground chamber enclosed in a steel Faraday cage.

Re:FFS shut up already

[maxume]

"elitism"..."The shows I watch don't have a laugh track."...???

Re:Lossless is compressed

[Air-conditioned cowh]

Great. A CD player that's so properly engineered and high resolution that I can't hear it!

I would prefer a CD player that I can hear.

Sorry. Couldn't resist it.

Re:FFS shut up already

[Blakey Rat]

I'm working on a product right now called a Sound Squid. Through years of intensive research (unsupported by double-blind tests of course! People who aren't audiophiles are human trash and shouldn't be allowed to touch my $5000 headphones!) I've discovered that the common squid, by using its various air pouches, tentacle positioning, and movements of its staring eye can enhance any listening experience.

Your Sound Squid kit comes with:
1 (One) 10 gallon aquarium
1 (One) squid, family Loliginidae
8 (Eight) water-proofed high quality tentacle clips
1 (One) computer-controlled Sound Squid->digital interface
1 (One) instruction manual in English, Japanese and French

All for the low, low price of only $7,500!

You may also be interested in the following accessories:
Gold-plated Monster brand tentacle clips ($1500)
1 week worth of squid food ($350)

Can you afford NOT to buy a Sound Squid?

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