Ummmm, unless you have the equipment to appreciate a lossless source, an MP3 encoded at a high bitrate is just fine. Give me a break audiophiles, no one, except you, can tell the difference between a lossless file and a 320 MP3 with a pair of $30 headphones.
I'd agree with you if you had the decoder, amp, and a pair of $1000 (or more) ear canal headphones, but your average joe isn't going to have that sort of equipment. If I want to truly appreciate music, I'll go to the symphony.
I think you underestimate the tonedeafedness (I just made up a word) of your average person. I'm telling you, your average Kelly Clarkson fan isn't going to be able to tell. I think you or I would easily be able to tell with some good equipment, but I know a lot of people that definitely won't, unless the difference is DRASTIC.
“An engineer explained to us that hundreds of ear impressions were gathered in the name of research, and while each one obviously boasted its own unique shape and size, one single characteristic remained uniform across the board: the entrance into the ear canal is not a perfect circle, it's an oval.”
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Ummmm, unless you have the equipment to appreciate a lossless source, an MP3 encoded at a high bitrate is just fine. Give me a break audiophiles, no one, except you, can tell the difference between a lossless file and a 320 MP3 with a pair of $30 headphones.
I'd agree with you if you had the decoder, amp, and a pair of $1000 (or more) ear canal headphones, but your average joe isn't going to have that sort of equipment. If I want to truly appreciate music, I'll go to the symphony.
A portable AMP/DAC, and solid set of cans won't run you more than $300 if you shop online.
You better believe any person will hear the difference.
They just have never heard the difference...
I think you underestimate the tonedeafedness (I just made up a word) of your average person. I'm telling you, your average Kelly Clarkson fan isn't going to be able to tell. I think you or I would easily be able to tell with some good equipment, but I know a lot of people that definitely won't, unless the difference is DRASTIC.
It's ok, I'm pretty sure that JM would be able to discern between coathangers and monster cable too.