Slashdot Mirror
Music Listeners Test 128kbps vs. 256kbps AAC
notthatwillsmith writes "Maximum PC did double-blind testing with ten listeners in order to determine whether or not normal people could discern the quality difference between the new 256kbps iTunes Plus files and the old, DRM-laden 128kbps tracks. But wait, there's more! To add an extra twist, they also tested Apple's default iPod earbuds vs. an expensive pair of Shure buds to see how much of an impact earbud quality had on the detection rate."
You are misreading the last sentence you quoted... it says nothing about a song sounding different with or without DRM. It is simply stating given that folks cannot tell the difference between a 128 and 256 kb/s AAC encoded song that the value - as in extra cost of the "iTunes Plus" song - in their opinion is solely in the fact that the song comes without DRM. In other words don't buy it because it sounds that much different buy it because it has no DRM.
so let's just make a completely insane conclusion and hope no one notices
Good advice...
They obviously don't know what they are talking about.
Earbuds are horrible devices for sound reproduction. They are comparing one inadequate device with another, more expensive inadequate device.
Skip the earbuds entirely. Go directly to your high-end home stereo and see what happens there with 128Kbps. You'll puke all over yourself from the poor quality. I haven't heard the new stuff off of iTunes, but in my own blind experiments, there is MUCH difference.
1;