There have yet to be any published studies which show a difference between 96kHz/24 bit and a downsampled 44.1kHz/16 bit double-blind, level-matched presentation of the same source material.
I can't comment on this since I don't generally seek out raw data on acoustics tests, but the difference is so obvious to me that I'm surprised someone hasn't done it yet.
If you'd like to conduct some experiments on yourself to see how good your hearing really is, I highly recommend going to PCABX.com [pcabx.com] and going through some of the materials there.
From the website: PCABX IS NOT intended to be a general replacement for properly-designed listening tests involving audio equipment that is already in your listening room.
I'll definitely concede that the average listener doesn't benefit from anything better than CD "quality", just like there are people who can't understand why someone would bother seeking out and paying for an centuries-old Stradivarius violin or a handmade Spizzichino ride cymbal. But there are people who care about these things and can tell, just like there are people who choose KDE over Gnome. Don't lump everyone in with the frat boys.
To be fair to the technology itself, a lot of the problem with the sonics of contemporary music is in the mastering. I do a fair amount of audio recording and while I definitely prefer 24 bit, recording something in 16 bit and simply leaving off the compression makes it sound a lot more natural (imagine that). But 24 vs 16 bit is definitely audible, just like 2" tape vs 16 bit is definitely audible. Some people can't tell, but then again some people think Britney Spears is good music. If they're happy with 16/44.1, more power to them. It doesn't affect those people in any way if I opt for 24 bit for as many links in the production chain as possible.
I was eyeing Apple's laptops for several months. My previous laptop had been a (piss poor) Dell Inspiron 3800, and I swore that the next time out I was going with a decent machine. I use my laptop as a primary workstation and am not a gamer, so CPU wasn't a huge issue. The low end iBooks have more than enough. I had additional reason to get a Mac because I'm a musician and do audio recording as a side hobby, so I wanted my machine to be able to handle at least 18 channels simultaneously (which is what my MOTU 828 will handle). Since the audio industry generally develops for Apple first and PC second, I thought I'd get in on some of the love that my Mac-only friends have been seeing for years.
Either the TiBook or the iBook would have been nice. The only thing holding me back was the video specs. 1280x854 on a $3k machine is a joke, one that I didn't quite get. The bigger joke still is the iBook, which won't go above 1024x768 even on the external port, nor will it support dualheading. Yes, that's fine for OS X and watching DVDs, but come on. We're not in y2k anymore. I don't care how many parlor tricks the hardware/software can do, trading functionality for coolness is just dumb. So I decided to wait until Apple upped the specs, at which point I would happily become a switcher.
While waiting (and waiting and waiting), I started looking at PC laptop specs, you know, to psyche myself out about the cool Apple I was eventually going to be using. That's when I discovered that some used Thinkpads were going for under $1k and had more video resolution than the best TiBook (referring to the A20p specifically). So I waited some more, and when Apple didn't bother to upgrade their laptops for the Paris Apple Expo, I hit up ebay and scored an A21p that I totally love. $1k for the laptop, $100 for the firewire card, $50 for the Orinoco Silver card, and I've got a rig with better video (1600x1200 on the LCD, fear) and swappable drive bay. 6 hour battery life? Not an issue, but if it were I could drop $50 on a Thinkpad battery on ebay and be good to go. And now it's being said that maybe in January the laptops will be upgraded? I think I made the right choice.
Sorry Apple, I really wanted to do it. I just couldn't justify paying the extra money and sacrificing the screen resolution for what amounts to coolness points and not having to dual boot. Maybe next time.
Well, if you knew him, you should say something. If you didn't, it's kind of hard to say anything but "I'm sure David was a great guy too!" or "Any friend of a kernel developer is a friend of mine!"
I know the topic is engagement rings, but it bears mentioning that a replica of the wedding ring that Brigman wears in The Abyss is available from The Titanium Workshop.
Call me weird, but I dig Google's text only advertising. I notice it, but it's unobtrusive enough to not instantly piss me off. I've even found incredible deals on some stuff from following the ad links.
I only wish I could mod this up to 6. This is so true. Kids are wonderful, but you have to be some kind of sick maniac to never spend time alone without your kids. I think someone has been watching "Cruel Intentions" too much.
do you STOP working there and demand some money? In my opinion, about 1 month of not being paid would be the end. Anyone who works longer than that without pay is a sucker, and i have no remorse if they get taken to the cleaners.
The thing is, if you can afford to take a $350,000 loss, you probably aren't working there for the money so much as for the fun of it and maybe the principle of it all.
Alternatively have 2 geostationary sats such that the observatory can transmit to one, and that one transmits to another one it can "see" which has line of sight to earth.
..so one of these dark side sats would be the "master" and one would be the "pupil" then?
So what's the point of arguing over compression formats, or whether something is *really* CD quality, or studio quality, when your equipment can't even come close to reproducing it?
Because some of us actually have decent audio equipment that will handle it. I suspect that those who don't have it don't actually care in the first place.
I highly recommend a good pair of $100 headphones (Sennheiser or Grado
I heartily agree. I have a set of Sennheiser 495s that are wonderful. However I also have a friend with a set of Sennheiser 500s that are awful.
Slashdot Mirror
I can't comment on this since I don't generally seek out raw data on acoustics tests, but the difference is so obvious to me that I'm surprised someone hasn't done it yet.
If you'd like to conduct some experiments on yourself to see how good your hearing really is, I highly recommend going to PCABX.com [pcabx.com] and going through some of the materials there.
From the website: PCABX IS NOT intended to be a general replacement for properly-designed listening tests involving audio equipment that is already in your listening room.
I'll definitely concede that the average listener doesn't benefit from anything better than CD "quality", just like there are people who can't understand why someone would bother seeking out and paying for an centuries-old Stradivarius violin or a handmade Spizzichino ride cymbal. But there are people who care about these things and can tell, just like there are people who choose KDE over Gnome. Don't lump everyone in with the frat boys.
To be fair to the technology itself, a lot of the problem with the sonics of contemporary music is in the mastering. I do a fair amount of audio recording and while I definitely prefer 24 bit, recording something in 16 bit and simply leaving off the compression makes it sound a lot more natural (imagine that). But 24 vs 16 bit is definitely audible, just like 2" tape vs 16 bit is definitely audible. Some people can't tell, but then again some people think Britney Spears is good music. If they're happy with 16/44.1, more power to them. It doesn't affect those people in any way if I opt for 24 bit for as many links in the production chain as possible.
Put "logging" in as a filesystem mount option in /etc/vfstab.
I was eyeing Apple's laptops for several months. My previous laptop had been a (piss poor) Dell Inspiron 3800, and I swore that the next time out I was going with a decent machine. I use my laptop as a primary workstation and am not a gamer, so CPU wasn't a huge issue. The low end iBooks have more than enough. I had additional reason to get a Mac because I'm a musician and do audio recording as a side hobby, so I wanted my machine to be able to handle at least 18 channels simultaneously (which is what my MOTU 828 will handle). Since the audio industry generally develops for Apple first and PC second, I thought I'd get in on some of the love that my Mac-only friends have been seeing for years.
Either the TiBook or the iBook would have been nice. The only thing holding me back was the video specs. 1280x854 on a $3k machine is a joke, one that I didn't quite get. The bigger joke still is the iBook, which won't go above 1024x768 even on the external port, nor will it support dualheading. Yes, that's fine for OS X and watching DVDs, but come on. We're not in y2k anymore. I don't care how many parlor tricks the hardware/software can do, trading functionality for coolness is just dumb. So I decided to wait until Apple upped the specs, at which point I would happily become a switcher.
While waiting (and waiting and waiting), I started looking at PC laptop specs, you know, to psyche myself out about the cool Apple I was eventually going to be using. That's when I discovered that some used Thinkpads were going for under $1k and had more video resolution than the best TiBook (referring to the A20p specifically). So I waited some more, and when Apple didn't bother to upgrade their laptops for the Paris Apple Expo, I hit up ebay and scored an A21p that I totally love. $1k for the laptop, $100 for the firewire card, $50 for the Orinoco Silver card, and I've got a rig with better video (1600x1200 on the LCD, fear) and swappable drive bay. 6 hour battery life? Not an issue, but if it were I could drop $50 on a Thinkpad battery on ebay and be good to go. And now it's being said that maybe in January the laptops will be upgraded? I think I made the right choice.
Sorry Apple, I really wanted to do it. I just couldn't justify paying the extra money and sacrificing the screen resolution for what amounts to coolness points and not having to dual boot. Maybe next time.
And David?
Well, if you knew him, you should say something. If you didn't, it's kind of hard to say anything but "I'm sure David was a great guy too!" or "Any friend of a kernel developer is a friend of mine!"
Everyone: stoy buying music and instead get illegal copies from your friends.
Better yet, stop buying crap that you hear on the radio and start supporting local and otherwise unsigned artists instead.
I know the topic is engagement rings, but it bears mentioning that a replica of the wedding ring that Brigman wears in The Abyss is available from The Titanium Workshop.
Call me weird, but I dig Google's text only advertising. I notice it, but it's unobtrusive enough to not instantly piss me off. I've even found incredible deals on some stuff from following the ad links.
so yes, audiophiles don't care one bit about fan noise, as we muffle it properly.
BTW, I am NOT an audiophile
So, uh.. are you or aren't you?
"I'm gonna hit the brakes and he'll fly right by..."
My god, it was a fucking joke!
I went to a SANS conference once. It was the biggest waste of money my company experienced the entire week.
The announcement, and the two files: binaries, readme.
5. The GSO -- Galactic Standards Organization (the future counterpart to the ISO and W3.org)
Surely you mean the *past* counterpart...?
What about guitarists?
Dave Matthews has been treated for tendonitis.
I only wish I could mod this up to 6. This is so true. Kids are wonderful, but you have to be some kind of sick maniac to never spend time alone without your kids. I think someone has been watching "Cruel Intentions" too much.
do you STOP working there and demand some money? In my opinion, about 1 month of not being paid would be the end. Anyone who works longer than that without pay is a sucker, and i have no remorse if they get taken to the cleaners.
The thing is, if you can afford to take a $350,000 loss, you probably aren't working there for the money so much as for the fun of it and maybe the principle of it all.
If authors of articles aren't allowed to put things like the ability to vaporise troops, the terrorists have already won.
and a PCI bus (finally)
Why you shouldn't be excited about this:
1) PCI *eats balls and ass* compared to XIO.
2) The Octane has an option for a PCI card cage, so this isn't new at all.
Alternatively have 2 geostationary sats such that the observatory can transmit to one, and that one transmits to another one it can "see" which has line of sight to earth.
..so one of these dark side sats would be the "master" and one would be the "pupil" then?
:)
So what's the point of arguing over compression formats, or whether something is *really* CD quality, or studio quality, when your equipment can't even come close to reproducing it?
Because some of us actually have decent audio equipment that will handle it. I suspect that those who don't have it don't actually care in the first place.
I highly recommend a good pair of $100 headphones (Sennheiser or Grado
I heartily agree. I have a set of Sennheiser 495s that are wonderful. However I also have a friend with a set of Sennheiser 500s that are awful.
IPSec is what I'm planning to use to make my future wireless LAN be secure.
Old 486 laptop with broken screen + OpenBSD + some 802.11 card = "no kids breaking into your network via wireless" for under $100.
..the answer to which is "economics", of course. Quit kidding yourselves.
http://matt.fluxcapacitor.net/quake2.zip
I hate you more than ever, Milkman Xerox.