Walter Knapp
>I've quit trying to guess what ATRAC will damage, every time I guess, I
>find it's not so, or not as I predicted. I know that when you
>effectively remove 80% of the data something has to happen, it's just a
>real slippery customer to pin down. Especially as that data magically
>seems to reappear out the other end. And complicated by the problem of
>separating the ATRAC effect from that of the surrounding electronics. I
>have great admiration for the folks who invented and perfected this system.
A couple of years ago I did an A-B comparison between linear and
ATRAC at the NSS workshop. I used a lovely bit from Gordon Hempton
that included a subtle background and prominent foreground sounds. I
couldn't hear any difference, but one rather arrogant person, of many
years professional experience, said that the difference was obvious.
After the workshop I made up a "blind" CD with labeled tracks of the
two versions, followed by a random sequence of ten tracks. Recently I
gave it to my 22-year-old intern Zach, who has the best hearing
around here, to try in his studio. He has always said that he can
hear artifacts in ATRAC. When I corrected his answer sheet, his
choices were ... random.
-Dan Dugan
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
|