I thought this was a great video to watch, and for me it helps a lot with mixing and studio work, but even for an average listener, I think you will enjoy it as well.
The video is a bit over 2hours, so make some time for it.
EDIT: I miss SACDs…
No one else cares about music?
I do, I just haven’t watched the video yet 
But I’ve read about/heard the problem of dynamic range, and noticed it in my collection, even with tracks that are only 10 years old.
one thing my video teacher always said is the audience will forgive bad video but they will never forgive bad audio. i tend to agree.
I care about audio!
I’m just doing homework and that video looks long.
(The homework thing isn’t really working out all that well ;))
I haven’t been able to watch the video yet. Maybe tomorrow. I just moved and my computer (and music setup) is not set up yet.
Why miss SACDs when the music that gets put on them is already killed in mastering and recording? Maybe the video addresses that? SACD may have some benefit for audiophile recordings, but those recordings already sound very good on regular redbook CD format. The majority of recordings are not worthy of SACD or any other improved format.
Im not talking about a 3rd generation tape going to SACD, or someone just loading it with random mp3s they have downloaded, but going from a masterfully produced mastertape, and going to SACD, so there is no extra production, no EQ boosting (Yuck!) or any of the stuff that usually makes a song too dense and way too upfront, cause then the cd will be as close to the mastertape and will sound fantastic.
I plan on doing that with my future recordings. Right now I record at 24bit-192khz, and I need to work on my mixing, but being part of the cubase forums, that wont be hard, cause most of those guys are pro-level studio, working for over 40 years in production, so lots of tips and critic from them, then once its mixed, do the mix down to the highest quality mp3 I can get and put it online.
Sure the file sizes will be bigger, but for 1.5tb drives at $110, I dont mind the extra space they take up to record and make.
But without lighting, it is just radio…
I finally watched the video.
I agree that everyone who has an interest in music listening needs to take opportunities to listen to a proper audiophile stereo system and also a high quality headphone setup as well. A high quality setup doesn’t have to be expensive. The people in the discussion mentioned some very high end expensive equipment. You don’t need uber expensive equipment to get audiophile grade sound. The e-zine Affordable Audio caters to the audiophile on a budget. You can also get a very good headphone rig for a couple hundred dollars. A modest headphone rig can give you audio nirvana on a budget.
The panelists were overly critical of the standard redbook CD. A CD can sound very good and very audiophile. I can listen to a good CD and get the emotional impacts that they described. You don’t need to get an audiophile grade turntable or and SACD or try to find 24 bit high samplerate digital files to get the listening experiences they described. Even a high bitrate MP3 works well enough for me.
I’d like to be able to buy high definition digital music (24 bit and sample rates at 88.2 Khz and above) but there are very few places selling it and the selection available is very slim. I have listened to 24 bit high def files and they sound very good. But there is so little available and what is available isn’t necessarily the music I want to listen to.
Instead of mp3, why not use something like FLAC, so none of the quality is lost?
My mp3 player doesnt support FLAC. 