Quote: Originally Posted by PhilS EDIT: BTW, if it is "rare" for audiophiles to be able to tell the difference between 128 and lossless, do you think it is also rare that audiophiles can tell the difference between different brands of MP3 players playing the same lossless recording...

Quote: Originally Posted by lucky In short, it depends on your ears, your music, your gear, and, perhaps most importantly, your concern. Exactly, which is why an article telling people to disregard all MP3 encoding isn't worth my reading it.

Quote: Originally Posted by PhilS Not if they only just listen to 128 kbps. It often takes some experience with the higher quality item to learn to discern the differences. Perhaps that's the point, or one of them anyway. If more people subjected themselves to blind testing...

I only skimmed the article linked to by the OP, but the fact is that with today's more sophisticated and better-tuned MP3 encoders (or AAC encoders, for that matter) most people cannot tell the difference between a 128 kbps file and a CD, especially if it is a VBR encoding.

According to online tests, at least, I have trouble hearing anything above 15 Khz (can sometimes very faintly pick up 16 Khz). I'm 25. I'm much more careful now than I used to be in terms of not listening to headphones for long periods of time. I was never one to go to a lot of concerts. I did...

Good points. Thanks. I confess that I don't really know the difference between A and C weighting, I was just doing what I had read elsewhere.

Thanks, that's comforting. I do use the cardboard method. I should probably not put too much stock into the online hearing test, either, seeing as that I don't own any closed headphones. I don't really know where the Grados' frequency response drops off, either.

After some less than stellar results from the online tests at http://www.digital-recordings.com/he...-products.html, I became concerned about whether I might be doing damage to my hearing with long-term use of my headphones, so I bought a basic digital sound level meter from RadioShack. I cut a...

I voted $100-200. Usually it's closer to $100 than $200. I eat pretty simply - grains, beans, fresh fruit and vegetables. I eat out for lunch maybe once or twice a month. I'm not vegetarian, but meat for me is more of a flavoring agent than a source of protein. Now if you had asked about my...

Grado SR 225. I hope these are going to be my last cans for a whle...

Awesome. I'm seeing this tour on the 26th here in DC. It will be my first Dream Theater show as well.

Quote: Originally Posted by Mike_TNT The proof is in the pudding guys. Sometimes I fantasize about putting this album on at an unsuspecting hi-fi shop. I bet it would do wonders on some Naim gear. And yes "Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell" is absolutely vicious. I've yet to...

If both are converted from the same source, using the same encoder, then I don't see how that would be possible. But this is why blind testing is so important, because your mind can make yourself believe that you are hearing all kinds of things (placebo effect).

Quote: Originally Posted by Mike_TNT "Raw Power" by The Stooges. Try it on with some 325s and raw power is sure to come running to you. Yeah! Haha. Not just "Raw Power" on the whole, but for me, specifically, the track "Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell" (a.k.a. "Hard to Beat")...

Quote: Originally Posted by iKonoKlast Is there anything out there like The Police? In addition to the other suggestions, you should check out The Exit: MySpace.com - THE EXIT - New York City, New York - Freestyle - www.myspace.com/theexit