For Better And Worse

“If it seems like you are listening to music more but enjoying it less, some people in the recording industry say they know why. They blame that iPod that you can't live without, along with all the compressed MP3 music files you've loaded on it…

“Because both compressed music and the iPod's relatively low-quality earbuds have many limitations, music producers fret that they are engineering music to a technical lowest common denominator. The result, many say, is music that is loud but harsh and flat, and thus not enjoyable for long periods of time...

“Today, young artists think MP3s are a high-quality medium and the iPod is state-of-the-art sound. It isn't. Producers and engineers say there are many ways they might change a track to accommodate an iPod MP3. Sometimes, the changes are for the worse…

“This shift to compressed music heard via an iPod is occurring at the same time as another music trend that bothers audiophiles: Music today is released at higher volume levels than ever before, on the assumption that louder music sells better. The process of boosting volume, though, tends to eliminate a track's distinct highs and lows.

“As a result, contemporary pop music has a characteristic sound, says veteran L.A. engineer Jack Joseph Puig, whose credits include the Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton. ‘Ten years ago, music was warmer; it was rich and thick, with more tones and more 'real power.' But newer records are more brittle and bright. They have what I call 'implied power.' It's all done with delays and reverbs and compression to fool your brain…’

“When CDs were first introduced, they were regarded as cold and flat, compared with vinyl. But their sound improved as engineers learned the medium, a process many hope will happen again with MP3s and portable music players…

“Still, engineers experience some nostalgia about earlier technologies. Says Mr. Saylor, ‘What we've lost with this new era of massive compression and low fidelity are the records that sounds so good that you get lost in them. ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ -- records like that just aren't being made today’."

(“Are Technology Limits In MP3s and iPods Ruining Pop Music?” Lee Gomes. Wall Street Journal: September 12, 2007. pg. B.1)

HOW ABOUT the sounds of silence? Try a day without the iPod, car audio, television, etc. and hear all of what is waiting for you. Listen care-fully.