MacRumors: iTunes HiDef Audio/Adaptive Streaming

Posted by: MangoMonkey on 29 February 2012

Not entirely sure what to make of this:

 

http://www.macrumors.com/2012/...-adaptive-streaming/

Posted on: 29 February 2012 by Rosewind
Sounds interesting. I wonder who gets to decide which sq / resolution will be played back from iCloud - Apple or the end-user?

But it leaves some hope for real-life hi-res coming from iTunes.

Best wishes,
Peter
Posted on: 29 February 2012 by totemphile

There's already the "Mastered for iTunes" thread running on this, same info...

Posted on: 29 February 2012 by winkyincanada
Originally Posted by Rosewind:
Sounds interesting. I wonder who gets to decide which sq / resolution will be played back from iCloud - Apple or the end-user?

But it leaves some hope for real-life hi-res coming from iTunes.

Best wishes,
Peter

And if they release everything in better-than-Redbook cd quality, I'll be screwed, always wondering if I should re-purchase all my ripped CD albums from iTunes.

 

Or they'll do an inexpensive quality upgrade subscription like they did with iTunes Cloud, which would tear me apart. I'd be dragged completely into St Steve's walled garden, never to escape. My best quality music would be in the cloud on iTunes forever. Scary.

Posted on: 29 February 2012 by matpip

I dream about the day when, with one click, I will upgrade all the music purchased on itunes in 128 (then already upgraded to 256) and 256bps. Paying obviously a fair difference...

Posted on: 29 February 2012 by MangoMonkey
Originally Posted by matpip:

I dream about the day when, with one click, I will upgrade all the music purchased on itunes in 128 (then already upgraded to 256) and 256bps. Paying obviously a fair difference...


Hmm.. they allowed that for a while when they upgraded to iTunes Plus from 128kbps. :-)

Posted on: 29 February 2012 by James L
Originally Posted by winkyincanada:
Originally Posted by Rosewind:
Sounds interesting. I wonder who gets to decide which sq / resolution will be played back from iCloud - Apple or the end-user?

But it leaves some hope for real-life hi-res coming from iTunes.

Best wishes,
Peter

And if they release everything in better-than-Redbook cd quality, I'll be screwed, always wondering if I should re-purchase all my ripped CD albums from iTunes.

 

Or they'll do an inexpensive quality upgrade subscription like they did with iTunes Cloud, which would tear me apart. I'd be dragged completely into St Steve's walled garden, never to escape. My best quality music would be in the cloud on iTunes forever. Scary.

 

Long term, and in the majority of cases, I'd say the original CD version/rip will win out over any so-called HiDef version.

 

Just because it say's 24/96 on the tin, it's no guarantee that it's any better. 

 

The care and attention needed to release a quality HiDef version is far larger than most record companies/publishers/rights holders/etc will be prepared to invest in.

 

I'd say in most cases, HiDef releases will be given minimal treatment in which case it could possibly sound worse than the original 16/44.1 release format. 

 

The future looks bright though. I just hope it's not tonally bright.