Leo, a "listening" test doesn't mean very much. The higher bitrate songs are often preferred by audiophiles, who actually have higher end equipment that can make better use of the better quality. Just because you can't hear a difference on an iPod with tiny headphones with no bass doesn't mean they're not better. And as Jon said, they were testing a rip from a CD, which is already lossy. The files sold by Apple via iTunes are from the digital master, not a CD.<br>
<br>Your quote: "Apple would never have reached where it is today in the online music business without DRM" is also ridiculous - there WASN'T a online music business before they invented it. They got where they are today because they built that business, and they were able to convince the major labels to release music online... and those labels mandated DRM.<br>
<br>But we digress. You hate DRM. Don't buy from Apple then. Get off it already. Move on to some other crazy position.<br><br>Jeffrey.<br><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Oct 31, 2008 at 4:06 AM, Leo Mauler <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:webgiant@yahoo.com">webgiant@yahoo.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">Wow, take your own advice. I posted a link in the original E-mail pointing out that *despite the difference in bitrate*, there was not a noticeable difference in quality of sound.<br>
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</div></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br><br>"He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself." -- Thomas Paine<br>