Klarinet Archive - Posting 000575.txt from 2003/12

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausmann1@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Re: Question about computer/audio editing
Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2003 15:31:48 -0500

At 02:05 PM 12/31/2003 -0500, Lynn wrote:
>Bill:>> The transfer from LP to MD results in a loss of quality, due to the
> > compression algorithm. The subsequent transfer to MONO MP3 using
> > Audiograbber results in a TREMENDOUS loss of audio quality! Recording
> > direct to the hard drive is best, even though it takes a lot of
> > space. Remember, once all the editing and burning is done, the files can
> > be deleted from the hard drive.
> >
>Well, that does make sense, that it would lose sound quality because of the
>compression. But it will compress going into the computer, too.

NOT true. The .WAV files you record onto the hard drive are, unless you do
something to compress them, CD-quality 44kHz-sampled audio.

> And once
>they get it figured out how we can transfer from MD into the computer in
>stereo, that part will be solved. To transfer onto disc most people
>compress into MP3s anyway, wav files take up as much disc space as they do
>drive space.......

Maybe SOME people do, but I would never consider it. Not even for the 78
rpm records I transfer, which are of sufficiently poor fidelity that the
compression would go largely unnoticed. I have used MP3 to send an audio
file via e-mail to reduce file size, but I have no use for the format other
than that. If you must have a FINAL product in MP3, do all the editing,
etc., in .WAV format and only compress at the end. That will provide the
best final product, avoiding successive layers of compression/expansion.

>If you delete the files from the hard drive, though, and toss your LPs, what
>happens if your CD goes kaput? Because from what I understand, homemade CDs
>that we burn ourselves have a limited shelf life. I've also been wanting to
>put all my LPs onto disc, but this has been holding me back.

Who ever said anything about TOSSING the LP's? Besides my wife, of
course. ;-) Furthermore, what happens if your hard drive crashes? Also,
define "limited" shelf life. I have 25 year-old videotapes that SHOULD be
long dead by now (8-10 year lifespan). With proper care, they should last
long enough for the CD format to be succeeded by something better! Nice
thing about .WAV files is, if you think a disk is getting a bit old, you
can burn a new digital copy of the disk from the old one with NO loss of
quality!

>A minidisc is really useful - good for recording yourself, groups, etc.
>They are definitely not a waste of money.

I can't argue with that. They are much better than cassette tape for that
purpose. But once you have compressed the recordings down to MP3 format,
you have lost the advantage!

Bill Hausmann

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is TOO LOUD!

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