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Analogue vs digital

Analogue

• Needs to be converted from analogue → digital (eg FLAC, MP3) via converter to a file that the PC can read
• Analogue medium: Stores music in an object being physically altered to produce sound
• Examples
  • A tape recorder changes the magnetization of magnetic tape in a cassette tape to record sound. Plugging a tape deck into a recording device makes a digital copy of the analog cassette tape.
  • A record cutter carves grooves in a vinyl record to make a physical representation of the sound. Ripping vinyl through a preamp and into a sound card makes a digital copy of the analog vinyl
• Allowed
  • Vinyl (always)
  • Cassette under strict conditions

Digital

• Already encoded as a PC readable format
• Digital medium: object storing music in digital files (a binary number string)
• Examples
  • CDs
  • DVDs
  • Super Audio CDs (SACD)
  • WEB store downloads (iTunes, Amazon, etc.)
• Allowed
  • after using spectral analysis to check for lossy transcodes

Why analogue or digital?

• Some people prefer the “feel” of vinyl and think that music on vinyl records sounds “warmer” and “fuller”
• Others think that digital sources provide an unadulterated and pristine listening experience.

Audio format

• a type of computer file that stores music. Music formats are either uncompressed lossless, compressed lossless, or lossy
• Bitrate: number of bits conveyed/transferred within a unit of time. Units = kbps (kilobits per second). eg CBR file has 320kbps
• Transparency: When the audible quality of a lossy file is such that the difference between the lossless and lossy file cannot be a differentiated by a human ear. Usually MP3 192kbps CBR is considered transparent