Lou Reed on MP3/Ipods

[Jethrofinger]

I've recently done an experiment with things bought from iTunes and CDs. I have Led Zeppelin's fourth album from iTunes (long story there) and on CD (and you can take those MP3 files and put them on CD). I've also tried this with W.A.S.P.'s The Crimson Idol. The result: they both sound the same. There might be more clipping in the MP3's but they sound a like. Still, Lou is right: it's better to have the CD...or probably the vinyl. Nowadays, people remaster CDs a bit too loud.

[bozocyclops]

Man, i used to worry about minute aspects of audio quality a while back. No longer do I give a fuck. The information you need is the song. As long as you hear the words and chord changes, everything else is self aggrandizing faggotry. Those little details get lost in any other listening setting besides headphones anyway.

[nick22samm]

@bozocyclops definitely not true. i've finally switched over to vinyl and a great amp/speakers, and the sound quality is just so much better... than anything that came after it, cd's, mp3s, whatever. Vinyl is the true analogue sound, and you hear every little nuance, every detail... every aspect that the musician wanted you to hear. maybe its only because i'm a musician, but mp3s are ruining music, and making the listeners complacent with shh$t sound and Ssh&t music

[GhostofDanDan]

says the father of lo-fi -_-

[willlliw]

someone invite lou to what cd

[UltimateVenom]

great singer but a prick. anyone who doesn't like the beatles is.

[ModernPlague]

@UltimateVenom

Nah, the Beatles are just way too overblown.

They were more important culturally than musically.

Inflated Egos themselves.

[easyrider332]

@ModernPlague are you kidding?? i can't believe you think that the beatles are overblown musically. listen to the songs "michelle", "eleanor rigby", or "i am the walrus". those are just three of many incredible pieces of music written, recorded, and sung by the beatles.

[ModernPlague]

@easyrider332

Michelle sucks, Eleanor Rigby & I Am the Walrus are both excellent.

What I meant was The Beatles are hailed as gods, but to me, it seems like they were more important socially than musically. I mean, if a band is really the best band ever, I shouldn't have to skip through so many songs when listening to their albums-----mostly McCartney's "granny songs" as Lennon derided them....

[easyrider332]

@ModernPlague they are the best band ever. you're just an idiot.

[MrOhjok]

@ModernPlague You make a valid point here that some debaters miss because they are too into being "right." Facts are always "right." Yes. The Beatles strong significance was cultural.To say their music was "best' or "better" is simply a thing of personal taste. Arguing musical taste is like arguing over ice cream.

[silvi01977]

Technically he's right on, practically people don't have the luxury to set up a home studio to hear their music. Don't forget, this is the guy who released `Metal Machine Music` so we can take all of this lightly.

[Zerrith]

Actually I find mp3s can have great sound.. Just as good quality as CDs. I would know because I have a few CDs on my ipod that I've listened to and the sound quality didn't seem any better. I think as long as you've got good headphones (bose) and the right EQ setting (piano) then it can sound great.

[PAULLONDEN]

@Zerrith True..it's an amazing invention,I CARE for good sound,and still got all my vinyl,just take the trouble to search for the best kbps (although sometimes I get the best version of some tracks in 128)and set it in the right Eq setting (bass, in my case). It can beat vinyl.Good speakers ARE essential ,you don't have to spend thousands though.

If you're still not satisfied,do like me; drag the track through some software, and Eq it.

Wouldn't want to be without it anymore.♫~~~«d◘_◘b»~~~♫

[manatomicfluid]

its ironic that this video has sub-par sound

[FungusMossGnosis]

Can I get a version of this video with good sound anywhere?

[bhoussock]

@ journeythruthepast actually you can decide if you want mp3 or m4a when you rip a cd. M4a files are just apple's version of the mp3

[MechanicalSelection]

Who REALLY agrees? You can only hear ONE instrument with MP3s... thats plain stupid

[spencerTonuffer]

I wish I would have seen this last year when I wrote a essay on how bad MP3's sound, a Lou Reed quote would have made it a perfect paper.

[refch]

Lol he dont know about my FLAC

[raulbarrientos007]

all hail Lou

[journeythruthepast]

M4a's are what you get off of CDs and Mp3s are online. I find most mp3s to be of shit quality so I only use them if there's no better ones out there on the net or CD or whatever but it costs too much to buy CDs just for a track or two. I love good sound but vinyl is a hassle in that it's not flexible. I can listen to vinyl at home and it's superior but I can't quite take it wherever I go, make mix discs from it, etc. Plus older vinyl's quality declines and doesn't last. But new vinyl=excellent.

[moonmusic100]

umm records are still about most bands put out 7, 12 inches its just people cant be fucked to buy a record player and everything

[CallOnMeWanda]

I like songs.

[nicck]

Just bring back the record. It's there, in your hands, you have to take care of it. It's not just music.

CD? I could throw that out the window, pick it up and play it again...great, but where is the character?

Not to mention Records sound better anyway.

[AlternativeIdiot25]

amen, brother

[kotowate]

@nicck Character? Imagine reading a book which doesn't have couple of pages or at least some words are crossed out. It has much more character than complete book, don't you think?

[FreshFromTheVinyl]

Totally agree:)

[rixeaun]

he, who doesn't keep up with the times, passes sometime...

[KOSMICKEN09]

i love LOU, but LOUUUUUUU, i am sure you listened to AM RADIO as a kid, that wasn't exactly high fidelity you know lol.....i love music, give me MP3/IPOD/8 TRACK TAPE/VINYL/CD/45 RPM i don't care!

[DARKnDODGY]

check my vids out for "Lou Reed - perfect day (animated)"...

[inabeautifulplace]

stop going around to every Lou video and posting that.

[DARKnDODGY]

why..

[Deodanth23]

OK, i'm a musician and audiophile but I'm also a complete moron who never knew there was a difference between CD and MP3 quality.

Sue me, I also think I'm young but I first listened to Lou and the Velvets on pressed vinyl. I also grew up with vinyl Beatles and the first time I listed to "Sgt. Pepper's" on CD it really freaked me out! All the levels were different.

Many of the songs on "Loaded" and "Transformer" to name some of Lou's works, are quite different from vinyl to digital too.

[EmitFlestiKY]

"OK, i'm a musician and audiophile but I'm also a complete moron who never knew there was a difference between CD and MP3 "

At least you acknowledge you are a moron. If you don't know the difference between MP3 and CD quality, you are not an "audiophile", and I doubt you are a musician! LOL

Granted, MP3 (at 192 kbps and above) is better than radio or tape or 8-track, or 45-RPM quality, but don't pretend that MP3 is indistinguishable from full lossless-CD quality.

[kotowate]

@EmitFlestiKY Years ago 128 kbps was good for me and I was wondering why some people say it's crap. Now I can't listen nothing less than 192 kbps and anyways, I do buy CDs and rip them (it's either 320 kbps or variable bit rate with highest quality setting). It's good for me now. And I still don't have great hardware to listen it to, but then again - it is good enough for me.

[TheShloonktapooxis]

best way to do it: steal from your parents. it works for me!

[ohwell121]

i don't get what he's saying there's lossless audio compression where they have measured what Hz the human ear can hear and cut out what can't. I've played jimi hendrix in flac and then tried mp3 and even spotify (which lowers the quality immensly i'veh eard) and i can't honestly see that much of a difference.

there is a difference but it's so detailed i mean, especially live tracks, plus the old music suffered from worse recording equipment than we have now.

[acrstudio]

MP3s are a lower quality of sound. If you compare a recording from a CD vs an MP3 you will hear the difference, Even if you play it through the same system.

The MP3 files are compressed, so they lose data and detail. Classical music fans are buying CDs over MP3s for this very reason.

[kismetprismatism]

No he isn't. I thought he was at first, too, but I realized he was absolutely right. MP3s are a computer's interpretation of a sound, coded in binary. Records record the actual vibration of the sound as it exists in reality. An MP3 will never be as authentic as vinyl.

[Oruboris]

I love Lou, but have a feeling that a hundred years ago, singers were saying 'you need cylinder records for good sound. Those flat records just don't cut it...'

A lot of MP3s suck. So does a lot of vinyl.

In neither case is it the fault of the media, it's the artistry of the engineers, etc.

[jimlovesearth2]

many artists believe the internet sucks period.... slash, lou reed, lot of blues guys, and jazz musicians... think about how this youtube myspace reality might be BAD for democracy, free expression, art, and humanity.

[lucky7monkey]

please tell me you arent serious

[ShotAwayProduction]

I buy CDs and upload them onto my ipod therefore i have the best of both worlds. i can listen to my music anytime and when i really want to listen to my music i play the cd.

[fohnjrusciante]

same here

[PianoSpider]

it doesnt take a genious to realise that mp3 = compressed audio format and when you compress something... something is taken away therefore it is not the same

[GLeNss]

my flacs are doing fine thx

[liamMaru]

haha, yeah, gotta love my flacs.

[Huddiethegreat]

I feel so bad for listening to mp3s, sorry lou

[HitMeWithIt]

I like my mp3s...they sound fine to me :)

[liamMaru]

Haha, you just left yourself wide, wide open.

[HitMeWithIt]

Huh?

What...you think I show myself to be an idiot for liking MP3s?

Or have I got it wrong?

What DO you mean?

[FlashFace]

Lou is a genius. Honest, realistic and technically aware. Long live the wisdom.

[pleximold]

Simply true