Sense or NO sense: comments on sample test on YouTube CD vs Streaming

[Enkay78]

From a random YT algorithm recommendation, I came across this channell and video

And for a joke I went through some the comments. I don't know whether to laugh or cry. There are serious feedbacks about the differences/no differences between these two sources.


What I cannot come around in my head is : how are these guys seriously thinking that they are able to experience the sonic differences about a sound system (whatever amps/dacs/speakers) producing music in a room (acoustically treated or not treated) .....the sound of which is recorded through a microphone .....encoded in a format .....and then uploaded in youtube.....which is then listened using a smartphone/tablet/pc/TV through headphones/smartphone speakers/speakers (floorstanders/bookshelf with or without subs)TV speakers.....and seriously notices the airiness or details of the music?


*Huge facepalm*

Am I the only one finding the ignorance and utter stupidity in such seriousness?

 

[Analogous]

From a random YT algorithm recommendation, I came across this channell and video

And for a joke I went through some the comments. I don't know whether to laugh or cry. There are serious feedbacks about the differences/no differences between these two sources.


What I cannot come around in my head is : how are these guys seriously thinking that they are able to experience the sonic differences about a sound system (whatever amps/dacs/speakers) producing music in a room (acoustically treated or not treated) .....the sound of which is recorded through a microphone .....encoded in a format .....and then uploaded in youtube.....which is then listened using a smartphone/tablet/pc/TV through headphones/smartphone speakers/speakers (floorstanders/bookshelf with or without subs)TV speakers.....and seriously notices the airiness or details of the music?


*Huge facepalm*

Am I the only one finding the ignorance and utter stupidity in such seriousness?

You are still astonished at “democracy in action in the digital age”, my friend?
Look around you. It’s everywhere and not just in audio.

 

[venkatcr]

Sense or non-sense?

 

[alpha1]

how are these guys seriously thinking that they are able to experience the sonic differences about a sound system (whatever amps/dacs/speakers) producing music in a room (acoustically treated or not treated) .....the sound of which is recorded through a microphone .....encoded in a format .....and then uploaded in youtube.....which is then listened using a smartphone/tablet/pc/TV through headphones/smartphone speakers/speakers (floorstanders/bookshelf with or without subs)TV speakers.....and seriously notices the airiness or details of the music?

And how does that really affect the differences in what we hear?
Everything in the chain remaining the same except the source.

 

[Enkay78]

And how does that really affect the differences in what we hear?
Everything in the chain remaining the same except the source.

You joking right?

 

[Analogous]

Sense or non-sense?

A better question could be “tolerable or intolerable”?

 

[Enkay78]

Sense or non-sense?

No sense is the more subtle form. I mean ignorance cannot be faulted with good intent.


I wish humans have something like telesense

 

[alpha1]

You joking right?

Absolutely not.
If the entire path remains same and only the source changes - And one can hear differences.
Then the entire path (no matter how inferior it appears) offers enough resolution to allow audience to distinguish between the sources.

 

[Enkay78]

Absolutely not.
If the entire path remains same and only the source changes - And one can hear differences.
Then the entire path (no matter how inferior it appears) offers enough resolution to allow audience to distinguish between the sources.

But is this escaping your notice that:
Those who are commenting on the differences are not actually listening to what is shown but listening the sound produced by the YouTube compression algorithm and codec? (This was my original exasperation btw)

 

[Chulbulee]

No offence to anyone.

Many people believe, just because it is expensive, it IS good. Many don't know what compression brings in and consider Youtube audio perfect.

Have seen MANY artists, having NIKON cameras (few decades ago), thinking it will do all, we will just click (in comparison, point-and-click, Kodak cameras produced EXCELLENT results). Many people don't understand what is hi fi audio.

But if the buyer is happy, who are we to question?

 

[Enkay78]

Just in case the point of the OP is lost in translation -

I am not starting the debate of which is better CD or streaming. Nor the OP is about lossless and lossy formats.


Rather it's about the cognitive disconnect of the above YouTube viewers that they thought legible to comment on any difference listening on their devices through YouTube compression algorithm. They are completely failing to see the bias and errors of their judgement.

If they were sitting at the recorded place and actually listening to the speakers /system shown in the video......that would have been more factual.

My post is about their incredulous response to engage as such.

 

[Analogous]

I nearly felt ashamed when I discovered that a piece of music that sounded fantastic and I enjoyed listening to recently was playing from YouTube.(mp3)
….nearly…then I felt ashamed I felt this way.
I thought about high resolution, I thought about compression, loudness, objectivity and other “facts”
The cognitive dissonance I experienced was uncomfortable.
I am now thinking I will not allow these “facts” to interfere when I am enjoying music that I am hearing.
This acceptance has brought peace and equanimity.

 

[Enkay78]

I nearly felt ashamed when I discovered that a piece of music that sounded fantastic and I enjoyed listening to recently was playing from YouTube.(mp3)
….nearly…then I felt ashamed I felt this way.
I thought about high resolution, I thought about compression, loudness, objectivity and other “facts”
The cognitive dissonance I experienced was uncomfortable.
I am now thinking I will not allow these “facts” to interfere when I am enjoying music that I am hearing.
This acceptance has brought peace and equanimity.

Yesterday I listened to

Steve Vai - For the love of God, Tender surrender

Joe Satriani : Made for tears, Always with me

Gaary More, Dire Straits

At the middle of night at my dedicated home theatre - all through YouTube. It was bliss . And nostalgic. And magic

I forgot to sleep for 2-3 hours.

Edit: And even without any pegs

 

[Analogous]

Yesterday I listened to

Steve Vai - For the love of God, Tender surrender

Joe Satriani : Made for tears, Always with me

Gaary More, Dire Straits

At the middle of night at my dedicated home theatre - all through YouTube. It was bliss . And nostalgic. And magic

I forgot to sleep for 2-3 hours.

Edit: And even without any pegs

You forgot to add you did not feel any less an audiophile while rocking out on low res!

 

[Enkay78]

You forgot to add you did not feel any less an audiophile while rocking out on low res!

I have never considered myself an audiophile

I just like hi-fidelity of my system.

And good music. (Which still remains my prime objective)

Nowadays I forget I have terabytes of flacs/wav………Apple music is making me so lazy. YouTube off course remains a favourite for some of the live videos. (Heck I was not complaining looking at the 480p video on my 120” screen….I was so absorbing the fantastic music Joe was pulling out from his strings )

 

[Analogous]

+1
I too very rarely use my stored music as the convenience of streaming makes it so easy to search and play what I want.
It’s a bit like keeping books I have read and liked even if I never read them again (unlike my FLAC files they are good sound diffusers)
An added advantage in streaming is discovering new music from around the world.

 

[alpha1]

But is this escaping your notice that:
Those who are commenting on the differences are not actually listening to what is shown but listening the sound produced by the YouTube compression algorithm and codec? (This was my original exasperation btw)

Yes, it is not escaping my notice, but in fact part of the entire signal chain.
So as an extension of what I was saying:

If the entire path remains same and only the source changes - And one can hear differences:
Then the entire path (no matter how inferior it appears including the youtube's compression) offers enough resolution to allow audience to distinguish between the sources.

 

[Enkay78]

Yes, it is not escaping my notice, but in fact part of the entire signal chain.
So as an extension of what I was saying:

If the entire path remains same and only the source changes - And one can hear differences:
Then the entire path (no matter how inferior it appears including the youtube's compression) offers enough resolution to allow audience to distinguish between the sources.

Interesting.

Anyway my take is different: there is too much confounding factors to reliably diagnosed a difference .. especially when one listens through youtube. These factors may include the bandwidth at the uploaders and viewers ends, variable bitrate of YouTube streams, and how it is produced as sounds at the viewers end - whether they are listening through DACs/preamps.....headphones/earphones/iems (good performing ones or bad performing ones)...noise and distortions at their ends amps/speakers.


in a nutshell - it is not scientific.