BG>  Just because it sounds the same (or nearly so) as some other digital 
 BG> recorder, (SONY Dash/Random Access Workstations), a 
 BG> pile of ADATs trying to sync together is NOT 
 BG> professional at all in comparison. While ADATs may be 
Do you have a simple comparison of formats and vendors available?  I assume 
that some losses would be due to "lossy" bit compression, where an algorithm 
selects some info to discard, whereas any serious pro format uses straight 
PCM with infinite generation potential?  Other than A-D quality, are there 
any other major loss factors you've noted among "digital" tape standards or 
machines?  
At AES NY, I noted that even the low end DAW vendors seem to have returned to 
straight 16 bit or better PCM, giving up lossy companding other than for 
backwards compatibility.  That's apparently due to larger, faster hard drives 
becoming cheaper.  
  
As to the increasing proliferation of ISDN CODECs, and the battle among 
MUSICAM/MPEG L-II and Telos MPEG L-III (with overlapping ISO and ITU 
compatible modes) at 64, 128, or 256 kbps, Dolby locked at 256, or Apt-X 
suggesting 384 (1/4 T-1), there does seem to be quite a standards battle 
shaking out among vendors and over how much crunching versus pipeline cost is 
the right balance.  
Sonic seems to be capturing the CD premastering leadership role without 
challenge, and Allied is vending a line of Russian condenser mikes for about 
60% less $$$ than B&K.  No major revelations this year that I noted.  
Last item of note is the trend in monitor and small venue speaker design to 
cast a spider and horn right into the box face.  
Terry
--- Maximus 2.01wb
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