KVR Audio

keyman_sam · Post by **keyman_sam** » Tue Feb 14, 2017 4:34 am

What's the technical drawback that prevents music streaming companies from streaming fully uncompressed audio in today's world when we have 1080P and even 4K video? What's holding them back?

Regnas · Post by **Regnas** » Tue Feb 14, 2017 4:40 am

Waste? Nobody can't hear the difference between an uncompressed wav and a vorbis at 128kps..... so......

Xenakios · Post by **Xenakios** » Tue Feb 14, 2017 5:02 am

keyman_sam wrote:What's the technical drawback that prevents music streaming companies from streaming fully uncompressed audio in today's world when we have 1080P and even 4K video? What's holding them back?

Probably no technical reason as such, but they might be interested in preventing people from recording/ripping lossless quality audio too easily from the streams.

plexuss · Post by **plexuss** » Tue Feb 14, 2017 5:39 am

It's not so much that there is no difference sonically between uncompressed and 128kps compressed, it's that the audience for uncompressed i'snt large enough to justify supporting it. I train people to listen at a detailed critical degree. Most people do not. It's like teaching the blind to see, based on their reaction when they realize there is so much more in the sound. But still, it can't be justified economically. and we all know money makes the world go 'round.

Chapelle · Post by **Chapelle** » Tue Feb 14, 2017 5:41 am

EnGee · Post by **EnGee** » Tue Feb 14, 2017 8:17 am

keyman_sam wrote:What's the technical drawback that prevents music streaming companies from streaming fully uncompressed audio in today's world when we have 1080P and even 4K video? What's holding them back?

I also wondered about this! Even when you buy an album online, they provide you only with mp3 option, I really would like to have wav or any lossless compressed file at least (like Flac)!

There is a difference when I play a CD and lossy mp3 even at 320kbps! I usually buy my fav albums as CDs from the shops here in Auckland, but sometimes they are not available, so I buy mp3 format from Google Play (maybe it is time that I should search for a service to replace Google Play that is selling in lossless format!)

tasty tatsyn · Post by **tasty tatsyn** » Tue Feb 14, 2017 3:52 pm

I'd say it's problably because of file size.... 16 or 24 bit WAV takes up a LOoOooT more server space then mp3's... More server space expenses less $$ for companys....

antto · Post by **antto** » Tue Feb 14, 2017 9:15 pm

my last live recording: the 720p video file is 440MB, pretty decent quality
the (16bit stereo) .wav of that same thing is 230MB
uncompressed wav for the masses is just "no" for now

Shangsean · Post by **Shangsean** » Tue Feb 14, 2017 9:46 pm

EnGee wrote:
keyman_sam wrote:What's the technical drawback that prevents music streaming companies from streaming fully uncompressed audio in today's world when we have 1080P and even 4K video? What's holding them back?
I also wondered about this! Even when you buy an album online, they provide you only with mp3 option, I really would like to have wav or any lossless compressed file at least (like Flac)!

There is a difference when I play a CD and lossy mp3 even at 320kbps! I usually buy my fav albums as CDs from the shops here in Auckland, but sometimes they are not available, so I buy mp3 format from Google Play (maybe it is time that I should search for a service to replace Google Play that is selling in lossless format!)

If you buy from Bandcamp you can choose your format.

4damind · Post by **4damind** » Tue Feb 14, 2017 10:02 pm

Yes, we can

But... think of mobile connections with a limited download volume or of low bandwidth internet connections. Not everybody can use video streaming but for (compressed) music it's working for most people.

It's also no secret that there are stream-rippers available for some browsers where people can record/save with one click the complete audio stream. I don't think that everybody will like it if people can so easy grab the tracks with the highest quality if the main idea is to generate some sales

Btw. there are already providers with support of lossless audio streaming (eg. Hearthis has this for premium users). Some platforms providing also lossless formats like Flac for downloads/buy.

exmatproton · Post by **exmatproton** » Tue Feb 14, 2017 10:06 pm

Regnas wrote:Waste? Nobody can't hear the difference between an uncompressed wav and a vorbis at 128kps..... so......

AsPeeXXXVIII · Post by **AsPeeXXXVIII** » Wed Feb 15, 2017 8:00 am

tasty tatsyn wrote:I'd say it's problably because of file size.... 16 or 24 bit WAV takes up a LOoOooT more server space then mp3's... More server space expenses less $$ for companys....

Makes sense as far as I'm concerned. But then again, there's also 8-bit WAV.

realmarco · Post by **realmarco** » Sat Feb 18, 2017 1:09 pm

24 bit is for recording only

we'll never hear a 24 bit CD/DVD/radio here is why

Numanoid · Post by **Numanoid** » Mon Feb 20, 2017 7:24 pm

keyman_sam wrote:What's the technical drawback that prevents music streaming companies from streaming fully uncompressed audio

Does it matter if it is uncompressed or lossless like FLAC ?

Is 24 bit audio the final frontier, or would 64 bit audio be something that will appear as a standard in the future?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_bit_depth

So why can't we stream uncompressed WAV when we can stream video?