Latest news with #compression
Digital Trends
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
How to experience lossless audio
There's been a lot of talk lately about lossless audio, and that might have led you think that you need special equipment or an expensive streaming music service to get it. But that couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, you probably already own everything you need to hear lossless audio. So let's take a quick look at what lossless audio is, and maybe more importantly, what it isn't, and how you can listen to it. Recommended Videos What is lossless audio? Simply put, lossless audio is any type of digital audio that hasn't been processed using a lossy, destructive form of compression. Lossless doesn't necessarily mean hi-res audio (though most hi-res is often lossless), and it doesn't even mean CD quality (though the term CD quality is used, it implies audio that is lossless). And lossless isn't a special format that belongs to any company or streaming service. Any streaming service that chooses to offer lossless audio can do so (we'll talk about why some services don't offer it, later). Why does lossless audio matter? When audio is recorded and turned into huge collections of zeroes and ones in a studio, engineers use uncompressed forms of digitization. This means that every detail of the audio is captured digitally, at the highest resolution possible. This creates a near-perfect digital recording. Unfortunately, uncompressed digital audio is massive in file size, so it's always compressed before it gets turned into a file that's ready for distribution. There are two kinds of compression. Lossy compression can make audio files truly tiny — up to a tenth of their original size. But to do that, it discards some of the original information. The best versions of lossy compression discard info in a way that most people wouldn't notice. You'd never listen to good lossy compression and say 'this sounds bad.' Lossless compression, on the other hand, makes a smaller audio file without discarding any of the information needed to recreate the recording on your listening equipment. I won't get into the math behind it, but it works. However, there's still no such thing as a free lunch: Lossless files are smaller than uncompressed audio, but still much bigger than lossy — often four times as large. For those who want to know they're getting the best possible listening experience, lossless is worth that tradeoff in file size. How can I tell the difference between lossless and lossy audio? The hope is that you'll be able to tell the difference simply by listening to both, but realistically that may not be possible — especially if you're listening in a noisy environment. The easiest way to tell is look at the audio file on your computer. If the filename ends in .mp3, .aac, or .ogg, it's a lossy file. If it ends in .alac, .aiff, .wav, .flac, or several other extensions, it's lossless. Since most folks listen to streaming music these days, you need to rely on some knowledge about the formats each service uses plus the display in your streaming app's now playing screen. Apple Music, for instance, will show you an indicator when it streams in lossless, hi-res lossless, or Dolby Atmos. If you change the settings to reduce the amount of data it uses, these indicators won't show up, which means you're getting lossy compression. Each music service has its own version of these labels and the ability to control the maximum quality used when streaming. However, not all services offer lossless. Spotify, for example, has so far resisted the lossless trend. Even with a premium subscription, Spotify only streams music using lossy formats. How do get lossless audio? The first step to hearing lossless audio is making sure you have a source of lossless content: A streaming service that offers lossless audio A CD, SACD, or DVD-Audio disc and a working player Blu-ray or UHD Blu-ray with audio recorded in Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD Master Audio Digital music files saved to your computer, phone, or portable music player, in one of the lossless formats mentioned above The next step is to make sure you have a way to play that lossless content. Streaming service apps like Apple Music, Tidal, Amazon Music, and Qobuz all have built-in decoders that can transform lossless streams into something that can played on your phone or computer. For disc-based music, the CD or Blu-ray player performs the same task. For lossless music stored locally (perhaps ripped from a CD or purchased from a download site), you'll need software that can decode and play it. There are many free apps that do this, regardless if you're on a Mac, PC, iPhone, or Android. Finally, you'll need to make sure that you aren't inadvertently introducing lossy compression because of your choice of headphones, speakers, or earbuds. As convenient as wireless listening is, even the most expensive Bluetooth headphones, earbuds, or speakers use some form of lossy compression when they receive that wireless stream from your phone or computer. There are some rare exceptions, like Qualcomm's aptX Lossless codec, but even then, it can be hard to guarantee that the connection is truly lossless. To ensure your lossless audio stays lossless, you'll need: A wired connection between your disc player, amplifier, and speakers Wireless speakers that use Wi-Fi and receive a direct stream from a platform like Sonos or Tidal Connect, Qobuz Connect, or Alexa Cast, but not Apple AirPlay 2 A computer or smartphone with a built-in headphone jack or, An external digital-to-analog converter (DAC), plus: wired headphones or earbuds Headphones that support USB Audio via USB-C You probably already have what you need If you already own wired headphones or earbuds, plug them into your laptop or amplifier/receiver and you're good to go. Even if you don't have dedicated wired devices, most wireless headphone also come with a cable you can use for analog wired listening. Because most smartphones don't have headphone jacks anymore, you'll need to buy an external DAC if you want to use your wired headphones or earbuds. The good news is that as long as you aren't fussy about getting audiophile-level hi-res audio compatibility, even something as inexpensive as Apple's lightning- or USB-C-to-3.5mm adapter (typically $9-$11) will do the trick. Gotchas to avoid Here are a few things that can get in the way of lossless listening and should be avoided. Apple AirPlay2: As noted above, your wireless speaker or soundbar may use Wi-Fi, and it may offer the ease and convenience of Apple's AirPlay 2 for wireless streaming, but AirPlay 2 is not lossless audio compatible. It downconverts any audio to 256kbps AAC before sending it to the target speaker. As I said earlier, no one will hear 256kbps AAC and say 'this sounds bad,' but it's not the same as say, 1,411kbps FLAC. Transcoded files: It may be tempting to simply run a lossy MP3 file through a converter and turn it into a lossless format like FLAC or WAV, but unfortunately, that doesn't result in a lossless audio file. All you've done is created a much larger file that still contains no more information than it had when it was an MP3. There are ways to make lossy files sound better — Sony has an algorithm that called DSEE that can 'restore' some of the quality that lossy compression loses, but it can't magically put back the info that was discarded when the MP3 was created. Dolby Atmos Music: This one seems really unfair. We've been led to believe that Dolby Atmos Music represents an entirely new way to enjoy music — one that is more immersive and cinematic. And though that's true, here's another truth: if you're listening to Dolby Atmos Music via the three music services that currently support it (Apple Music, Tidal, and Amazon Music), you're listening to lossy audio. The reason is similar to Spotify's reason for avoiding lossless stereo so far: lossless Dolby Atmos requires huge file sizes. Bigger files mean more bandwidth requirements and that adds up to higher streaming costs for the services. So instead of using the lossless Dolby TrueHD format to transport Dolby Atmos, these services use the lossy Dolby Digital Plus. Again, just like no one is going to complain that Apple's 256kbps AAC sounds bad, you're unlikely to mind how lossy Dolby Atmos Music sounds. But if you ever get a chance to hear lossless Dolby Atmos, I suspect you'll agree it sounds better. You can get lossless Dolby Atmos Music as a digital download, or by buying music on Blu-ray (make sure it specifically says it has Atmos in TrueHD).
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Scientists just made guinea pigs listen to Adele for seven days… and the results are both surprising and worrying
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. If you're a music maker then you can't fail to have grasped the concept of compression and, more than likely, thanked your lucky stars that it was there to help. Whether it's evening out your iffy performance or making bad drums and thin bass sound insanely great, compression is a simple but magic trick of the volume level that can put any music in your face and number one in your affections. If it's too quiet a compressor makes it louder. Now everything is at the same level. But, just like amping up food with artificial flavourings or taking political opinion to extremes, it's possible to have too much of a 'good' thing. While the arguments both for and against compression are well known (remember the 'loudness war' that saw remastered classic albums coming back 'brickwalled' with all of their subtle dynamics disappeared?) it's now been medically proven that compression equals bad… While 'playing music loud is going to damage your ears' is common sense, surely the amount of compression employed on a track doesn't make a difference? Not so. Now, new research with guinea pigs has shown that compression may not be your best friend after all and that compressed music damages ears in ways that uncompressed, more dynamic music does not. The experiment's findings suggest that having silence between sounds – giving the brain a chance to process 'what just happened' and appreciate the surprising peaks to come – gives the listener's brain sufficient headroom to recover from their last surprise allowing them to listen and understand and enjoy music for longer. It's a known fact that listening for too long (and perhaps at two high a level) produces a fatigue that is the scourge of musicians and studio staff worldwide. In short, compressed audio is more tiring to listen to and – thanks to some new research – may just be officially bad for you too. And the guinea pigs in this new experiment?… Were actual guinea pigs… And what unpleasantries were they subjected to in the pursuit of science? Adele's 2015 single I Miss You. Obviously The guinea pigs were split into two groups. One group listened to the Adele favourite in unmolested form while the others were endlessly fed a compressed version, with both groups listening to the track at the same perceived volume level of 102 decibels. And it that sounds like a lot, it's because it is. It's actually just below Britain's Health and Safety Executive's recommended maximum average for live music. Needless to say, tests of the various guinea pig's cochlea's post Adele trauma revealed damage to their inner ear, leading to mild temporary impairment which would, in time, produce permanent damage. No surprises thus far. However the group listening to the compressed version had endured more lasting damage to the middle ear's stapedius muscle. This component of every ear (humans too) protects the inner ear from loud noises and, at just 1mm long, is actually the smallest skeletal muscle in the body. This, despite the music – uncompressed and a compressed version – being played at the exact same volume. In the tests, the hearing of those animals who had listened to the uncompressed Adele made a full recovery within a day, with their hearing and performance of the stapedius muscle returning to normal. The test was repeated for seven days with no discernible lasting effects. However, those who had encountered the compressed Adele did not get off so lightly, with their stapedius reflexes never fully recovering and exhibiting half of their strength at the end of the experiment a week later. Thus Paul Avan, an audiologist at the Pasteur Institute in Paris who wrote up his results in the journal Hearing Research, has concluded that the constant stimulus of compressed music overwhelms the nerve cells in auditory processing, affecting their ability to bounce back and recover. While there's still much to unpack – how much compression is 'bad', can a full recovery be made through an extended rest period, and so on – the results are nonetheless conclusive and surprising, suggesting that not only volume level but the relentless dynamics of what we're actually listening may have serious later repercussions on our hearing. You heard it here first.
CNET
17-05-2025
- CNET
You Can Now Buy Nike's $900 Workout Shoes for Compression and Heating
Those workout shoes with compression and heating that Nike and Hyperice showed off at CES 2025 earlier this year weren't just a concept. The Hyperboot is now available to buy online in North America, so they're within reach, as long as you're willing to spend $899. The high-tops, which Nike and Hyperice call a wearable much like your smartwatch, help your feet warm up before a workout, and then recover after it. The shoes do this with heating and air-compression massage technology, taking the idea of heating pads and compression socks and making them mobile. "You can definitely feel the heat in here," CNET former mobile senior writer Lisa Eadicicco said when she had the chance to try these workout shoes on in January. She walked across a demo room in Las Vegas wearing the fancy footwear to test out the compression and heating features. The boots massage and compress your ankles and feet, and in CNET's test, we could especially feel the heat around the ankles. Buttons on the shoes let you adjust compression and the amount of heat with multiple settings for each. The directions on how to use buttons on the Nike Hyperboot. Nike/Hyperice "The Hyperboot contains a system of dual-air bladders that deliver sequential compression patterns and are bonded to thermally efficient heating elements that evenly distribute heat throughout the shoe's entire upper," Nike said. The battery lasts for 1 to 1.5 hours on max heat and compression settings, or 8 hours if you're only using the massage setting. It takes 5 to 6 hours to charge via USB-C cable. The boots come in five sizes: S, M, L, XL and XXL.
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Travel + Leisure
11-05-2025
- Travel + Leisure
I Fly Back and Forth From LA to NY Multiple Times a Year—and These Are the Only Pants I Wear for the Trip
When you fly back and forth from Los Angeles to New York five-plus times a year, you start to create little rituals to ensure that each flight is smoother than the last. For me, that means flying out of and into the same airports, using the same airline, sitting in the same seat number on both flights, and wearing my favorite travel pants: the G4Free Wide-leg Pants. What began as an impulse purchase two years ago has now become a non-negotiable for any flight I take. I was drawn to the pants' wide-leg silhouette, which I always gravitate towards on travel days because of their non-restrictive nature (a blessing when you'll be sitting for nearly six hours and wearing compression socks). I know what you're thinking: Surely, flowy pants aren't hard to come by. In fact, I have several wide-leg sweatpants and yoga pants that could keep me just as comfy. However, they don't have the same look as the G4Free Wide-leg Pants—or the compression for that matter. The pants' high-rise waistband smooths over my stomach like my favorite workout leggings (while giving my booty a little lift, I might add). And, just like my go-to leggings, they give me the confidence and energy to power through a hectic day. When I slip them on, I instantly feel more put together, whether I'm getting ready for a red-eye flight out of LAX or mustering up the energy to make my 6 a.m. flight from JFK. Even when paired with an oversized sweatshirt or loose cardigan, the G4Free Wide-leg Pants never look frumpy, which is something I can't say about my other sweatpants and yoga pants. The sleek fabric and trouser-like seams make them look elevated, while the polyester-spandex blend provides a pajama-like softness and stretch. The lightweight, quick-drying design doesn't hurt either, especially when traveling from one warm climate to another. This is why the G4Free pants are way more than airplane pants. Long after I land, I can still get plenty of use out of them, no matter what my itinerary has in store for me. Heading to the office? It's hard to tell the difference between these pants and work pants when they're paired with a nice top and shoes. Grabbing drinks with friends? The pants can be zhuzhed up to match the dress code. Sightseeing around New York City? Hitting the trails in L.A.? Going to Erewhon for a smoothie? The list goes on. My next cross-country flight is only weeks away, and guess what I'll be wearing? Yup: the G4Free Wide-leg Pants. I might even grab another pair so I'll have double the wardrobe options when I'm back in New York. Keep scrolling to see the other travel-friendly wide-leg pants that you can score at Amazon for spring and summer trips. Love a great deal? Sign up for our T+L Recommends newsletter and we'll send you our favorite travel products each week.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kodiak Gas Services price target raised to $46 from $45 at Stifel
Stifel raised the firm's price target on Kodiak Gas Services (KGS) to $46 from $45 and keeps a Buy rating on the shares. Despite the uncertain macro, Kodiak remains confident in the Permian and the need for additional compression, notes the analyst after the company posted Q1 results modestly above the firm's estimates and raised the low end of 2025 EBITDA guidance. Discover companies with rock-solid fundamentals in TipRanks' Smart Value Newsletter. Receive undervalued stocks, resilient to market uncertainty, delivered straight to your inbox. Published first on TheFly – the ultimate source for real-time, market-moving breaking financial news. Try Now>> See the top stocks recommended by analysts >> Read More on KGS: Disclaimer & DisclosureReport an Issue Kodiak Gas Services Reports Strong Q1 2025 Results Kodiak Gas Services raises FY25 adjusted EBITDA view to $695M-$725M Kodiak Gas Services reports Q1 EPS 33c, consensus 38c Kodiak Gas Services Increases Quarterly Dividend by 10% Kodiak Gas Services raises quarterly dividend to 45c per share Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
