will everyone just stop...

[Future Proof]

Originally Posted by *_*

Ok, I listen to the music on the computer via the following setup.

Powerbook/G4 Desktop -->iTunes --> M-Audio Transit 24/96 --> Headroom MicroDAC --> Mini^3PINT DIY Amp --> 26ga Silver/Switchcraft IC --> AKG K701

And the riverrun files are muddy, flat, and congested. Borderline intolerable (to me).

Interepret this however one may. But yes, there are people out there that most definitely can hear the difference. It's frustrating when you love a band like UW as much as I do and they release stuff that can't even be enjoyed at the level that (I think) it should be able to be enjoyed at.

You do understand that to get things at the level that you think it should be able to be enjoyed at, that on top of having a super-fast bitrate that the work would've had to have been mastered, right? I mean, it's obvious that this hasn't been mastered, and even I do final mixdowns that sound better (from time to time ) That would've been rather expensive, you know.

This has been a project that they've done independently; something they foot the bill for. Who's to say that they didn't just go with 160 because 192 is bigger and more bandwidth used on their server = more money?

Not that you don't have your right to an opinion (personally I think it's the unwaivering UW apologists that get under my skin more) but I think what you're asking for are things that Rick & Karl would've had to pay for themselves and as such, when you consider that 99% of bands don't do this much for their fans, this can't be that bad... right?