If it sounds good to me, well, I'm not a pompous audiophile-type trying to impress anyone else anyway. 

craigb
 I'm not a pompous audiophile-type trying to impress anyone else anyway. 

I am,  but I'm rubbish at it

craigb
If it sounds good to me, well, I'm not a pompous audiophile-type trying to impress anyone else anyway. 

When it comes to impressing people with audio quality? It will likely become one of those things that grandma's and grandpa's used to speak of...
 
I should state that I'm not a professional's jockstrap and only do hack-job mixing/mastering for friends. But I have noticed that when I try to present them with the final product, that the bands either don't want, or often aren't fussed with the stereo wav version. They just want the high-quality mp3. When I tell them, I put a copy of the full wav version on the CD or thumb drive? It is more often than not, met with a slightly puzzled look, followed by the question of, "Yeah but, you did make a 320 mp3 for us, right?"
 
I'm not sure if this means that people genuinely think mp3 quality is more than fine? Or if it is just another strand in the rich tapestry of musical subjectivity? Or indeed if it has to do with the hearing damage, that Bit referenced, a few posts back?

Royal Yaksman

But I have noticed that when I try to present them with the final product, that the bands either don't want, or often aren't fussed with the stereo wav version. They just want the high-quality mp3. When I tell them, I put a copy of the full wav version on the CD or thumb drive? It is more often than not, met with a slightly puzzled look, followed by the question of, "Yeah but, you did make a 320 mp3 for us, right?"

How many people do you know that share their photos (on Facebook or thumb drive or however) using .RAW format?
.mp3 is to .WAV  as .jpg is to .RAW
 
If the band were going to get 1000 CDs duplicated then I'm sure that most would specifically ask you for the files "in CD format, so we can make some CDs"

Karyn

craigb
 I'm not a pompous audiophile-type trying to impress anyone else anyway. 

I am,  but I'm rubbish at it

Considering all the barely-any-difference-between-them dynamics plugins, that sell like something that sells well?
 
I'm fairly sure all you'll have to do to convince people of quality? Is just to tell them that it was recorded on/with *insert which ever famous artist or producers name/equipment, that pops into your mind at the time* and then let the psychology of expectation do the rest!
 
Bunny 1: It sounds like it was recorded in a public restroom...
 
Bunny 2: Apparently it was recorded on Lenny Kravitz's dreadlocked, bean pouch by Bigwig McFapsbury...
 
Bunny 1: Actually now that you mention it? I think it sounds better than I previously thought!!!
 
See?... No actual quality required...

Ah  You know Bigwig as well?

Karyn
 
How many people do you know that share their photos (on Facebook or thumb drive or however) using .RAW format?
.mp3 is to .WAV  as .jpg is to .RAW
 If the band were going to get 1000 CDs duplicated then I'm sure that most would specifically ask you for the files "in CD format, so we can make some CDs"

I'm just slightly puzzled that they don't want the wav? I say only 'slightly puzzled,' because I'm certain the answer is that they don't give a rat's exit door. But when surely in the not too distant future, a new form of completely lossless compression will be invented to replace the mp3 standard? They can't expect me to keep copies for them to re-do? My policy is 1 month and it's gone!
 
Unless I actually like the music? In which case, thanks for the free tunes... (<This has yet to happen )

Karyn
Ah  You know Bigwig as well?

Not so much as know, as more of a met in passing at the Bellagio in Vegas... I don't want to big note with named names or anything like that? But I did tell him that I was a fan of his work and he turned to me, looked me up and down. Then slapped me in the codpiece and put his cigar out on my face... So yeah, I know him! We're pretty tight actually!

This test has me flustered. I listen to MP3's a lot because of the convenience; straight out of my iPad via Bluetooth into headphones or Jambox speakers. Any audio deficiencies that may exist are acceptable to me for the listening environments where this medium may be used (e.g., relaxing out on the patio). I do appreciate quality sound though also. I took this test twice through $15.00 Logitech headphones via my office computer's internal soundcard. And again with a ~$100 set of Logitech gaming headphones that do have a fairly good sound. I came out 3 of 6 both times, and quite frankly was guessing most of the time. They never indicated what the sample rate was for the MP3 samples.** Some MP3 rates achieve near CD quality sound. Maybe the differences are more pronounced through a high quality amplifier and speakers. (I'll have to try later through my recording gear setup).  
 
I was hoping to be able to discern the differences. Could be my ears are just aging and I don't realize (or accept) that fact as yet.
 
** Aging eyes also don't see as well. Replayed and finally saw the sampling rates after one makes their choice. Doh!

I think the Royal Yaksman has a question mark fetish.