Re:Why Cory Doctorow Thinks Apple's Disappearing Headphone J...
by KingMob on Tuesday August 16, 2016 @04:23PM
(#12300368)
"The end-to-end digital audio stack will allow for higher quality audio"
Highly unlikely. For starters, most people already use cheap earbuds which negate any advantage whatsoever.
Plus, environmental noise is practically irrelevant over the short distances of a headphone cable, so you're not gaining anything by going digital for the lat few feet.
In theory, headphone manufacturers could attach matched digital-audio converters (DACs) that take into account the headphones' characteristics, but in reality, I suspect blind A/B tests will reveal nobody can tell the difference.
The reality is the potential upside is meager, and the potential downside is huge.
Highly unlikely. For starters, most people already use cheap earbuds which negate any advantage whatsoever.
Plus, environmental noise is practically irrelevant over the short distances of a headphone cable, so you're not gaining anything by going digital for the lat few feet.
In theory, headphone manufacturers could attach matched digital-audio converters (DACs) that take into account the headphones' characteristics, but in reality, I suspect blind A/B tests will reveal nobody can tell the difference.
The reality is the potential upside is meager, and the potential downside is huge.