Audible watermarking on UMG streams and downloads

[Jwg1749]

I guess they want us all to go back to downloading CD rips.

Compared to a choice between two mains cables, this is actually really important.

Is this really necessary? It's a useless comparison, but that's besides the point.

The point was to provide some context. The sonic degradation caused by watermarking is obvious; the question of its audibility is uncontentious. Plenty of people who don't have particularly high-end systems and wouldn't dream of buying aftermarket kit like mains cables are able to hear the effect clearly and reliably. That, to me at least, is an indication of how serious the issue is.

Someone nicely described it thus: UMG are taking a gourmet meal, created by their artists, and peeing all over it to ensure it's traceable; you might not always be able to taste the pee, but once you know it's there ...