[Yossarian]

I'm guessing that even though the original file may have been recorded at a higher bit rate, the compressed version that gets stored on the iPod isn't at that high of a bit rate.

When you 'rip' your CDs into computer files (for an iPod owner, typically using iTunes) you have a choice on what format and what bitrate the resulting file will be. The iPod can play all the formats that iTunes can encode.

Looking at iTunes right now, I see that it can encode into:

• AAC (at rates from 16 to 320 kbs, 44 or 48 kHz);
• AIFF - a direct, uncompressed (by any means) copy of the CD;
• Apple Lossless - a compressed version of the CD, but will decompress to exactly the CD file (i.e. the audio version of a ZIP file);
• MP3 (at rates from 16 to 320 kbs, and more options than I can list) ; and
• WAV

It's all there in iTunes - just look in the preferences, at the "importing" tab.

I'm a pretty demanding listener, and I use AAC 256 to encode my music - I can't tell the difference between that and a CD. But if you are really a fanatic, go with Apple Lossless - it's exactly like the CD, but saves (by my memory) half the space.

Why don't you give it a try? Just go to the iTunes download page, install it, and try it out on some of your favorite music.

[Yardstick]

Good info. I didn't realize that an iPod did anything but lossy compression, but now I see that they do.