Does ATRAC have “forward compatibility,” or is it a static algorithm? Does the ATRAC version affect the quality of the recording or the playback?
The encoder (recording) side of ATRAC offers room for improvement from one generation to the next (specifically, in the decision about how to allocate encoding bits so as to best match human psycho-acoustic properties). Thus, MD recordings made on a newer machine with a better ATRAC encoder will sound better than old recordings, even when played back on an old machine. The decoder (playback) side of ATRAC has a fixed structure, and though ATRAC chips are all generally expected to decode with nearly the same quality, increases in digital signal processing accuracy may allow slight audio quality improvements (if those improvements have not already been made to modern ATRAC chips). Since the ATRAC encoder plays the largest role in how an MD sounds, the implication for making digital copies between two MD units is to use the older unit for playback and the newer one for recording. When making analog copies, the relative quality of the A/D and D/A converters must be born in mind.
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