Copy-Code Winning in the Trenches

[System PRIVILEGED Account <psuvax1!root@cisunx.cs.psu.edu>]

  Just HAD to pass along these comments from Tom Jung {for the
  uninitiated, Jung is a pioneer in digital music reproduction; his
  label _Digital Music Products_, has produced some 20 DDD recording,
  jazz-oriented stuff, like Flim and the BB's, Dave Valentin; great
  stuff! He also has a couple of movie soundtracks to his credit;
  _Annie_ , _Cotton Club_, _Dressed To Kill_.}

  From the December, 1987 issue of _High Performance Review_*, a
  golden-eared mag; and reprinted without their permission:

    Interviewer:"With this good news about DAT, {ed: TJ states that
    his recently purchased Sony consumer-variety DAT "sounds closer to
    the Mitsubishi <$25,000 digital studio recorder> than the Sony
    professional machine does."} it's too bad for consumers that
    Copy-Code is holding it up. Whats your view of Copy-Code?"

    TJ:"I heard Copy-Code for the first time at CBS Technology Center
    in Connecticut. The effect of Copy-Code on the sound was pretty
    nasty, but not as bad as I thought it might be. The system was in
    a fairly primitive state then. An analog notch filter was used,
    and you could hear the associated phase shift and other
    abnormalities.
      
      "Subsequently, I heard a version with the notch filter created
    in the digital domain by a 'number-crunching' process using a
    large computer. This version of Copy-Code is far less audible.
    Since then I've heard yet another version that uses the digital
    filter and adds a program to cancel out the phase shift digitally,
    as well. This helps because most of the audibility of the
    Copy-Code process is due to the phase shift caused by the filter.
      
      "My personal opinion is that the latest version is fairly close
    to being acceptable. Done digitally, done right, and used
    sparingly- not through the entire program, I think that copy code
    COULD work <ed: my emphasis>. I know this isn't what audiophiles
    want to hear, but I think you need to listen to the system. The
    IDEA <ed:and again> of Copy-Code is more offensive than what
    really happens.
    
       "Obviously, the key is not to put the notch in all the music.
    In an hour-long program, there are probably at least a couple of
    spots per selection where it wouldn't be audible....In this way,
    the Copy-Code would spoil a track from being recorded in its
    entirety, but wouldn't be intrusive."

      ...and just when you thought that Sony's baloney with CBS would
    make a difference.

      ... and consider the source, a RECORD PRODUCER from a small
    label, and an engineer who claims to be able to hear differences
    between studio digital recorders!
      
      It does seems that CBS' technology is winning the war. You HAVE
    written your congress-person, HAVEN'T you?

* Copyright by _High Performance Review Publishing Inc._ 1987
 P.O. Box 160010, Cupertino, CA   95016   408-446-3131

 Disclaimer: The <ed:> comments are my opinion. The rest is theirs. I only
 pay them money to read the stuff.