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The continued argument of the quality and satisfaction of digitial music customers is apparent. Compared to that of a compact CD played over a speaker set and an amplifier, the sound quality compared to that of an iPod is incomparable. However, it seems many are more interested in usability over quality.

Ultimately, industry professional blame this quality difference on the way the digital music file is compressed and stored, not how it is played. A DIGITIMES articles says: “Driven by attempts to restore compressed digital music with vitality, Sonic Focus, a digital audio enhancement solution provider, which was recently merged by intellectual property (IP) and multimedia subsystem company ARC International, plays a role here.”

Tom Paddock, CEO/Founder of Sonic Focus, believes that music is better enjoyed in an analog format. However, when CDs were created, essentially to allow people to take their music everywhere, the personalization was lost. Music techs decided that the information lost during the compression and storage phase of digital music files was not important, but for CDs, they were. "CD quality is just good enough for consumers, because they can make no comparison at all," Paddock said.

The more that music was readily available for download, the less audio quality was achieved. If music is free, consumers will not or most likely will not demand high quality. Thus, the advent of the digital music industry had a drastic effect on the quality of music being produced, mixed, and mastered. But, do people really care?

Companies such as Sonic Focus influence the movement to increase the existing digital music's quality. Ultimately, they feel that bringing the music closer to the person listening will make the music more powerful, and more of an experience or performance. For businesses, this means providing something against the norm, which may generate increased revenues.

Many industry professional say that Sonic Focus only provides this enhancement to high-end applications, however they company and Paddock say they can do so for the common folk as well. The DIGITIMES articles continues with:

Company executives indicated that Sonic Focus started its business in the consumer electronics business in the PC sector, as evident in its partnership with Asustek Computer, Intel and Analog Devices, during 2001 to 2007. Starting from 2008, the company aims to grow its business in embedded consumer electronics, such as DVD players.

It's apparent with companies such as Sonic Focus that the sounds of music are changing, the demand for better quality may influence a chance, and the music industry will once again evolve to something new!

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