Life Of Navin

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Move Over MP3, MT9 Is Here!!

The Koreans are at it again!! Before you jump to any conclusions, let me tell you that this post is only to inform you that Korean computer engineers have introduced a new digital music format that has a six-channel audio equalizer and separate controls on the sound volume for each musical instrument, such as guitar, drum, base and voice.

The new format, which has the file extension format of MT9 (eg. pappu_can't_dance.mt9) and a commercial title of "Music 2.0", is supposedly all set to replace the ever so popular MP3 file format as the de-facto standard of the digital music source....... atleast thats what its developers say.

The MT9 technology was selected as a candidate item for the new digital music standard at the last regular meeting of Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG), the international body of the digital music and video industry. Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are both interested in equipping their mobile phones with an MT9 player and their first commercial products are likely to debut early next year.

Unlike other digital formats exclusively used by big companies, Audizen (the venture company behind the development) allows users to copy the MT9 files, making it a more attractive format. In short this means that Music 2.0 is DRM-free.No DRM?? Interesting........

According to a report in a local korean newspaper, MT9 files can be loaded into a special player that features a six-channel audio equalizer (though it looks more like a mixer to us). Each of these channels corresponds to a different part of the arrangement (drums, bass, vocals, guitar etc) and level faders enable you to turn things up or down. I agree that this is an amazingly interesting idea (lightbulb with 'ting' sound). There are so many songs that I would like to listen to instrumentally simply because the singer is crappy, is screaming, makes no sense or just gets in the way of what would otherwise be intricate and beautiful compositions.This could prove to be a boon to DJ's who today have a hard time seperating vocals from tracks that they want to remix.

The MT9 files are served in an album package. Audizen is currently selling a limited choice of albums on its Web site. More albums are being recorded in the format and even very old albums, such as Queen's , can be made into MT9 files if they have a digitally re-mastered music source. Sounds to me like an update to the MOD format except with voice channels. I wonder how hard it would be re-engineer all the tracks to this format? I remember there was quite a market for the reformatting of Stereo sound in films into 5.1 Surround once that format became mainstream a few years ago.And I'm pretty sure from the inventors' interviews that it will be next to impossible to convert your entire collection of tracks or mp3's to the new format in the comfort of your house.

It's like having a CD or cassette tape. Once you buy it, you can lend it to your friends. We don't want to be too fussy about DRM --Ham Seung-chul, chief of Audizen.

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