The Vergecast Neil Young says the Macbook Pro has “Fisher-Price” audio quality
Jan 28, 2020
Legendary musician Neil Young, known for his rock anthems and advocacy for high-fidelity audio, joins tech executive Phil Baker to discuss the shortcomings of modern music technology. They humorously critique the audio quality of devices like the MacBook Pro, comparing it to Fisher-Price products. The duo delves into the challenges of maintaining sound integrity in a digital age, the pitfalls of streaming services, and their push for better audio experiences, outlined in their book, To Feel the Music.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Vinyl Resurgence
- Nilay Patel mentions the resurgence of vinyl records and vintage audio equipment, suggesting a renewed interest in higher quality audio.
- Neil Young acknowledges this trend but cautions that new vinyl often comes from digital masters, offering no quality improvement.
MacBook Pro Audio
- Many artists now create music on MacBooks, raising concerns about initial recording quality.
- Neil Young criticizes this practice, deeming MacBook Pro audio quality as "Fisher-Price" level.
Digital Enabling New Sounds
- Some modern music genres, like EDM and hip-hop, utilize sounds and dynamic ranges not achievable with analog technology.
- This raises the question of the relationship between musical innovation and the tools that enable it, even if those tools have limitations.
