In the UK, if you want to know what compression does to music, just listen to BBC Radio 3 (not very compressed)in the car then switch to BBC Radio 2 (compressed). Even in the noisy environment you can tell straight away that the fidelity level has gone down the pan.

I just cannot understand why dedicated people have worked for over a century to make recorded music more like the real thing - and we end up with the bloody iPod!! Thanks Jobs.

And yes I know you can get less compressed iTunes but they still ain't up to CD standard. Simple physics! Bah, humbug......