What core engineering concept allows MP3 compression by intelligently discarding data?
Answer
Psychoacoustic modeling
The true breakthrough that defined the MP3 format involved moving beyond simple data reduction toward understanding human perception. Psychoacoustic modeling is the sophisticated technique used in lossy compression where algorithms intentionally discard audio information—such as quiet sounds masked by louder ones—that the average human ear is unlikely or unable to perceive. By designing the compression around the limitations of human hearing, massive compression ratios could be achieved while maintaining high perceived audio quality, which was the central goal of Brandenburg's team.
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