A study was conducted recently by a Stanford professor which concluded that younger generations prefer the sound of an MP3 over other higher quality formats.  Jonathan Berger, a professor of music at the University conducted the study over six years on his students.  Every year he asked new students from his classes to listen to samples of music in several musical formats from standard MP3s to higher fidelity uncompressed files equivalent to what would be heard on a Compact Disc. 

According to the study, every year more and more students actually preferred the sound of MP3s, especially for rock music.  Berger said that they've grown accustomed to what he calls the "percussive sizzle" or distortion found in most MP3s.  He claims according tot he study, they're ears have adapted to thinking that is what music is supposed to sound like.

"I found not only that MP3s were not thought of as low quality, but over time there was a rise in preference for MP3s," said Berger who compared the trend to those who still prefer vinyl in preference to CD.

"Some people prefer that needle noise, the noise of little dust particles that create noise in the grooves, I think there's a sense of warmth and comfort in that."

With the rise in listenership of Internet Radio as well as streaming music sites like MySpace and Pandora, the study suggests that music fans are simply adjusting to prefer hearing music in the fidelity in which they listen to it most often in. 

Some producers have also tried to cater for the MP3 generation by making music as loud as possible, which can mean a loss of musical range and detail.

"What you are hearing is that everything is being squared off and is losing that level of depth and clarity," said producer Stephen Street, the man behind hits from The Smiths, Morrissey, Blur and Kaiser Chiefs. "I'd hate to think that anything I'd slaved over in the studio is only going to be listened to on a bloody iPod."