The RealAudio 2.0 beta has just been released, and it represents a significant step forward. The original software permitted audio delivery in near real time, but bandwidth and consequently fidelity were quite limited—AM radio quality at best. Version 2 is able to encode and transmit far more of the audio spectrum; with a 28.8Kb/s modem, sound quality now approaches an FM broadcast (albeit in mono).

The new version also makes it more feasible to transmit Internet "broadcasts" of live events, although the number of listeners who can be accommodated simultaneously is still a restricting factor. Despite this, and despite the slight lag the technology imposes on real-time transmission, the enhanced sound of RealAudio 2.0 will result in more live coverage on the Net. The ESPNET SportsZone is an early example; subscribers are already paying $4.95 per month to hear RealAudio broadcasts of NBA games.

Although there is an element of novelty in listening to a live event on your computer, it is not particularly cost effective. Audio over the Net makes more sense in shorter segments, and RealAudio is especially well-suited for uses like news updates and—with version 2.0—music sampling. ABC and NPR do a good job of providing the former (ABC even has hourly updates), and an increasing number of music sites and record labels now provide RealAudio clips. This is wonderfully convenient, since it eliminates the need to wait while a music file downloads.

While RealAudio 2.0 is still not the best Internet audio software in terms of sound quality—MPEG/CD sounds noticeably better—it is the most widespread, and is being used in the greatest number of ways (Xing Technology's StreamWorks is the closest competitor). With the improvements the new version provides, RealAudio belongs in every well-equipped Internet browser.

(Reviewed December 11, 1995)