r3mix also refers to a controlled listening test that suggests that a good encoder with 256kbps CBR cannot be distinguished from the source on a statistically consistent basis. Unfortuntaely the source they refer to is in German so I can't read it too well...

I think you refer to the article by the german c't magazine that can be found at http://www.heise.de/ct/00/06/092/default.shtml. I just sent an email to the original author of that article asking him for permission to translate the article and publish it on the web (I proposed to publish it on the magazines homepage along with the original article). Already having done this before for an other article, I expect to get that permission.


cu,
sven
(MkII 12GB blue, #080000113)