You can argue forever as to what constitutes a "copy" for example

Well, not really. The issue here isn't whether the competitor is playing a copy of the file or not, but whether he is playing the same original source as the other competitors.

Yes, you can argue that the whole purpose of the stereo system is to modify the original source at every step of the way right up to the point where the sound waves come out of the speakers. But you have to define a starting point someplace where everybody begins on an even footing. IASCA has defined that starting point as the original IASCA CD. Unless I or someone else can convince them that my music source is either the original CD or some other media that is functionally identical in every aspect to the original CD, IASCA is not going to allow digital music players.

There is a subtle slant to the purpose of their competitions. They are not trying to find out who can produce the best sounding music. They are trying to find out who can build a stereo that will do the best job of playing their CD. The base intent of this is to then convince other people that, since my Mega-Blaster 8000 with inverse capacitance bias modulation rectifier plays their CD better than your Ear-Killer Mark 7 with Ultra-Bass enhanced tweeters, you'll go visit your Mega-Blaster dealer. This is why Mega-Blaster, along with lesser brands like Sony and Panasonic, give considerable financial support to IASCA.

Hey, it's their game, so I guess they get to make the rules.

tanstaafl.

"There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch"