The Audio Engineering Society (AES) New York Section is wondering about the effects of digital portables on the sound of music, reports Stereophile. The organization has announced what it terms a “controversial and essential” industry forum on the relevance of 16-bit and high-resolution formats such as DVD-A and SACD in a market “where consumers are flocking to the portability — and significantly lower sonic quality — of digital media players such as Apple’s iPod,” the story adds. [Link credit to MacSurfer]