I think that a lot in the quality standards may be just that anyone in their home now (of course) can just put up an mp3.
This has had it's advantages and disadvantages.
I have heard so many beautiful recordings that have an almost airbrushed, AOR production.
But the artist does not know about the business end of the net to get heard and is cast in the lot with the sound card bumblers.
I have to include myself amongst those bumblers.
But it has opened up new doors for people to get heard.

Beats an RIAA board anyway.

Also, the uploading streams themselves can hamper a recording.
A recording sounds much glossier before upload.
And some have a lot less powered recording setup than others.

I try to upload at 192 kbps wherever I can.
But even at that there is a lot of sound reduction.

There are musicians though that seem to be able to think ahead with that.
I would have loved to hear some of their original recordings.

Matt

http://www.f3music.com/444