And bit rate doesn't mean crap if your audio engineer clipped TF outta everything. That's a problem I find in rap a lot. Electronic music always seems to have some of the cleanest music, as far as quality, clipping, stuff like that.
I do know a higher bit rate will make your system louder, to a degree. There is a difference between 128 bit rate and 256. I tested it, actually, with my 9887 and my 9.2x and my 9.1's, and my rainbow 6.5's. 256 was louder than 128, but between 256 and 320, there was not an audible difference I could hear. I can't imagine someone needing a higher bit rate than 320, in all reality, unless you're doing competition stuff or have autistic ears or something.