Coffee - How Fresh is Fresh?

How best to store your roasted coffee beans is a debate that continues to rage throughout coffeeland with little end in sight. Having browsed the Internet, the better coffee sites seems to say that if your beans will be consumed within two weeks of roasting, then it is fine to store your beans within an airtight container in a cool, dark place (say - the back of a cupboard). Any longer, and it's into the freezer (not the fridge though!), wrapped in several radiation proof bags so there is zero chance of the coffee picking up other food smells. When consuming, take out just what is needed the night before, and there you have it - a perfect cupper!

It's all to do with the gases that are emitted from the coffee once it is roasted. But does coffee really go off after only two weeks? Can you really notice a difference? Your expert comments are welcome!