AudioCircle
Audio/Video Gear and Systems => The HiRez Music Circle => Topic started by: ted_b on 8 Jun 2009, 02:52 pm
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Welcome friends. This is a new Circle that discusses all aspects of High Resolution music and recording. What is HiRez? Well, anything digital that is of greater resolution than standard redbook (cd), which is 16 bits and 44.1khz sample rate, aka 16/44. Some of the well known Hirez sources are:
SACD
DVD-Audio
DVD-Video discs that have 24/96 music, playable on all DVD players (ex. Neil Young, Live at Massey Hall).
Blu-Ray audio
24/96 downloads via download sites like HDTracks, Linn, etc.
24/176.4 downloads purchasable via DVD-R from HRX, etc.
These discs and/or files can provide a greater sense of "being there", a greater likeness to their analog counterparts (vinyl) and a better overall musical quality than standard redbook (cd). However, they can and have posed huge problems: they are difficult to store (huge files), difficult to play back (proprietary equipment) and difficult to incorporate into today's AV systems. There is a lot of confusion over how to find them, differentiate them, put a value on their sonic advantages, and even play them (DVD-Audio sometimes needs a monitor to navigate, etc). They even come in stereo and multichannel! But they are becoming more and more prevalent, and more and more confusing.
This forum circle will focus on those problems, those benefits and those unique hardware and software requirements to play and enjoy them.
No talk about vinyl, no talk about cd, no talk about tubes vs solid state, or open baffle vs horns....just talk about HiRez software, DACs and players (SACD/DVD-A/Blu-Ray). That's all........
I've been living this area of music for many years, have a huge hiRez library af SACD's, DVD-Audio discs, and HiRez files. I've invested heavily in 5.1 dedicated HiRez music playback, and am on my ninth universal player, along with HiRez-capable DACs. IOW, I have some experience, so it won't be the blind leading the blind....kind of. :)
Thanks to John and AC for letting us play here in our new Circle. Have fun, no badmouthing, only good vibes here. :thumb:
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Hey Ted,
Thanks for taking this circle on. I'm looking forward to what will come up here, especially like what I'm supposed to do with 24bit files I find out on the internet. (No, that's not a question yet, I'm just making small talk.)
'My Mother was a Bozo-ette', so I'm sure we'll find much in common. :wink:
Appreciating the efforts and what we'll all discover here. :thumb:
Best Regards,
DeadFish
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Ted,
I agree with Bill and really appreciate you taking this one on. I look forward to learning a bit more and contributing as I finally wander into some hi-rez content.
Tom
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I guess one of the keys to this hobby (other than let's see how much money can I spend :D) is to stay excited about it. HiRez does that for me right now. It's the direction I want to go in and I know there's lots to learn.
Thanks Ted,
Gene
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Thanks so much for the circle, Ted :thumb: I am certainly excited for it
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Ted....
Good luck with the new Circle ....... :beer:
Chris
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You're making it happen. Thanks Ted! :D
I'll try to make all my posts bit-perfect :wink:
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I use a MacBook Pro and have recently purchased Amarra Min 2.0 to use with iTunes as my source. Many of my files are AIFF at high res. bitrates downloaded from sites mentioned, plus Deutsche Grammophon, B&W Society of Sound and Hyperion. I use USB out to my NOS DAC (RWA Isabellina HPA), and then to different dynamic headphones. I use 'Max' to convert FLAC files to AIFF for iTunes.
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I use a MacBook Pro and have recently purchased Amarra Min 2.0 to use with iTunes as my source. Many of my files are AIFF at high res. bitrates downloaded from sites mentioned, plus Deutsche Grammophon, B&W Society of Sound and Hyperion. I use USB out to my NOS DAC (RWA Isabellina HPA), and then to different dynamic headphones. I use 'Max' to convert FLAC files to AIFF for iTunes.
Hi. Look forward to your HiRez impressions and posts! :thumb:
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Hi ted_b, thanks for the welcome! I mostly listen to classical music and of course there is a tremendous amount of variance in these recordings, with many of the performances being first recorded in the 50's and 60's.
I recently bought the Chesky album "Open Your Ears" available on HD Tracks website, and it was developed to test headphones based audio. I also have a few of the Linn Records surround sound high res albums, which are pretty reasonably priced. They certainly reveal the differences in changes to your system.
I'm very interested to hear people's thoughts on the future of digital. Of course I would like to believe that my MacBook Pro plus something like Amarra at under $1,000 and a great DAC can be competitive with he best transports, as it is a relatively inexpensive solution. I would also like to see if people can persuade me to invest in a more expensive source because the sound is so much better with a high end transport.
I look forward to learning a lot on this subject. Great idea to start the thread. Cheers.
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I look forward to learning a lot on this subject. Great idea to start the thread. Cheers.
It's a whole Circle, beyond this thread. Feel free to search, and post whatever's on your mind. We've all learned a lot from each other.
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Hi, Ted:
Three years on from your start, I am now discovering your circle. Thanks for starting it. I've got a lot of reading to do. Jeffrey
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Gald to have found this circle. Thanks.
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This seems to be an old and slightly lost thread.
I have been into downloading HD files for a while.
I have been given efforts by others made from LPs.
Basically at the time of this thread, we were talking 24 bit as opposed to RedBook.
Some of my friends swear the difference is remarkable.
I have to say "hold the horses".
Making 16 bit to 24 bit is snake oil.
Finding re-masters at 24 bit is tricky.
The difference does not blow me away.
I tend to buy now in 24bit but see no need to upgrade things I have.
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Lost thread? It' simply my "welcome to" thread from four and a half years ago, when I created this HiRez Circle. Thsi thread was not intended for big discussions.
Sorry you don't hear the hirez magic. It can be very system dependent, and of course, software dependent. There's too much faux hirez floating around, but we've gotten much better at finding it and calling foul. But enjoy nonetheless....
However, be very careful of generalities. DAC architectures have sweetspots, so getting your music to that sweetspot may entaill upsampling, downsampling or converting formats. Often the results are worth it.
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I have decent gear.
I did not say I did not hear it, said I tend to buy that now.
I believe to hear the difference on decent equipment one must sit and listen.
Most don't do that and so it is a waste of $$ for many.
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I believe to hear the difference on decent equipment one must sit and listen.
Most don't do that ...
Couldn't disagree more; the majority of AC members are very good and serious listeners. My $.02.
Please start a new topic if you want to go on (although the topic "Is hirez worth it" has been gone over a lot; I'm sure you can find several threads here to chime in on.). This is purely a welcome thread, and any decent debate will get lost here.
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Sound Liaison has few 24/96 free files;http://www.soundliaison.com/all-our-products/88-free-tracks (http://www.soundliaison.com/all-our-products/88-free-tracks)
(http://www.soundliaison.com/images/A_MyMuseImages/FREE%20SAMPLES%20300%20shadow%20v2.png)
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Glad I found this forum. I've been learning a lot. Hope to contribute sometime soon.
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Where do we go to discuss HDCDs? The pawn shop? Or another message board? Or here?
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Hello,
New member introduction.
I'm a life-long lover of jazz and classical music and new to high-end audio as of 10 years ago and brand new to high-resolution digital audio (this year). Owner of a Bryston B100-DA integrated amp, Bryston Middle-T speakers, and a VPI HW-19 Mark IV turntable, I have recently purchased a Bryston BDA 3.14 Streamer/DAC. Challenges connecting the BDA to an iMac and ext. HD via wifi and getting the Manic Moose software to work smoothly have led me to discussions here as a guest.
Roddey
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I am a big surround fan. I’m excited to learn more here.
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Very interested in updating my collection with HiRes and happy to have found a knowledgeable group for HiRes!