24/192 Makes No Sense - So This Article Says

Andre2 · « **Reply #20 on:** 17 Jul 2012, 04:32 am »

Okay, I bought Norah Jones, Come Away with Me in HiRez, from HDTracks (25 bucks, that's expensive) so I could compare, as I have the CD.

I have been A/Bing the first three songs for the last hour. These songs are, Don't Know Why, Seven Years, Cold Cold Heart. I'm sorry to say that, in my system, differences, if any, are really minor.

I am not sure that, on a blind test, I could distinguish the Hirez from my CDp.

Rclark · « **Reply #21 on:** 17 Jul 2012, 04:44 am »

There was actually a guy who posted on here recently who had the full on hirez rig, modded Mac, the whole nine yards, and his gf said the cdp sounded better. Granted it was a high end player. But this is why I'm very leery of spending any money on this.

And Andre you should be hearing a difference on those N3's with that incredibly resolving tweeter.

JLM · « **Reply #22 on:** 17 Jul 2012, 09:19 am »

Andre2,

Are you sure you bought a virgin HR version or an upsampled one from redbook?

Andre2 · « **Reply #23 on:** 17 Jul 2012, 01:55 pm »

I am not sure JLM.

I had the distinct impression that my first download was substantially better that CD/redbook quality, but I have yet to A/B those. So I was disappointed at Norah Jones download.

ted_b · « **Reply #24 on:** 17 Jul 2012, 02:08 pm »

The HDTracks Norah Jones are authentic 24/192 remasters. As posted elsewhere on this Circle I found the first (Come Away With Me) album's remaster at 24 bits to be a huge improvement over the already good redbook, and the 2nd and 3rd albums to each be a slightly lesser improvement respectively.

JRace · « **Reply #25 on:** 17 Jul 2012, 02:38 pm »

Quote from: Rclark on 17 Jul 2012, 04:44 am

There was actually a guy who posted on here recently who had the full on hirez rig, modded Mac, the whole nine yards, and his gf said the cdp sounded better. Granted it was a high end player. But this is why I'm very leery of spending any money on this.

And Andre you should be hearing a difference on those N3's with that incredibly resolving tweeter.

So some guy ont the internet claims his GF says the CDP is better...now you won't spend money to try or your self?

Would it help any if i told you my GF preferes the hi-res?

adydula · « **Reply #26 on:** 17 Jul 2012, 03:15 pm »

I have downloaded the samples from HD Tracks and have gone back and forth so many times to try to discern the diffeferences and its hard for me to really tell if there are any.

If I have to really stop and try to discern the differences that may indeed be there well is it really worth the extra bucks etc...

Like most of us we all want our stuff to sound the best...and to me its the quality and the music...

Alex

jcris · « **Reply #27 on:** 17 Jul 2012, 06:45 pm »

Russtafarian,
Absolutely agree with your conclusions
John

zybar · « **Reply #28 on:** 17 Jul 2012, 06:59 pm »

Quote from: Rclark on 17 Jul 2012, 04:24 am

What it's going to take to convince me: a high rez file of the same well recorded song against my not-a-slouch cdp. Not just hirez music by itself.

I should be able to click back and forth on the dac or preamp and be wowed by the supposed increased fidelity.

I am in my system.

George

rbbert · « **Reply #29 on:** 17 Jul 2012, 07:18 pm »

There's no doubt that mastering trumps format every time. Every time I've heard the same mastering in 16/44.1 vs. any 24 bit format, even 24/44.1, the 24 bit sounds better. Not necessarily "wow", but always noticeably better.

DS-21 · « **Reply #30 on:** 17 Jul 2012, 07:59 pm »

Quote from: rbbert on 17 Jul 2012, 07:18 pm

There's no doubt that mastering trumps format every time.

Until/unless somebody does a serious study that is inconsistent with Meyer and Moran (2007) nobody can reasonably disagree with that point.

Thing is, often 'hi-rez" really just means "we mastered this to sound better on good systems. Oh, and by the way, the bitrate and sampling frequency are higher, too."

Quote from: Rclark on 17 Jul 2012, 04:44 am

There was actually a guy who posted on here recently who had the full on hirez rig, modded Mac, the whole nine yards, and his gf said the cdp sounded better. Granted it was a high end player. But this is why I'm very leery of spending any money on this.

That sounds like level differences, not "sound quality" differences. I suspect the tester didn't properly match the two boxes' levels.

On the plus side, one needn't spend a lot of money to get hi-rez playback. An Oppo plays-everything-currently-around disk player and DAC is, what, $500ish?

Devil Doc · « **Reply #31 on:** 17 Jul 2012, 08:09 pm »

I've been an audiophile since the early 70's and if there's one thing I've noticed is that it doesn't take a marketing genius to separate an audiophile from his money. How many times are we going to replace our recording collections with the promise of better sound. I was fooled once. It ain't happening again.

Doc

Andre2 · « **Reply #32 on:** 17 Jul 2012, 08:16 pm »

One of the demo HDtracks that I downloaded last night was:

5. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Violin Concerto in G major (KV 216) - Allegro
from Mozart Violin Concertos
Courtesy of 2L Recordings
Marianne Thorsen and the TrondheimSolistene

I have all Mozart violin sonatas from Itzhak Perlman, and based on the sound of those CDs I believe(d) the above noted hi-resolution download was far superior in detail, sound quality (compared to live violins, for example), and placement of the instruments.

But, I ordered today the CD of the above piece (Mozart: Violin Concerto in G major KV 216] so I can A/B over the weekend.

ted_b · « **Reply #33 on:** 17 Jul 2012, 08:17 pm »

Quote from: Devil Doc on 17 Jul 2012, 08:09 pm

I've been an audiophile since the early 70's and if there's one thing I've noticed is that it doesn't take a marketing genius to separate an audiophile from his money. How many times are we going to replace our recording collections with the promise of better sound. I was fooled once. It ain't happening again.

Doc

Then no reason to spend time here on this HiRez Music Circle, which is dedicated to just that, HiRez Music. You will save lots of money, and will tend to not upset folks who'd like to talk about it.

krikor · « **Reply #34 on:** 17 Jul 2012, 08:21 pm »

Quote from: jtwrace on 25 Jun 2012, 02:43 pm

He's not the only one that says that. I can't remember exactly who it is but one of the pro sound dac makers (very well known) says the same.

Listen yourself and let us know what YOU think.

Perhaps it was Mr. Lavry of Lavry Engineering. Here's his white paper on the optimal sample rate for quality audio:

http://www.lavryengineering.com/pdfs/lavry-white-paper-the_optimal_sample_rate_for_quality_audio.pdf

Devil Doc · « **Reply #35 on:** 17 Jul 2012, 11:18 pm »

Quote from: ted_b on 17 Jul 2012, 08:17 pm

Then no reason to spend time here on this HiRez Music Circle, which is dedicated to just that, HiRez Music. You will save lots of money, and will tend to not upset folks who'd like to talk about it.

Under most circumstances you'd be correct. However, I do think I have the right to voice my support for the OP's posted article.

Doc

golfugh · « **Reply #36 on:** 17 Jul 2012, 11:45 pm »

Quote from: Devil Doc on 17 Jul 2012, 11:18 pm

Under most circumstances you'd be correct. However, I do think I have the right to voice my support for the OP's posted article.

Doc

Doc
Have you heard any Hi-rez? Just asking.
Mark

Devil Doc · « **Reply #37 on:** 17 Jul 2012, 11:56 pm »

Well yea. Before I was going to learn any new tricks, and at my age that ain't easy, your damn straight I was going to listen and I heard nothing that would make me spend money on music I already own in two different formats.

Doc.

golfugh · « **Reply #38 on:** 18 Jul 2012, 12:15 am »

Doc
No worries, but there is something to hear in a lot of hi-rez recordings...it is all about rather you want to drop the coin to make it happen....completely understand.
Mark

Freo-1 · « **Reply #39 on:** 18 Jul 2012, 01:48 am »

Count me as a supporter of Hi-Res format. I think the article is suspect at best, and disingenuous to say the least. If you check this guy’s background, one could make a case that he may have ulterior motives involved with pushing his viewpoint.

I have a few recordings of both CD and Hi Res of the same performance, and in each case, the Hi-Res is audibly superior. In the case of multi channel, it’s NO contest.