[James Tanner]

OK my first recommendation is:

Gaucho 96/24





james

[OgOgilby]

Where did you get the high res Gaucho?

EDIT - I found it on HDTracks. Love the idea of posting recommended Hi Res material - it might be a good idea to include in the posts where to purchase the music.

[Vipers]

OK my first recommendation is:

Gaucho 96/24





james

I keep thinking about buying this, good to know you recommend it James, I think I'll go for this and Band On The Run in 96/24 next then 

[BrysTony]

+1 on Gaucho and Band on the Run.  I have both from HDTracks and they are excellent.  Another that I am enjoying is:



It is 176.4/24 and is available from: http://referencerecordings.com/HRxORDER.asp

The only downside is that their HRx recordings are a bit pricey.  Right now and until noon 1/3 they have a sale of 20% off if you buy 2 or more items.

[ted_b]

OK my first recommendation is:

Gaucho 96/24





james

I have it too (as resident hirez geek) but it's likely upconverted and not real hirez at all.  See the post at Hoffman forum where they are doing quite a bit of investigative work to find it's likely a 24 bit upconvert of redbook.  Personally, I don't think the HDtracks copy is all that great, compared to my SACD, for example.  Both, however, are nowhere near the true hirez stuff like later Donald Fagen trilogy stuff (i.e Kamakiriad, etc).

[James Tanner]

I have it too (as resident hirez geek) but it's likely upconverted and not real hirez at all.  See the post at Hoffman forum where they are doing quite a bit of investigative work to find it's likely a 24 bit upconvert of redbook.  Personally, I don't think the HDtracks copy is all that great, compared to my SACD, for example.  Both, however, are nowhere near the true hirez stuff like later Donald Fagen trilogy stuff (i.e Kamakiriad, etc).

Hi Ted

How do I get to the Donald Fagan stuff?

James

[James Tanner]

I have it too (as resident hirez geek) but it's likely upconverted and not real hirez at all.  See the post at Hoffman forum where they are doing quite a bit of investigative work to find it's likely a 24 bit upconvert of redbook.  Personally, I don't think the HDtracks copy is all that great, compared to my SACD, for example.  Both, however, are nowhere near the true hirez stuff like later Donald Fagen trilogy stuff (i.e Kamakiriad, etc).

Gee I really thought ir was great   To each his own I guess?

james

[Phil A]

Hi Ted

How do I get to the Donald Fagan stuff?

James

I'm not sure about other sources but Kamakiriad was available (may still be?) on DVD-A

[James Tanner]

Hi Phil,

Yes I saw it in CD but I guess you would need to rip the DVD to get the higher res version?

james

[Phil A]

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=UIGY-9039


I have the SHM SACD of Aja and it is pretty good.  I just got Traffic's John Barleycorn and Cream's Wheels of Fire as well.  I have a few and they sound pretty good as a whole some better than others

[Phil A]

Hi Phil,

Yes I saw it in CD but I guess you would need to rip the DVD to get the higher res version?

james

James, if you get a real hi-rez SACD you can use either software or a sub $50 HDMI audio de-embedder to rip it to hi-rez PCM.  I have not done recording yet.  I have an Oppp taking DSD converting it to 88.2kHz (from HDMI) and going into an input of the BDA-1.  Sounds good.  For now, until I build a new PC more optimized towards recording music (I'll be getting started in a month or so), I'm just using a Squeezebox Touch (going into the BDA-1) with an upgraded power supply for the few things I have in hi-rez on a computer.

[James Tanner]

James, if you get a real hi-rez SACD you can use either software or a sub $50 HDMI audio de-embedder to rip it to hi-rez PCM.  I have not done recording yet.  I have an Oppp taking DSD converting it to 88.2kHz (from HDMI) and going into an input of the BDA-1.  Sounds good.  For now, until I build a new PC more optimized towards recording music (I'll be getting started in a month or so), I'm just using a Squeezebox Touch (going into the BDA-1) with an upgraded power supply for the few things I have in hi-rez on a computer.

You have brought up a point that has always confused me - what resolution does SACD have - I have had differing input on this from a number of sources.  Does ripping the SACD with whatever software really get you to the quality of an 88.2 or higher native file?

JAMES

[ted_b]

You have brought up a point that has always confused me - what resolution does SACD have - I have had differing input on this from a number of sources.  Does ripping the SACD with whatever software really get you to the quality of an 88.2 or higher native file?

JAMES

James,
The actual resolution of DSD (SACD's native rate) is 1 bit 2.8Mhz, or in most people's math equivalent, but not equal to, about 24/252 (i.e slightly higher than 24/192).  My stereo HDMi de-embedder solution that Phil A has embraced is where you take the clearly downrez'd 24/88 (or in the case of other SACD players like the new Sony blurays or the first gen PS3 it's all the way to 24/176) PCM'd (not DSD) signal output by the player via HDMI and capture it via these $60-200 de-embbeder boxes.  The whole thing is explained in my review on the HiRez Circle.  This is a better alternative to using the usually-average-at-best analog outputs of your average universal player..or using the average-at-best stereo decoding capabilities of your HDMI pre/pro....especially for those of us that have a 24/176 capable hi-end DAC (like the BDA-1, etc). 

Native DSD is difficult to capture without modding a player to grab DSD off the chip then sending it to a native DSD-capable DAC.  This is either VERY DIY or very pro gear stuff...and not worth a lot of discussion until more commonly available means are produced.

But to answer your specific question:  yes, the 24/88 or 24/176 files that are produced (if you record/capture the de-embedder stream) is very much a hirez sonic delight, assuming the source is good.....remember, even SACD or 24/192 hirez files can sound like crap if the source material isn't up for it.  Garbage in, garbage out remains a valid message.

[Phil A]

You have brought up a point that has always confused me - what resolution does SACD have - I have had differing input on this from a number of sources.  Does ripping the SACD with whatever software really get you to the quality of an 88.2 or higher native file?

JAMES

James, some (SACD, universal or Blu-Ray players - those which play SACD and have HDMI version 1.2 or later) players have the option to covert SACD to hi-rez PCM as not all receivers and/or processors have DSD decoding.  Both the modded Oppo BDP-83 I have in the main system and the Oppo BDP-93 I have in the bedroom system (and I believe my old Oppo DV-980H which I just moved to the basement system) can output (via HDMI) 88.2kHz from SACD (I know the BDP-83 also outputs full resolution from DVD-a over coax too - have not looked at the others).  The new Sony Blu-Ray players (i.e. 370, 470, 570) can output 176.4kHz (as can some older PS3s - the Arcam universals and some others) PCM over HDMI from SACD.  For now I use my sub $50 HDMI audio de-embedder to take the HDMI out of the player and output the hi-rez PCM to the Bryston BDA-1.  Instead of outputting it via coax into the BDA-1 if I had a better PC geared towards ripping music I can get a sound card with a digital coax in and rip the SACDs just using my HDMI audio de-embedder to hi-rez PCM.  When I get enough of that done (Costco warehouses have a coupon starting monday for a couple of the Sony players - the lower end one is probably $90) and ripped to a hard drive it would be a good time to consider a better playback device like the BDP-1/

[ted_b]

James, I have ripped hirez DVD-A versions of all the Donald Fagen stuff (I've ripped the 2 channel stuff only for now).  I'll bring to CES/THE Show for you to listen to (and I might even forget to bring home    ).

[Phil A]

Ted - probably explained it a bit better but with something like the Oppo (or a de-embedder) it will output full DVD-A resolution via coax.  It makes it easier once I have a new PC with a nice sound card for ripping it.

[James Tanner]

Great - thanks guys - good info.

james

[James Tanner]

Hi Folks,

I asked this of HD Tracks a few weeks back and thought some may find the response interesting.

Question:
 
Some people have claimed that a lot of the so called hi-res material available (Example -  Gaucho) are just regular CD quality files that have been upsampled to 96/24 rather than being a native 96 file. 
 
Also do you know what the sample rate equivalent for an SACD disc would be?
 
Thanks,
James


Answer:

James

Everything on HDtracks is real hi-res. We do not up-sample.

We get the master from the labels and we send them out to an independent mastering house to test for high frequency information above 22K. They can reject it there or pass it on to us.

Anything made from DSD on our site is out at 88.24 because of the math. You would be surprised how many well known SACDs never made it on to the site.

[ted_b]

James,
The Hoffman thread claims that HDtracks is indeed doing no upsampling, but that the source is likely upsampled and put on analog tape..then sent ripped to 24/96 and sent to HDTracks.  Spectrum analysis shows very little if any energy above 22k.  Oh well, it's 24 bit and has some better dynamic range than redbook I guess.

[Rupret]

Honestly, the only Hi-Res download that I can tell a significant difference from its CD equivalent is "Band on the Run" from HDTracks which may be because it is uncompressed.  I downloaded the Elton John - Leon Russel abum in 96/24 and it sounds awful on my system.  I've listened to the Beatles 24 bit USB and the remastered versions, yes in stereo, and can't tell much difference.  I've listed to the "World's Greatest Audiofile Voices both ways ... can't tell a difference.  Not sure the reason why but I call them as I see them.