24/96 Format

They aren't called "CD's", they're called DVD video spec discs, for audio ("DAD", etc.). You would need a DVD transport (or player) that can output a 24/96 bitstream (not all of them can), and you'd need a DAC that is 24 bit, 96 kHz. You REALLY MUST read TCGTHA first, though. YOU'RE BETTER OFF GETTING A GOOD CD PLAYER NOW, and get into the new software formats later...unless you don't own any CD's at all now, and only own 24/96 discs...which I'd bet is not the case.

Yes, sir! OK, sir. Baroque and early music. Got it. Your welcome for whatever help such a closed minded guy could give. I've been called worse. I prefer Stravinsky, Dvorak, Bartok, Prokofiev, Tchaicovsky, etc.

"The Complete Guide to Highend Audio". Of course there are CD's that were made from downsampled 24 bit, 96, or 192 kHz digital recordings. For example, Reference Recordings' recent titles. I saw the question with regard to FORMAT. All the current 24/96 format discs use the DVD Video specification (which allowed for a two channel, 24/96 linear PCM encoded disc, like the Classic Records and Chesky ones). This spec was finalized like 4 years ago. The DVD- "AUDIO" specification discs are yet to be on the market, and promise surround sound (linear discrete, or data compressed), and possibly 24/192 linear PCM two channel formats. THERE'S NO RUSH TO BUY INTO ALL OF THIS YET, PEOPLE. Whichever format wins market share will be around for the next 30 years, or so, unless something "non-disc" related beats these in the next 5 or 10 years...Which could happen, it seems to me. Especially since there won't be a large catalog of titles available in SACD, or DVD Audio formats, for more than 5 years from now (at this rate). GET INTO VINYL, GUYS. IT'S EXTREMELY FUN, SOUNDS EXTREMELY GOOD, AND IS NO MORE EXPENSIVE THAN A GOOD DIGITAL FRONT END. The only people who shouldn't be into vinyl are the people that want to read the newspaper, or cook, WHILE they listen, AND NEVER LISTEN IN A "LINEAR" FASHION...IN THE SWEET SPOT; i.e., they want to use CD changers, that decide at random what they are going to be hearing "throughout" their house, etc. I KNOW ALL OF YOU GUYS ARE REAL AUDIOPHILES, SO WHAT EXCUSE DO YOU HAVE? Come, join the good side of the Force, before the Empire sweeps it away with one swift stroke...heh heh.

The CD format is still only a 16 bit/44.1 kHz sampling frequency, format. That said, it is always tough to get the very most out of the format. Certainly, the better the resolution of the master tape, the better the resolution of the CD, its own format-limited resolution notwithstanding. DACS that take an upsampled CD's audio (from a "digital to digital" sample rate converter), and convert this digital audio to analog at 24 bits/192 kHz, are THE CURRENT STATE OF THE ART in CD playback. And in my own opinion, if you only listen to recently recorded classical music, you're missing out on the very best classical recordings of all time! These are from the Golden Age of two channel, before all the multi-miked mixing that is prevalent nowadays. ALL of Classic Records' reissues from Mercury Living Presence, and RCA Living Stereo, are HIGHEND RECORDINGS THAT PROVIDE THE MOST EXTREME MUSICAL FULFILLMENT YOU CAN POSSIBLY IMAGINE. And the 45 rpm 12 inch versions are even better still. The original 3 channel recordings are downmixed to two channel, and are the very best clasical recordings available, from a "hi preformance audio re-creation's" perspective. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy CD's as well, but am certainly glad I'm not missing out on all these great new vinyl reissues! AS FOR SACD AND DAD, many of these recordings are taken from older analog master tapes, so they don't sound much different than their vinyl reissue counterparts. There are almost no recordings that make full use of the higher resolution formats, and almost no DACS or analog circuits that could take full advantage of these. Boulder has a new DAC/preamp that intrigues me very much, but I've not heard it in person. It claims 144dB of dynamic range.

Well, if you're going to be that agnostic about the Golden Age recordings, I doubt there's much in this hobby for you. Good luck getting what you need out of it, though, really.

It's not for me to speculate. OK, just couldn't stand to hear somebody knock the best music ever, because they say they know better. Seemed kind of disrespectful to the great conductors of that bygone era, who I bet would say that it isn't for you to make glib sweeping judgements about their work.