"04-02-15: Geoffkait
Actually, as I understand it cassette tape has higher resolution than Redbook CD. That would probably help explain my preference, but also the sheer musicality, you know, things like sweetness, warmth and air."
There's really no reason why you can't be right on that. I think many people forget that resolution isn't fixed with analogue formats, like they are with digital. You buy a better cassette player and you can increase the resolution without changing the format. Digital products don't work like that. |
Z Man, not only that but for CDs that were remastered from the original master analog tapes, I kinda doubt digitizing he thing will result in higher resolution than what you started out with -- the original master tape. Duh!
:-) |
For those listeners sensitive to pitch accuracy and consistency, the wow and flutter and overall speed variability of even the best cassettes is easily audible and very annoying. IMHO there is no way a violin or piano can sound truly natural on cassette, even if the comparison is only to RB CD. |
What a pretty thought, that we will see significant improvements in CD and hi Rez for years to come. It appears to me that in fact the quality of CDs has steadily gone down the tubes ever since they started compressing the music for some hare brained reason. As a matter if fact generally speaking the dynamic range of new and remastered CDs has in some cases gone from a value of 15 to a value of 8 or 9 according to the Official Dynamic Range Data Base. |
Geoffkait, Dynamic range is only one factor in sound quality and not all cds are overly dynamically compressed, nor will all cds be overly compressed in the future.
If you listen to grammy type pop music, compression is a problem. However, there are many cds released in more adult oriented genres that are not overly dynamically compressed. I'm surprised you didn't know that. So the problem of dynamic compression is not an issue on many cds and SACDs.
Meanwhile, new cd players are improving many different factors in sound quality rapidly, and we are moving from the era of cd on to hi rez digital, which holds the promise of even greater improvements in sound quality. Not all hi rez files or hi rez players will sound better, many will though.
Rbbert, I agree about wow and flutter. Misaligned tape heads (most weren't adjustable) and particles shedding from the tape gumming up the tape path also contributed to poor sound quality for cassettes. |
I didn't say ALL CDs are compressed. But the trend is not your friend. And at least for me dynamics is VERY important. If it ain't got that swing it don't mean a thing. Music when you cut away all the jibber jabber is all about dynamics and microdynamics. Everything else is secondary. |
What is the motivation to compress? I don't see any cost savings for the vendor.
I bought a "value pack" of some Byrd's CDs, which was wretched, and wondered why the sound quality was "cheapened." |
It's not a cost savings, electroslacker. There are 2 things driving it:
1. the perception that with much listening being done in high noise environments, resulting in quieter portions of the recording being lost in the (ambient) noise floor.
2. the psycho-acoustic phenomenon that causes us to perceive slightly louder playback as being "better". |
"2. the psycho-acoustic phenomenon that causes us to perceive slightly louder playback as being "better".
Swampwalker (System | Threads | Answers | This Thread)"
Once you figure out what's going on, it doesn't work anymore. |
I have some (compressed) CDs that are at least 3 times louder than the average (uncompressed) CD. Example: Radiohead Amnesiac. That's not "slightly louder." Hel-loo! |
Zd542,
The 'Loudness Wars' on CDs has seriously reduced dynamics and micro-dynamics which are potentially much better on CDs as opposed to cassettes. Additionally, CDs benefit from zero wow & Flutter and a much lower noise floor.
The areas I notice the most obvious improvements with hi-rez files as compared to CDs are: dynamics, micro-dynamics, an even lower noise floor and a very high detail level. With your previous comments on the importance of most of these qualities in your music listening, I would think hi-rez music files are likely a very good choice for you.
Tim |
Does hirez really sound better,........?
I noticed over the years any thread started with List the best sounding
HiRes music and virtually every thread on this topic stalls , there is more
chat about componets and wire then accual information of the HiRes file
itself.
Potential profit and mark ups are large with no physical product to produce
,package and distribute,.. this business concept of HiRez downloads looks
great on paper however accual consumer feed back over the past few
years has been underwhelming. |
In shore,
While I don't disagree with your comment, I would add that switching to a computer based digital source in one's system is not a simple thing and requires some commitment. The first need is to educate yourself on how it all works and the components needed. Then you need to research these components to determine the right ones for you that are within your budget. Significant decisions also need to be made along the way, such as hardwired or wireless and exactly what hi-rez format to utilize (24/96khz, 24/192khz,DSD, etc.)
My point is that all the above takes time and some may need assistance from other members who have more knowledge. Many thread followers may not have completed their switch to digital files and are seeking help by posting on the wrong threads.
Just as you, interested in actual information about HiRes files themselves, posted on this thread which is concerned with whether HiRez really sounds better. I think you may be on the wrong thread.
Thanks,
Tim
|
Hi Tim , I did understand the op question , I read through the Goldman link
then added my own observation ,over the years from about 2010 I have
read every single thread regarding the quality of HIRez down loads ,....,
which are your favorite , which are the best sonically so on and so forth ,
none of these threads have any longevity to them at all ,....Does HIRez
really sound better, consumers sure aren't talking about it , |
Hi In shore,
Thanks for clarifying. I think I understand your comment/frustration better now.
It seems you are, like myself, already convinced that HiRez offers the best sonic performance of currently available music sources. You're just looking for more information and discussion about good HiRez files, their sonic qualities and where they're available. And, when you are able to find threads containing this info, the threads tend to peter out.
If my understanding is correct, I would have to agree with you but still think you may be seeking info on the wrong site. I love Audiogon but would say, in general, forum topics are more concerned with equipment than music.
I would suggest visiting Mark Waldrep's site at AIX Records. He teaches about audio and audio recording as a professor at a California college but puts out a daily newsletter on audio subjects on his AIX site, mainly HiRez related. He's a big proponent of HiRez file suppliers needing to list the 'Provenance' of the downloads they sell. By 'Provenance', he is basically referring to the download's history; was it re-recorded from an analog LP or CD master? (which he argues is not HiRez since it will not sound better than the original master since it is just a standard resolution recording re-recorded on to a HiRez 'bucket') or was it recorded live digitally using HiRez recording equipment? (which he does on his AIX files and argues are HiRez and sound significantly better than those remixed from analog masters).
His arguments make a lot of sense to me and, as a result, I've only been buying downloads that are listed as being recorded directly to digital with good results thus far. I have not purchased any AIX downloads yet but I have bought a few from a European site called Sound Liaison www.soundliaison.com/. I bought and downloaded 2 24bit/96khz FLAC files of Jennifer Gomes songs recorded live in a studio direct to digital and both are excellent.
I consider myself just at the beginning of my computer audio journey, having all the required software and equipment well integrated into my system. While I have my entire CD collection now stored on my NAS, I currently have a limited number ofHiRez music files. I may be at a similar stage as you since I'm now less concerned with setup and now more concerned with finding good HiRez music files to download. However, getting back to this thread's topic, I have absolutely no doubt that HiRez 24/96 FLAC files sound better than my ripped CDs; more detailed, better dynamics and more of a sense of being in the same venue as the musicians.
I hope this helped you,
Tim |
