Forking from the cables thread to a discussion of whether hi-res is audible.....

Great link, Archimago’s site is always worth an in depth read.

He will take the pains to approach subjects in audio with an open mind and a fair a manner as anyone could wish for. As some would say, he walks the walk.

There are many different factors contributing towards sound quality such as recording equipment (and the skill in using it no doubt as the many fabulous recordings from the 1950s will testify).
Tape recording speed, alignment, ’bouncing down’ tracks, the number of tracks squeezed onto the original tape, compression used, condition of the tape etc are all important factors.

Archimago’s findings strongly suggest that 24 bit depth recoding isn’t one of them. Yes, it’s superior in a technological sense, but it seems that we humans aren’t capable of hearing it.

Human hearing is at its most sensitive somewhere around 2-5kHz and for most of us tails off around 18kHz if not earlier. 

Whereas a dog whistle is pitched usually from 23kHz - 54kHz. Shades of Sgt Pepper.