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Has Digital Audio Tech Plateaued - Is It Safe To Come Out Now?

I’ve been focused on analog for the last couple years with only an occasional glance toward anything digital.
 I could be mistaken but does it seem like the onslaught of technologically NEW digital hardware  and media has stalled? We’re seeing a move back to DAC technology that was prevalent in the 80’s, some folks say it sounds better (R2R)?
People have always questioned whether or not higher sampling rates actually improve things, beyond a certain point, so do we need more bits and higher frequency sampling beyond the current state-of-the-art?
We’re seeing some companies incorporate 1950’s tube technology into 2020 hardware to try to make it sound.....dare I say it - less digital?
Streaming seems to have matured to the point that it is what it is. The big streaming services have a foothold, and I’m not hearing of any real pending innovation. In fact I read somewhere that MQA is no better than CD playback quality, hence we may not even be as developed as we think we are.
Server tech seems to have peaked - sure, there’ll be more storage, moderately better power supplies, slightly improved interfaces etc, but is there anything revolutionary on the horizon now that we’ve moved beyond the Mac Mini / PC hardware?

 I’m not saying there won’t be a continuous stream of new hardware, new gadgets, but is there any expectation that something new is likely to advance us beyond where we’re at WRT sound quality?
Please note the question marks in the above, I’m not stating this is the way it is, I’m asking those of you who are closer to it for your thoughts on where it’s all at.

The point being - is it safe to crawl out from under my pile of moldy album covers from the 70’s and invest into current digital, without the fear of needing to retool in a year or two?
Thoughts?


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Showing 3 responses by wsrrsw

wsrrsw's avatar
wsrrsw
892 posts
 
@gdnrbob

That’s great analogy that "digital audio is going to be a lot like digital photography" With respect I’d say the higher digital audio threshold hold is here now.

I work as a commercial photographer. Once 4"x5" sheet film was needed for what now a 35mm digital body (Over 60MP) and good lens can do. It’s not just the MegaPixels. Optics, bit depth, proper exposure, focus, iso, pixel size and more matters too.

The covalent items needed for excellent digital audio playback matter too.




wsrrsw's avatar
wsrrsw
892 posts
 
@bruce19 "How was it made, how many times has it been re-mixed or remastered, etc. No matter what the delivery mechanism its the quality of the recording that dominates and yet which we usually have so little information""

B I N G O

Let's not forget for many of us funds are not unlimited, and streaming is far more affordable. For less than the cost of a high end turntable (and just that), one can get an entire streaming set up with amp(s), speakers, and all the trimmings (well maybe not the approving partner).

There's an old adage that goes "Price, Quality, Speed, pick two."
wsrrsw's avatar
wsrrsw
892 posts
 
How many of you have done a “blind” listening test with the same track(s) played from different sources?

Pre Covid three of us did such a test in a very good room. A fourth kindly was the DJ host. (Prior to listening he had got the volume levels set so one source wasn’t louder than the others. Volume was brought up from a tracks start so we would not know what was a record. Clever lad.) The TT was very good ($$$) as was the CD but the streaming components were mid line (a few K).

Guess what we all picked? Yup the new kid. It was more of a preference pick rather than a night a day difference. But still three sixty year old life long audio lovers all ticked the same box.

A year and a half later one of us only streams, one plays CD’s and streams and one spins records because that what we like to do. The TT guy is adding a streamer and announced he’s not going to be buying so more records.

So yes OP it’s more than safe. It’s a preference or not.




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