Why you want upsampling and upconversion in a server and why it sounds way better!


One of Roon's and Jrivers best advantages is the ability to digitally reprocess your data. 

With an appropriate server you can take for example a 16 bit 44k Tidal stream and reprocess that data stream to DSD or to reprocess to 24bit 192k, 384k, even up to 768k.

In our tests almost accross the board most listeners perfer DSD or high res PCM data streams.

The counter arguement is that if you start with 16 bit 44k sample you can't do any better as that  is the source.

Going through Facebook we got a post that showed the Lumiere brothers first film shot in 1894 with a steam locomotive. 

The second video showed the same Lumiere video reprocessed using AI to create a 4k video stream out of the same video footage. 

The first video is the native source the second shows the reprocessed video the differences aren't subtitle even if you reprocess the native video you are able to extract a signifigantly higher quality image. 

We have been saying this for years even if you don't start out with a true high res source through the magic of computer reprocessing you can create a pseudo high res data packet that still sound far better than ifs original form.

https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/02/someone-used-neural-networks-to-upscale-a-famous-1896-video-to-4k-quality/

Watch the video and see what you think. Sure it is always best to start with a true high resolution image but in the case of not having a true high resolution music fille the ability to use digital reprocessing can create a signal that will sound far better providing that your dac and server are up to the task.

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ



 
128x128audiotroy

Showing 2 responses by audiotroy

Sorry guys you just don''t watch the video. It is clear that the 4k Lumiere video is much more watchable then the original. 

There is no contest between the two film examples.

For most people upconverted or transcoded audio mirrors the same experience with video. Farjouda video processors were a huge improvment over early high quality video display technology in the 90's and it was clear to see that a reprocessed video image was clearly better than the original one that was not.

In our tests with many high end dacs the upconverted data nearly always sounds far better than the original. 


Willrich how are you upampling? What are you using at your Roon Core?

Also the PS audio is not going to be the best test bed as it is converting everything to DSD internally.

So in the case of the PS audio your results may not mirror ours.

With the T+A  SD 3100 converting to DSD sounds amazing, the same thing with the Light Harmonic Davinci. 

Many Dacs Lumin, Bricasti sound amazing running DSD 

Part of this conversation is the ability to turn PCM to DSD with Roon many people prefer the warmer sound of DSD.

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ