High Resolution Audio

[Captain Bacardi]

There's a very informative article about Hi-Res Audio at the JazzTimes site for those interested in downloading music in a quality format:

http://jazztimes.com/articles/126544-audio-the-high-resolution-revolution


Capt. Bacardi
...wishing Herb's reissues were in this format online...

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Interesting article!! It talks about making your digital audio sound better than CD's. So are they referring to making your existing music files into high res files? For instance say you have a music file that is ripped at 320 kbps, you can convert that to a high res file? I didn't think you could do that. Or are they talking about taking your existing CD's and ripping them into high res files? Or are they talking about just listening to high res files and not actually creating them.

"The hardware can be as simple as a computer you already own, since most play at least 24/96 audio. The downside is that the audio circuitry built into computers is usually of low quality. But it’s easy to upgrade with an external USB digital-to-analog converter, which connects to your stereo, or with a USB headphone amp, most of which can drive headphones or your stereo."

 

[Rudy]

Or are they talking about just listening to high res files and not actually creating them.

The best thing to keep in mind is that you can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear. Or in other words, you can't "upconvert" your files to a better resolution. You either have to download files in the higher resolution format, or buy SACD, BluRay audio releases, or DVD-Audio (which has been a dead format for several years now). Some vinyl owners record to the computer at high resolution also (with the right equipment).

"The hardware can be as simple as a computer you already own, since most play at least 24/96 audio. The downside is that the audio circuitry built into computers is usually of low quality. But it’s easy to upgrade with an external USB digital-to-analog converter, which connects to your stereo, or with a USB headphone amp, most of which can drive headphones or your stereo."

I was doing that for awhile with an M-Audio product called the Audiophile USB, but it's been discontinued for awhile. It was good for 24/96 playback and recording.

There are cheaper external d/a converters (we call 'em a DAC) these days to help extract better audio from lower quality devices, but they really started out as audiophile pieces that cost hundreds or even thousands in order to improve CD sonics. And they did help. I was using one on my older Pioneer DV-45A for about a year, and finally just replaced both with a better unit all around, which has a far superior DAC section built into it. Made a night and day difference! I still use that older DAC on my WDTV Live, the older Pioneer DV-578A player, and the HDTV's digital out to tie them into my main system in the rare event I need to output the audio.

 

[Rudy]

...wishing Herb's reissues were in this format online...

Needs to happen. Even CD quality (lossless) would be better. Aside from the Top 40 types, many buyers have already moved away from the Fisher-Price sound of MP3s. Vinyl and HDTracks are both booming, and the audiophile labels are having great success with SACDs lately too. MP3s are very "last century" to most of us music buyers quite frankly...

 

[Rudy]

This is as good a thread as any to mention Tidal, the music streaming service that offers a "HiFi" option to where you can stream lossless to your audio system. Due to my connection with the college, I am able to get a student discount (50% off) should I want to try it out. I like having a lossless option, as it is CD quality digital audio. There are still lossy options, and I can see a use for those. If you are on a smartphone streaming music in your car, lossless music would eat through your data plan very quickly.

I think consumers have been waking up to the fact that lossy MP3 audio does sound compromised, and fatiguing to listen to. That in part is why some younger listeners have found more pleasure out of buying used turntables and records rather than downloading compromised music.

...wishing Herb's reissues were in this format online...

Now, more than ever... At least master tapes (or more likely, files on a hard drive) of the remastering are still around, so it only takes a moment to generate a different version. Literally. I can convert an entire album's worth of files in about 30 seconds.

 

[Rudy]

The RIAA just unveiled a new logo for high-res music, to help consumers identify digital releases that are uncompressed files with better than CD-quality.



Hopefully this will provide momentum for labels and artists to finally abandon the MP3 and other compressed formats or at the very least, offer up lossless versions since consumers are now demanding it. I think the public is finally wising up as to how compromised MP3/WMA/M4A files sound, and despite my dislike of the RIAA (I question the motives of any organization that exists solely as a lobbyist group), this is at least a step in the right direction.

Certain artists *cough* we feature here really need to take notice...this isn't 1995 anymore.

 

[DeeInKY]

I had never heard hi-res audio until a few minutes ago. I wandered over to hdtracks.com and listened to a few samples. I have some problems with tinnitis, so I wasn't sure if I would notice any difference. Listened to a couple Beach Boys samples and still wasn't sure if I could tell much or not. So then I stumbled over some tracks by Al Hirt (odd how his initials are the reverse of somebody else's ) and listened to clips of Deep Purple and You'll Never Know. Wow. Yep, even with my personal background noise, it's different!

 

[Rudy]

I have mild tinnitus due to some health issues, but I can hear the difference easily. But, I also know what characteristics to listen for, so they stand out more readily to me. It is easier to hear over headphones, due to what they call the "proximity effect." (This is why good sound engineers never monitor over headphones--they might check their mix over headphones, but they don't do their actual work on headphones since they tend to exaggerate certain characteristics.)

Despite the hipsters (who buy "things" solely as status symbols), some of the younger generation are shunning MP3s and going back to vinyl. It is great to see, actually, as some of the teens and 20-somethings I saw at the local store were actually collectors who were seeking out specific versions of the LPs they were seeking. The shop owner was very accommodating. And aside from the LP format, it was nice to see these younger buyers actually in this for the music, as something to listen to. Since we no longer have record stores like we did in the 70s and early 80s, when you could walk in and buy 45s to get the latest hit, or browse through bins of records, this is so much more hands on and involving for them...

 

[DeeInKY]

I upgraded my headphones for my hi-res listening and I'm noticing an unusual effect. It's stereo so I'm of course hearing some instruments on the left and some on the right. I'm also noticing some sounds seem to be originating in the center back of my skull. Not unpleasant - just a little different. Been stuck in the house for a couple days with 10 or so inches of snow so I've had a chance to do some more listening.

 

[Rudy]

That is a common headphone effect. Some like it, and others it can drive completely bonkers. If you have a true mono file, everything should come out of the center like that.

I'm split on headphones. I am not a big headphone listener, as I have two primary systems I use (a small desktop setup for working hours, and my main system). Yet there are occasionally quiet times I might want something. I've been looking at a couple of planar headphones but am not sure if I want to get something that spendy. I am most likely going to AXPONA in Chicago this April, and am making a point to check out headphones while I'm there.