Possibly... if everyone is driving three-wheelers, they might be able to make a persuasive argument that four wheels are better - even if they don't have a driving licence.
So, hypothetically, if someone argues that "DSD is better than PCM", is it important that they have
(a) done extensive listening of both?
(b) own both?
(c) read something about the theory of how both systems work?
Personally, I would go with (c) as long as I thought they were understanding and...
I am thinking of the person who might argue that "bits are bits" and provide evidence of this purely from maths, physics, data sheets, schematics and so on. For me (but not everyone) this would trump all anecdotes about listening to things, so I would be perfectly happy to read their post. As...
Yes, it was sloppy wording, but you are also making my point for me: If it is not possible to "have direct experience of an idea" then we cannot discuss pure ideas if a condition of making a post is that you have to have "direct experience" of what you are talking about.
I think I respectfully disagree with that. If an idea depends on maths and physics, for example, then it matters not one jot whether the person talking about it has direct experience of it: it is correct or it isn't, and I am happy to read their views.
How do we define "experience" anyway...
Ultimately, is there an unfilled gap in the list of digital interfaces for audio? I don't see it myself - I think we're pretty well catered for. By connecting the right combination of cheap-as-chips products it's possible to stream audio across the world to a remote DAC, or simply from your...
Has anyone here seen the Stereophile review of a product called the Harmonic Technology Cyberlight?
http://www.stereophile.com/cables/805harm/index.html#YZ0wzoHYrHBbFpXL.97
I think it's pretty relevant to what we're talking about. It's a real life example of a device that adds copious amounts...
I am one of those people. I have also never heard any of the no-doubt amazing home theatre 'ambience' algorithms that are out there, yet I make the sweeping generalization that I don't want to hear them. If I did, I might find that I actually preferred them - for some recordings and for a...
When we are talking about SOTA analog, are we talking about vinyl, or reel-to-reel? We know what the problems are with reel-to-reel (or what the record companies designated as problems, anyway), which provided the motivation to develop the original digital recorders in the first place back in...
I somehow doubt that it is all that exciting! If someone said to me "Right, I'm assigning you to a project to develop an exciting new product that ultimately will measure exactly the same as all the others and sound exactly the same as all the others- but we think it has potential to be marketed...
This is just one of those ideas that we have to "let pass". It is now so embedded in audiophile mythology that anyone who argues against it will be shouted down. By extrapolation, even if we had genuine, measurable, verifiable 256 bit audio with a 10MHz sample rate and 0.000000001fs jitter...
What a delightfully down-to-earth data sheet for the Hypex NC1200. It goes against everything that high end audio enthusiasts like to imagine goes on in their favourite b?o?u?g?h?t?-?i?n?-?d?e?v?i?c?e?-?w?i?r?i?n?g?-?a?n?d?-?p?u?t?t?i?n?g?-?i?n?-?a?-?f?a?n?c?y?-?b?o?x? ?c?o?m?p?a?n?i?e?s? ...
I was at a classical concert a couple of weeks back, only a few rows away from the stage, and I listened carefully for 'imaging'. As has been mentioned before, there was not much to speak of. Closing my eyes, I wouldn't have been able to tell you precisely where each instrument was left to right...