You say it with certainty as if it's fact. Based on exactly what objective criteria?
Wadax Reference Dac and Server arrive
- Thread starter Mike Lavigne
- Start date
Mike
Imagine your Analog to digital converter connected to Studer A820 reel to reel machine and converts master tape to 44.1khz/16bit PCM file on PC and you burn this file on CD and then rip this CD on computer. two files are PCM 44.1khz/16 bit but the sound is different. you can do this test in your system and listen to two files.
in my idea digital is perfect for storing data in 24bit/96khz (after A to D from pure analog master) not for digital processing, not for converting, not for upsampling, not for transfer on CD, not for any changes in digital domain.
it is not good news that over 90% of recording studios in the world produce DDD not AAD.
first off; i have no ability to do a digital transfer from my analog, since i would never want one. i'll play the analog.
every time.but in theory if i did do this transfer, then burn a CD from it, and then rip that CD......and then compare the CD to the rip......we cannot predict how that will result. there will be many variables. you may or may not hear a difference. as i said above; it will at least depend on the particular ripping software, the server, and the dac, even the quality of the interface between the server and the dac.
so we agree on this.
and if when i did the transfer, i used......say......192/24 for the resolution, then did the CD from that high rez downsampled to 16/44; and then compared that CD to the 192/24 file, we know how that would go. and that is really how good streaming can work. bad streaming might not rise to that level. not all streaming is created equal.
perfect digital as of Nov 2022 is 352/24 (or quad dsd) from an analog master, or directly from the mic amp. i have a few of those.
but listening to the digital master in it's native resolution is more significant than the actual resolution. native rules. native/pure 16/44 can be awesome.
i'm more interested in the whole recording and performance quality than it's particular native format. but all things being equal, yes i agree that analog has the higher ceiling. all things are rarely equal.
Last edited:
I totally agree with you. I compared the master file from the studio and the ripping file. They are 16/44 files. They were different clearly although I used the good ripping equip. There are many variables which affect SQ of the ripping file.
Mike
Your system is high performance and I am sure you will hear the difference of two files if you use 44.1khz/16bit . Your Wadax now is the ultimate player in this world.
Maybe I should tell more about my experience .
I have used three software:
Exact audio Copy
dbpoweramp
itunes
I have used three different cd drives (apple super drive, asus, teac) to rip and I have carefully checked all settings like c2 error correction in software and I have ripped over 2000 CD .
Audio is more complex than simple theories like "bits are bits".
We do not need more than 22bits because of analog circuits limits. Analog Circuits SNR can not beat 24 bits and Our hearing never goes over 48khz, so the 24bit/96khz is enough for Analog to Digital Conversion. high rez files like dsd512 have to meaning to me.
100% agree you about " listening to the digital master in it's native resolution is more significant than the actual resolution. native rules. native/pure 16/44 can be awesome."
Your system is high performance and I am sure you will hear the difference of two files if you use 44.1khz/16bit . Your Wadax now is the ultimate player in this world.
Maybe I should tell more about my experience .
I have used three software:
Exact audio Copy
dbpoweramp
itunes
I have used three different cd drives (apple super drive, asus, teac) to rip and I have carefully checked all settings like c2 error correction in software and I have ripped over 2000 CD .
Audio is more complex than simple theories like "bits are bits".
We do not need more than 22bits because of analog circuits limits. Analog Circuits SNR can not beat 24 bits and Our hearing never goes over 48khz, so the 24bit/96khz is enough for Analog to Digital Conversion. high rez files like dsd512 have to meaning to me.
100% agree you about " listening to the digital master in it's native resolution is more significant than the actual resolution. native rules. native/pure 16/44 can be awesome."
Too late, I already asked and it's a valid question that hasn't been answered based on your supposition.
dircet Analog to Digital (AAD) in 24bit/96khz is enough , above it is only marketing hype.
dan lavry article about optimum sampling rate :
dan lavry article about optimum sampling rate :
excuse me for off topic
You can measure/log the output bits from the usb output of the PC and compare it to the $150K wadax server usb output.
Both $500 cheap PC and a $150k wadax will give you equal bits with no error , both are bit-perfect and you can not find any difference between the two.
The question is why the sound of the Wadax server is so much better than a cheap PC?
I do not know why "file to CD" conversion and "CD ripping" will degrade the sound but I know there are many questions there (in audio) that you can not find a simple answer for them.
sbo6
if you think "bits are bits" please use a cheap PC CD-Rom ($50) as transport and play music on the cheap PC hard drive.You can measure/log the output bits from the usb output of the PC and compare it to the $150K wadax server usb output.
Both $500 cheap PC and a $150k wadax will give you equal bits with no error , both are bit-perfect and you can not find any difference between the two.
The question is why the sound of the Wadax server is so much better than a cheap PC?
I do not know why "file to CD" conversion and "CD ripping" will degrade the sound but I know there are many questions there (in audio) that you can not find a simple answer for them.
Mr. Lavry's 10 year old article fails to mention (how could it?) that since 2012 chips have become lower in noise. this results in greater significance both to native files and higher resolution. dacs use to have to do huge oversampling to push the noise out into the in-audible range, which had negative side effects.
noise, noise, noise, noise, noise.
i have a number of recordings done at various native sample rates. easy to hear the noise lower and the soundstage expand as you hear farther into the soundstage.
and then there is the look back error correction with Wadax as well as lowering the noise of the data transfer to the dac from the server.
things change.
on the other hand.....native 16/44 files can sound awesome. the recording process is still most significant.
noise, noise, noise, noise, noise.
i have a number of recordings done at various native sample rates. easy to hear the noise lower and the soundstage expand as you hear farther into the soundstage.
and then there is the look back error correction with Wadax as well as lowering the noise of the data transfer to the dac from the server.
things change.
on the other hand.....native 16/44 files can sound awesome. the recording process is still most significant.
Last edited:
What was the set up being used in these comparisons? In my experience we never have exactly apples to apples in these comparisons. It is why it is important to describe exhaustively the details.
These aspects were deeply discussed in the Taiko Audio thread. In fact, Emile did it so exhaustively, answering my utmost tricky questions with such a mastery and integrity that in consequence I ordered the Extreme.
Agree. I'd even say the recording process is 98% of the whole enchilada to achieve best sonics. File format and resolution matter little.
Mike
I think it is better to I send an email to Dan Lavry and ask him to explain more about his idea.
I do not think his theory is expired now. Dan lavry is a smart digital designer and he was one of the first designers who designed proper r-2r dac (model DA2002).
Dan lavry used a good solution to solve r-2r temperature problem .
The reel to reel speed has no relation to dan lavry article but some wrote about 30ips speed does not have better bass than 15ips.
Last edited:
i do think "bits are bits." Maybe I am confused. Since the music I listen to is "pre-converted" to digital and I use a dac means we are all working with the same thing. it's the conversion that varies. Maybe it Iis just semantics.
I assume the variation comes in the conversion process. Correct me if I am misled.
Same system and same music files in the same format that have different sampling and/or bit rates. Very easy to compare. Listen to one file and then to the other. You’re over complicating it.
Similar threads
 | Steve Williams Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator |  | Ron Resnick Site Co-Owner | Administrator |  | Julian (The Fixer) Website Build | Marketing Managersing |