DSD vs PCM 2; the files

[amirm]

I almost bought it but at the end didn't. I have everything in their store but this album just doesn't grab me.

 

[APP]

Favorite Sound Liaison album?

I almost bought it but at the end didn't. I have everything in their store but this album just doesn't grab me.

Which one is your favorite of the ones you have?

 

[APP]

DSD transfer using a dCS dac better than i.e. Jriver?

The question is if making a DSD transfer using a dCS dac is so much better than doing it with i.e. Jriver.

The latest recording from the Sound Liaison label with Carmen Gomes; ''Little Blue'' it says ';

The recording was done in 96kHz-24bit PCM. The DSD tranfers were done using a dCS DAC going into the Tascam DSD-recorder.

scroll al the way down on the page, there is the technical info;http://www.soundliaison.com/studio-masters/208-carmen-gomes-inc-little-blue

great album btw, very very well recorded and the interplay between Gomes and Tettero, the guitarist, is incredible.

 

[Kefas]

The latest recording from the Sound Liaison label with Carmen Gomes; ''Little Blue'' it says ';

The recording was done in 96kHz-24bit PCM. The DSD tranfers were done using a dCS DAC going into the Tascam DSD-recorder.

scroll al the way down on the page, there is the technical info;http://www.soundliaison.com/studio-masters/208-carmen-gomes-inc-little-blue

great album btw, very very well recorded and the interplay between Gomes and Tettero, the guitarist, is incredible.

It is a gorgeous album, and indeed the guitar playing throughout is outstanding. I bought the PCM as I prefer the original format.
For €10/ $11 it is a steal.
Perhaps they are renting the dCS DAC and that explain why the DSD download is more expensive.

 

[esldude]

These quotes got me thinking, what music examples are out there, recorded in both formats?

Here is one;View attachment 21404http://www.soundliaison.com/

I don't remember about the particular one pictured, but a few months ago all the www.sounliason.com files had level differences. .2 or .25 db at different sample rates and between PCM and DSD. That is just enough to make them audibly different for reasons of loudness alone. Not criticizing them it is a side effect of their conversion software. Just pointing it out. The recordings are very good and I don't suspect any subterfuge was intended on their part.

 

[audio.bill]

I don't remember about the particular one pictured, but a few months ago all the www.sounliason.com files had level differences. .2 or .25 db at different sample rates and between PCM and DSD. That is just enough to make them audibly different for reasons of loudness alone. Not criticizing them it is a side effect of their conversion software. Just pointing it out. The recordings are very good and I don't suspect any subterfuge was intended on their part.

"Impromptu" is the only currently available title from Sound Liaison that was mastered simultaneously in PCM and DSD. Their other DSD releases are conversions from the original PCM masters.

 

[amirm]

I don't remember about the particular one pictured, but a few months ago all the www.sounliason.com files had level differences. .2 or .25 db at different sample rates and between PCM and DSD. That is just enough to make them audibly different for reasons of loudness alone. Not criticizing them it is a side effect of their conversion software. Just pointing it out. The recordings are very good and I don't suspect any subterfuge was intended on their part.

I got bitten by that when I tried to do the comparison. At first DSD files converted on the fly to PCM sounded a lot better than PCM files sound liaison had provided. I lowered the gain in Roon from 6db to 4 db and all the difference vanished. Plan to do a native to PCM test but with the levels not being the same, as you say the comparison is moot.

 

[Kefas]

Yes louder is quickly perceived as better. It is very important indeed to listen at the exact same level.
And the iFi sampler is made I believe to show the iFimicro idac 2 's ability to play all types of files, we are the ones using the files to compare PCM and DSD.
Maybe the peaks are a bit different or maybe the dCs Dac change the level a bit.
But what is the difference in sound, now you have the same level, between DSD and PCM?

 

[amirm]

My test was DSD converted on the fly to PCM and the ones provided as PCM by Sound Liaison. In that case, once I matched levels, I heard no difference. Prior to that the DSD sounded better.

I need to hook up my DSD DAC and test the two native formats. Been too busy/lazy with other things.

 

[APP]

I have listened to the DSD files in DSD and the PCM in PCM.
To me the DSD has more warmth but the PCM are clearer but if one is better .... it might even depend on the time of day I am listening.

 

[Kefas]

Yes, good point your hearing is influenced by how fresh or tired you are.

 

[APP]

Yes, good point your hearing is influenced by how fresh or tired you are.

And your mood, so also your subjective judgement.

 

[APP]

My test was DSD converted on the fly to PCM and the ones provided as PCM by Sound Liaison. In that case, once I matched levels, I heard no difference. Prior to that the DSD sounded better.

I need to hook up my DSD DAC and test the two native formats. Been too busy/lazy with other things.

We are all curious, amirm, what your experienced ears will say

 

[amirm]

Thanks for the interest but that is still on backburner. Hopefully I can get to it "this year."

 

[APP]

no problem

 

[Kefas]

I got bitten by that when I tried to do the comparison. At first DSD files converted on the fly to PCM sounded a lot better than PCM files sound liaison had provided. I lowered the gain in Roon from 6db to 4 db and all the difference vanished. Plan to do a native to PCM test but with the levels not being the same, as you say the comparison is moot.

Bob Katz is describing exactly that here in this video from the AES convention;