How Much Hi-Res do you actually listen to/own compared to Redbook?

[FrantzM]

Hi

Intellectually attracted to Hi-Rez but truly on the fence with over 2000 CD properly ripped and categorized .. I do have a few Hi-Rez (less than 20) and find them equal to slightly better than their CD counterparts... when I force myself into finding the differences and of course non-blind so I don't know. I know however that my next DAC must do HRx and PCM up to 192 KHz. I am also intellectually not a DSD fan I find the process as I am repeating myself wasteful, I don't see (on paper) not can I hear the differences over good old PCM .. There is no theoretical advantage to DSD anyway but I wouldn't mind a Playback Design as my next DAc since it does DSD too... I have heard of a few DSD downloads but haven't heard any ... We'll see what the future brings for DSD .. I doubt it will surpass PCM in term of acceptance though.

 

[mep]

One thing you can never lose sight of is the ignorance of the average music consumer/customer. The majority of people are clueless of what SACDs are even though most people know what an MP-3 is. Funny how the masses can be educated on what is the worst in sound quality but yet we can’t teach them what sounds best. I remember after I bought my first SACD player I went into Best Buy and asked them if they had any SACDs. By the look I got, I might as well have asked them if they had the formulae for alien space ship fuel. They had no idea what an SACD was and they worked in the music department.

I would also bet the average person not only doesn’t know about SACDs, they also have no idea of what other hi-rez formats are out there. Hell, the average person is clueless that LPs are still being pressed and sold. They thought LPs died out in the 1980s and for most people, they really did.

Hi-rez will be a niche market just as DVD-A and SACD were/are niche markets. With hard drive storage space being super cheap and internet bandwidth speeds ever increasing, it really makes sense to make hi rez recordings available. The problem with expanding the market beyond the niche market is that people have to be educated that they even exist and told why they should care and that is the deal-breaker.

I think the Meyer and Moran study proved that people couldn’t distinguish the sound of their own mother’s voice from Miss Piggy in a double blind test so I guess we are all doomed to the lowest common denominator that thinks low bit-rate MP3s sound just like a CD. I for one am interested in the best that digital has to offer and the smoke signals coming down from the mountain say that is DSD. I look forward to hearing DSD files as soon as my Mtyek Stereo 192 DAC shows up so I can make up my own mind.

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

It's also an issue of price.

Fleetwood Mac-Rumours

iTunes $9.99
HDTracks - $17.98
Wal-mart CD - $9.99

 

[mep]

John-I guess I didn't think about $8 being a deal breaker for someone who wanted a hi-rez file. Compared to $250-$500 for an album's worth of tape, $17.98 is a super-bargain. I buy LPs all of the time that cost over $40 each. It's all relative my friend.

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

John-I guess I didn't think about $8 being a deal breaker for someone who wanted a hi-rez file. Compared to $250-$500 for an album's worth of tape, $17.98 is a super-bargain. I buy LPs all of the time that cost over $40 each. It's all relative my friend.

Oh, I understand, and I do the same...with regard to vinyl. My only point was that the diff in price between the 3 dig versions is an issue for many people, and a "real" reason why hi-rez is likely never going to become mainstream.

 

[mep]

People have to understand they are paying for high quality. It’s no different than someone who doesn’t understand the difference between USDA Select beef and USDA Choice beef and wonders why anyone would pay $4 more per pound for the *same* cut of steak. If you truly believe there is no difference in sound quality between MP-3s, CDs, SACDs, DVD-As, and DSD files (and can hear no difference), then it only makes sense to go for the cheapest digital version you can get your hands on.

Now if you believe there is a difference and you think hi-rez sounds better but you still don’t want to pay more than what a standard CD sells for, that’s another set of issues.

 

[LL21]

It's also an issue of price.

Fleetwood Mac-Rumours

iTunes $9.99
HDTracks - $17.98
Wal-mart CD - $9.99

Yeah...and where i buy...Amazon...the CD costs $1.48 (the Special Edition 2005 is $9.48)

 

[rbbert]

Although my system is very modest compared to many here, I have a large digital
music collection, over 95% of it 16/44.1. Despite that, I would guess that I listen to SACD or 24 bit PCM at least 5-6 times per week

 

[RBFC]

I still hold out hope that the labels will realize that they can sell their high-res files for a premium price, and thereby "re-sell" their catalog. Reviving inventory is one of the holy grails of retail, so this concept may not be lost on the record labels (hopefully).

Lee

 

[garylkoh]

Belafonte at Carnegie Hall

45rpm boxset LP - $495
1S/1S first press LP - $150
200gm LP - $99.99
K2HD CD - $46.32
XRCD2 CD - $39.98
mp3 (Amazon) - $9.99
SBME CD - $7.78

I'd buy this in hirez if I could. I think this is one example where the original can be had for less than $50 because it isn't very good. I have the Classic Records re-issue and it soundly trumps the original. I believe that this is also available on tape.

I have every Classic Records DAD (24/96) and HDAD (24/192) I could buy. In every case, the DVD-A is better than the CD. In one case, it was better than the LP I have (The Weavers Reunion at Carnegie Hall). I had dismissed this album until I heard the high-rez files.

 

[Thomas.Dennehy]

Actual statistics:


The LPs listed under 16/96 and 24-bit are pre-1985 titles for which I did vinyl-to-digital transfer. Ongoing project.

Current purchase preference in descending order:

1. 24-96 FLAC download
2. 16-44 FLAC download
3. CD

Vinyl is the X factor. I have no current plans to purchase new vinyl (for immediate transfer to digital). But I am thinking about buying a new LP (Leonard Cohen, perhaps) just to see what kind of result my "ephemeralization" process can produce from pristine vinyl.

 

[LL21]

Actual statistics:
View attachment 3193

The LPs listed under 16/96 and 24-bit are pre-1985 titles for which I did vinyl-to-digital transfer. Ongoing project.

Current purchase preference in descending order:

1. 24-96 FLAC download
2. 16-44 FLAC download
3. CD

Vinyl is the X factor. I have no current plans to purchase new vinyl (for immediate transfer to digital). But I am thinking about buying a new LP (Leonard Cohen, perhaps) just to see what kind of result my "ephemeralization" process can produce from pristine vinyl.

Are these stats reflecting your own collection?

 

[Thomas.Dennehy]

Are these stats reflecting your own collection?

Yes, perhaps short a few titles. The chart is automatically produced from my catalog, but the copy I used for the reply is not the master and may be a little out of date.

Cheers!

 

[LL21]

Yes, perhaps short a few titles. The chart is automatically produced from my catalog, but the copy I used for the reply is not the master and may be a little out of date.

Cheers!

Thanks...i am about the same number of albums...all digital...95% cd's (of which 10% are remastered), 5% SACDs (hybrid since i run 16/44...but knew i wanted the sacd hi-res option for future.)

 

[Thomas.Dennehy]

Here is up-to-date data:

 

[LL21]

Thank you...as a digital only guy...this is very helpful to see what others are doing who actually have access to downloadable hi-res. i also have spoken with sellers of hi-res DACs...and even they (who are obviously motivated to sell new DACs) have candidly said they strongly suggest focusing on well mastered source material (in any format)...as opposed to thinking hi-res is some kind of panacea.

All of them have also said well mastered hi-res is stunning and can rival top vinyl...maybe maybe get close to master tape...so hi-res seems like a medium to long-term thing. And of course, by that time, whatever hi-res DAC one buys today...could possible be outdated relative to high-end DACs in 3-5 years.

Thanks again, Thomas...very helpful to see!

 

[NorthStar]

I have many remastered, well-produced Redbook from labels you've listed. I also have plenty of HiRes discs, no files. Rarely is there not an improvement sonically, IMHO, with good h/w, its a win.

Here is my HiRes list

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showpost.php?p=7288897&postcount=102

Nice Ron. :b

Belafonte at Carnegie Hall

45rpm boxset LP - $495
1S/1S first press LP - $150
200gm LP - $99.99
K2HD CD - $46.32
XRCD2 CD - $39.98
mp3 (Amazon) - $9.99
SBME CD - $7.78

I'd buy this in hirez if I could. I think this is one example where the original can be had for less than $50 because it isn't very good. I have the Classic Records re-issue and it soundly trumps the original. I believe that this is also available on tape.

I have every Classic Records DAD (24/96) and HDAD (24/192) I could buy. In every case, the DVD-A is better than the CD. In one case, it was better than the LP I have (The Weavers Reunion at Carnegie Hall). I had dismissed this album until I heard the high-rez files.

Yep, that $ equation is certainly a determinating factor for different people.

Here is up-to-date data:

View attachment 3194

Now you're talking, because 40-60% of what, is somehow foggy.

____________________________

Also, what we own means nothing. It's what we do with it that counts (listening to it).
The time we take is the time we live ...

 

[Andre Marc]

HDTracks.com coupons????

Does any one know if there are any 20% off coupons for HDTRACKS floating around?
I have a shopping list for some downloads but need to save $$$$.

Thanks!

 

[LL21]

So I have agreed the sale of the last of my old equipment for cash...assuming the cash arrives this coming week, then back to my 2 digital options:

Option 1. Keep my beloved Zanden DAC...which has held me for 5 straight years without ever thinking about an upgrade...and get a second-hand Zanden Transport. Long live Zanden.

Pros: my favorite digital voice...over DCS SCarlatti, Emm CDSA, Esoteric X-01SE, Wadia 7, ARC CD7, et al
Pros: i get the universally acclaimed 'synergy' of the Transport i2s to the DAC...i use an Oppo transport today.
Pros: good inputs (AES, BNC, i2s, RCA) for servers someday
Cons: 16/44 only
Mitigant: Zanden could upgrade it to 24/96...but they said the 16/44 performance wont be as good...maybe wait til Zanden figures out a better hi-res upgrade?

2. Trade the cash plus my Zanden DAC for Stahl-Tek Vekian DAC (second-hand)

Pros: the only DAC i have heard which ever tempted me to 'upgrade'
Pros: compared to Zanden, it has far, far, far superior detail, depth, lower noise floor, but also extremely good coherence which is where the Zanden has held me for these 5 years (i strongly prefered Stahl-Tek coherence/'flow' to DCS Scarlatti which was otherwise the only DAC to match the Stahl-Tek in extraodinary detail, attack, low noise floor)
Pros: 24bit/382hz...so definitive long-term viability
Pros: Good inputs (i2s, AES, BNC, USB)

Cons: Will have to upgrade Transport another day...keep my Oppo for now
Mitigant: servers will have improved in next 2 years or so, or just get the Stahl-Tek transport someday on second-hand market

Both good options...particularly if Zanden will allow a hi-res upgrade...any thoughts? I have heard/read six people speak about Stahl-Tek...and all of them have used the same comment surprisingly...'the closest digital piece to analogue' they have ever heard. Not 'the most detailed, the most dynamic...'...but 'the closest to vinyl'...this is the very same comment people made about Zanden when they first came out 7-8 years ago.

Anyone out there with any thoughts...heard the Stahl-Tek? Thanks!

 

[Lee]

Quite a bit actually. DAD, HDAD, DVD-Audio, HDTracks, a huge SACD collection, and our own 24/176 recordings. But there is still a lot of stuff you can only get in redbook.