The Optimal Sample Rate for Quality Audio

[orgel]

Even when a mix comes in at 44.1k, one of the first things I'll do is create copies at a higher sample rate. The reason for this is that when applying EQ or other processing, I find the results sound better at higher rates.

 

Barry, a question for you -- just something I'm curious about: When you upsample material for mastering, do you use "power-of-two," or "integer," resampling (i.e., 44.1 goes to 88.2 or 176.4), or do you just resample everything to 192?

 

--David

[orgel]

Don't know if the iZotope packaged with Audirvana+ can do offline SRC.

 

I'm pretty sure the current version of A+ cannot do offline SRC. If it does, it's well hidden. I'll point out that Fidelia Advanced can do offline resampling using iZotope, with a fair amount of control over a number of parameters. If one wanted to fool around with offline iZotope resampling, Fidelia Advanced may be the cheapest way to stick one's toe in the water.

 

In the meantime I'll make do with iZotope bundled with Audirvana+. Since I'd have bought Audirvana+ anyway, iZotope's very good SRC capabilities are effectively free to me. For the future, at any given time it will simply depend on whether pre-DAC or in-DAC upsampling sounds better to me with the particular software and DAC I have.

 

I have to agree with this approach, although on my current system, I still prefer the overall SQ I get from Pure Music with its on-the-fly upsampling. (I wouldn't bet against A+ moving into the lead with v1.4, though.)

 

--David