DXD DACs on the horizon?

[audiozorro]

I noticed that Elusive Disc is promoting several DXD CDs that play on all CD players. Their advertisement:

 

What is DXD?

*Digital eXtreme Definition

*High Frequency - 8x more than standard CD

*24-bit signal sampled at 352.8kHz

*Master-Tape Quality Sound

*Playable on ALL CD Players

 

Obviously this just reinforces the DXD format that 2L may be offering as one of their high-rez download formats. Better sonics than SACD and compatible with computer audio.

 

Will DXD be the ultimate high end format for optical discs and digital downloads?

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hi Zorro - This is quite the oxymoron -> DXD CDs. DXD denotes 24/352.8 and CD denotes 16/44.1. You gotta love it :~)

 

These were just mastered at 24/352.8 and downsampled to 16/44.1. I know of no plans to release DXD by anyone other than 2L. I think one of the issues is the lack of playback components as you allude to by asking if any DXD DACs are on the horizon.

 

The Digital Audio Denmark is the most popular DXD capable DAC. I'm not holding my breath waiting for DXD even though I welcome it with open arms. I think 24/96, 24/176.4 and 24/192 will be where it's at for the foreseeable future.

 

[DSD_mastering]

You may have seen the discs that were mastered by us for First Impression Music. We do have 1 disc, "What A Wonderful Trio, Yamamoto Trio" that was actually recorded in DXD. We flew to Japan last year to record this great trio. The files were kept at 32/352.8 throughout the mixing/mastering process until final conversion to 16/44.1

There has been some discussion about offering the DSD and DXD downloads, so stay tuned.

dCS also made a DXD DAC, but I heard they were having problems with it. Unfortunatley dCS is no longer building professional converters.

I am also V.P. of the Pacific Northwest Audio Society. A couple of times a year I bring in my equipment so others can enjoy the actual master files that were recorded and mastered in DXD.

 

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hi Bruce - DSD and DXD download discussions are a good sign. This would make the case for Sonic Studio's Amarra solution even more compelling. Sonic has had DSD playback on its radar for Amarra since mid 2008. I hope it all comes together fairly soon so we can download and playback full DSD in our homes without the complexity of a full mastering rig.

 

Speaking of mastering rig etc... Were you the recording engineer for "What A Wonderful Trio" over in Japan? Or, what was your capacity for this album over in Japan? Did you master it at Puget Sound?

 

[DSD_mastering]

Yes, we were in Japan recording the Yamamoto Trio. This was recorded at 4 different resolutions. The studio recorded at 24/192 on a Pro Tools rig and on 1/4" tape. We recorded from the SSL 9k mixing board into DSD and DXD. The DXD version was used for the production CD. I will have to say a surround feed was also captured at DSD and DXD for possible future release.

We then took the files back to our studio and listened carefully to each one and chose the DXD version to master.

 

Regards,

 

[vortecjr]

Team, I think I have a few links saved on a spreadsheet back at home for places with dxd downloads. Not 100% sure, but I remember seeing something to that affect and not knowing what it was. Should I look and post if it pans out?

 

Also, why is it that one can record in this format and yet we cant play back in this format? Hope its not a silly questions!

 

Regards

 

vortecjr

 

[DSD_mastering]

You can playback DXD format material if you have Pyramix software and a DAC such as Digital Audio Denmark or dCS.

I also believe other software can support the 24/352.8 format as well... Adobe Audition, Sequoia, SAWstudio, and I think Sonar. I know Lynx was also in talks with Digital Audio Denmark to allow the AES16 to throughput 24/352.8

 

Regards,

 

[vortecjr]

Thank you for the info!

 

Regards

 

vortecjr

 

[Suteetat]

Which dCS DAC would that be? I assume that it must one of dCS pro unit rather than home/consumer unit. Didn't dCS just pull out from pro market?

 

If I am not mistaken, I read somewhere that Lynx plans to support 24/352 in the future on their AES16 card but only the ePCI version and not PCI though.

 

 

 

[DSD_mastering]

Yes, that would be the dCS pro converters, 905 and 955. They are out of production now but I've seen them on the market pretty cheap.

 

You heard correctly with the Lynx card.

 

 

Regards,

 

 

[vortecjr]

Keep in mind......its my understand that the ePCI card is not as good as the PCI card. Since you guys will want to know why....my local dealer who is close to Berkeley Audio was told this by them.

 

regards

 

vortecjr

 

[DSD_mastering]

We've got both PCI and PCIe in here and there is no difference. Nulll and audible test.

 

 

Regards,

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hi vortecjr - I know many people who agree that the PCIe is not as good as the PCI card. By the way, who is your dealer? Do they have good knowledge of computer based playback?

 

[vortecjr]

I am just relaying what the boys at BAD are telling the dealers and what the dealers are telling us:) The explaination was that the express cards being higher speed were more noise. More speed and more processing and more heat and more more more.... I trust you, but I also believe that the higher speeds can do more harm if not needed.

Thanks for letting me know though as the pci is not always an option and I would feel better about using pcie now.

 

regards

 

vortecjr

 

[vortecjr]

Howard has been working very hard to be the southeast florida dealer for computer audio, but he is not trying to get into selling computers as he is an audio/video store. Right now the main listening room (the out of my budget room) is set up with a dell pc tower, media monkey, lynxs eas16, berkeley, not cant remember the amp and speakers (large electrostatic type). He is also setting up the Ayre usb-dac. It should be up and running pretty soon not sure of the status. We are inline to audition the ayre piece....cant wait. Call him if you like and let him know Jesus (hey sus) gave you his info. Jesus sent you...pretty funny huh.

 

regards

 

vortecjr

 

link to his info on the berkeley page

http://www.berkeleyaudiodesign.com/dealers.html

 

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Jesus sent [me]

 

I think he would take me pretty seriously if I said that.

 

[vortecjr]

Back on point. It sound like dxd is almost dead, but at the same time not quite. And I thought that Sony was buying up a bunch of old analogs and converting then to digital to then save in dxd or dsd on expensive glass discs???

 

regards

 

vortecjr

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hi vortecjr - One more thought, you should send Howard at Audio Center a link to the Symposium. It would be great for him to come to the event!

 

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/Computer-Audiophile-Symposium-Performance-Playback

 

[vortecjr]

but, who in the world is Matan Arazi? Come on this guy is a mistery! What can you tell us? I won't share promise

 

jr

 

[markr]

Found this on the web (not saying its him, but it is funny!):

 

"He is president of the Save the Appalacian chipmunks society. He has donated over 1,000,000 dollars to Ron Paul's campaign, but unfortunately, Ron Paul failed, making his investment a flop. " - ( BTW, I donated to Ron Paul too.)

 

I'm thinking this (http://www.patents.com/Matan-Arazi/Los-Angeles/CA/368969/inventors/) is probably him, as Chris mentions in the first post on the symposium that he has 'groundbreaking music server' to introduce to the atendees.

 

Looks like this might be him (helping financing this secure-web for children invention) too: http://www.israel21c.org/bin/en.jsp?enDispWho=Articles%5El1611&enPage=BlankPage&enDisplay=view&enDispWhat=object&enVersion=0&enZone=Technology

 

I'd like to meet this gentleman, I think.

 

- markr

 

[vortecjr]

I am cracking up here...

 

Come on Chris time to let Melody Gardot go! Man she is so hot and her voice....dude.

 

If I wasn't in corn field hell Indiana....I would go buy that cd right now! I actually saw her on a short thing during that live from abbey road program. Man she is smoking hot and her voice....dude

 

hehehe

 

JR

 

 

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

I'm telling you the new Melody Gardot album is top notch!

 

Markr - If you make it to the Symposium you'll have a chance to talk to Matan :~)

 

[markr]

That is why I'm psyched about the symposium. I found a 'vacation' package that can get me there for a very reasonable price. Now I'm working what's left of my budget to see if I can go ahead and set it in stone.

 

Mr. Arazi looks like an interesting type of entrepreneur. It also looks like he has relatives doing the same sorts of things that he is doing (inventing/venture capitalization). VERY interesting.

 

- markr

 

EDITED

 

[realmadrid]

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/twisted-pear/143315-twisted-pear-audio-buffalo32s-es9018-dac-87.html

 

[realmadrid]

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/digital-source/142562-microsd-memory-card-transport-project-10.html#post2068079