hi res audio & DVD media

[eoms]

After using dvdaexplorer and other software to rip high res from dvd audio and video discs it has occurred to me many times why does the industry make it so difficult to access their high quality data. I understand the pirating issue but not as it pertains to the size of the files high res requires. From my experience most off the shelf dvd players don't put out a bit perfect data stream of the high res material, usually their internal dacs down mix. If the record companies and artists want the public to embrace high res why put it out in DVD-A, then DVD-V and now Blu Ray. From what I understand Neil Young's Archives set will be released on cd, 24/96 DVD-? and 24/192 Blu Ray. At least with SACD it's just a matter of choosing a good player. These other formats within the video realm seem disingenuous. I highly doubt that a low end Blu Ray player will output audio data at 24/192.

 

Thanks to this site I finally learned that the some dvd-v discs contain high res data that can be ripped with dvd audio extractor. Thus last night I successfully ripped some of the Neil Young cd/dvd bundles and was amazed to see the data was bit perfect 24/96 HDCD. then buoyed by my success I kept going until I hit Neil Young's Greatest Hits DVD-V which for some reason is different and only 2 tracks were viewable.

 

 

I guess this is more of a rant then a question and I realize the high res downloads are a good solution as well as HRX data dvds, but I'm puzzled that these dvd discs seemed to be manufactured for obsolescence

 

Tom

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[audiozorro]

Regardless of the format, it’s never just a matter of choosing a good player. The recording and mastering will trump the players everyday.

 

Without listening and testing, the consumer has no way of knowing what he is buying. Is it low rez PCM converted to DSD, analog recording converted to digital, digital recording converted to analog tape converted to digital, upsampled digital, downsampled digital, DSD converted to PCM, etc. There are few standards, transparency or absolute label markings.

 

We generally trust those individuals and recording studios that have been open and honest about the processes and equipment they use and whose reputation and dedication to the industry is beyond reproach. I have enough SACDs and Blu-ray music discs that are good examples that the format choice alone is not the answer. Similarly with high rez digital downloads, how can you be sure that your 24/192 files are not just upsampled 16/44.1 files? Even with some of the latest quality offerings, are the 24/384 DXD files downsampled for 16/44.1 RBCDs better because of the format or are they better because of the care and quality of the recording and mastering?

 

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Very good point Zorro. Behind the scenes up and down sampling is not good for the industry and happens all the time.

 

[eoms]

My original post was why make the effort to put this product out (flawed as it may be at origin) on media that few can utilize and many that do are not even getting their hardware to output what the media offers. How many of the countless DVD players and Blu Ray players output the high res data stream as featured on the disc?

 

it's like being mesmerized by your fantastic HD TV while watching an 480i channel.

 

Tom

 

 

 

 

 

[audiozorro]

One of the great things about computer audio is that you are not tied to any particular digital format. I often say I want the studio master files that the recording studios have and I am willing to pay a reasonable amount for them. The masses of non-audiophiles may be satisfied with the equivalent of lossy MP3 files and they want them as cheap as possible. So long as any of the files are not proprietary and the playback equipment is not too expensive, all consumers will have long term flexibility and capability in computer audio.

 

1. Why make the effort to put this product out – because people want it and are willing to pay for it.

 

2. On media that few can utilize – the only “audio only” media are vinyl and SACDs. IMO DVD-A and tape are dead media. I think that SACD is dying because of the proprietary nature of that format, the lack of content, the editing difficulties, and the fact that it is not currently supported by computer audio and music servers. Whatever folks truly like about DVD-A and SACD, they will get on Blu-ray or high rez digital downloads.

 

The physical optical disc market is largely driven by the computer and video markets. CDs are not suitable for movies and the day will come when CDs for computer won’t make sense because of the higher capacity DVD and Blu-ray discs. These higher capacity discs and players will be as cheap in 2 years as CDs are now. IMO, the audio market alone will not sustain CDs – they don’t make sense for MP3s and they aren’t sufficient for high rez and multi-channel audio.

 

Daphne are you still there? Perhaps you can elaborate on where you see the record industry heading.