Moosbrugger Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 I assume that there is no reason to pay more to download a 16/44.1 file if you can get the CD for less. What about 24/44.1? 24/48? Is there any consensus on when it is worth paying more for a download? A Hudson Valley Home: Kichels -- A Recipe from the Old Country Link to comment
new_media Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 The only think I can say with certainty is that there will be no consensus opinion. Link to comment
wgscott Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 It should be less expensive -- no disk, liner notes, box, shipping, etc, and unlimited non-depletable stock. Link to comment
burnspbesq Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 It should be less expensive -- no disk, liner notes, box, shipping, etc, and unlimited non-depletable stock. Somebody needs to tell Tom Petty that. Tom Petty Official Store - Music, CDs, T-Shirts, Merchandise Office: MacBook Pro - Audirvana Plus - Resonessence Concero - Cavailli Liquid Carbon - Sennheiser HD 800. Travel/Portable: iPhone 7 or iPad Pro - AudioQuest Dragonfly Red - Audeze SINE or Noble Savant Link to comment
wgscott Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 Somebody needs to tell Tom Petty that. Tom Petty Official Store - Music, CDs, T-Shirts, Merchandise FLAC audio, delivered in 48 khz 24 bit audio The price is approximately what you would pay on HDtracks for something that is higher quality than CD. Link to comment
Jud Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 I assume that there is no reason to pay more to download a 16/44.1 file if you can get the CD for less. What about 24/44.1? 24/48? Is there any consensus on when it is worth paying more for a download? Instant gratification. Also, at my age, still being able to remember what it was you wanted to buy by the time you get to wherever you buy your CDs (even if it's another website). One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature. Link to comment
mav52 Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 I just don't get it. A person spends thousands for wonder cables, speakers and amps and dacs but has a difficulty spending money for a download. I would be more concerned on spending money on a quality download The Truth Is Out There Link to comment
Allan F Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 I just don't get it. A person spends thousands for wonder cables, speakers and amps and dacs but has a difficulty spending money for a download. I would be more concerned on spending money on a quality download You remember the old expression, "Penny wise, dollar foolish!" "Relax, it's only hi-fi. There's never been a hi-fi emergency." - Roy Hall "Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." - William Bruce Cameron Link to comment
Leroy Bad Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 I think it depends on the quality of the download. Sometimes the download has a better mastering than the CD. Link to comment
tonyking Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 I agree that it does not make sense to pay more for a 44.1/16 download than a CD and was surprised at the price of the Alanis Morissette download on HDttracks. I am not an audiophile expert but have been buying hi-res downloads for 2 years now. I will always try and buy the highest bit and sample rates possible especially if the DR is good. However I have noticed that low DR downloads sound better in 16bit than 24bit but maybe my ears are shot after years of concerts! Link to comment
Moosbrugger Posted August 5, 2014 Author Share Posted August 5, 2014 I just don't get it. A person spends thousands for wonder cables, speakers and amps and dacs but has a difficulty spending money for a download. I would be more concerned on spending money on a quality download Not everyone spends thousands on cables & amps. But I don't have a problem spending money for a quality download. The question was how to determine when the download is better quality than a less-expensive CD. (Of course, if someone says that a 16/44.1 download version has bettering mastering than the redbook version, that's a different question.) A Hudson Valley Home: Kichels -- A Recipe from the Old Country Link to comment
astrotoy Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 What I have found is that SACD's are quite a bit cheaper than the equivalent DSD downloads, particularly multichannel. I spent about $400 for my PS3 (bought from a friend who did the set up for me and made sure it was the correct model, etc.) With about 500 SACD's, it costs me less than $1 extra over the cost of the SACD to have both stereo and in the vast majority of cases the multichannel rip. From all I have read, there is absolutely no difference between rips of the SACD into an iso file and the downloads. I haven't concerned myself with downloads of CD's, although I have bought all of the RefRec 176/24 master discs that they have offered. I don't mind paying the extra directly to RR to help support them and to have the actual disc, which I guess I could sell if I got tired of it, something not legally possible with downloads. Larry Analog-VPIClas3,3DArm,LyraSkala+MiyajimaZeromono,Herron VTPH2APhono,2AmpexATR-102+MerrillTridentMaster TapePreamp Dig Rip-Pyramix,IzotopeRX3Adv,MykerinosCard,PacificMicrosonicsModel2; Dig Play-Lampi Horizon, mch NADAC, Roon-HQPlayer,Oppo105 Electronics-DoshiPre,CJ MET1mchPre,Cary2A3monoamps; Speakers-AvantgardeDuosLR,3SolosC,LR,RR Other-2x512EngineerMarutaniSymmetrical Power+Cables Music-1.8KR2Rtapes,1.5KCD's,500SACDs,50+TBripped files Link to comment
bmoura Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 From all I have read, there is absolutely no difference between rips of the SACD into an iso file and the downloads. I'd suggest trying a few of the Multichannel DSD Downloads to compare to your SACD copies. My experience is that they Multichannel DSD Downloads are anywhere from somewhat better to much better sound quality wise vs the SACD copies. Link to comment
Richard Dale Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 It should be less expensive -- no disk, liner notes, box, shipping, etc, and unlimited non-depletable stock. And after you buy a download, it has zero resale value. System (i): Stack Audio Link > Denafrips Iris 12th/Ares 12th-1; Gyrodec/SME V/Hana SL/EAT E-Glo Petit/Magnum Dynalab FT101A) > PrimaLuna Evo 100 amp > Klipsch RP-600M/REL T5x subs System (ii): Allo USB Signature > Bel Canto uLink+AQVOX psu > Chord Hugo > APPJ EL34 > Tandy LX5/REL Tzero v3 subs System (iii) KEF LS50W/KEF R400b subs System (iv) Technics 1210GR > Leak 230 > Tannoy Cheviot Link to comment
astrotoy Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 I'd suggest trying a few of the Multichannel DSD Downloads to compare to your SACD copies. My experience is that they Multichannel DSD Downloads are anywhere from somewhat better to much better sound quality wise vs the SACD copies. Thanks for the suggestion. Do you have any recommendations? I prefer classical. I have a lot of the Channel Classics, Pentatone and BIS SACD's, among the 500 SACD's that I have. Larry Analog-VPIClas3,3DArm,LyraSkala+MiyajimaZeromono,Herron VTPH2APhono,2AmpexATR-102+MerrillTridentMaster TapePreamp Dig Rip-Pyramix,IzotopeRX3Adv,MykerinosCard,PacificMicrosonicsModel2; Dig Play-Lampi Horizon, mch NADAC, Roon-HQPlayer,Oppo105 Electronics-DoshiPre,CJ MET1mchPre,Cary2A3monoamps; Speakers-AvantgardeDuosLR,3SolosC,LR,RR Other-2x512EngineerMarutaniSymmetrical Power+Cables Music-1.8KR2Rtapes,1.5KCD's,500SACDs,50+TBripped files Link to comment
bmoura Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 Thanks for the suggestion. Do you have any recommendations? I prefer classical. I have a lot of the Channel Classics, Pentatone and BIS SACD's, among the 500 SACD's that I have. Larry The Channel Classics albums would be a good place to start. The Channel Classics DSD Multichannel and Stereo Downloads on NativeDSD.Com are from the DSD Edit Master tapes and have been excellent here so far. So that would make an interesting comparison. In Stereo, the Fone DSD Downloads in Stereo on NativeDSD are also quite good. In general, the downloads I find most compelling are the ones from DSD recordings (all of the NativeDSD & PentaTone titles and some of the Blue Coast and Super HiRez titles) and ones from Analog Tapes to DSD (Blue Coast, DSD File, Super HiRez). Link to comment
bmoura Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 Another interesting comparison between Classical Stereo SACD and DSD Download would be violinist Emily Palen's Live at Grace Cathedral album on Valence Records. Two years ago at The Show in Newport Beach, there was a comparison of this album from the SACD (played with EMM Labs Meitner gear) and the DSD Download (played with the Mytek Stereo192-DSD). The DSD download came out on top, surprising show attendees and even Stereophile Editor John Atkinson who assumed the two would be identical. You might want to try that SACD vs. DSD Download comparison and see what your results are. Glass: Live at Grace Cathedral | Emily Palen | Valence Records Cookie Marenco dems DSD | Stereophile.com Link to comment
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