Reference recording in multi formats released by Japan Association of Professional Recording Studios(JAPRS)

[filhodoassis]

FYI we used Chord Mojo and iFi micro iDAC2 / micro iDSD for the demo, so the opinions may change if other DAC is used.

 

Concerning DSD128 and DSD256 playback, how do you rank the Mojo, micro IDAC2 and micro iDSD, for sound quality?

I am seaching for a new DAC to use with my Adam Audio A5X monitors, and these 3 are in my price range, despite being made for headphone use.

[Nikhil]

I've been having some very interesting exchanges with a few folks mostly off line on these recordings. Most recent was with Gianlucca (bibo01) who shared his observations on the sound stage. My setup is in my living room which is really not the best for a great sound stage (in comparison to a dedicated listening room) but I still have a reasonable stereo image thrown up if it's there in the recording.

 

Most exchanges have largely complimentary of DSD but I noticed something that I felt needed some clarification.

 

On revisiting these recordings, I noticed that the bongos are presented very strangely i.e. the larger drum (hembra) is presented on the left and the smaller drum (macho) on the right. This is gives the illusion of a giant percussionist with arms arching over the entire sound stage. Obviously the result of the way the stage was miked for the recording but still something odd given that this is a reference recording from JAPRS.

 

It would be very interesting to get a map of the staging if there is one available.

[Bunpei]

As for a new reference recording by Mr. Takada, I posted this in elsewhere.

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f13-music-downloads-and-streaming/new-tchaikovsky-6th-channel-classics-30136/index2.html#post597461

 

I'm afraid that it is a kind of off-topic because my material is not for a classical music and it involves no Grimm.

However, I hope it would be interesting for some audiences.

 

Just yesterday, Mr. Takada of MIXER'S LAB (MIXER'S LAB - Engineers - Hideo Takada - MIXER'S LAB) presented a set of reference sources especially recorded for comparison of sound quality resulted from differences in resolutions and formats. His demo was given in a technical presentation of "Sound Salon and Conference" held by Japan Audio Society in Tokyo.

 

For the comparison purpose, he mastered several Jazz trio sessions played by Toma(Sax) and Mami(Pf) with Sato(Perc) in Victor Studio using Avid Pro Tools and three Merging Pyramix/HAPI devices that digitized one identical analog mixing console stereo output in parallel. (All mixing was done in analog and the stereo output was recorded in Pro Tools and Pyramix/HAPI. No post editing was applied on those DAWs in principle.)

 

A benchmark is 44.1 kHz/16 bit PCM digitized by Pro Tools. "High-resolution" test samples are mainly digitized by Pyramix/HAPI.

One of the comparison sets was "the same format: DSD with sampling rate variations: 2.8, 5.6, 11.2" on Pyramix/HAPI. We could perceive clear differences of sound quality among them. It was a very interesting experience for me. His appropriate comments were added after each demo for listening comparison.

A playback system employed in his presentation consisted of foobar2000 on MacBook, Accuphase DC-950 (ES9038PRO based DAC), TAD amplifier and TAD speakers.

 

Other comparison sets were;

 

variations in typical types: 44.1 kHz/16 bit PCM(Pro Tools), 384 kHz/32 bit PCM(Pyramix/HAPI), 11.2 MHz DSD(Pyramix/HAPI)

 

the same format : PCM, bit depth: 24 bit and variations in sampling rate: 96, 192, 384 kHz

the same sampling rate: 192 kHz and variations in bit depth: 16, 24, 32 bit

(Those sources in the variation were obtained not by down conversion but by individual setting difference on three HAPI devices)

 

The sources will be released from "Stereo Sound" publisher as a package of DVDs with CD and distributed on-line through e-Onkyo.

 

In a recent issue of a Japanese magazine for a digital audio, DigiFi,

Stereo Sound STORE / DigiFi No.24　特別付録ハイレゾサンプラーDVDつき号 (in Japanese language)

(Google Translate https://translate.google.co.jp/translate?sl=ja&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=ja&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fstore.stereosound.co.jp%2Fproducts%2Fdetail.php%3Fproduct_id%3D2522&edit-text=), some tracks of the complete recording set were included in a DVD attached to it. I bought the magazine a few days ago.

 

They plays "Greensleeves" in their session. I listened the tracks and got surprised with SQ of those recording.

I have come to such an understanding that;

 

"A very good high-resolution digital audio source can be produced from a mixing work based on a state of art both analog handing devices and human skills located in an upstream."

[Bunpei]

Just a week ago, I confirmed that those sources attached to DigiFi magazine were not copyrighted.

If any of you are interested in the sources, please send your PM to me.

I will send private links for downloading.

[Bunpei]

Just yesterday, on April 12th, "mora", a Japanese music distribution service released three sets of "Stereo Sound Hi-Res Reference (collections)".

1. DSD 11.2MHz/1bit

2. DSD 5.6MHz/1 bit

3. PCM 192kHz/24 bit

 

All the tracks in the sets were played by Toma(sax.) & Mami(pf.) with Satoshi(prec.) and recorded by Mr. Takada of Mixer's Lab.

 

A complete set will be released on Blu-ray and CD media from Stereo Sound Magazine publisher soon.

 

Bunpei has no idea whether those are available or not for overseas users outside Japan.

 

[mtan002]

I listened to the 44.1 and 192 and 354 PCM files last night and was very impressed with the sound quality of the 44.1 recording. Spacious, transparent and lucid sax. I couldn't find much difference as I progressed to the higher resolution variations.

 

Really very fine recordings.

    

[Bunpei]

A Japanese publisher, Stereo Sound Publishing,Inc., announced that they would release "Stereo Sound Hi-Res Reference Check Disc (BD-ROM+CD)" on June 20th, 2017.  A reservation can be accepted via their web page,

http://store.stereosound.co.jp/products/detail.php?product_id=2601

An overseas shipping is available. Price is 14,800 JPY (approximately, 133 USD)

 

The hi-resolution reference disc (Bru-ray ROM) contains the following 12 pieces, 47 tracks, played by a Japanese trio, TOMA(Sax) & MAMI(Pf) with SATOSHI(Perc), recorded by Hideo Takada of MIXER'S LAB using multiple Merging Pyramix + HAPI and Pro Tools + HDX.

 

<Track01-20>  Variation in PCM/DSD format, sampling frequency & bit length 

1. Down by the Salley Gardens (Traditional song of Ireland)
Track01 PCM 44.1kHz/16bit Pro Tools + HDX [5:02]
Track02 PCM 192kHz/24bit Pro Tools + HDX [5:02]
Track03 PCM 384kHz/32bit Pyramix + Hapi [4:56]
Track04 DSD 5.6MHz/1bit Pyramix + Hapi [4:57]
Track05 DSD 11.2MHz/1bit Pyramix + Hapi [4:57]

2. Percussion Solo-A (Satoshi Ishikawa) Improvisation
Track06 PCM 44.1kHz/16bit Pro Tools + HDX [1:43]
Track07 PCM 192kHz/24bit Pro Tools + HDX [1:43]
Track08 PCM 384kHz/32bit Pyramix + Hapi [1:30]
Track09 DSD 5.6MHz/1bit Pyramix + Hapi [1:30]
Track10 DSD 11.2MHz/1bit Pyramix + Hapi [1:30]

3. Danny Boy (Traditional song of Ireland)
Track11 PCM 44.1kHz/16bit Pro Tools + HDX [3:36]
Track12 PCM 192kHz/24bit Pro Tools + HDX [3:36]
Track13 PCM 384kHz/32bit Pyramix + Hapi [3:29]
Track14 DSD 5.6MHz/1bit Pyramix + Hapi [3:30]
Track15 DSD 11.2MHz/1bit Pyramix + Hapi [3:29]

4. Greensleeves (Traditional song of England)
Track16 PCM 44.1kHz/16bit Pro Tools + HDX [4:59]
Track17 PCM 192kHz/24bit Pro Tools + HDX [4:59]
Track18 PCM 384kHz/32bit Pyramix + Hapi [4:53]
Track19 DSD 5.6MHz/1bit Pyramix + Hapi [4:53]
Track20 DSD 11.2MHz/1bit Pyramix + Hapi [4:53]

 

<Track21-26> Constant bit length, variation in sampling frequency

5. Alice in Wonderland (Sammy Fain / Bob Hilliard)

Track21 PCM 96kHz/24bit Pyramix + Hapi [3:35]
Track22 PCM 192kHz/24bit Pyramix + Hapi [3:35]
Track23 PCM 384kHz/24bit Pyramix + Hapi [3:35]

6. Percussion Solo-B (Satoshi Ishikawa) Improvisation
Track24 PCM 96kHz/24bit Pyramix + Hapi [1:15]
Track25 PCM 192kHz/24bit Pyramix + Hapi [1:15]
Track26 PCM 384kHz/24bit Pyramix + Hapi [1:15]

 

<Track27-32> DSD, variation in sampling frequency

7. Summertime (George Gershwin / DuBose Heyward) Track27 DSD 2.8MHz/bit Pyramix + Hapi [4:34] Track28 DSD 5.6MHz/bit Pyramix + Hapi [4:36] Track29 DSD 11.2MHz/bit Pyramix + Hapi [4:36] 8. Percussion Solo-C (Satoshi Ishikawa) Improvisation Track30 DSD 2.8MHz/bit Pyramix + Hapi [1:16] Track31 DSD 5.6MHz/bit Pyramix + Hapi [1:16] Track32 DSD 11.2MHz/bit Pyramix + Hapi [1:16]   <Track33-41> PCM, variation in bit length 9. Someone to Watch over Me (George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin) Track33 PCM 192kHz/16bit Pyramix + Hapi [2:19] Track34 PCM 192kHz/24bit Pyramix + Hapi [2:18] Track35 PCM 192kHz/32bit Pyramix + Hapi [2:18] 10. My Foolish Heart (Victor Young / Ned Washington) Track36 PCM 192kHz/16bit Pyramix + Hapi [3:58] Track37 PCM 192kHz/24bit Pyramix + Hapi [3:58] Track38 PCM 192kHz/32bit Pyramix + Hapi [3:58] 11. Percussion Solo-D (Satoshi Ishikawa) Improvisation Track39 PCM 192kHz/16bit Pyramix + Hapi [1:15] Track40 PCM 192kHz/24bit Pyramix + Hapi [1:15] Track41 PCM 192kHz/32bit Pyramix + Hapi [1:15]   <Track42-47>  Variation in PCM/DSD format, sampling frequency & bit length 12. All the Things You Are　(Jerome Kern / Oscar Hammerstein II) Track42 PCM 48kHz/16bit Pro Tools + HDX [4:41] Track43 PCM 96kHz/24bit Pro Tools + HDX [4:51] Track44 PCM 192kHz/24bit Pro Tools + HDX [4:39] Track45 PCM 384kHz/32bit Pyramix + Horus [4:46] Track46 DSD 5.6MHz/1bit Pyramix + Horus [4:41] Track47 DSD 11.2MHz/1bit Pyramix + Horus [4:42]

[Bunpei]

I received a BD-ROM media that contained totally 25GB sources last Saturday and listened some tracks carefully.  With my transport and DAC, SDTrans384 & ES9038PRO Dual Mono DAC  by Chiaki, those SQ differences that should be attributable to sampling frequency variations or bit depth variations were easily and clearly perceived.

[Bunpei]

You can look at the detailed setting in Victor Studio in Tokyo on this movie.

Recording engineer is Mr. Hideo Takada, MIXER'S Lab.