MQA vs HiRez: an apples-to-apples comparison - FINAL

[fas42]

Without reading the thread, on a first, only partial listen to the samples - B is the "best", then A, then C. This was judged by the life and sparkle in the guitar plucking, C was relatively lifeless.

 

How this translates to the format, I wouldn't guess.

[fas42]

Now reading back, I'm quite amused - Paul's ears match mine; but Peter totally disagrees with me ... c'est la vie

[fas42]

12 minutes ago, manisandher said:

 

Thanks Alex. I have absolutely no doubt. So where does the signal going all the way to 96 kHz come from? Something is amiss.

 

Mani.

 

Sometimes, incidental noises. I examined a 2L recording some time ago, and there was genuine, above 20kHz content there - from, parts of the furniture of the studio being accidentally knocked! Zero of it had anything to do with the music - but if you want the highest resolution of stuff that has nothing to do with the playing of the instruments, go for it!

[fas42]

Just looking at some samples from Soundkeeper Recordings, and there is the usual hires hash, mush constantly present, in the 24/192 version. That is, brick filter out the above 20kHz component of the signal, and this material never drops below a "grass" floor of around 80dB down, irrespective of what's happening musically - this may be the key reason why DACs do a better job, subjectively, when presented with a hires format as source.

[fas42]

We also see what we hear ... the tangibility of the aural soundscape that can be projected in front of one by a sorted system is simply amazing; one can "walk" through and around the myriad sound elements with ease, in one's mind ... the difference between this and conventional stereo reproduction is huge, and makes the arguments about "expectation bias" sound absurd, to those who are able to experience this.

[fas42]

Alex, people of an objectivist leaning don't ever want to hear to hear a difference which can't be readily measured - they subscribe to the theory that humans are highly feeble mechanisms of meat, that can always be outshone by a marvellous, manufactured instrument of precision. That means that there is order in the world, which is the number one priority, at all times.