What is most important factor in digital audio playback quality?

[John Dyson]

On 7/11/2019 at 8:43 AM, firedog said:

The most important factors are your room and your speakers.

I agree with your statement if only speaking of the equipment doing to presentation.  The recordings themselves (performance, mixing, mastering, media, etc) also are super important.

 

Since most of us are interested more in the 'performance', that is the 'music', the other factors that I mention are also important aspects that determine quality (assuming that the performance is the 'ultimate' quality.)

 

Consumers have so little actual control over 'mixing' -- which is almost part of the performance, then there are still two aspects that the consumer can improve A LITTLE.   This would be by choice of the media -- Redbook, vinyl, 192/24, DSD, etc.  Also, there are differences in mastering (e.g. different releases of almost the same title in different countries can have different mastering.)

 

When it comes to difference in sound -- the most important aspects include 'room', 'speakers'.  Also, the other big differences are 'vinyl' vs 'analog tape' vs digital.  Also -- mastering makes a huge difference, often moreso than 192/24 vs 44.1/16.

 

In my world (however perverse) -- my priority of optimization is:  1) recording (as a package, that is media, music, mastering, etc), 2) speakers/room, 3) convienience, etc.   This is all assuming the high quality typically available today for things like amplifiers, etc.

 

Given essentially the almost 'Victrola' quality typically available for music of my own taste (1965-1990), the lowest hanging fruit is finding the better recordings.  Next, the audio transducer (speakers/room/headphones), then the rest.  Again, assuming the typically good quality equipment normally available today -- not something like an amplifier from 1970, TIM city, or Koss Pro4/A, type thing.

 

John

[John Dyson]

11 minutes ago, Ralf11 said:

"The recordings themselves (performance, mixing, mastering, media, etc) also are super important"... and a consumer can sometimes choose among different versions and formats.

 

I think the whole thing needs to be based on what a consumer can choose.  Loudspeakers are easy, room tmts. are pretty easy, new room is difficult, "versions" also difficult.

 

I would admit that it is a mega-difficult problem when there are no accurate reviews for the recordings, and the distributors can sell any poor quality that they want to sell.   People sometimes review poor 'listening' quality as good -- simply because there is no comparison anymore.   That means, the wonderful 'speakers', 'headphones', 'amplifiers', '$1000 wires' are not really able to provide the quality/accuracy than they should be able to provide.

 

John