Computer Audio Asylum

RE: Hi-res vs. Redbook

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"If we just dropped red book now as being 'inferior',
how would that be any different than if we had dropped vinyl
at the first utterance of 'perfect sound forever'?"

I think it is qualitatively and quantitatively different. In the case of vinyl there were dimensions of sound quality that were not covered by RBCD, despite the marketing claims. Some of these were in the implementation and have been corrected by better implementation of RBCD record and playback. Others arguably remain. This quality issue surfaced from the very start of the RBCD era. I don't think there is anyone who is claiming that hi-res digital doesn't provide at least as good sound as RBCD, except where the recording or playback process has been done poorly. This is consistent with current RBCD production practice to record masters in hi-res and reduce them to RBCD in a final production stage. I'm not so sure about DSD vs. PCM as a means of achieving high quality digital audio. There are arguments that at a given bit rate that DSD does better than PCM, although there also arguments the other way, in that DSD has greater high frequency noise. However, this is a digression, because the present production practice for SACD is to do the production in DXD (24 bit PCM at 352.4 kHz) and then reduce to DSD. In short, there is no need to "go back" to RBCD to regain lost sound quality, unlike the situation some still advocate with respect to LPs.

The utility of our PC audio systems is critically dependent on the availability of a wide variety of high quality recordings of musical performances that each of us appreciates. So no, it is not just about playback technology sounding better. It is also about more flexible playback technology that supports a wider variety of formats and distribution media.

Tony Lauck

"Perception, inference and authority are the valid sources of knowledge" - P.R. Sarkar

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