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My experience, so far might be yes, let me explain IMHO

Hi Inmates,

First let me comment that many if not most SACDs fail to fully exploit the full potential of the enabling DSD format. This could be for several reasons, such as historical re-issue source material is of sub-DSD quality.

Current recordings might fail to fully realize the DSD potential due to any/all of the following reasons

1 - If you exceed digital zero you have trashed the recording, to avoid this there is sometimes analog limiting/compression placed up-stream of the A-D converters. In my view ANY such insertion of limiting or compression is a degrading influence.

2 - There are differences between A-D convertors, and big differences in microphones and mike preamps for that matter.

BUT..., if you record at a low enough level to guarantee not even one single clip then you will have a recording that will need to be "turned up" during mastering. You CAN change level by a few dB and remain in DSD, however if you turn it up too far then the noise in the 80kHz region will also be turned up too far to allow the recording to be transformed to an SACD. Yes, the noise can be filtered but NOT and remain in DSD, tyhe choice is either to convert to PCM or to analog, accomplish the filtering and then return to DSD.

3 - There can be NO! mix-down, filtering, fades, EQ or any other processing while remaining in DSD. Here again that means converting to PCM or to analog for those functions.

It should be apparent that ALL the variable quality that exists in analog processing AND ALL of the variable quality that exists in D-A and A-D AND ALL the variable quality that exists between the different resolutions of PCM AND ALL the variable quality differences that exist in PCM plug-ins will accumulate to lower the audible quality.

If INSANE attention is paid to each of these areas the quality goes up and in addition EVERY process/conversion that can be eliminated leaves more quality intact.

There are times when you really are "forced" to do some processing, recognizing that, I aquired a Pyramix system for those tasks, their web site is listed below, then click on the DSD/SACD link. I can't hear ANY change between the 352.8K 32 bit that they use for processing functions and the raw DSD.

I have some personal proof-or-not project in the SACD pipe-line.... In mid August there will be available a Hybrid SACD with a project that I controlled from "breath to bits". I played a final "edited" clip at HE 2004, (it was the Tminus5 gospel track.)

IMHO the only thing that prevents digital from beating analog is lack of enough bits, followed by too many wrong bits. (Wrong bits caused by poor choices and poor hardware and poor software) Follwed by not enough money to do it right. Followed by not realizing that you are doing it wrong (Boy have I been THERE!! and learned alot).

Finally a little quote of mine from a few years ago:

"Recorded music is like canned sushi" by definition ya can't do it!

Recorded music will NEVER be the same as live, but I got tired of suffering through the recorded equivalent of pet food, when albacore seemed attainable.

Kind regards,

Ray

P.S. I apologize in advance if I don't have time to do much follow-up on this subject, it is for lack of time for the next few weeks.




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