The Digital Promised Land-DSD

mep

mep

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Of all the current digital formats, DSD comes closest to replicating analog master tapes IMO. Therefore, in the here and now, DSD represents the digital promised land that digital first tried to claim they had reached with the birth of the CD. DSD almost gives you the best of both digital and analog worlds. DSD gives you most of the soul of analog with the low noise floor of digital. Although DSD lacks that last bit of soul that pure analog gives you, it does come close.

I see or hear nothing revolutionary on the sliding scale of PCM goodness. From 16/44.1 to 24/192, all I hear is a variation on a theme of PCM. I wish I had my money back for the hi-rez PCM files I purchased while chasing the digital dream because they aren't worth it. I have never said or thought that about DSD.
 
Mark, you need to read Paul Miller's article in the new May issue of HiFi News. He basically says our belief that DSD is better is complete rubbish because all DSD compatible DAC chips (Ti, Cirrus Logic, ESS SABRE, etc) all have different proprietary DSD processing, so making a comment that "DSD is better" is nonsense.

My own personal opinion of course is that regardless of which DSD capable DAC I've owned - Meitner, EMM Labs, Lumin, T+A and others, DSD always shined over the same PCM files.

I am curious about MQA. Very curious. People I trust who have heard it say it's a game changer. Let's hope so.


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DSD files that were recorded in DSD, or taken from the analog tapes are very,very good. DSD files converted from PCM files, not so good. Just my experience.
 
MDP said:
DSD files that were recorded in DSD, or taken from the analog tapes are very,very good. DSD files converted from PCM files, not so good. Just my experience.
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I agree Mark. I didn't even mention DSD created from PCM because they aren't real DSD files.
 
Mike said:
Mark, you need to read Paul Miller's article in the new May issue of HiFi News. He basically says our belief that DSD is better is complete rubbish because all DSD compatible DAC chips (Ti, Cirrus Logic, ESS SABRE, etc) all have different proprietary DSD processing, so making a comment that "DSD is better" is nonsense.

My own personal opinion of course is that regardless of which DSD capable DAC I've owned - Meitner, EMM Labs, Lumin, T+A and others, DSD always shined over the same PCM files.

I am curious about MQA. Very curious. People I trust who have heard it say it's a game changer. Let's hope so.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Paul Miller could say that a donkey could win the Kentucky Derby, but it wouldn't make it true. DSD is a standard, and obviously some companies have arrived at different paths to execute that standard with the DACs they manufacture. There is an ever growing chorus of people who are voting with their ears and professing their belief that DSD sounds better than PCM. The fact that Paul Miller wants to argue that DSD can't sound better than PCM because the execution of the DSD standard is different from DAC to DAC makes as much sense as saying that tubes can't possibly sound better than SS because all tube products use different tubes.
 
mep said:
Mike-Thanks for the links. I agree with what Ted Brady is doing and how he has integrity and is not playing any digital shell games.
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True, and lets not forget that other DSD pioneer, Cookie Marenco. She really loves what she does. She often sends me some new album they are working on, with some new recording technique or new miking to give her some honest feedback. Now THAT - I enjoy!
 
Guys, I enjoy my PCM files very much. They provide that personal engagement we all enjoy so much. If you don't experience this then you're missing out.
 
Audioseduction said:
Guys, I enjoy my PCM files very much. They provide that personal engagement we all enjoy so much. If you don't experience this then you're missing out.
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I experience personal engagement that I enjoy, it's just not with PCM.
 
Has anyone come up with a way to reliably rip SACDs at home without an older PS3? I like owning physical media but enjoy ripping and streaming? I would listen to more DSD if that were the case.
 
I have purchased at least 50 Analogue Productions SACDs over the past year and their sound quality is as highly variable as the original recording. I have a few SACDs that slightly exceed their 192/24 counterparts in smoothness and midrange density. I have even more 192/24 downloads that exceed their SACD counterparts in both refinement and nuance. Then there are a number of SACDs that are well below the high res. PCM downloads in every way and a few SACDs that are equal to or worse than their redbook counterparts. I am playing through an Esoteric K-01 SACD player, which is a damn fine reproducer. No tomatoes please!

Ken
 
I have a good mix of pcm and dsd files. Most of my dsd files have good SQ, possibly because the recording were good ones to start with. It seems to me that the most important factor is the recording and/or remastering. The formats contribute but not as significantly. If the original recording was good and the mastering done right, the music would sound great in both pcm and dsd.
 
CharlesL said:
I have a good mix of pcm and dsd files. Most of my dsd files have good SQ, possibly because the recording were good ones to start with. It seems to me that the most important factor is the recording and/or remastering. The formats contribute but not as significantly. If the original recording was good and the mastering done right, the music would sound great in both pcm and dsd.
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I agree with your statement 100%.
 
socfan12 said:
Has anyone come up with a way to reliably rip SACDs at home without an older PS3? I like owning physical media but enjoy ripping and streaming? I would listen to more DSD if that were the case.
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I actually ripped some SCAD's using Mr Wicked's program on Audio Circle, his SCAD ripper program uses an old Sony PS3 that he has hacked. SACD ripping using a PS3 I got through about 10 SCAD's until my PS3 died. :(. So now I buy DSD like everyone else or just listen to my SACD's on my OPPO105..
 
CharlesL said:
I have a good mix of pcm and dsd files. Most of my dsd files have good SQ, possibly because the recording were good ones to start with. It seems to me that the most important factor is the recording and/or remastering. The formats contribute but not as significantly. If the original recording was good and the mastering done right, the music would sound great in both pcm and dsd.
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+2! Those who argue against hi-res and/or DSD; by saying some sound like crap. Well of course they do; just like some recordings. You cannot get blood from a stone.

However...with a good recording/mastering; hi-res just allows more of the "good" to shine through :audiophile:
 
The DSD downloads sure are expensive. Now that I have the Lumin S1 I need to try DSD, but I already have the albums I like in either CD quality, high-res, or ripped Blue Ray Audio.
 
CharlesL said:
I have a good mix of pcm and dsd files. Most of my dsd files have good SQ, possibly because the recording were good ones to start with. It seems to me that the most important factor is the recording and/or remastering. The formats contribute but not as significantly. If the original recording was good and the mastering done right, the music would sound great in both pcm and dsd.
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Charles,

Great post, I agree with you 100%. This was the exact point I was trying to make, it's not the format, it's the recording and the remastering that have the biggest effect. If you have a terrific recording, it can sound wonderful in analogue, PCM or DSD. Just pick your pleasure!

Ken
 
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