DSD vs. PCM vs. MQA - Group listening experiment

@georgelofi Well, I'm pretty sure my karma is such that I'll die of some mental disorder, but I turned the music off before they were affected. :)

@jon2020 Like I said, the oddest thing. I've experienced this once before, but I think I attributed it to the speakers. This was a long time ago.  I should have given them a chance with different material. At the time I didn't think it was weird, but thought everyone must experience it too.... so I didn't make a note of it.

This time it happened with me in my living room, so I know it's not the speakers, unless the speaker's high bandwidth made something of the recording come through.

In any case, I'm saddened that I really don't seem to like the recordings over at 2L as much as I had hoped.

I'm going to download some DSD from Blue Coast Records to give my ears a thorough spa treatment. :)


Best,

Erik

To me DSD sucks, just SACD without the copyright.

Give me good uncompressed PCM (Redbook, DXD or DVD-A) converted with a well implemented Multibit dac with a well thought out I/V stage.

Cheers George

@georgelofi  Well, yeah, I expect it to sound the same becuase it IS the same. :)

It's not that SACD has a copyright so much as there are no ripping drives that would allow most of us to store from them.

In any event, I like the few SACD recordings I've heard, but I'm not moved to declare it a superior format.  All things considered, I'd rather have the smaller file size of PCM.

Best,

Erik

First I would like to say I am an audio distributor but I do not have any affiliation with Blue Coast Records. My system consist of high efficient speakers that are very revealing. We have done direct comparisons between DSD and 44.1-24/192. In my reference system, DSD was more holographic. The difference were not night and day but for me and my audio friends, we all preferred DSD when compared to all other formats. We did not compare MQA. It does take a very revealing system to understand what DSD is doing but when you get it right, it is stunning!

 

Cheers,

We have done direct comparisons between DSD and 44.1-24/192. In my reference system, DSD was more holographic. The difference were not night and day but for me and my audio friends, we all preferred DSD when compared to all other formats. We did not compare MQA. It does take a very revealing system to understand what DSD is doing but when you get it right, it is stunning!

I agree. I compared dsd vs hires pcm of the same files from the 2L website and dsd sounds superior to the hires pcm version.

Dsd done right is spectacular. That said, dsd isn’t always done as right as by 2L or Blue Coast.

Anyway, 2L does very right by hires pcm on its own too. I just downloaded the album Mozart/Grieg Vol 1 by Dena Piano Duo in 96/24 (dsd format not available) and the sound is to die for.