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High resolution digital is dead. The best DAC's killed it.

Something that came as a surprise to me is how good DAC's have gotten over the past 5-10 years.

Before then, there was a consistent, marked improvement going from Redbook (44.1/16) to 96/24 or higher.

The modern DAC, the best of them, no longer do this. The Redbook playback is so good high resolution is almost not needed. Anyone else notice this?
erik_squires
fleschler
2,015 posts
 
breezer -  Since 2006, I've been using an EAR Acute CD player.  It has large D getter, earliest version Amperex 6922 tubes, a seriously upgraded power cord and sits on Stillpoints Ultra-minis.  Now on their fourth version, my original Acute sells for 1/3 the price, between $1800 to $2000.  Absolutely worth it, unless you want to stream.  The subsequent versions include external DACs and higher resolutions like 192/24 instead of my 96/24.  The latest version is $6795
http://www.troelsgravesen.dk/EAR-Acute-Classic.htm I've heard it and it sounds very similar to my original with STOCK tubes.  Quite an accomplishment.
fleschler
2,015 posts
 
http://www.earyoshino.com/images/Reviews/HiFiChoice_Oct_2016.pdf   The Stereophile review was based on a defective unit that had a 6v hot output rather than a 2v which resulted in distortion.  It was sent back repaired and the reviewer grungingly claimed it was worth the money now.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 

velveteen1 posts02-02-2019 8:24pmI love my digital front end, with r2r technology! I couldn't imagine my redbook CDs sounding any better than they do now.......

Mark Levinson No 31.5
Mark Levinson No 30.6

It’s kind of hard to image what you haven’t heard. If you could hear what I’ve heard with my ears.
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 

If you could hear what I’ve heard with my ears.
You say you can hear a difference in the direction of an ac mains fuse, you hear nothing!


Mark Levinson No 30.6
 4 x PCM1704-K + 2 x SHARC ADSP-21061L
" The Mark Levinson No.30.6's measured performance is about as good as it can get. No wonder I liked its sound so much".—John Atkinson

The ML 30.6 is now 20 years old and still a magnificent sounding R2R Multibit dac.
Only last month I had the pleasure of listening to one up against my Linn CD12, using the Linn as a transport there was a "poopteenth" in it between them, your lucky to have it  velveteen.

Cheers George
mikelavigne
2,199 posts
 

all things being equal, higher rez files can sound a little better overall. but, of course, all things are rarely equal.

i agree with the whole recording quality being more significant than the digital format, but that’s only half the equation. the 800 pound gorilla in the room is native recording source resolution. that’s where you find optimal sound. i always try to listen to the least mucked up source. this goes equally for analog too. give me 1/2" 30ips tape if that is what the recording started life as, or redbook if that’s where it started. direct to disc vinyl is also phenomenal and can compete directly with the best tape.

my MSB Select II has a hybrid dac which optimizes both pcm and dsd whatever resolution. it is astonishingly good on redbook, and does a great job with MQA. but my favorites are consistently the native resolution if i have a way of determining that.

i have dozens of native dxd (352/24) and quad dsd files and those are pretty awesome when the recording quality is also superior. if you think redbook sourced recordings are equal (especially as the music gets more complex) you have work to do.

and not every system will equally reveal media differences. so my experience and realities might not equally apply to all.

YMMV and just my 2 cents.

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