2. digital
  3. 154452-3549

Why you want upsampling and upconversion in a server and why it sounds way better!

One of Roon's and Jrivers best advantages is the ability to digitally reprocess your data. 

With an appropriate server you can take for example a 16 bit 44k Tidal stream and reprocess that data stream to DSD or to reprocess to 24bit 192k, 384k, even up to 768k.

In our tests almost accross the board most listeners perfer DSD or high res PCM data streams.

The counter arguement is that if you start with 16 bit 44k sample you can't do any better as that  is the source.

Going through Facebook we got a post that showed the Lumiere brothers first film shot in 1894 with a steam locomotive. 

The second video showed the same Lumiere video reprocessed using AI to create a 4k video stream out of the same video footage. 

The first video is the native source the second shows the reprocessed video the differences aren't subtitle even if you reprocess the native video you are able to extract a signifigantly higher quality image. 

We have been saying this for years even if you don't start out with a true high res source through the magic of computer reprocessing you can create a pseudo high res data packet that still sound far better than ifs original form.

https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/02/someone-used-neural-networks-to-upscale-a-famous-1896-video-to-4k-quality/

Watch the video and see what you think. Sure it is always best to start with a true high resolution image but in the case of not having a true high resolution music fille the ability to use digital reprocessing can create a signal that will sound far better providing that your dac and server are up to the task.

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ



 
128x128audiotroy
tom6897's avatar
tom6897
1,484 posts
 
 Apples and Oranges man!

Any novice photographer could have told you that. The two forms of media that you are referring to have very little in common when it comes to neural networks, auditory subtleties and individual hearing variances.

There has never been an objective study that reliably proves that the different upsampled songs can be identified at a percentage better than random guessing, even by “golden ear professionals”.

What you have delivered is just an opinion, which everyone is entitled to. 😎🎼
cal3713's avatar
cal3713
1,421 posts
 
Better, or different?
lalitk's avatar
lalitk
5,443 posts
 
+1, tom6897.
IME, audio upsampling adds distortion and video upconversion adds noise. And neither is acceptable if you’re a purist.
erik_squires
16,056 posts
 
I have to agree with @tom6897

The AI is actually adding texture.

Mind you, Sony claims they do the same with some of the MP3 restoration work they are doing, but up and oversampling algorithms do not. At worst, they extrapolate a line. At best they use a curve fitting algorithm. Far from AI based, but interesting to think about for the future.

In my mind, DACs used to perform better with high rez data, and that's changed recently. The quality of performance between Redbook and high resolution has vastly improved.


Best,

E
erik_squires
16,056 posts
 
video upconversion adds noise. And neither is acceptable if you’re a purist.


The AI based video upconversion is something brand new and cool. They teach an AI to extrapolate textures, but they are all just guesses. The AI is just adding aesthetically pleasing candy.
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