2. digital
  3. 151421-10803

Do we really need anything greater than 24/96? Opinions?

It's really difficult to compare resolutions with different masterings, delivery methods, sources, etc. I have hundreds of HI-rez files (dsd, hi bit rate PCM, etc). I have to say that even 24/44 is probably revealing the best a recording has to offer. Obviously, recording formats, methods, etc all play a huge role. I'm not talking preferred sources like vinyl, sacd, etc. I'm talking about the recordings themselves. 

Plus, I really think the recording (studio-mastering) means more to sound quality than the actual output format/resolution. I've heard excellent recorded/mastered recordings sound killer on iTunes streaming and CD. 

Opinions?

aberyclark
antigrunge2
1,402 posts
 
@bifwynne 

http://sw1xad.co.uk/delta-sigma-vs-nos-r2r-dac-designs/


antigrunge2
1,402 posts
 
@bifwynne 
I am surprised that you have no benefit from upsampling. Have you tried inserting an Insulator into your USB connection? Does your DAC have a BNC input for a master clock? Both of these might help in making it more audible.
bifwynne
2,206 posts
 
@antigrunge2 - thanks.  I read most of the link which discusses Delta Sigma versus R2R DACs.  Can't say I understand it all, but I think I get the point.  That may be why the SQ from good LPs has a certain life and richness that is lacking in digital. 

I do not know how Delta Sigma or R2R relates to streaming music. Maybe the music feed is just binary data that the the DAC (be it Delta SIgma or R2R) translates into an analogue signal. 

So, ... if one is looking to stream, is it possible to look for a DAC of a particular architecture?        
vinylshadow
488 posts
 
16/44.1 can sound very good. In my car at least it sounds symphonic with TIDAL, although it helps to have a great system with active crossover speakers etc....But at home it can sound great as well.

A 24/96 DAD can sound incredible. But even with the most trained ears, I've been told it is very hard indeed to tell the difference between 24/96 and 24/192. So at least for me, 24/96 seems more than adequate.


cd318
2,636 posts
 
@aberyclark,

"If one were to make one final version of a master tape and store away that Master for many years. What method would capture everything the tape had to offer so future engineers could use that new source as the master?"


Perhaps you would use metal (or gold plated) LPs like L Ron Hubbard was supposed to have done with his collected works.

Apparently he stored them away inside some mountain for some future civilisation to find in case our current one ends up destroying itself.

He might have used M Disc had it been available in his lifetime, given that it has a purported lifetime of 1000 years. However it is unlikely to be as easy to play back as metal LP might be.

Neither digital or tape would have much chance of surviving a holocaust.

Digital on tape is particularly vulnerable. Apparently thousands of digital recordings became useless very quickly after becoming prone to dropouts.

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Data storage lifespans: How long will media really last?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/blog.storagecraft.com/data-storage-lifespan/amp/
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