Digital Emperor has no clothes

I was referred to this article by a successful tube amp designer...I have no opinions...except maybe these: A basic reality of audio is that better built gear sounds better, and better recordings sound better on that gear. Astonishing. I like the point about SACD or more carefully recorded things sounding better because they were more carefully recorded...hmmm...also I think a lot of newer DACs have more carefully designed and built analog stages, power supplies, and other stuff that comes from people who listen to the things along the way and build to a standard. No surprise there. And a note on transient response...I have never detected a lack of transient response (except when trying to get a "transient" to respond to permanence...but that's just a pun...I can't help it...) in digital audio, but then I'm a mere mortal. Double blind tests always reveal data somebody not involved thinks is flawed...always...but in any case, yeah, interesting reading!

"I like the point about SACD or more carefully recorded things sounding better because they were more carefully recorded...hmmm"

They could easily find CD and SACD processed from the same 24/192 master tape and play both layers on the same SACD player.

Statement that 192kHz recording is harmful because it contain high frequency is BS. It is much easier to filter out 192kHz than 44kHz. It is even easier to filter out 2.8MHz carrier in SACD. Not only that author claims that 192kHz is harmful because it is higher than 44kHz but moment later talks about benefits of oversampling - increasing sample rate to ... yes harmful 192kHz.

Yet another bit-head attempting to explain why audiophiles are nuts. While the author of the piece is undoubtedly intelligent and appears to know what he's talking about, his numbers-game discourse means nothing to me. Sure, 24/192 files are probably a waste of time when one experiences them on consumer hi-fi (that is why SACD never took off) but in the context of a properly set up and fine tuned high end system, most high resolution files are clearly superior. It is all relative to what system these files are played.

Keep in mind that not all hi res files are created equal - many of them sound inferior when compared to their CD counterpart. Could it be that the listening panel was comparing two files of dubious quality?

I do give the author credit for suggesting that his consumer hifi audience buy better headphones than their $20 buds. Good to know.

Are we having fun yet?

Oh yes we are! Remember, bits are bits and nothing else matters. 8^)