Focus on 24/192 Misguided?.....


As I've upgraded by digital front end over the last few years, like most people I've been focused on 24/192 and related 'hi rez' digital playback and music to get the most from my system. However, I read this pretty thought provoking article on why this may be a very bad idea:
http://people.xiph.org/~xiphmont/demo/neil-young.html

Maybe it's best to just focus on as good a redbook solution as you can, although there seem to be some merits to SACD, if for nothing else the attention to recording quality.
128x128outlier
Thank you Al. If there are any harmonics within 50kHz amplifiers should be still linear (modulation can only happen on nonlinear element). Any problem would already show with vinyl gear that has similar bandwidth. I don't really see any source of audible harmonics above it. On one hand studio engineers would clean it up but on the other microphones already do it. Most of microphones go only to 30kHz and some extended response go to 50kHz. One of the most popular Neumann U87 ($3600) goes only to 20kHz while the most expensive I could find Sony C-800G ($8000) is only 18kHz. At the concerts as well as in the studio nothing goes directly - everything comes thru microphones to PA system or studio console. Further more, I suspect that studio equipment bandwidth does not extend any higher providing natural filters as well.
Al and Kijanki, not sure this is relevant about extended bandwidth, but when I play the Four Seasons/Jersey Boys, I hear neighborhood dogs howling when Frankie Valli hits the high ones. LOL
To summarize....

I guess we have concluded just the opposite - that 24/192 is a VERY GOOD idea actually, as it SOUNDS GREAT and hard drive space is fairly inexpensive.

Using dbPoweramp (very cheap program) to rip your CD collection into 24/96 or 24/192 FLAC/WAV is easy to do and once the up-front work is done, you can sit back and enjoy music at least at or above the quality level of your current CD playback system all in the comfort of your listening chair.

Also, we have concluded that all the specs, tests, charts and measurements will not tell you how good a component will sound (especially how it will sound to a given person), as that is 100% personal opinion which cannot be measured at all.

Note: For what I would consider a "budget friendly" choice for a DAC solution that will play up to 24/192 files - the "Wyred 4 Sound" model DAC-2 is a very, very good piece at $1,499 and has many connection choices and built-in volume control.
04-23-12: Audiofreak32
To summarize....

I guess we have concluded just the opposite - that 24/192 is a VERY GOOD idea actually,....
I don't know how you concluded this? I concluded that there is no need for 24/192 - 24/96 suffices as it solves the issue of steep skirt analog filter for 16/44.1 & that once this issue is resolved & we have more DR w/ 24 bits there is no real need for 24/192.