16-Feb-2017, 15:51
I too have been having fun with the upsampling feature - mainly stuck at 176.4 kHz for the last week or so. Compared to 44.1kHz I thought it was a tad more dynamic, a bit richer and smoother, a bit more air (especially depth). However, on going back to 44.1kHz I immediately felt that there was more balls to the sound - just more edge and (perceived) dynamics - I felt more involved.
Is this a programme or mood thing?
My experience with HiRes audio has not been particularly positive. I borrowed a Marantz SACD player (lots of copper v. heavy) in the late 90s along with 3 or 4 discs. All very nice - spacious and detailed - but I found it a bit too smooth and slow sounding - in fact I distinctly remember the slowed rhythmic aspect.
In the last couple of years I've tried HiRes material from HR Download and Qobuz - all stored on my NAS. This included 96kHz downloads from Steely Dan, Donald Fagan, Allmann Bros and Rush, as well a 192 kHz from Bob Marley. Only the Donald Fagan download (Morph the Cat) seemed significantly better than my own CD rips (well maybe SD Gaucho was a tad better). The 192 kHz Bob Marley was a disgrace - quieter, smoother and dynamically constrained - nowhere near as vibrant and exciting as my own CD rip. If Bob is not involving then there is something really wrong!
For me properly recorded or remastered 44.1 kHz would seem hard to beat if your Transport or Streamer is up to it.
I am probably in a minority here of course - maybe these ears are getting a bit old and need the rougher old material to wake up!
Kevin
ps how the hell does this all work if the Devialet upsamples all signals to 192 kHz anyway ???
pps years ago I had a Wadia 861 Tank/CD player. It had three filtering/sampling options A,B,C. A was preferred by Wadia as their mega oversampling algorithm. Periodically I would convince myself that B and C were better, only to go back to A sometime later and proclaim it miles better. This deluded cycle would occur several times a year - maybe it was something to do with the moon
Is this a programme or mood thing?
My experience with HiRes audio has not been particularly positive. I borrowed a Marantz SACD player (lots of copper v. heavy) in the late 90s along with 3 or 4 discs. All very nice - spacious and detailed - but I found it a bit too smooth and slow sounding - in fact I distinctly remember the slowed rhythmic aspect.
In the last couple of years I've tried HiRes material from HR Download and Qobuz - all stored on my NAS. This included 96kHz downloads from Steely Dan, Donald Fagan, Allmann Bros and Rush, as well a 192 kHz from Bob Marley. Only the Donald Fagan download (Morph the Cat) seemed significantly better than my own CD rips (well maybe SD Gaucho was a tad better). The 192 kHz Bob Marley was a disgrace - quieter, smoother and dynamically constrained - nowhere near as vibrant and exciting as my own CD rip. If Bob is not involving then there is something really wrong!
For me properly recorded or remastered 44.1 kHz would seem hard to beat if your Transport or Streamer is up to it.
I am probably in a minority here of course - maybe these ears are getting a bit old and need the rougher old material to wake up!
Kevin
ps how the hell does this all work if the Devialet upsamples all signals to 192 kHz anyway ???
pps years ago I had a Wadia 861 Tank/CD player. It had three filtering/sampling options A,B,C. A was preferred by Wadia as their mega oversampling algorithm. Periodically I would convince myself that B and C were better, only to go back to A sometime later and proclaim it miles better. This deluded cycle would occur several times a year - maybe it was something to do with the moon
Devialet 1000 Pro; Magico A5 loudspeakers; Metronome T3a Signature CD Transport; dCS Network Bridge; Kuzma M turntable; Kuzma 4Point14 tonearm; Koetsu Sky Blue; Benzmicro LPS; Audioquest Vodka Ethernet; Transparent Reference Digital RCA-RCA; Transparent Reference XL MM2 speaker cable; Transparent Reference mains cable; PS Audio P5 PowerPlant; Artesania and Finite Elemente equipment racks
North Somerset, UK
