General Category > Gustav Mahler and Related Discussions

Anyone heard M9 Neumann/Czech PO on Canyon/Exton?

<< < (3/3)

ChrisH:
The format will not have any impact on what you hear you on your stereo. The mastering and engineering are far more important to a quality recording than DSD, 24/96, or 16/44.1.

A few things:
1. There are very few recording companies that actually do DSD how it should be done. This Exton remaster was most likely recorded in high bit rate PCM, edited, then converted to DSD. So, you're not really getting a DSD recording. A true DSD recording is recorded in the format, and released un-edited. You can't edit DSD without changing it to PCM/DXD. Almost all DSD recordings are not really DSD. Check out nativedsd.com to find true DSD recordings. It's ownded by Jared Sacks of Channel Classics. He is very upfront about the recording/engineering and mixing side of things.

2. Having a high bit depth is nice, but the average listening room can't take advantage of the very low noise floor. Download a simple SPL meter for your phone and see how loud your room actually is.
 
3. The majority of speakers sold on the market don't play above 20KHZ. Also, given the age of people on this site, most of us aren't getting much over 12-15KHZ if anything at all.

4. If you do a level matched AB/X listening test, your results will be nothing more than a guess. 99% of the population can't tell the difference between well encoded .mp3's and a CD.

Perhaps this getting too technical for site about Mahler, but a lot of these SACD remasters and new editions are quite expensive. People should know that many times, they aren't really worth it. Simply placing your speakers correctly will yield far greater results than expensive remasters/formats/ and cables.

James Meckley:
+1

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[*] Previous page