Equipment > Vinyl Ripping and Archiving
Blind test: Vinyl rip: Straight PCM vs. PCM down sampled from DSD
GoodVinylLover:
Hello :)
First of all; this thread is NOT about a comparison between DSD and PCM.
I've been testing my Tascam DA-3000 and I'd like to have your opinion on these two samples:
Sample A
Sample B
One of them is a straight PCM 96/24 file and the other one is a PCM 96/24 that has been down sampled from DSDIFF 5,6MHz. For the convertion I used AudioGate with TPDF dither. Which one sounds better to your ears? Thanks! :)
I also want to share with you my latest video; it serves me to show you the rest of the equipment that has been used in the making of this test. I hope you enjoy it:
Regards! ;D
BSD2000:
I'm not sure how well my hearing is today since I'm just getting over a really bad cold, but from what I hear through my Audio-Gd 12.1 DAC and Sennheiser HD 800's, I prefer the sound of sample B over sample A. I'm not sure what it is, but sample B seems to be a smidgen more transparent than sample A; but that could be my cold interfering.
One question - these are two separate recordings, one in DSD and the other straight 96k/24bit, correct? Have you tried the Saracon format converter by Weiss?
Download links:
http://peeplink.in/748cb3f51103
Archive password: g7C~PJa(u,-e,5*AudioZ
I find the Weiss converter to be slightly better than anything else I've tried, including Korg's Audiogate - especially when down converting DSD to PCM. The interface is a bit clunky and dated, but the results are well worth it.
PS: Awesome video as always! :)
lshin80:
Downloaded the files to an USB flash drive, then plugged it to my Sony BDP 173 Blu-ray player, which is plugged to my Hi-Fi setup (Nuova Elettronica preamp and power amp, Mission 701 loudspeakers).
Sample A has got a bit more bass and sounds a bit more lively. The bass gives the impression of higher volume, but in fact the volume is the same for both samples.
Sample A is definitely more faithful to the original recording.
SPOILER:
Sample A is the straight PCM, sample B is the downsampled one. ;)
GoodVinylLover:
Thank you both for participating :)
--- Quote from: BSD2000 on December 13, 2014, 12:46:07 AM ---...I prefer the sound of sample B over sample A. I'm not sure what it is, but sample B seems to be a smidgen more transparent than sample A; but that could be my cold interfering.
--- End quote ---
I posted the same test on another forum and sample B won hands down...
--- Quote from: BSD2000 on December 13, 2014, 12:46:07 AM ---One question - these are two separate recordings, one in DSD and the other straight 96k/24bit, correct?
--- End quote ---
Yep, that's correct :) Both samples were recorded on the same day at the same time (one after the other LOL!)
--- Quote from: BSD2000 on December 13, 2014, 12:46:07 AM ---Have you tried the Saracon format converter by Weiss?
Download links:
http://peeplink.in/748cb3f51103
Archive password: g7C~PJa(u,-e,5*AudioZ
I find the Weiss converter to be slightly better than anything else I've tried, including Korg's Audiogate - especially when down converting DSD to PCM. The interface is a bit clunky and dated, but the results are well worth it.
--- End quote ---
Thanks!! :D Downloading as I type :) I'll keep you posted about my impressions. Many thanks!
--- Quote from: lshin80 on December 18, 2014, 02:46:18 PM ---Sample A has got a bit more bass and sounds a bit more lively. The bass gives the impression of higer volume, but in fact the volume is the same for both samples.
Sample A is definitely more faithful to the original recording.
--- End quote ---
Although I prefer sample B, I agree with you to some extent: simple A seems to have more bass...
--- Quote from: lshin80 on December 18, 2014, 02:46:18 PM ---SPOILER:
Sample A is the straight PCM, sample B is the downsampled one. ;)
--- End quote ---
:o You revealed the "secret", how dare you! You naughty boy...LOL! :D ;)
lshin80:
--- Quote from: BSD2000 on December 13, 2014, 12:46:07 AM ---I prefer the sound of sample B over sample A. I'm not sure what it is, but sample B seems to be a smidgen more transparent than sample A; but that could be my cold interfering.
--- End quote ---
--- Quote from: GoodVinylLover on December 21, 2014, 09:18:23 AM ---I posted the same test on another forum and sample B won hands down...
--- End quote ---
--- Quote from: GoodVinylLover on December 21, 2014, 09:18:23 AM ---Although I prefer sample B, I agree with you to some extent: sample A seems to have more bass...
--- End quote ---
Honestly I don't understand that. ???
I mean, tastes are personal and debating on them is totally useless, but the fact the people likes better the sample with less bass (that is, the right amount of bass, because digital won't add anything: it can only lose details) makes me think that their setups can't properly handle bass, thus making the sound less transparent and focused (more bass = more information to reproduce = more complexity, which need a perfect reproduction). So, to their ears the sample with less bass sounds "better", but actually they are being misled.
IMHO. :)
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