Author Topic: Sampling Rates  (Read 3422 times)

Offline steve

  • Audiologist
  • *
  • Posts: 1239
Re: Sampling Rates
« Reply #15 on: January 19, 2021, 07:09:19 PM »
Remember, when dealing with ringing, we are dealing with a resonance problem, just without the necessary energy
to sustain the oscillation at said frequency. As such, the effects will be both below and above the resonant frequency.
We see the same problem occurring in speakers, only the Q is much less, so a hump or dip in the FR.

Back in the late 80s/early 90s, I experimented with altering the preamp response from -1db at 200khz to -1db at
150k. The difference was easily perceivable with music playing. The problem will be audio system dependent. So some may or may not perceive the "attack" difference. I believe it was Van Alstine who once claimed he designed for over a mhz to minimize the problem, or something to that effect.

Again, remember that one is killing what most call dynamics every time we add a stage and reduce the rise time/attack.

Yes, I have found usb cables and probably other cables affect the sonics. Different circuitry involved with different
types of coupling as well.

Also, important, remember that dacs have at least one analog section by definition, and almost always 2, an analog
gainstage. As such, different dacs can and will sound different.

cheers

steve
« Last Edit: January 20, 2021, 10:37:13 AM by steve »
Steve Sammet (Owner, Electron Eng, SAS Audio Labs, Ret)
SAS "V" 39pf/m 6N copper ICs,
SAS Test Phono Stage
Acutex 320 STR Mov Iron Cart
SAS 11A Perfect Tube Preamp
SAS 25 W Ref Triode/UL Monoblocks
2 way Floor Standing Test Speakers

Offline tmazz

  • Out Of My Speaker Cabinet
  • ******
  • Posts: 12088
  • Just basking in the glow of my tubes.....
Re: Sampling Rates
« Reply #16 on: January 19, 2021, 09:25:00 PM »
Can someone put forth some things to investigate regarding why my CD’s generally sound better through the same DAC I’m using for streaming. It is literally in the same box. I am using the DAC inputs within my player- K07-X. Is it possible that the digital cable is at fault? It is the specified 75 Ohm interface, though not a boutique brand.
What else is at play?
My ears tell me that ordinary cd’s sound better than 88.2 or 96 kHz streaming. In theory, shouldn’t higher bit rates equate to better sound?
My list of culprits:
The digital cable
The streaming service itself- Tidal
Any thoughts appreciated.
Jim

First off, for what it's worth, the highest bitrate that Tidal is capable for physically streaming is 44.1, anything higher than that is a decoded MQA signal.

Secondly, it is very difficult to compare a Tidal stream to a CD, because you have no way of knowing exactly what mastering Tidal is sending you. We have all gone through comparing different CD versions of the same album and finding that they often have widely varying SQ. Many albums on Tidal are listed quite a few different times, all of them different masterings and none of them identified as to which mastering a particular file comes from. About the only time you can make a (hopefully) direct comparison is if you can find a CD copy of something that just came out If an album is only a week or so old you have a good chance that the version on Tidal and the CD you have in your hand are from the same mastering

Bottom line, it is really hard to do any kind of apples to apples comparison of content streamed from Tidal.
Remember, it's all about the music........

• Nola Boxers
• Sunfire True SW Super Jr (2)
• McIntosh MC 275
• ARC SP-9
• VPI HW-19 Mk IV/SDS/SME IV/Soundsmith Carmen Mk II ES
• Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 DAC/Rasp Pi Roon Endpoint
• DigiBuss/TWL PC&USB/MIT Cables

Offline James Edward

  • Obsessively Audiophilic
  • ****
  • Posts: 776
Re: Sampling Rates
« Reply #17 on: January 20, 2021, 01:33:01 PM »
Can someone put forth some things to investigate regarding why my CD’s generally sound better through the same DAC I’m using for streaming. It is literally in the same box. I am using the DAC inputs within my player- K07-X. Is it possible that the digital cable is at fault? It is the specified 75 Ohm interface, though not a boutique brand.
What else is at play?
My ears tell me that ordinary cd’s sound better than 88.2 or 96 kHz streaming. In theory, shouldn’t higher bit rates equate to better sound?
My list of culprits:
The digital cable
The streaming service itself- Tidal
Any thoughts appreciated.
Jim

First off, for what it's worth, the highest bitrate that Tidal is capable for physically streaming is 44.1, anything higher than that is a decoded MQA signal.

Secondly, it is very difficult to compare a Tidal stream to a CD, because you have no way of knowing exactly what mastering Tidal is sending you. We have all gone through comparing different CD versions of the same album and finding that they often have widely varying SQ. Many albums on Tidal are listed quite a few different times, all of them different masterings and none of them identified as to which mastering a particular file comes from. About the only time you can make a (hopefully) direct comparison is if you can find a CD copy of something that just came out If an album is only a week or so old you have a good chance that the version on Tidal and the CD you have in your hand are from the same mastering

Bottom line, it is really hard to do any kind of apples to apples comparison of content streamed from Tidal.
So Qobuz is better? Or does that have an entirely different can of worms to sift through? I guess I should just try it and hear for myself...
Luxman L- 590 AX MK2
Esoteric K-07X
Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Esprit SB
Audience Au24SE
PI Cat6
Spatial Audio M3 Turbo S
Stereo Hsu ULS-15 Mk2
Supra Classic 6.0

Offline Vincent Kars

  • Seeking Help
  • **
  • Posts: 10
Re: Sampling Rates
« Reply #18 on: January 22, 2021, 05:17:22 AM »
Quote
So Qobuz is better?

If Qobuz streams Hi-res, it is a true Hi-res file (24 bits)
MQA is lossy as they fold the frequencies > 22 kHz into the part below bit 17 effectively overwriting all the musical information there.
Effectively it is a 17 bit file (1 bit more compared with CD) while true Hi-res is 24 bit.
Now this is a bit theoretical as there is no recording chain quiet enough to exploit this to its full extend but about 20 bit of musical information is not uncommon.