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Old 11-27-2012, 02:27 AM   #2216
gavriloP
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Join Date: May 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fran Guidry View Post
Here are the comparison clips - one at 96K, one at 44.1.

http://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?p=1069874

Fran
In not so distant past there was this failed hi-res CD format called SACD. I haven't heard those personally, but I remember one thing that got mentioned in the CD reviews. Those SACD versions were mastered differently, they kept dynamics much wider in those. So even if that medium itself wasn't better, those recordings surely were. I mostly listen to older music because I can't stand modern sound. Porcupine Tree's Deadwing album was a tipping point to me, while the album is great, it is completely ruined in mastering. Of course it might sound nice in car or on iPod but on good hifi it is laughable. They even distorted a piano ballad!

I remember being in scorn when the SACD reviews of that record were praising how much better that mastering was...

Good or great hifi makes CDs sound absolutely marvellous. So much that it is really easy to hear good and bad mastering on CDs. So if one would like to enjoy sound, hifi is where it's at.

Only thing that makes hi res music essential is the fact that it might be mastered better for quality listening.

BTW my hifi is pretty vintage with 80s KEF reference speakers and old Sony ES amp. Only DAC and player are modern. That is pretty cheap and gorgeous system. With this system the CD versions of quality recordings from 60s and even late 50s sound way better than modern CDs. That was quite a revelation to me. Of course modern albums have more idiotic low end and irritating highs but with good hifi those old albums have plenty of highs themselves. Low end might seem essential to dance and metal music but just listen some ole Perez Prado Mambo stuff, it kicks some serious ass!
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