Hi Res Music?

[Dean Watson]

I just recently purchased an Oppo BDP-105 Blu Ray player, with excellent Sabre DACS, and just ripped all my CD's to a hard drive and can control the whole thing with my i-pad as a front end. Since then I've been downloading 24/96 or higher versions of albums, as well as DSD formats. What great sound I'm getting now.

Just wondered if anyone else has gone this route?

(Right now listening to Pat Metheny's 'Kin' in 24/96. Sounds amazing)

[Dusty Chalk]

Funny you should mention the Oppo -- I'm days away from ordering one, myself. Haven't decided between the BDP-105 and the BDP-105D, as I also really enjoy high quality video.

And yes, I'm totally into high-res music. Have been since Classic Records re-released I, Robot in 24/96 way back when on "DAD". It was such a revelation, even on my puny system. Now I've got too many speakers and headphones and I'm broke. I have a fairly nice SACD collection, but I'm missing some crucial ones. (I've only got three of the Peter Gabriel ones, and not the ones I love the most [3 & 4].)

[Dean Watson]

For what it's worth, having had the unit now for about 1 month, it's a phenomenal piece of machinery. It just oozes quality in every aspect. I was over the top when I knew it could play DSD files. I think you'll really enjoy it!

[AZProgger]

For about the past year and a half, I've been buying classical in hi res FLAC format. Also the occasional rock. When Ian Anderson's Homo Erraticus came out, I skipped the physical discs and the iTunes/Amazon downloads. I bought the hi res FLAC download.

[Mikhael]

24/96 should be the NORM in audio playback by now, not lo-res mp3s. I've never understood why things never moved forward from the CD. It seems as if the general population no longer cares about audio reproduction quality, the way most people used to.

Then again, listening to the repetitive mechanized pop of today, maybe I don't really blame them...

[Facelift]

There definitely is some placebo effect with hi-res. When A/B tested with recordings from the same sources, people generally can't tell the difference.

[Dave (in MA)]

24/96 should be the NORM in audio playback by now, not lo-res mp3s. I've never understood why things never moved forward from the CD.I can't tell the difference between CD and stereo DVD audio if there's no difference in mixing or mastering. When I'm in my car, the weak link in the audio chain isn't the file format, it's the road noise, the noisy plastic in the car interior or the link between the media player and the head unit. When I'm running around using my MP3 player, it's external noises, again, not the file format.
It seems as if the general population no longer cares about audio reproduction quality, the way most people used to.The general population never cared, never will. In the vinyl era, the general population used to reach in the LP jacket and just grab the record and slap it on the record player, and if they were using 45s they'd handle them like a handful of cards in gin rummy and browse through them until they found the one they wanted and stick that on the stack of records to play.

[Dusty Chalk]

I don't think that's entirely true. There are people in the world -- even though they can't tell the difference, they still want to believe they can, and for them it's a status symbol -- they want the latest and greatest. What's the expression, visible consumerism? Not that, but something consumption...

[Mikhael]

I've done a blind test between 16/44 and 24/96, and was able to tell the difference. There was more air or space to the sound, more separation, and the cymbals sounded more real. BUT, this was on well-recorded material, played back on studio monitors. I do agree the difference is subtle. I do stand by my statement about the lack of enthusiasm for high fidelity sound now, though. However, I think it's more due to the change in culture. Music used to be a passion amongst the youth. Most youth now see it as a background; you don't catch them buying a CD, going to their room, and reading the liner notes while paying close attention to the music all the way through the CD. It's hard to put my finger on, but the difference is there.

[Plasmatopia]

Conspicuous consumption.

[Dusty Chalk]

Conspicuous consumption.Thank you, that was bugging the snot out of me.

[Mikhael]

BTW, in a blind test between 24/96 and 24/192, even on studio monitors, I couldn't hear squat for a difference. I think you need bat ears to hear a difference there...

[Dusty Chalk]

Yeah, 24/96 is good enough for me. :D

[Dean Watson]

DSD sounds better than 24/96 IMHO.

[Dusty Chalk]

I like DSD a lot, too. Don't know if I like it better, as I have yet to find the same master of the same recording on both. But they're both hands-down better than CD-Res.

[rottersclub]

I just recently purchased an Oppo BDP-105 Blu Ray player, with excellent Sabre DACS, and just ripped all my CD's to a hard drive and can control the whole thing with my i-pad as a front end. Since then I've been downloading 24/96 or higher versions of albums, as well as DSD formats. What great sound I'm getting now.

Just wondered if anyone else has gone this route?

(Right now listening to Pat Metheny's 'Kin' in 24/96. Sounds amazing)

Hi Dean,

I was considering an earlier version of the "audiophile" Oppo a few years ago with the intent of getting into hi-rez audio. The two things that kept me from doing so were the lack of music that fits my tastes and the need for a music server to manage the user interface to play the files you want. When you say you are using your iPad, is it an app that Oppo has provided or is there something else? Also, if memory serves, iTunes doesn't support flac, right?

[Dean Watson]

There is now an oppo app. I have a 2 Terabyte drive attached to the back of the Oppo with all my music including hi-rez stuff. ( all my pictures are on there too ). The oppo app will start the player ( from off ) and allow you to browse through your directory structure to locate the music you want. It also displays the directories in alphabetical order and there is a little alphabet down the side, so if you'll looking to play, say, Pat Metheny, you'd press 'p' and it will take you to the start of all your artists starting with the letter 'P'. It's pretty cool.