With my DAC, I prefer to play the format in which the album was mastered. So with Sound Liaison files, this means PCM 352.8 for most of their releases. If I can get the 352.8/32bit rather than 24bit, even a bit better.
Sound Liaison’s website sells the 32bit files in addition to the 24bit. They are WAV rather than FLAC since Flac does not support 32bit. NativeDSD is beginning to include the 32bit formats with some new releases, but not all.
But note, some DACs will be happier playing the album as a DSD file. Results will depend on the way the DAC processes the digital data stream. One just has to experiment to see which format sounds better with a given DAC.
A Pure DSD256 recording by Eudora recording engineer Gonzalo Noqué using Sonodore LDM-54 microphones. With a single microphone per channel and no mixing, this recording captures some of the best and most natural sound from this 1957 Model D Steinway & Sons grand piano that you are likely to hear. This was recorded in the very nice acoustic of the Auditorio de Zaragoza, Sala Mozart, Zaragoza, Spain, this past February 27 - March 1, 2023. Available for download from NativeDSD, here.
Spanish pianist Noelia Rodiles is a remarkable talent. Her performance on this album of Schubert’s Moments Musicaux, D.780 is among the best I know of in the catalog - amongst fierce competition. The Allú is a first recording of his Sonata and is very interesting and enjoyable.
Gonzalo Noqué at Eudora Records! Gonzalo has made some excellent Pure DSD256 recordings over the past several years, but this is perhaps his best recording to date. Two things have changed over the years: 1) the addition of his Sonodore LDM-54 microphones, which are remarkable, and 2) recording in the Auditorio de San Francisco, Ávila, with its very open and supportive natural acoustic. In Cartografía del Mar , Gonzalo has simply nailed the sonics. Plus we have two outstanding musicians on guitar and flute that will simply knock your socks off. My review, with further comments, is here.
I have found a new DSD256 recording of a double bass and piano from Native DSD that has incredible realism with the organic feel and density of the best vinyl. The transient twang and bottom end extension of the double bass is truly remarkable! It’s really hard to capture the essence and overtones of a live piano. This recording does a outstanding job on capturing the attack on the sounding board and the expanding resonance of a real piano really well. It is my latest new DSD256 reference. The other thing is, my MK2 with the Massive update makes the best recordings better than my digital system has ever sounded!
The compositions of A Drum Thing materials is contributed mainly by a bunch of drummers. Originally recorded in DXD, but I can attest the DSD 256 version is beyond reproach.
Another recording I just got by the same artists is (Crescent) “Album of the year” also has beautifully recorded music of the same artist playing a doulbe bass and a piano. The quality of the recording just makes the music that much more engaging! It’s really like have a couple of live musicians in my room. I can really feel the growl of the lower bass from the double bass instrument in my guts, it’s that clean and powerful, and the piano playing behind the bass is so lifelike!
The albums Atzko Kohashi and Tony Overwater have made with Sound Liaison are indeed excellent. FWIW, I’ve been listening to the 32-bit 352.8kHz releases. If you can, try one in this original “edit master” format.
I don’t mind trying the 32-bit version, but unfortunitly Native DSD does not have the option to download both formats with a single purchase, unlike HDTT. I generally perfer DSD over DXD with releases from HDTT because I find DSD has I feel a slightly smoother sound to it. Reguardless, the DSD 256 versions do not have me wanting for better.
This seems like the right place to ask - has anyone listened to the DSD256 release of Santana’s Lotus? I can’t seem to find reviews about it online, just press coverage about it being the first offering from Sony.
Likewise, the same question for any of the DSD256 files from Stereo Sound? No info about these online either. I actually bought a few of these: The Royal Ballet (Ansermet), Dvorak Symphony No. 9 (Kertesz/VPO), Planets (Mehta/LAPO), and Bach Suites For Unaccompanied Cello (Janos Starker). Just waiting on a blu ray drive to copy the files onto my SSD but thought I’d ask.
Utter transparency. Abundant detail. Extreme delicacy and nuance. A soundstage to die for. Unrestrained dynamics and immense power. This is a recording to cherish, a recording to celebrate… This Pure DSD256 album from Gonzalo Noque and Eudora Records is a tour de force of orchestral recording magic. Don’t let anyone tell you a full commercial recording in Pure DSD256 is not possible. Here it is.
My review with free sample download of the Pure DSD256 file (track 4, the first movement of Nights in the Gardens of Spain) is available here.
Hmm, at 39 seconds into all the tracks my DS MkII starts crackling. DSD256. @tedsmith, could you take a look at the free track Rushton has a link to in his review page? I’m running 233-Massive.
HI @tony22, I saw your note about the crackling you’re experiencing, so I pulled out and played the first minute of both the DXD and DSD256 sample files that I’d downloaded from the Positive Feedback links. I can’t replicate here what you are hearing, but I’m using a different DAC.
@scotte1, there may be an SACD on offer through some source, but it will not be the same mix/mastering. It will come from the PCM edited master. If you can play a file, get the DSD64 file from NativeDSD and it will sound better than the SACD even though both are at the same resolution.
The official release is a week from now. NativeDSD is able to make a pre-official-release-date release. So don’t bother searching for the SACD just yet. Wait until after next week to look around.
