Your best DSD256

Jared Sacks has launched a new record label, Pella D’oca ("Goosebumps in Italian) with the first release being a stunning recording of Beethoven’s Violin Concerto with Kiek Baar and the Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra. It is “DSD Pure Direct” – mixed in the DSD domain with no PCM and no analog mixing. This is DSD256 in its most pure state. General release June 12, available now to NativeDSD members:

Stunning Release from Pelle D’oca and Jared Sacks in Pure DSD256

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When I try to purchase the two channel version in DSD256 it says it is unavailable.

General release is next week, June 12. Available now to NativeDSD members as pre-release.

Ah, maybe I should actually try logging in this time! :laughing:

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Came across this special offer from Native DSD for those interested:
** 50% off up to 10 albums plus a free AXPONA 2025 DSD Sampler **
Details here: nativedsd.com/axpona25
NativeDSD – Home to high-resolution DSD music, including Octave Records
Octave Records – PS Audio’s in-house label recording exclusively in DSD
Offer valid through June 30, 2025 end of day Pacific Standard Time
Hope forum members take advantage of this special offer! :grin: :+1:
(I have no connection to NativeDSD other than as a customer.)

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And, for those thinking of taking advantage of the offer mentioned by audio.bill in his post above, here’s an article listing a bunch of Pure DSD256 albums I’ve been listening to recently and think are very good:

Recent Finds No. 39 Mining Pure DSD256 Gold

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Thanks for sharing the special offer. I almost ordered a few with the smaller discount. I ended up spending more as a result of the 50%, :laughing:

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Paul how does this performance by Kiek Baar compare to Arabella Steinbacher’s performance of Beethoven’s Violin Concerto recorded in DXD32?
I downloaded the latter after reading your review and think it’s a remarkable performance with like like sound.

Arabella is strikingly good. I love her performance. Niek’s performance is also exceptionally good. But they are different. Niek plays with more nuance and subtlety, Arabella loves flair. The sound quality of Jared Sacks’ recording is better, imo. The balance is pure Jared magic, and the purity of the sound of the instruments is unmatched if you listen through a good DSD256 capable DAC. If you get the Niek Baar recording, I would be interested in your thoughts.

Of course, all this comes from someone with almost two dozen different performances because all are different. :wink:

Really appreciate the info! Just grabbed 9 albums at a great price. Three Octave Records releases (2 jazz plus one audiophile collection) plus 6 other jazz albums.

Bob

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Thanks for your impressions, very helpful.
I can’t compete, I only own 10 high resolution (DSD64 or greater) versions of Beethoven’s VC.


I found the expressiveness of Steinbacher’s performance to be exceptional. And I was pleasantly surprised that her label, Pentatone, used DXD32 as the edit master, which sounds way better than their usual 96/24.


In contrast Bert van der Wolf recorded Lisa Ferschtman performing the VC in DXD24. The presentation of the orchestra and violin is much more open and realistic than the Pentatone recording. Bert’s recordings have a very consistent sound


I have several Channel Classic “pure” DSD256 recordings which sound pretty terrific including Ning Feng’s Prokofiev’s VC #2. The sound is on par with Bert’s recordings.

It’s great that you’re bringing attention to high res recordings. I’ve found locally stored high res music consistently better sounding than streaming on Qobuz. Using the data format of the edit master will sound better if you have the tight dac. And DSD is the closest man made representation of an analog wave form.

Seeking out high res data formats is fun and rewarding, but the format is only a fraction of what makes for a great sounding recording. The recording engineer’s technique and equipment end to end is the biggest factor. I encourage readers to try out music from these small producers so they are encouraged to produce more great music.

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Excellent post, davidny! I agree with your observations and comments. A few additional items:

  1. Jared’s Channel Classic’s albums from the past 10 years are virtually all mastered in DXD in post using the Pyramix Digital Audio Workstation (DAW). As such, the are not “Pure DSD” even though they begin life as DSD256 trackings. The DSD256 resolutions are output from the DXD edit masters. This is why I so celebrate this new Niek Baar orchestral recording from Jared on his Pelle O’ca label. It is Pure DSD256 with no PCM processing. (Note: some of Jared’s earlier DSD64 records of chamber music may be Pure DSD via an analog mixer ahead of the A/D Converter. I haven’t researched that.)

  2. For those who have never compared a Pure DSD256 release to a DSD256 converted from a DXD edit master using the SAME microphone channel trackings, read Mixing in Pure DSD - No PCM Allowed. The article includes a link to download some sample files (HERE), courtesy of Eudora Records. You can make the comparison for yourself.

  3. As you note with Pentatone, most of their releases are from 96k or 192k recordings because it uses multiple contract recording engineers. A few record in DXD (e.g., Polyhymnia), but most are still working and mastering in lower resolutions.

  4. Only a few labels are releasing in Pure DSD because doing so is still hard, and time consuming. The ones I know of are our host PS Audio with Octave Records, Eudora Records, Just Listen Records, Hunnia Records, Outer Marker, APSoon Records, Cookie Marenco’s Blue Coast Records, and now Pelle D’Oca. Why go to all the trouble? It sounds better, and these recording engineers are willing to go that extra mile to release recordings that are truly special.

  5. Bert’s recordings are consistently excellent. He’s one of my favorite recording engineers beyond Jared. Others of exceptional talent with consistently excellent recordings: Gonzalo Noque (Eudora), Thomas Wolden (Lawo), Tom Peeters (Cobra), Dan Shores (Sono Luminus), Frans de Rond (Sound Liason).

Keep up support for high resolution recordings and downloads! :grinning_face:

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The article addressing mixing in DSD is a wonderful read. Thank you.

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Thanks, Elk. So good to receive such a nice comment about the article.

Here’s a nice interview of Bert van der Wolf outside on the Munich High End show that just ended. In it you will observe that Bert has been experimenting with digital recordings since the beginning (mid 1980’s) and the improvements in technology now allow us to hear the mic feed in our homes. But his comments on the experience and artistry of the recording engineer make all the difference between ok and great.

Lastly I’d love to hear his 9.1 surround recordings in his studio!

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2xHD Jazz Ballads. Indescribable..

It’s still not available.

Yep, looks like they’ve not yet unlocked the “members only” tag on it. Perhaps tomorrow.

It is available today.

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Hunnia Records releases albums in Pure DSD256, with some exceptionally good artists and excellent sound quality. Here’s a summary of eight of their albums that I’ve been enjoying recently.

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