I’m not a jazz guy. I’m more blues/rock and a mix of other genres, and this discussion and others in the forum, combined with recently upgrading my streaming / DAC hardware had me curious. I want to thank @waymanchen11 for the Ben Webster / HDTT recommendation. I had never heard of Webster and without this forum, he wouldn’t be on my radar.
I bought and downloaded the DSD256 and some “lesser” versions as well. It’s stunningly good! I also bought - haven’t yet set it up in my Roon library - the Miles Davis and I’m looking forward to hearing that too.
Thanks PS Audio forum members! My bank account doesn’t appreciate you, but I appreciate you.
I found another DSD256 goodie from HDTT. Beat the heck out of my DSD 64 version from AP. I have to go and listen to my Decca LP but I think it’s competitive.
@waymanchen11, I was curious about your experience with this DSD256 file from HDTT, so I’ve also taken a new listen to it in comparison to my DSD64 file from the SACD. In HDTT’s DSD256 file, I certainly hear the clearer sound you describe, and it does sound less warm and full (which you describe as “leaner”). But, I don’t hear the “more distorted” at all. In my system, this album sounds exceptionally clean, alive and dynamic. I simply don’t hear distorted. At the same time, I can imagine the more articulate sound from the sax (the breath through the reed) adds some raspiness that is not heard on the DSD64 file. But my take on this is that the DSD256 transfer is simply more transparent and resolving of the source tape.
I’m not trying to challenge your observations of what you hear in your system, but noting how it is interesting how we can hear different things from the same release out of different playback systems. FWIW, I also compared to the DXD master of this HDTT release. Same results.
Just Listen Records – Just adding to the suggestions here for some excellent sounding DSD256 files… Any of the recordings from Just Listen Records are remarkable and well worth hearing. With very rare exceptions, these are all recorded direct to DSD256 and released with no PCM processing. Jared Sacks is the recording engineer, and he is phenomenal. Of some particular interest for me are:
I see this is also available in DSD512. It’s not clear to me what the initial capture from analog tape was done for DSD. 64? 128? 256? Or direct to 512?
I did the comparison again and find the same conclusion. The 64 version is more at ease sounding with fuller more naturally textured instruments. The 256 version is clearer more present images, but the sax’s upper registers tend to thin and harden a bit at times which I felt was a bit distorted, The overall sound with the 256 version is more forward, and the edges on images for me was a bit too sharp, especially on “I’m An Old Cowhand.”
@waymanchen11 , thanks for taking the effort! This is interesting because I don’t hear on my system what you describe. I can only think that we are hearing differences the treatment of the signal processing by our respective DACs. You certainly hear excellent DSD256 results in other recordings, so perhaps there is something in this file that your DAC and my DAC process differently. And “I’m an Old Cowhand” is the principal track I was going back and forth with. All very interesting.
From “Other Information” tab at the NativeDSD site: “DSD 64 was done using dCS 905 and dCS Vivaldi clock, DSD 128 was done using Ayre QA9pro, DSD 256 and DSD 512 was done using Merging Technologies Horus with Signalyst EC modulators”
The Signalyst EC modulator will modulate the DSD256 to DSD512, so the transfer for the DSD256 file and for the DSD512 file were both made first to DSD256 using the Horus, then modulated to 512.
So might we specify what our systems are when we hear such differences? I’ve made comments. My path is jriver - aq diamond - matrix - aq mocha I2S - DSD - sunfire signature amp- Maggie 20.7. Maybe it helps give perspective or if those of us with similar systems hear certain things
Sure, good suggestion. My chain is: USB external drives for file storage >> NUC i5 as a server >> ethernet to NUC i5 Win10 music player running JRiver >> USB to Playback Designs MPD-8 DAC >> Blue Hawaii SE electrostatic headphone amplifier >> Stax 009S headphones.
You really shouldn’t worry too much about DSD512, according to Ted Smith, the ideal position for the best sound is between DSD 128 and 256. So I would forget about 512. Also it’s time to go and get a bigger hard drive if you’re running out of space, which is what I did.
I transfer DSD files from the computer to a usb flash drive and insert the usb into the universal player, so no shortage of space. Just the technical limitation on what type of files can be played.
And I 2nd what @aangen just said, lol.
