A much more recent paper/study on differences between PCM at 24/192 versus DSD at 2.8 and 5.6 Mhz (single and double speed DSD respectively). http://www.aes.org/e-lib/browse.cfm?elib=17166&rndx=224452
Subjective Evaluation of High Resolution Recordings in PCM and DSD Audio Formats
Atsushi MARUI1 , Toru KAMEKAWA1 , Kazuhiko ENDO2 , and Erisa SATO Faculty of Music, Tokyo University of the Arts, 1-25-1 Senju, Adachi, Tokyo, 120-0034, Japan TEAC Corporation, 1-47 Ochiai, Tama, Tokyo, 206-8530, Japan Correspondence should be addressed to Atsushi MARUI ([email protected])
Presented at the 136th Convention 2014 April 26–29 Berlin, Germany
The study is a paired AB comparison. It puts PCM 192 against DSD 1X and 2X and DSD 1X against 2X. What makes it odd is that the raw results are not given, only the "p" factor or probability of chance. The test is one of preference, not whether the listeners could tell them apart to start.
The testing used speakers and two clock synced TASCAM players:
"Two TASCAM DA-3000 (from the same production lot with the same firmware version installed) were used for playback of all the stimuli. They were set to master- and slave-mode for playback synchronization. Hence, the same digital-to-analog converter was used for all stimuli played back. Outputs from DA-3000 were sent to a remote controllable monitor switcher (operates in analog domain) which enabled a listener to switch between one of the two playback sources.
Two loudspeakers were positioned in the standard stereo playback according to ITU-R BS.775 [6], with 2.70 m (≈ 8.86 feet) from the listening position (Figure 2). Two Genelec 1032A were used at Site A and Genelec 8050A were used at Site B. A stereo volume controller was installed as a precaution for loud noise exposure to human subjects. Because no loud noise was emitted by accident, the level was kept at constant level throughout the experiment. Esoteric C-02 preamplifier was used at Site A and Tomoca TCC-100ST was used at Site B for the volume controller."
ITU rooms are supposed to represent the typical living room we have. In reality it doesn't do that but is a standard configuration making it easier to compare one study to another performed in a similar room.
Here are the test results:
Can't understand this? It is OK. I don't think most people can . Essentially it says the smaller the value the more the listeners prefered the format on the left to the one on the right in that category of effect. First time I see such a comparison table so not sure how valid it is.
Here is their conclusion:
"The three formats were compared by 46 participants on six sound programs and eight attributes. From the result of binomial test applied on the data from pairwise comparison experiment, statistically significant differences between PCM and DSD but not between the two sampling frequencies (2.8 MHz and 5.6 MHz) of DSD.
[...] formats, stimuli having broad spectra and clear temporal transients (such as Vocal, Jazz Trio, and Piano) and attributes such as spatial width, spatial depth, timbral richness were able to be used to discriminate between DSD and PCM. Overall quality and preference showed similar tendency of in favor of DSD (5.6 MHz) over PCM (192 kHz/24 bit)."
Subjective Evaluation of High Resolution Recordings in PCM and DSD Audio Formats
Atsushi MARUI1 , Toru KAMEKAWA1 , Kazuhiko ENDO2 , and Erisa SATO Faculty of Music, Tokyo University of the Arts, 1-25-1 Senju, Adachi, Tokyo, 120-0034, Japan TEAC Corporation, 1-47 Ochiai, Tama, Tokyo, 206-8530, Japan Correspondence should be addressed to Atsushi MARUI ([email protected])
Presented at the 136th Convention 2014 April 26–29 Berlin, Germany
The study is a paired AB comparison. It puts PCM 192 against DSD 1X and 2X and DSD 1X against 2X. What makes it odd is that the raw results are not given, only the "p" factor or probability of chance. The test is one of preference, not whether the listeners could tell them apart to start.
The testing used speakers and two clock synced TASCAM players:
"Two TASCAM DA-3000 (from the same production lot with the same firmware version installed) were used for playback of all the stimuli. They were set to master- and slave-mode for playback synchronization. Hence, the same digital-to-analog converter was used for all stimuli played back. Outputs from DA-3000 were sent to a remote controllable monitor switcher (operates in analog domain) which enabled a listener to switch between one of the two playback sources.
Two loudspeakers were positioned in the standard stereo playback according to ITU-R BS.775 [6], with 2.70 m (≈ 8.86 feet) from the listening position (Figure 2). Two Genelec 1032A were used at Site A and Genelec 8050A were used at Site B. A stereo volume controller was installed as a precaution for loud noise exposure to human subjects. Because no loud noise was emitted by accident, the level was kept at constant level throughout the experiment. Esoteric C-02 preamplifier was used at Site A and Tomoca TCC-100ST was used at Site B for the volume controller."
ITU rooms are supposed to represent the typical living room we have. In reality it doesn't do that but is a standard configuration making it easier to compare one study to another performed in a similar room.
Here are the test results:
Can't understand this? It is OK. I don't think most people can . Essentially it says the smaller the value the more the listeners prefered the format on the left to the one on the right in that category of effect. First time I see such a comparison table so not sure how valid it is.
Here is their conclusion:
"The three formats were compared by 46 participants on six sound programs and eight attributes. From the result of binomial test applied on the data from pairwise comparison experiment, statistically significant differences between PCM and DSD but not between the two sampling frequencies (2.8 MHz and 5.6 MHz) of DSD.
[...] formats, stimuli having broad spectra and clear temporal transients (such as Vocal, Jazz Trio, and Piano) and attributes such as spatial width, spatial depth, timbral richness were able to be used to discriminate between DSD and PCM. Overall quality and preference showed similar tendency of in favor of DSD (5.6 MHz) over PCM (192 kHz/24 bit)."
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