Free multi-format comparison music

[amirm]

Free to download and listen, courtesy of Sound Liaison:

http://www.soundliaison.com/all-categories/6-compare-formats

Test your DAC! Free Format Comparison

Which format is best for your DAC?
Every DAC has it's own character, some sounds better using PCM files and some sounds better using DSD files...... Some people find the convenience of FLAC files more important.
Here on this page is a list containing 2 minutes of a song in 11 different formats.

The song is called 'A Fool For You' and is performed by Carmen Gomes Inc.
It’s taken from the album 'Carmen Sings The Blues'.

http://soundliaison.com/studio-showcase-series/276-carmen-gomes-sings-the-blues

All the different formats have the same source file, DXD 352kHz (Studio Master).
We used the AUL ConverteR 48x44 for the conversion to DSD and Wavelab for the conversion to the other PCM formats and FLAC.

When you compare different sample rates always start with the lowest resolution.
During listening don't focus too much, hearing is as individual as taste but hearing is also something which can be acquired, like the taste of good wine.

You can choose from the following formats:

1. DXD 352kHz
2. PCM 192kHz
3. PCM 176kHz
4. PCM 96kHz
5. PCM 44kHz
6. DSD 256
7. DSD 128
8. DSD 64
9 . FLAC 352kHz
10. FLAC 192kHz
11. FLAC 96kHz

 

[Blumlein 88]

The demo recording just streamed sound fabulous. A spaced pair of omni's done right sounds so good. I forget who the famous tonmeister is, but one of them had a saying, the only real microphone is an omni microphone. Only record with real microphones.

Upon trying to download the demo, I needed to register with them, which is okay. They would not accept a secure connection though. They need to fix that.

One other thing, which may or may not matter here, these same people had a similar thing available in the past. Using the same converter software. Each step down in sample rate had a .2 db drop in level. Maybe it doesn't apply here. Do check it and be careful of concluding you need DXD when maybe you only need to trim the level a bit.

 

[Thomas savage]

The demo recording just streamed sound fabulous. A spaced pair of omni's done right sounds so good. I forget who the famous tonmeister is, but one of them had a saying, the only real microphone is an omni microphone. Only record with real microphones.

Upon trying to download the demo, I needed to register with them, which is okay. They would not accept a secure connection though. They need to fix that.

One other thing, which may or may not matter here, these same people had a similar thing available in the past. Using the same converter software. Each step down in sample rate had a .2 db drop in level. Maybe it doesn't apply here. Do check it and be careful of concluding you need DXD when maybe you only need to trim the level a bit.

With space not being a premium and internet connections improving all the time I vote we just have DXD , the same DXD they edited the track in and be done with it.

If we then want to compress it into a smaller file size we can do that at home using what ever phycoacoustic filtering we like best.

Or is that just nuts?

 

[Blumlein 88]

With space not being a premium and internet connections improving all the time I vote we just have DXD , the same DXD they edited the track in and be done with it.

If we then want to compress it into a smaller file size we can do that at home using what ever phycoacoustic filtering we like best.

Or is that just nuts?

No I agree fully. Though DXD is getting close making me disagree. A general principle is I want to hear it in the native format, and the native format it was mastered in. In this case the cost for DXD isn't all that much higher. Getting that and resampling to suit my needs is what I do with such offerings.

Now done well downsampling is not a problem. However it is not done well at all times. Not only that, quite a bit of pro DAW software has built in resampling which is actually quite pitiful. Not at all modern. iZotope or even Sox seems transparent to me. Most others are not, and yes I mean blind I can hear them. Some types of processing also up or down sample some of the effects. The result is a little different depending upon which sample rate you work from as a base. So that is another reason to go with the highest one if that is the native rate.

I do think there is simply nothing whatsoever that can be gained by humans above 96 khz. Some processing if reverb and other effects are used however still comes out differently. In some of these you can pick the upsampling amount done upon the effect. The effect is processed after being upsampled and then downsampled back to the base rate.

 

[Cosmik]

A spaced pair of omni's done right sounds so good. I forget who the famous tonmeister is, but one of them had a saying, the only real microphone is an omni microphone. Only record with real microphones.

Interesting... Another reason why digital is best.

Mastering For Vinyl
For minimalist recordings, you want to try and minimize large phase differences between channels... This means that spaced omnis are really not such a good idea if you can avoid them.

 

[diegooo1972]

I have a huge drop in volume with dsd. I mean something like to turn the knob of volume down 25%.
I have scarlett 2i4 and playing with foobar.
With enhanced spectrum analyzer I have -22db with dsd and -15db with PCM.
Is this normal ? Driver related ? Foobar related ?
Haven't noticed that before.
I'm sure i'm missing something obvious and you are going to kidding me but I try anyway.
Anyway beautiful music that fits perfect in my sunday morning.

 

[sajunky]

I have a huge drop in volume with dsd. I mean something like to turn the knob of volume down 25%.
I have scarlett 2i4 and playing with foobar.
With enhanced spectrum analyzer I have -22db with dsd and -15db with PCM.
Is this normal ? Driver related ? Foobar related ?
Haven't noticed that before.
I'm sure i'm missing something obvious and you are going to kidding me but I try anyway.
Anyway beautiful music that fits perfect in my sunday morning.

You may have foobar converting to PCM either on the SACD configuration page or by enabling DSD Processor (more likely and this looks buggy for me). The other plugins (you mentioned ESA) can do conversion as well. Also make sure you have selected WASAPI / ASIO output, not a default DS (Direct Sound) and volume control in Windows control panel is set to 100% and exclusive mode is enabled.

On properly configured Foobar for playing DSD files (Topping D30) I have no volume control on the foobar, unless a driver allows it by setting up volume on the device itself (it can be a case of different DAC). Also visualisation windows are empty, unless DSD+PCM option is selected on the SACD configuration panel. It allows Foobar additionally convert to PCM for the purpose of visualisation. However I don't use this option, as I found that Foobar leaks this signal back to the Windows. Below are links to the basic tutorial and SACD configuration:
https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/digital/pc-software/foobar-2000-for-dummies/
https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.co...-part-3-new-experimental-sacd-plugin-v-0-9-x/

 

[diegooo1972]

Thanks.
I tried every possible configuration there but still unsuccesful.
I think asio driver with scarlet don't support dsd and the other way have this huge drop in volume.
I'll investigate that later.
SCarlett sounds great and I was not sure to buy the topping d70. Now I have another reason I think.
I really like it. Let's say I have another excuse...

 

[Buster]

These files are very useful. Thanks for posting.

 

[Buster]

I wanted to download the 2L sampler, http://www.2l.no/hires/ as well but I get this message;

Dear valued customer!
Klicktrack has been shut down, and it will no longer be possible to purchase from our site or download previously purchased products.
We have been very grateful for your continued support.

Kjære kunde!
Klicktrack er lagt ned og og kjøp av produkter samt nedlasting av tidligere kjøpte produkt, er dessverre ikke lenger mulig.
Takk for følget!

 

[Buster]

I figured it out. You have to click on the format you want and then when it plays you can down load the file by right clicking. Impressive test files these from 2L.

 

[Buster]

Thanks to Amir, a new cleaner updated version is now available with 24 bit as well as 32 bit files.