Jean.Francois
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Hello,
Chiaroscuro is the new solo album by Brazilian pianist Paulo Braga, a major figure in Brazilian instrumental music with more than thirty years of collaboration with S o Paulo s musical avant-garde. In this project, Braga offers an intimate exploration of the piano through a profound dialogue with the work of composer Arrigo Barnab , interpreting a selection of waltzes adapted for solo piano.
Recorded in discrete immersive 3D audio by Gustavo Candido (from ADS Studio), the album is available in high-resolution multichannel formats as well as Dolby Atmos, offering an immersive listening experience in which the piano s nuances gain depth, presence, and definition. The sound design enhances the interplay of light and shadow “chiaroscuro” which gives the album its name and defines the aesthetic character of the music.
The album is available on NativeDSD.com in several formats, including DXD stereo, 5.1, and 5.1.4 in Dolby Atmos TrueHD.
For this review, you will find 5 versions tested:
Ed 1: DXD 5.1.4 – 2025
Ed 2: MKV Dolby Atmos TrueHD – 2025
Ed 3: Stereo 24 bis 192kHz – 2025
Ed 4: Stereo DSD64 – 2025
Ed 5: DSD64 5.1 – 2025
To access 5.1.4 playback, the MKV Dolby Digital version is the simplest and most universally compatible option to implement. It can be played directly through an AV receiver or a multichannel processor capable of decoding this format, without requiring any special configuration or dedicated hardware (see the details above regarding 5.1.4 Dolby Digital TrueHD playback in the Trio Callas Mozart_Brahms_Mehmari review). In a 5.1.4 setup, the artistic and spatial integrity of the original recording is largely preserved. Although a very slight loss of transparency and refinement may be noticeable compared to the DXD version particularly in terms of micro-detail and air this option still allows listeners to fully appreciate the outstanding 5.1.4 production and spatial mixing work of the album. It delivers a coherent and convincing immersive experience, accessible to a wide range of compatible home cinema systems.
The rendering of the stereo 24-bit, 176.4 kHz PCM version is very close to that of the DSD64 version. A very subtle difference can be observed in the upper end of the spectrum, with a slightly smoother sound for DSD64. However, this difference may vary depending on the processing applied within the DAC for DSD and PCM formats.
The graph below compares the spectrum of the Stereo DSD64 – 2025 (white curve) with the spectrum of the Stereo 24 bis 192kHz – 2025 (blue curve).The two spectral curves overlap perfectly up to 22 kHz. Beyond this frequency, the DSD64 spectrum curve (white curve) rises sharply. This high-frequency noise is inherent to the operating principle of DSD64.
Following the magnificent album by the Trio Callas, ADS Studio presents a new immersive recording with this album by Paulo Braga.
If you have the opportunity, it is highly recommended to listen to this album on a 5.1.4 system in order to fully appreciate the richness, depth, and immersive quality of this outstanding production.
Find all the samples in high resolution to listen to and compare the different versions, as well as all the analyses and measurements of each versions here (link).
Enjoy listening,
Jean-François
Chiaroscuro is the new solo album by Brazilian pianist Paulo Braga, a major figure in Brazilian instrumental music with more than thirty years of collaboration with S o Paulo s musical avant-garde. In this project, Braga offers an intimate exploration of the piano through a profound dialogue with the work of composer Arrigo Barnab , interpreting a selection of waltzes adapted for solo piano.
Recorded in discrete immersive 3D audio by Gustavo Candido (from ADS Studio), the album is available in high-resolution multichannel formats as well as Dolby Atmos, offering an immersive listening experience in which the piano s nuances gain depth, presence, and definition. The sound design enhances the interplay of light and shadow “chiaroscuro” which gives the album its name and defines the aesthetic character of the music.
The album is available on NativeDSD.com in several formats, including DXD stereo, 5.1, and 5.1.4 in Dolby Atmos TrueHD.
For this review, you will find 5 versions tested:
Ed 1: DXD 5.1.4 – 2025
Ed 2: MKV Dolby Atmos TrueHD – 2025
Ed 3: Stereo 24 bis 192kHz – 2025
Ed 4: Stereo DSD64 – 2025
Ed 5: DSD64 5.1 – 2025
To access 5.1.4 playback, the MKV Dolby Digital version is the simplest and most universally compatible option to implement. It can be played directly through an AV receiver or a multichannel processor capable of decoding this format, without requiring any special configuration or dedicated hardware (see the details above regarding 5.1.4 Dolby Digital TrueHD playback in the Trio Callas Mozart_Brahms_Mehmari review). In a 5.1.4 setup, the artistic and spatial integrity of the original recording is largely preserved. Although a very slight loss of transparency and refinement may be noticeable compared to the DXD version particularly in terms of micro-detail and air this option still allows listeners to fully appreciate the outstanding 5.1.4 production and spatial mixing work of the album. It delivers a coherent and convincing immersive experience, accessible to a wide range of compatible home cinema systems.
The rendering of the stereo 24-bit, 176.4 kHz PCM version is very close to that of the DSD64 version. A very subtle difference can be observed in the upper end of the spectrum, with a slightly smoother sound for DSD64. However, this difference may vary depending on the processing applied within the DAC for DSD and PCM formats.
The graph below compares the spectrum of the Stereo DSD64 – 2025 (white curve) with the spectrum of the Stereo 24 bis 192kHz – 2025 (blue curve).The two spectral curves overlap perfectly up to 22 kHz. Beyond this frequency, the DSD64 spectrum curve (white curve) rises sharply. This high-frequency noise is inherent to the operating principle of DSD64.
Following the magnificent album by the Trio Callas, ADS Studio presents a new immersive recording with this album by Paulo Braga.
If you have the opportunity, it is highly recommended to listen to this album on a 5.1.4 system in order to fully appreciate the richness, depth, and immersive quality of this outstanding production.
Find all the samples in high resolution to listen to and compare the different versions, as well as all the analyses and measurements of each versions here (link).
Enjoy listening,
Jean-François
