Should I delete all my hi res (>44.1khz) files?

[Jas0_0]

They’re huge, take up lots of disk space, don’t play on some of my devices and apparently some might even sound worse than CD-quality files.

I couldn’t honestly say I can hear a difference but kept them “just in case”.

Should I just resample to 44.1 and then get rid of the 96/192 versions?

If so, should I resample to 16/44.1 or 24/44.1?

Thanks!

James

 

[voodooless]

Disk space is cheap, so that should not be a criterium. If some devices don't support it, just have resampled copies available. I would pick 24/48 actually.

 

[EdW]

Integer down conversion to 48k samples is likely to be better than a conversion to 44k1. I know some devices don’t support 96/24, for example Sonos. Sonos will not work with 96/24 but will work with 48/24 although I believe it treats it as 48/16.
Seems a shame to dispose of the 96/24 files though - I’d archive them off if possible.

 

[Vincent Kars]

In general I leave them as they are.
However, if the sample rate > 96 kHz, I always have a look at the spectrum using MusicScope
Often you see all kind of funny things like
- Big spike at 88 kHz, they recorded the refresh rate of a CRT monitor
- Tons of noise > 24 kHz rising to -60 dBFS, obvious some DSD converted to PCM without filtering
etc.

In these cases I down-sample.
I use the spectrum analyzer to decide
- musical live below -96 dBFS, use 24
- musical life up to X kHz, use sample rate 2X

Couple of examples: https://www.thewelltemperedcomputer.com/SW/AudioTools/Spectrum.htm

 

[Gorgonzola]

I have no present intention to down-convert my hi-rez files. As pointed out, disk storage is pretty cheap so unless you really need to put everything on, say, as small portable drive, there is no point to doing so. I don't have any DSD or MQA files so I don't need to make a decision in that regard.

I'd say it's another matter if you want to store a lot of music on a smartphone, especially if it doesn't accept large micro-SD cards. In that case you may want to create low-rez copies to put on the 'phone.

I'm not sure of the technical consequences, but if I need to down-convert 96KHz files I would go to 48kHz rather than 44.1kHz, (provided my DAC can decode 48kHz which almost all can).

 

[nimar]

X-post, https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...it-really-is-enough.19388/page-13#post-743270

Am not deleting hi-res content, but am downsampling to 16/44 16/48 on playback. Once you realise that's all you need, life is a lot easier. All of a sudden airplay is actually totally sufficient, and my ~7 year old DAC that was limited to 24/96 via USB is seen in a new light.

If space became an issue I might actually convert the files and delete the hi-res, currently its more of a time sink than its worth.

For music on my phone I use PlexAmp and resample to a lossy codec as its only ever played back via bluetooth so why waste the space when its going to get compressed in the last mile anyway.

 

[Frgirard]

They’re huge, take up lots of disk space, don’t play on some of my devices and apparently some might even sound worse than CD-quality files.

I couldn’t honestly say I can hear a difference but kept them “just in case”.

Should I just resample to 44.1 and then get rid of the 96/192 versions?

If so, should I resample to 16/44.1 or 24/44.1?

Thanks!

James

You can
https://gearspace.com/board/showpost.php?p=15405039&postcount=28

 

[Kegemusha]

To me CD quality and I have some ripped files at 24/48 or 96, that is the max I would/will use, above that I can't hear any difference.
Perhaps you can probably down sampled the ones you might listen most and keep the rest?

 

[Vincent Kars]

You can
https://gearspace.com/board/showpost.php?p=15405039&postcount=28

The jury is still out: https://www.aes.org/e-lib/browse.cfm?elib=18296

 

[Frgirard]

The AES is the white knight of the business.

A gift for you.

https://gearspace.com/board/music-computers/992969-88-2-96khz-vs-44-1-48khz-thread-end-them-all.html

 

[nimar]

The AES is the white knight of the business.

A gift for you.

https://gearspace.com/board/music-computers/992969-88-2-96khz-vs-44-1-48khz-thread-end-them-all.html

Hah, I came up with essentially the same analogy the other day

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-it-really-is-enough.19388/page-9#post-736039

 

[Frgirard]

Sometimes when i buy music on Bandcamp and there are only 24 88 or 96 kHz.

I wasted too much time testing the alleged difference in asio with sox mod2. Even between 16bit / 44 at 10:00 a.m. and 16bit / 44 at 5:00 p.m. I hear differences.
i use for all the wdm drivers in 16 bits /44 kHz with foobar.

 

[Vincent Kars]

What about: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/high-resolution-audio-does-it-matter.11/

 

[Frgirard]

I am devasted.

I posted your link on Gearslutz.

 

[Frgirard]

What about: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/high-resolution-audio-does-it-matter.11/

The "high resolution give an access to the master is dream" not a reality.

I am devasted another.

 

[Frgirard]

I am one of the CD hunters to remaster or master before 1995. Hunting difficult by scarcity.

 

[Vincent Kars]

Be as devastated as you like but observe Redbook is a compromise as well.

There has been struggles between Sony and Philips about the format.
Philips thought 14 bits enough (their first DAC’s are 14 bits), Sony won hence 16.
Likewise they struggled about 44.1 or 48.

IMHO, the audio CD was magic (compared with vinyl ) but if they would have had DVD tech at that time they probably would have settle for 24/96.
24/96 Overkill? A bit (imho)
Do we care? No, nobody is hurt by overkill.
Redbook underkill? Yes but ever so slightly (imho).
Anyway, you can also find a post on ASR somewhere stating our gear can resolve 120 db.
If your playback chain is quiet enough, you can.
Yep, you need 24 bit recording to do so.

 

[Vincent Kars]

master before 1995

You mean the recordings before the loudness war hits?
Right you are.

 

[Ron Texas]

96/24 or less I leave alone. Higher, I down-sample to 48/24. It's not possible for me to hear the difference and my Crown amp has a 48 Khz DSP anyway.

 

[q3cpma]

I downsample, just for the sake of consistency, storage, energy usage on less powerful devices and because Redbook is a perfect medium.