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Song that exposes - CD, SACD, Apple Music, Amazon HD - sound quality differences

GaryH

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That's why I can almost tell the difference between a OGG Vorbis and a FLAC.
No. 'Almost telling the difference' is nonsensical language. You either can or you can't. Your ABX result shows you're no better than guessing, so you can't.

I can definitely tell the different between MP3 320kbps's and FLAC's.
Then show us your ABX log.
 
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MasterApex

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I don't think Amazon Music HD is supported in HD on Apple TV. It defaults to compressed and I expect would show as 24/48.
Apple TV 4k does limit Amazon Music to 24/48; however the song itself is only 24/48k encoded in Amazon Music HD.
 
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MasterApex

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Like @sq225917 said, you/we have absolutely no idea what the various streaming services do to the original files. There is no guarantee of anything, letalone supposed superiority, or lack thereof. But, the same can be said of the CD.

Streaming is just a convenience thing, like FM radio. You just enjoy it, but don't take the sound quality remotely seriously. If you like the music enough, buy it on a proper physical format and keep it. Play it forever and never 'wonder' about its provenance.
Agree....I enjoy the songs whether streaming thru Apple TV 4k -> AVP OR Oppo 105 CD to Analog Pre-amp. During this holiday, I have extra time to experiment so was sharing what I found and was hoping others can share song/example that exposes this sound quality differences.

Just like I enjoy "sushi" from most sushi restaurant, I do have certain sushi restaurants where the sushi "source"/ preparation is better.
Food and Music are my passion so was sharing the higher quality observed.

There are some of us who care and spend extra resources to have have highly resolving speakers and room that is dedicated for stereo / music soundstage presentation. In such environment, the difference is obvious and will be appreciated by most audience.
 
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MasterApex

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You are doing all this through a apple TV and a AV receiver? Why?
I have multiple sources inputs to drive my stereo/multi-channels speakers system.
I use Apple TV to AVP because it provides easy access to many songs and to explore new ones before buying the disc; also use it for netlfix, hulu, etc.
I use Oppo 105D to play favorite songs from my collection of CD/SACD discs.
 
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MasterApex

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I have the SACD copy for this album, which has the same album cover as the Apple Music version, so maybe from the same master? They both sound great to me, so I would just enjoy the music and not worry too much about the differences, if any :).
Yesterday, a friend brought 3 version of disc: Original Prophrius CD, FIM CD and SACD. Not sure why (maybe dues to the poor master source), the SACD sounds the worse. I observed, there are many SACD whose source was just plain CD instead of the analog master or master originally recorded in DSD recorder. Perhaps you can try this FIM CD and check it out :)
 

BDWoody

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and thats why i dont like blind testing, you get so confused with close listening and switching back and forth that this will introduce errors (again, maybe thats just me...)

So, you've done controlled testing?

Doesn't sound like it went like you expected. Either that or you've just never bothered. It can seem confusing when formerly obvious, identifiable differences vanish.
 

restorer-john

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It can seem confusing when formerly obvious, identifiable differences vanish.

I read that initially as varnish. Must need glasses. :facepalm: I guess varnish does highlight the grain and cover up some imperfections.
 
D

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So, you've done controlled testing?

Doesn't sound like it went like you expected. Either that or you've just never bothered. It can seem confusing when formerly obvious, identifiable differences vanish.
yes i did, for example flac vs mp3 or absolute polarity blind testing but didnt get 10/10 for example, tho the difference remains obvious if test it like i said...

imo blind testing has the tendency to make things worse, SPECIALLY if people dont go objectivly to it and think from the start "there is no difference"

also a other thing is for example opamp rolling isnt a difference of like +3 db in mids (this is far more obvious, maybe even just +1db), specially if you dont know WHAT to listen for, the thing with cables/connectors/powercables/usbcables/opamps/capacitors/mainfilters/fuses and so on is, on their own they dont do much of a difference, you sometimes BARELY hear it (specially if the system is completly "unoptimized") but do like a few changes and those sound changes add up quickly to the point where it gets easier to actually hear further changes because you elimated the weak-links to begin with

i actually think the "this is science, there cant be changes like that, blindtesting faction" is actually fooling themself more than the "audiophile, your brain makes those changes up" faction but anyway, this will just end up in a discussion again :D so please dont bother x)
 

BDWoody

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the thing with cables/connectors/powercables/usbcables/opamps/capacitors/mainfilters/fuses and so on is, on their own they dont do much of a difference, you sometimes BARELY hear it (specially if the system is completly "unoptimized") but do like a few changes and those sound changes add up quickly to the point where it gets easier to actually hear further changes because you elimated the weak-links to begin with

It's just that there is no evidence of what you claim. Seems someone selling something could have managed one by now.

Fuses? Power cords? Come on now...
i actually think the "this is science, there cant be changes like that, blindtesting faction" is actually fooling themself more than the "audiophile, your brain makes those changes up" faction

That could certainly be true, but it shouldn't keep a 'believer' from demonstrating these changes, should it?

All that's needed is evidence.
 

Katji

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It is an age-old thing...striving for knowledge and understanding [science] to supersede illusion and magic and so on.
 
D

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It's just that there is no evidence of what you claim. Seems someone selling something could have managed one by now.

Fuses? Power cords? Come on now...
i should say that the power cords i use are actually "just" normal 2,5mm² with a ferrit layer under the isolation and a light shielding https://shop.proaudiogear.de/Eupen-EMC/COM-Ferrit-Filterkabel-3x1qmm-Meterware (and i didnt test like silver vs copper etc), because of a german forum,
there i also found "tourmaline" which improves things too (i made some chinch connectors with extended contacts filled with it).... yea it gets esoteric too :p

the difference is i dont try to sell :D (tho i would still like to open some minds for it...) i get your point but its hard to proof it unless you are here with my setup and A/B things because i cant be sure your setups can/will even show those issues, for example a bad chinchcable will probably easly mask other things/improvements (its kinda weak-link hunting)
 

TrevC

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That's why I can almost tell the difference between a OGG Vorbis and a FLAC. OGG Vorbis is a very good lossy codec. The top end of the Vorbis sounds a bit weaker than the FLAC but overall they sounded very similar.

I can definitely tell the different between MP3 320kbps's and FLAC's. Some of them have a sharp cut around 16khz while others barely reach it to 20khz.
At one time it was thought that stereo FM radio was good enough quality. Times change I suppose.
 

TrevC

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i should say that the power cords i use are actually "just" normal 2,5mm² with a ferrit layer under the isolation and a light shielding https://shop.proaudiogear.de/Eupen-EMC/COM-Ferrit-Filterkabel-3x1qmm-Meterware (and i didnt test like silver vs copper etc), because of a german forum,
there i also found "tourmaline" which improves things too (i made some chinch connectors with extended contacts filled with it).... yea it gets esoteric too :p

the difference is i dont try to sell :D (tho i would still like to open some minds for it...) i get your point but its hard to proof it unless you are here with my setup and A/B things because i cant be sure your setups can/will even show those issues, for example a bad chinchcable will probably easly mask other things/improvements (its kinda weak-link hunting)
I found a weak link in your argument. You think power leads affect performance when they don't.
 
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