Novices who like music, are music listeners, and enjoy music are capable of telling the difference and can immediately appreciate high quality sound reproduction. But like any other hobby, as Sjpin similarly points out, it's one thing to know it exists to like it and another to pursue and engage in it.
Can even a Novice hear differences in Sound Qualit
Just wanted to relate an experience I recently had with a friend of mine. Those that have read my Threads before, have heard me wax enthusiastically about a DIANA KRALL-The Look of Love-DVD Audio Disk. The Recording has a Multi-Channel Surround Sound version Recorded in 24-bit/96 kHz. The Disk is being played through a Pioneer DV-58AV Universal Player, connected to a SpaceTechLab A-102 Vacuum Tube Headphone Amp, Driving a pair of Grado RS-1 Headphones. Only having 2-Channel capability, the Pioneer can Downmix the Multi-Channel version to two. A 65 year old friend of mind, not an Audiophile with limited hearing, was given a chance to listen to this Recording. His jaw had dropped to the floor. After listening for five minutes, he took the Headphones off and said "why don't they make all of them sound as good"? This Man was unimpressed with the multiple 2-Channel SACD/2-Channel Hi-Rez DVD-Audio Disks that he has heard on this Pioneer. The only thing that I can say is "out of the mouth of Babes...."! Sorry to keep harping on the point, but I believe that this is the only solution to the lack of Harmonic Content on all 2-Channel Digital Recordings, no matter the sampling rate. I also believe that it is the only solution to closing the gap of Harmonic Content between Analog and Digital, minus the ticks and pops. It would be a damn shame to lose it!