TOP Format

1. master tape (15 ips) under close to ideal conditions.
2. 45 rpm or DTD vinyl
3. other vinyl
4. other high quality analog tape
5. ideal FM radio live broadcasts under optimum conditions
6. SACD
7. hard drive PCM digital masters
8. DVD-A/redbook
9. uncompressed HD movie soundtracks
10. MP3--ipod nano
11. normal FM Stereo radio with perfect reception
12.XM Satelite radio

pretty much the less the original information is 'mucked with' the better the level of musical satisfaction. it's no accident the top is analog and the bottom is digital.

Tvad, your comments....

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"Interesting to me how some have DVD-A so low on their lists. No confrontation intended here...I just find it interesting. Tom has DVD-A below CD. Mike has it equal to CD. Fascinating. I find DVD-A so superior to CD in my system that it's not even close. However, when I was playing DVD-A, it was on an APL Denon 3910. Perhaps the quality of the player contributed to my opinion of the format."

*****

my response....

my perspective about DVD-A is mostly a matter of my experience; and not anything definitive. i have limited experience with DVD-A.....and have found that many of the DVD-A's i have heard have a bit of a 'digital' signature. the DVD-A hardware is much less mature than the very best redbook.....particularly with the latest EMM Labs SE gear.

for me it comes down to the fact that i get the same level of musical experience with redbook that i have from DVD-A. i do think that 'in theory' DVD-A could be better than redbook though.

Gregm, 'great minds think alike'.

;>)

the magic of the live broadcast of FM radio is in the fact that the source is a live mic feed and not recorded music. even though it is bandwidth limited a live mic feed is obviously the ultimate electronic music source.

these live broadcasts are not only rare but for me impossible. living in the mountains is great; but i have a 4000 foot ridge between me and the FM towers here in the Seattle area.