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Hi Resolution download - question on authencity of the files

Hello all,
I have never downloaded a hi-rez album till date.
I recently heard samples of Norah Jones Day Breaks album and was thinking of purchasing the hi-rez album via acousticsounds.com or hdtracks.com or prostudiomasters.com. Question is - are these REAL hi-rez files or are these just up-sampled CD version? Sorry if this is a dumb question, but I am currently listening to "Celtic Woman - A New Journey" and the recording on this CD is superb. I wondered how much the "quality" of such a nicely recorded album can be improved. Hence the question. I am not sure if the FLAC 96kHz/24bit version is a real one that I would be able to distinguish from a CD 16/44 version.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
128x128milpai
skoczylas's avatar
skoczylas
240 posts
 
Correct - the downloaded high res files are very etched sounding and hard to listen to. also they seem to lack bass. i purchased them all from known online companies. 

I use macbook - audirvanna - a rega dac and also a halide hd dac, to hegel h200 to tannoy hpd speakers or tekton lore s speakers.

the files i compared to my ripped cds to are: u2 joshua tree, u2 october, rem automatic for the people, rem document, miles davis kind of blue and two van morrison albums. 
erik_squires
15,662 posts
 
After a few high profile scandals, HD tracks claims they scan all their files to ensure you are getting what you pay for.

I'm coming to believe the difference in sound between CD and hi rez has more to do with players than with data.

Some modern DACs play CD much better, so there's little or no audible difference. Of course, many insist on saying that these DAC's are inferior becuase the high rez signals should sound better.  I'm not in that camp, but buy what you like. :)

Erik
erik_squires
15,662 posts
 
Also, I like the work of Blue Coast Records more than anything else right now. I encourage you to buy from them.

Best,

Erik
dbtom2
382 posts
 
@erik_squires 

I'm coming to believe the difference in sound between CD and hi rez has more to do with players than with data.

Upon first reading this it seems like an obvious conclusion, but after thinking about it, I understand and agree. 

At someone new and trying to educate myself on these technicalities, I assume it has to do with filtering?
erik_squires
15,662 posts
 
I wish I knew. I just think the latest crop of DAC's does such a very good job on Redbook files that I am not easily able to hear a difference.

Then I realised, what if the a DAC played redbook and hi-rez equally well. We would be forced to challenge our own biases and come to one of two conclusions:

1 - Previous DAC's were flawed and did not play Redbook well enough
2 - This DAC is flawed and doesn't play high rez well enough.

I'm starting to think 1 is more likely, since the DAC I'm listening to sounds better with all formats than previous gen at High rez. But this is all quite subjective and hard to prove at all.

I'm just wondering, if there were audible differences, if they really were the fault of the format, or if DAC's just had an easier time being musical at high rez.

Best,

Erik
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