Upsampling, Can there be too much?


I've owned the Chord Mscaler for a year and loved it, but recently added two new components that have built in upsampling: The Aurender W20SE, and the Jay's Audio CDT3-MK3. I find the Mscaler works well with the Aurender's built in upsampling, but not the Jay's.

 

Conclusion: not upsampling the Jay's, and standard redbook 16-bit 44Khz to the Mscaler gives incredible 24-bit 705Khz to the Hugo TT2 DAC for finest sound.

 

With multiple upsamplers in a chain has anyone gotten static, popping, smearing, or any kind of distortion from too much upsampling?

128x128brandonhifi

Upsampling adds nothing but distortions. Some people enjoys added distortions! IME, once you hear a DAC with a high precision master clock, you would not feel the need for gimmicks like upsampling.

Perhaps, a blanket statement regarding up sampling is overly general.  Octave records has recently started mastering in DSD256, but prior to this they mastered in DSD64.  So, they have been upsampling the 64 to 256 and so far the reviews, to my surprise, are uniformly positive. 

@vonhelmholtz 

I hope you’re certainly not suggesting that results from consumer grade up-sampler is on par with mastering done in a professional studio? 

@vonhelmholtz

In this discussion, we are not talking about mastering in pro studio. My initial post was in context of upsampling at consumer grade level, which nets nothing; all that perceived detail is nothing but a form of distortion.

I do see your point, a DSD file professionally up sampled in a mastering studio probably carries more legitimate info across the spectrum. Personally, I prefer to listen files in its native resolution.