Topic: DSD users, notice anything different?

[carlbeck]

I have had some time with my MR-1000 now, I have done 6 shows with it in all different venues. I have noticed something interesting & I wonder if anyone else has. My recordings seem to be so dynamic now, more so than ever before. I have a McIntosh amp & I can see the power meters swing from 10 watts to 100 in an instant. The recordings seem to be so much more lively & lightening fast. Honestly I first started noticing it in the bass & the way my woofers reacted, they were much faster. As I go through the recordings I can hear a greater swing of dynamics between my DSD recordings dithered down to 24/48 & my original masters recorded in 24/48. Now, I have no clue if it is in fact DSD or the AudioGate software but something has changed for the better, my assumption is that it is of course DSD. Regardless, I am pleased, very pleased & now I realize I may need a little more power  & some larger speakers in my playback system!

[Nick's Picks]

yup...
all of the above.  just better recordings across the board since I've started w/the Korg.

[TNJazz]

agreed

[bgalizio]

Did I make a mistake going with the R-09? Buyer's remorse, probably. Maybe I'll upgrade to a MR-1 eventually.

[TNJazz]

Did I make a mistake going with the R-09? Buyer's remorse, probably. Maybe I'll upgrade to a MR-1 eventually.

This is not the right thread to be asking that question.   

[bgalizio]

Did I make a mistake going with the R-09? Buyer's remorse, probably. Maybe I'll upgrade to a MR-1 eventually.

This is not the right thread to be asking that question.  

I know that! And I have listened to the DSD > PCM recordings and they do smoke. I am cautious to the fact that you cannot (cheaply) edit/play the DSD material. But, the conversion still sounds fantastic.

[JackoRoses]

Did I make a mistake going with the R-09? Buyer's remorse, probably. Maybe I'll upgrade to a MR-1 eventually.

I don't think you made a mistake. I kind of felt the same way as you with purchasing my p2, yet I justify it by beliveing there isn't a transport that can handle DSD itself yet and the only way to play back is through the korg or downsample/dither to a source current technology can process.
ie: 24 bit

Is DSD in my future? more than likely but I would like to see some form of transport (at a reasonable price ) come out that I can play DSD DVD discs back through.

I understand even the conversion to pcm is still great I just want to see a DSD player available so we can all listen without the recorder to play back on.

[TNJazz]

I just want to see a DSD player available so we can all listen without the recorder to play back on.

Tascam DV-RA1000HD

[carlbeck]

Honestly the signal isn't any hotter. Its the recordings that have more impact & better impact at a lower DB. I actually tend to turn these recordings up higher than all my others due to a lower noise floor.

[macdaddy]

m0k3 -- do you use that tascam unit in the field anymore..?

[JackoRoses]

I just want to see a DSD player available so we can all listen without the recorder to play back on.

Tascam DV-RA1000HD

you didn't finish my quote, "at a reasonable price"
I don't think the tascam comes into the reasonable playing field at 1600$ and up
Some may find it a reasonable price yet I do not in "my world"
Might as well just use the korg for playback as well.

[TNJazz]

I just want to see a DSD player available so we can all listen without the recorder to play back on.

Tascam DV-RA1000HD

you didn't finish my quote, "at a reasonable price"
I don't think the tascam comes into the reasonable playing field at 1600$ and up
Some may find it a reasonable price yet I do not in "my world"
Might as well just use the korg for playback as well.

Sure I did.  $1600 is VERY reasonable for DSD.  Price out a Sonoma system.  If $1600 is not in your "reasonable" price range then it's probably not your time to step up to DSD.  The Korg is "cheap" DSD, by comparison (even the big one).

[JackoRoses]

I just want to see a DSD player available so we can all listen without the recorder to play back on.

Tascam DV-RA1000HD

you didn't finish my quote, "at a reasonable price"
I don't think the tascam comes into the reasonable playing field at 1600$ and up
Some may find it a reasonable price yet I do not in "my world"
Might as well just use the korg for playback as well.

Sure I did.  $1600 is VERY reasonable for DSD.  Price out a Sonoma system.  If $1600 is not in your "reasonable" price range then it's probably not your time to step up to DSD.  The Korg is "cheap" DSD, by comparison (even the big one).

um which is what I stated above. in reply to bgalizio.
 How many DSD recordings have you done and what unit are you using? If you don't have one what is holding you back?
Also even if I wanted to spend the money on the DSD unit which I could right now if I felt the need I am not doing it. Why because I am waiting on units to become available at a affordable price so I can share my recordings with others. Hell as it is right now try sharing DVD-A's
half the people don't even own a dvd player that can play them yet.
none of my friends do because they have older DVD players that don't support the format.
They are not going to buy a new DVD player just because I gave them a handful of DVD-A's
Try asking someone what 24 bit is besides the people here.
I ran a poll on another forum and an option I put was what is 24 bit?
Over half the people chose that option and I don't think it was because they were being cute.
Obviously it wasn't scientific either, i'm just adding that in.
24 bit is not for everyone yet and DSD is on the fringe still. I really hope it takes off in the next year though and when more options for DSD recording as well as standalone playback become available I will move that way.
I digress though this isn't what this thread is about.

[carlbeck]

What this thread is about & what I will stand by is that DSD does sound better. I think it is worth the cost but I also feel you should also have a playback system that is at least equal to your recording rig if not better.

[Stagger]

Maybe I still don't get this... If you are listening to DSD>24bit or 24bit to 24 bit, you are still listening to 24bit. Basic stuff. Recordings are as good as the weakest link in the chain. Now there may be an element of noise shaping done in the A>D process that is preferable but this is not necessisarily an element of the DSD "sound". 24bit will only ever sound as good as 24bit. That the file has been noise shaped before the final conversion is not unique to DSD. I remember someone doing a blind demo for a bunch of gathered tapers with a DAT>CD and a DAT>MP3>CD on a fairly muddy tape and I think everyone in the room said the disc with the MP3 in it was the streight DAT>CD. Now if you listen to actual DSD>ANA and say that that sounds superior, I completely understand (and agree), but I have a tough time categoricaly stating that a DSD>24PCM is more dynamic or "faster" than 24PCM. I think most of the recordings I have heard sound a bit brighter but other than that, I can't pin a overall picture of the DSD>24bit sound.