Best sounding CD ever? Best sounding recordings? Best HiFi albums for audiophiles? Best hi-res albums?

Music
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the best sounding CD is the one that takes you straight on a musical journey and makes you forget you wanted to hear your system

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Why would one listen to a system?
If one does not feed it with music, it is a heap of useless scrap.

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Or fine furniture.

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Hi Guys, some consolation. For DSD512 you need a serious USB DAC, but up to DSD256 you can cope with a (USB DAC) like iFi ZENDac @approx 150-200 dollars.
Only with USB (2.0 is very ok) you can replay DSD and high PCM formats.

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Hi Hans

I think you intended to post in this tread:

By the way: What would be a serious USB DAC in your opinion?

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Hi Rick,
With regard to ‘serious USB DAC’, I believe that you need to look at (depending on taste) the likes of Chord Hugo, iFi audio IDSD pro, or (what I use) the TEAC 505 series. I like the neutrality of the TEAC.Chord users generally frown upon TEAC, but I believe that Chord is a bit more pronounced in sound.
Next you need to determine the actual functionalities.

  • What connections do you need
  • Balanced versus single ended
  • Streaming function with or without
  • Headphone amp included and if so balanced or single ended?
  • Pre-amp function
  • Balanced design (power + two dacs)
  • upsampling by DAC?
  • filtering options
  • budget!

My choice was:
TEAC UD-505 (no streaming because I use Roon, but DAC with balanced headphone amp)
as a DAC it is outperformed by the other two examples so I added the CG-10M master clock to bring it at a higher level. Over USB it plays PCM up to 768K / 32 bit (theoretical since I have never ever seen an album in that quality for sale) and DSD512 (I own one Patricia Barber album in that quality; very pure indeed).
I tend to buy DSD256 albums once in a while because the difference with 512 is not huge, the download file is half the size, and the price is lower. Check NativeDSD.com
Also, this format can also be played by cheap(er) USB DACs like iFi ZEN etc. I use that in my office, but you need stable & fast WiFi or a cabled network connection.

The iFi IDSD also plays DSD1024.

  • I have only seen Patricia Barber on that quality level
  • the album’s file size is approx 60 GB (1.5 times a 4K movie!)
  • price comparable with a 180 grams vinyl remastered special edition album.
    If you have a 1 Gb glass fibre download speed you might consider this. USB from Roon core to DAC only, this is only streamable over WiFi 6.
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THX Hans

I had a closer look at NativeDSD - Oh many different formats. FLAC, DXD and DSD fs. DXD is new to me.

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Hi Rick,
DXD is the now popular recording format because it is a hybrid betwen DSD and PCM. DSD can hardly or not be edited and PCM sounds a bit harsher. DXD enables some editing before saving to DSD.

As to smartphone/laptop USB DACs… (sigh…a compromise, dilemma, etc.)

Regrettably (or consciously) I

  1. Origionally bought a Dragonfly Cobalt; works good wit a laptop + single ended headphones (works well with my Sennheiser HD 560s); nice sound and copes with signals up to 24/192.
  2. For my Samsung smartphone I use a THX Onyx which has a great amp. Not so musical as the Cobalt., but works great wit my Androind app USB audio player PRO. Options are a bit ‘Roonish’.
  3. Just when I want to use my Sennheiser HD 660s (balanced) I use the FiiO KA3 USB stick which has a 3.5mm as well as a 4.4 mm Pentacon balanced connection.
    Saying the there is never one solution…
    Good news is that all these componets are afordable for the common man.
    Regards,
    Hans
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THX for your comments Hans. Have you tried FiiO KA3 USB stick with an iPhone?

PS: Just bought “Polarity: An Acoustic Jazz Project” - DSD 256 = 9,25 GB

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DXD is high resolution PCM that is often used in the making of DSD content. See this for details.

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I only own a Samsung Note 20, so my answer is no I have not.
KA3 is quite low budget, but will drive my balanced Sennheiser 660s.

P.s. enjoy your DSD purchase!

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Hi Rick,
How does your new Jazz album in DSD256 sound?
Kind regards,
Hans

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Just great Hans :slight_smile: Have a nice WE :slight_smile:

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A few CDs have stuck in my memory as being particularly well-mastered.
ABC-Beauty Stab
Sting-Nothing Like the Sun
Joe Jackson-Night and Day
Peter Gabriel-So
Talking Heads-Burning Down the House
Lyle Lovett-Joshua Judges Ruth
KD Lang-Shadowland
Neil Young- Freedom
Prefab Sprout- Steve McQueen/Two Wheels Good
Suzanne Vega-Days of Open Hand
Chris Isaak-Hêart Shaped World
Little Feat-Feats Don’t Fail Me Now

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Note: I’m referring to the Audio Fidelity SACD/CD but the original CD release is also good.
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A really great sounding multichannel DVD-A disc

image

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