hi res audio vs high dynamic range (audiolab m-dac in use)

[ontheline]

ok my cd collection consists of first pressing cd's (mostly pre 1995 music) where the dynamic range was as good on cd as it was on vinyl. I rip my tunes from the hdr cd's into itunes and play them through the audiolab mdac with grago sr325es headphones. Now i was tempted to buy hi res files as i am limited to only 24bit/96.0kHz but from the dynamic range database i noticed alot of the hi res audio files are poor in dynamic range. Is music with high dynamic range not generally better than low dr so how can a lower dr file sound better than my rippied wav hdr files from my cd's? would i hear a difference upgrading my usb on my mdac to a coaxial so i can play those supposedely better quality tunes even although the dr is pretty bad on some of them?

 

[davedotco]

Hi-res audio is, mostly, a con, pretty much on every level.

If the hi-res files do genuinely sound better than the regular CD resolution files it is almost certainly down to the differences in mastering, not 'higher' resolution. The 'better' mastered product would sound just as good on CD as it does on the hi-res downloads.

Many files sold as hi-res are no such thing, some are simply upsampled from CDs, others are from old analogue recordings, there are cons everywhere.

Be very wary.

 

[Andrewjvt]

Quality master over resolution anyday. But id rather have both together.

Its the same with xbox one. They push it to 1080p resolution only for weaker graphics in the art department.