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In the Forum: Didital Things
In the Thread: The High Resolution PCM files business, where?

Post Subject: The High Resolution PCM files business, where?Posted by Romy the Cat on: 9/29/2009

I do not regularly buy High Resolution files and most of my High Resolution files are my own FM recordings or something that was given to me by other people. I bought no more two dozens of Hi-Res files in past and it was about it. I do not actively looking for Hi-res files out there and each time when I decided to check out what is available (once a few month) I have the same unpleasant feeling.

The DAW business look like booming and each day brings new Hi-Res DACs but I wonder what the hell those people play from their DAWs? There are a few companies that make PCM Hi-Res files available. Each of them have very limited amount of good titles and those titles are well known for years, we all get to use to them. How many times you can listen the RR’s Symphonic Dances and who cares that nowadays it is in 176K if the interpretation itself is far from “ultimate”?

I would not even mention that some 176K or 88K files sound like upsampled 16 bit files, or bad conversion from SACD. I know a person who runs output of his CD player to $200-worth consumer grade 176K sound card and promote the files as digital masters. I wonder I am a resaler of Hi-Res PCM files and if I sale 44K, 48K, 88K, 96K, 176K and 192K file of the same performance then how do you feel those “masters” at different sampling rate are made? It is highly possible that resaler buy from the studio a few licenses for 96K and hen just cut from it any format you wish. I am sure the do not go from 48x to 44x conversion via a file A/D-D/D circle but juts run DSP and fell that it is how it shall be done.

So, I wonder – where to buy 176K or 88K PCM files that would have any more or less assurance that the files are not repackaged garbage able to satisfy just idiots of audio-reviewing level? The post important – what the hell the studios that record new music in PCM 176K or 88K PCM? The Hi-Res PCM is around form beginning of 90s – what are all recordings? Is the fear of piracy the only thing that forces the studios to record in the stupid SACD format?

What BSO did with their 88K files was exemplary but it was in a way unique. Is anybody else doing the same?

The Cat

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