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Topic: 24 bit downsampled to 16 bit vs CD (Read 3182 times) previous topic - next topic
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24 bit downsampled to 16 bit vs CD

I was wondering if downsampling a 24 bit song (from HD tracks) to 16 bit will sound better than the CD rip of the same song (at 16 bit too). Or at least less loud/squashed. Will it make any difference at all?

Re: 24 bit downsampled to 16 bit vs CD

Reply #1
It could be better, worse or exactly the same depending on the quality of the source you are converting and the source used to make the CD.


Re: 24 bit downsampled to 16 bit vs CD

Reply #3
Also keep in mind that it certainly won't have any audible difference from the original 24 bit song. (unless a few unlikely conditions are met all at the same time; one of them is not using any dithering)
That's because 16 bits are actually a lot for our ears. So, the fact that the version from HDtracks is 24 bit is irrelevant here (for listening purposes).
This essentially boils down to comparing 2 records which are made from unknown sources.

If you don't already have them, check out http://dr.loudness-war.info — if there are DR differences and one of them is lower than 8, then there's a good chance there are in fact audible differences.
a fan of AutoEq + Meier Crossfeed

Re: 24 bit downsampled to 16 bit vs CD

Reply #4
You will have to increase your playback volume substantially for there to be *any* audible difference due to not using dither. With source formats that self-dither (analog tape and especially vinyl) there is zero need for dithering.

Re: 24 bit downsampled to 16 bit vs CD

Reply #5
Yes. That's why I wrote "unless a few unlikely conditions are met all at the same time".
a fan of AutoEq + Meier Crossfeed


Re: 24 bit downsampled to 16 bit vs CD

Reply #7
Sorry. Thought these are relatively well known.
a fan of AutoEq + Meier Crossfeed


 

Re: 24 bit downsampled to 16 bit vs CD

Reply #9
I was wondering if downsampling a 24 bit song (from HD tracks) to 16 bit will sound better than the CD rip of the same song (at 16 bit too). Or at least less loud/squashed. Will it make any difference at all?



The OP seems to be asking  either:

1) does audio released as  'HD' mean the audio will be less 'squashed' (reduced in dynamic range) than CD?

the answer is:  not necessarily.  Every case has to be checked.

2) would downconverting HD to 16bit somehow correct 'squashing' of the 24-bit audio source? 

The answer is: no.



Re: 24 bit downsampled to 16 bit vs CD

Reply #10
I was wondering if downsampling a 24 bit song (from HD tracks) to 16 bit will sound better than the CD rip of the same song (at 16 bit too). Or at least less loud/squashed. Will it make any difference at all?
Isn't HD Tracks about using a better master of the albums they offer? If true, then yes, it will sound better. However, this isn't due to 24bit vs 16bit. It's due to the better source material HD Tracks receives. If the CD release of an album used the same master as HD Tracks, it would also sound better.

Personally, I cannot hear any difference whatsoever between 24bit and a 16bit conversion of the 24bit source, regardless of volume or listening equipment or conversion method (dither vs simple truncation.) If my ears aren't good enough and there is a perceivable quality difference, I would say it's not the major factor here. The mastering is the bigger factor.

Re: 24 bit downsampled to 16 bit vs CD

Reply #11
I was wondering if downsampling a 24 bit song (from HD tracks) to 16 bit will sound better than the CD rip of the same song (at 16 bit too). Or at least less loud/squashed. Will it make any difference at all?
Isn't HD Tracks about using a better master of the albums they offer? If true, then yes, it will sound better.
It's a lottery. There were a lot of cases (perhaps even the majority) when the same as CD or inferior master was used on HDTracks and similar sites.
One needs to search the DR database in the hope that someone already bought the record and uploaded the measurement.
a fan of AutoEq + Meier Crossfeed


Re: 24 bit downsampled to 16 bit vs CD

Reply #13
If they don't let the buyer know in advance that there are watermarks, it's a pure scam.
Hopefully it will eventually be easy enough to detect the presence of these watermarks using some free software, and if enough people boycott them, they will have to stop.
a fan of AutoEq + Meier Crossfeed