I thought that AAC-LC limits higher frequencies, but that is not the case.

Hi Peter,
The CD was ripped with a Plextor PX-L890UE as I'm used to.

When we are looking to the peaks of the upper channel, it looks nearly identical. Both copies shows a frequency cut a 20KHz, and that should not be at the Itunes copy, it should be at lower frequencies, or not?

I made cuts with two different resolutions at the marked peak of the upper channel. See CD picture above.

Joachim

I made a comparison and the result can save us some money, at least with the newer releases/records on iTunes.
I bought the Fourplay album "Esprit De Four" at Itunes and as a CD. The Itunes m4a copy was converted with the internal Itunes converter from dBpoweramp, and the CD was ripped via dBpoweramp, latest version.

You see both tracks loaded in iZotope RX 3, and the graphic shows no difference.
The SQ was nearly identical except in the end of the track the cymbals on the Itunes copy were lacking in resolution.

Joachim

Hi,

I’m a little bit late for the following question.
Did anyone compare the (with dBpoweramp) regenerated WAV file from a m4a with the ORIGINAL WAV from a CD.
The sizes of both WAV files have nearly identical values – but the SQ?

Thanx
Joachim

Enthogenic The seagull is running flying for the fourth time. Amazing!

Edit: I hear three 3D rooms, left (was not emphasized very often), center and right. The mixing is quite ok.

Hi Peter,
got the files and WOW, what a 3D effect. Never heard it such like that.
I'm comming from the Jazz side and the melody of the tracks from Tau Kita and Enthogenic are very intuitive and logical. Nothing unusaul for me.
The seagull flies under the ceiling in the outermost right side in my room at the end of the tune.

The track from Shpongle has in the end a very deep bass, and in appr. the middle of that tune the sound is extremly room filling to just outside of the speaker vertical plane. Room filling.

This a very good tracks for a demonstration. In your big room the sound must be overwhelming.

Thanx for the files. I have to go and listen again!!

Joachim

Hi Peter,

what a reply!

The links of the music titles were meant for a comparison between W7 and W8 only, not for an evaluation of the recordings itself. I concede that this titles are not the best samples in terms of quality, but nothing better came in my mind for a link at Amazon.

The Stanley Clarke title highlights the dynamic range of the cymbals as hearing in live concerts of Jazz Trios or Quartets. With W8 the cymbals are in the foreground, and with W7 the cymbals are not the major instruments anymore.

On my system (with W8) the hittings to the cymbals on track 2 are very good to hear as per your comment. The replay of the bass drum and Toms Toms are very poor on that track.

I do hear music at a SPL's well below 80dBA (at the listening position) most of the time. Higher SPL's as you are used to, very seldom.

My speakers are from YG Acoustics and the amplification is a NORMA integrated. The integrated has a frequency response up  1.8MHz, and that is the trick. I hear details as never before. The voices are amazing.

If the effort is not to big it would be nice to receive your two samples.

kind regards

Joachim

Hi Peter,

My computer system was not changed for appr. 3 years and I did not change much of the settings with the different releases. The RAM disk (VSuite Ramdisk Server edition) and the USB3 card (with a NEC chipset) are not favouring the SQ on my system.
After a two day session with W7 again, the clear winner is after all W8.
With W7 the system is losing much of the room image (3D sound stage) and less bass and highs.
The drums/cymbals have on W8 a very life like tonal balance, what I prefer.
A good test record for the 3D image is :
http://www.amazon.com/Tenderness-Al-Jarreau/dp/B000002MMU/ref=sr_1_12_title_1_aud?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1391768033&sr=1-12&keywords=al+jarreau

Tonal balance of drums, title 2:
http://www.amazon.com/Jazz-Garden-Stanley-Clarke/dp/B001VFM0QU/ref=sr_1_8?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1391768160&sr=1-8&keywords=stanley+clarke

The release 1.186 is magical with W8 on my system.

Joachim

Hi Peter,

An interesting article to read.

Even a 5mm of speaker movement will/might have a severe impact of the SQ. Overall, it is a "trial and error" game. The distance between the speakers is one of the most underestimated items.

See also:
http://www.gcaudio.com/resources/howtos/speakerplacement.html

Joachim

EDIT: Our CD music is a reproduction of the sound recorded ...... . For a replay of a seagull flight towards you a third speaker behind the listening position is required due to the different SPL of that flight. THe SPL of a seagull flight increases with the distance from the speakers. To listen to a flight from left to right it is no problem, but ...... .

A sample: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1O5UtLWH3Y

Hi Juan

this is not my room. The picture is from the net I used for a sample.
For the rack placement you have to make compromises, and the longer runs of the speaker cables is an approach with the smallest negative impact of the SQ.

Joachim

Edit: The equipment storage in one rack has some advantages:
- short interconnections (less RFI)
- one location for earthing and power supply

The next target for a „water bed“  should be the XXH computer for ………… .
The recommendations for the equipment placement is to store everything in a rack far away from the speakers. Consequently  the rack shall be enclosed with  a sound proof wooden cabinet of a high WAF.

Joachim

Same problem 2 times since I changed Q5 from 0 to 1.

NOS1 DC offset readings was with Q5=0  - 00,1/0,00 after PC normal shut downs.
and with Q5=1 after every 4th PC shut down DC offset shows appr. 26.5/26.0 and I have to restart the NOS1.
My sig is up to date.

The sound with Q5 =1 is amazing.

Joachim

Hello Peter,

Differences between release 0.9z-8-3a 0.9z-9b and 1.186 (SPL around 70 dB(A) in a distance of 3m away from the speakers)
For the comparison I did not change the settings, except the core appointment (3 -4).
The SQ of 0.9z-8-3a 0.9z-9b is very analog on my system, to say it in simple words,

the position of the recording microphone is appr. 15m (row 15) away from the stage (nice room ambiance around the voices and instruments, the bass has a light thickness).

The recording microphone with the release 1.186 moved appr. 10m further to the stage (to row 5). (more details and increased resolution, voices are with a nice articulation, more focus, amazing drums, the bass got a superb tightness, 50% decrease of room ambience=less analog)
After listening for a couple of hours (adjusting the brain) the 1.186 - SQ is very relaxing and superior to the previous release.

A nice surprise for the beginning of 2014.

Joachim