Tag: is high resolution audio better than cd

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Surround sound battle is fierce

Apple’s goal of betting on “spatial audio”, not lossless or high resolution

Apple’s “Apple Music” finally supports Hi-Res Audio, Lossless Audio, and Spatial Audio. First, let’s review the content

of this ad. First of all, it is important that all the songs in the catalog, some 75 million songs, are not lossy. Lossless normal sound quality can be selected from 44.1 kHz / 16 bit to 48 kHz / 24 bit. It also offers lossless high resolution of up to 192 kHz / 24-bit.

Furthermore, it revealed that it will distribute spatial audio using Dolby Atmos on Apple Music. Spatial audio is an immersive surround technology that Apple has been developing little by little for some time. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, Mac built-in speakers, and AirPods Pro / AirPods Max.

We will add this many new services at once starting in June, but the price will remain unchanged and the monthly fee will be 980 yen (for the regular plan). Personally, what surprised me the most was this behavior on a large scale.

■ Spatial audio is the “next dimension of audio”

By the way, among these new services, Apple’s strongest launch was not high resolution or lossless, but spatial audio with Dolby Atmos. When looking at press release titles, spatial audio comes first and then all catalogs are lossless.

If you show roughly the degree of stress on each track in proportion, it would be roughly 60% for spatial audio, 30% for lossless audio, and roughly 10% for high resolution. No, the high resolution may be lower. In the press release, it was only mentioned as a bonus, and I feel a bit lonely as a person involved in audio-related media.

At the same time, the promotional video released within the Apple Music app also makes spatial audio + Dolby Atmos a huge draw as “the next dimension of audio after stereo.”

Apple Music already has a promotional video for spatial audio

The songs corresponding to spatial audio + Dolby Atmos have been announced as “thousands of songs” when they are released in June. It is said that it will steadily increase after that, but the absolute number is still small.

On the other hand, lossless support covers all titles of around 75 million songs. In general, this has a greater impact on general users. And even more so because there is no additional cost.

It seems unnatural to heavily appeal to spatial audio, but it makes sense given the corresponding hardware and other conditions.

■ New AirPods do not

announced There was a rumor that the new AirPods will be announced at the same time as the new Apple Music service this time. If the rumors were correct, I also wrote a column on how to achieve lossless audio and Hi-Res Audio streaming to AirPods.

But this time, the new AirPods weren’t announced. Bluetooth streaming to existing AirPods is the same as before, and no new technology has emerged that takes advantage of high-quality, lossless sound. If you limit it to playback on iPhone + AirPods, there should be little benefit from the absence of losses.

Not that much. If you use Apple Music on your Android smartphone, there is a high chance that you can play high quality sound with LDAC or aptX HD compatible smartphones and headphones. It will bother sending salt to smartphones, headphones, and helmets made by other companies.

In the future, Apple believes that it is very possible that it will create a new technology to transmit lossless sound quality and launch AirPods with it, but so far nothing has been seen.

■ Spatial audio enhances the value of AirPods

On the other hand, for spatial audio, many of Apple’s flagship products such as AirPods and Beats earphones / headphones equipped with H1 or W1 chips, and the latest iPhone, iPad and Mac integrated speakers are used for playback.

In particular, the point is that spatial audio can be used with headphones / earphones equipped with the W1 chip. Until now, AirPods Pro or AirPods Max equipped with the H1 chip were required to reproduce spatial audio, but this time, the compatible headphones will expand to the first AirPods equipped with the W1 chip at the same time.

Of course, Apple will want to increase the profitability of Apple Music alone, but AirPods should be overwhelmingly bigger as a business. Some speculate that AirPods sales reached $ 12 billion in 2019. Increasing the added value would be judged to contribute to the overall profit expansion.

Also, when considering the future, it is important to promote spatial audio + Dolby Atmos.

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What is high resolution?

High Resolution Sound Source is an abbreviation for “High Resolution Audio” and is defined as high quality sound source data with more information than a CD.

* 1 The
Music recorded in the studio is recorded by cutting a portion of the data to burn to a CD.
Since the high-resolution sound source is a sound source that records the recorded data as is without cutting it, you can experience the atmosphere of the studio and even the breath of the artist.
High-resolution audio sources can be downloaded from a dedicated distribution site or purchased as data saved to a USB stick, DVD, etc.

Difference between CD sound source and high resolution sound source
High resolution sound source file format
Enjoying a High-Resolution Sound Source

Difference between CD sound source and high resolution sound source
Now, I will explain the specific difference in the “amount of information” between a CD sound source and a high resolution sound source.
Music files, such as CD sound sources and high-resolution sound sources, are digitized original signals (analog sound sources).
This job is created using the “sampling” and “quantization” steps, and its values ​​are expressed in units of “sample rate (Hz)” and “number of quantization bits (bit)”.

“Sampling” that determines the width of the range
“Sampling” is expressed by the number of times the original signal is digitized in one second.
In the case of a CD, it means that you are recording at a speed of 44.1 kHz = 44,100 Hz per second, that is, 44,100 times (Fig. 1).
When it comes to high-resolution audio sources, the sample rate increases, so more data can be collected (Fig. 2).

“Quantization” that determines the fineness of the volume
The “quantization” digitizes the changes in the volume of the sound and, in the case of a CD, the original signal is decomposed into 16 bits (2 to the 16th power = 65,536) and recorded (Fig. 3).
If this number of bits is low, small sounds will be treated as noise, but as the number of bits increases, details will be reproduced exactly as “sound” (Fig. 4).

Reproducibility determined by “sampling” x “quantification”
The results of combining the vertical “sampling” line and the horizontal “quantizing” line are shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6. By comparing the CD sound source (Fig. 5) and the sound source high resolution (Fig. 6), it is evident that the high resolution sound source has a curve closer to the current signal.
In this way, the higher the sample rate and the number of quantization bits, the higher the sound quality of the original song in the studio and the more realistic and airy it can be expressed on a CD.

High resolution sound source file format
Now, I will explain the specific difference in the “amount of information” between a CD sound source and a high resolution sound source.
Music files, such as CD sound sources and high-resolution sound sources, are digitized original signals (analog sound sources).
This job is created using the “sampling” and “quantization” steps, and its values ​​are expressed in units of “sample rate (Hz)” and “number of quantization bits (bit)”.

WAV if you are interested in sound quality, FLAC if you also want convenience
WAV is an advantageous format in terms of sound quality because it converts the sound source into data without compressing it. However, consequently, the data capacity will be very large.
Also, you cannot write metadata such as cover photos and artist names.
FLAC, on the other hand, is called lossless compression, which applies compression processing when converting data, but is a mechanism for playing while restoring the original sound source state during viewing.
Therefore, the data capacity can be reduced to about half that of WAV.
Generally, it is said that there is no change in sound quality due to compression / restoration, but there is an opinion that the WAV (uncompressed) sound source sounds better because there are fewer processing steps.
It is also attractive that FLAC can write metadata such as cover photos and even display lyrics.

We recommend buying WAV if you are interested in sound quality and FLAC if you are also looking for convenience. However, a specific player application is required to play high-resolution audio sources.

What is high resolution sound source and high resolution support?

Easy to understand explanation of “meaning and difference”

The word “high resolution” is often found in new audio-related products, such as digital audio players and headphones. What does it show exactly? Is it possible to hear high resolution with the minicomponent system that I am using now? Let me explain the basics to you. At the same time, let’s introduce Sony’s high-resolution headphones and earphones, as well as recommended players.
High resolution means “high quality equipment and sound source”
“High Resolution” is an abbreviation for “High Resolution Audio”.
Translated into Japanese, it means “high definition, high resolution audio”, but if you roughly correct it in an easy-to-understand way, it is not a mistake to think that it is audio with a higher sound quality than above.

Audio is enjoyed by combining a device (hardware) for playback and a sound source (software) that is the music itself, but there are devices that support high resolution and sound sources recorded in high resolution.

Since the word high resolution itself is almost synonymous with “high sound quality”, it is difficult to understand the range that will be displayed, but many of today’s audio devices have a high resolution logo and you can tell at a glance which is a compatible high resolution product …

This is the high resolution definition decided by the Japan Audio Association, which is an industry group, that is, the logo displayed on audio equipment that meets the required specifications.
If you choose a product with this high resolution logo, you can enjoy high resolution.

This high-resolution logo is displayed on audio equipment that meets the definition set by the Japan Audio Association and serves as a guide for product selection.
This high-resolution logo is displayed on audio equipment that meets the definition set by the Japan Audio Association and serves as a guide for product selection.

Specifically, a digital device, such as a player, can play a WAV / FLAC sound source with a sample rate (sample rate) of 96 kHz or higher and a quantization bit rate of 24-bit or higher.
Since this is the minimum standard, some logo acquisition products cover even higher levels, such as 192 kHz / 24-bit support and 384 kHz / 24-bit support.

High resolution with higher sound quality than a CD
The sample rate and the number of quantization bits are originally numerical values ​​that indicate the “fineness” when converting an analog “sound” digitally, and it can be considered that the higher these numbers, the higher the sound quality.

A CD is an easy-to-understand comparison target.
The standard for CD is 44.1 kHz / 16 bit. In other words, it is easy to think that high resolution, requiring 96 kHz / 24-bit or higher, is audio with a sound quality superior to that of a CD.

Of course, in order to enjoy a high resolution, it is necessary that “the sound source is also recorded in high resolution.”
It is possible to play sound sources other than high resolution, but the sound quality is basically the same as non-high resolution. Currently, Hi-Res Audio sources can be purchased through Music Distribution.

How to play “high resolution sound source” using a PC?

What type of audio equipment do you use when listening to music at home?

Until a long time ago, it could have been a component stereo or CD / MD radio cassette player, but today, I believe that music data is often imported to mobile players like PC and iPhone / iPod for listening. So this time, I would like to introduce you to how to play “high resolution sound sources” that make it easier to listen to higher quality music on a PC. When I say “hi-res playback on a PC”, I feel like some difficult adjustments are required, but now the threshold is not that high and high-quality music can be easily played with simple devices. (* Of course, if you try to master it all, the equipment will be expensive and a bit difficult story will turn out …) Here, basically, aiming at those who want to play “high resolution sound source” on a PC for the first time . I will speak from the beginning. Regarding high-resolution audio sources, the first column, “What is a high-resolution audio source that brings sound quality close to recording quality?” I would appreciate if you could read. First of all, why not experience superior sound quality than CDs on your regular computer?

Equipment required to reproduce “high resolution sound sources” with a PC

This is a system that inputs analog audio signals from a USB DAC (mainly stationary type) to an amplifier with an RCA cable and outputs them from a speaker. If the USB DAC has a built-in amplifier, it is possible to bypass the amplifier (see connection example 2).

To play high-bit / high-sample high-resolution audio sources on a PC, there are some devices that need to be freshly prepared. That is the device named USB DAC (Yuesubi Daku) in Connection Example 1. This is a device that has the function of converting a digital signal output from a PC via USB cable into an analog signal (D / A conversion) and has a great effect on the sound quality. Currently, in addition to basic functions such as USB DAC, each manufacturer sells various products, such as those with built-in amplifiers (including headphone amplifiers) and products that can perform A / D as well as D / A, The price is widely sold from various thousands of yen to more than one million yen.

Also, to audition with headphones / earphones only as in connection example 2, you can use a portable headphone amplifier (Potaan) with a USB DAC function to build a simple and compact high-resolution playback system. With this system, you can enjoy high-resolution audio sources even on the go. See also the following columns for Potaan and headphones / earphones.

Why do you need a USB DAC?

So why do we need a USB DAC? Many PCs on the market today are equipped with a device called a “sound card (chip)” that converts D / A digital signals to produce sound from the built-in speakers. However, most of them only support sample rate / bit conversion up to CD quality (16 bit / 44.1 kHz). In other words, even if you play the “high resolution sound source” as it is on a PC, it will degrade to the level of CD quality and output, and will not be able to fully bring out the appeal of the high resolution sound source.

To avoid this, the appeal of high-resolution sound sources is achieved by taking a digital audio signal out of the PC’s USB port via a USB cable and sending the signal to a USB DAC capable of bit D / A conversion. high / high sampling You can reproduce the sound that is extracted. Also, many noise-causing devices are installed inside the PC. Therefore, it is possible to convert the signal with lower noise by performing a D / A conversion externally.

There are devices that have the same functionality as the previous one, but they are compatible with interfaces such as FireWire and Thunderbolt that are used in Mac, but not so many, and USB is now common. You can also enjoy high-resolution sound sources by substituting the audio interface used for recording in place of the USB DAC, but many products have a telephone or XLR terminal as the output terminal and connect to a general audio amplifier. You need to convert it to an RCA terminal.

What is the “high resolution audio” you often hear on music devices? What are the benefits? [Explanation]

More and more music players, headphones, earphones, and recently televisions and sound bars (speakers with amplifiers) claim to support “high-resolution audio.”

What exactly is “high resolution” on these sound devices? What are the benefits of Hi-Res Audio when listening to music?

“High resolution” was originally a personal computer term

The word “resolution” may have come to the fore, but high resolution was originally a term used to indicate that a computer can display a screen with a screen resolution (pixels / dot count) higher than the system standard.

The old personal computer had 640 x 400 pixels for the NEC “PC-9800 series” (now the NEC personal computer), and 640 x 480 pixels for the “PC / AT compatible”, which is the source of most of the current personal computers. It was a standard resolution. A personal computer equipped with a graphics (drawing) function that can display resolutions higher than these resolutions was called a “high-resolution personal computer.”

Currently, high resolution displays such as Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) and 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels) have become “natural” instead of HD (1280 x 720 pixels / 1366 x 768 pixels), so the screen resolution. “High resolution” as a term for “” has become a dead word indeed.

High resolution
A catalog excerpt from the factory “FC-H98 Model 100” personal computer that was once sold by NEC. You can see the word “high resolution mode” (Source: NEC)
commercial

The “high resolution” in sound devices is “more than a CD”
“High resolution” in sound devices is simply used as a term for sound quality that exceeds that of music CDs or DATs (digital audio tapes).

In a digitized sound source, the “sample rate” (unit: kHz), which indicates how many times a second is sampled (sample metering) when digitizing analog audio, and the “quantum”, which indicates the amount of information contained in that of the signal. the number of digitized bits (unit: bits) greatly affects sound quality. Specifically, the sample rate affects the “expressible range (pitch range)”, and the number of quantization bits affects the “volume and fineness of the sound”.

Compare the difference between bit, khz and kbps! High resolution doesn’t make sense?

Sound quality comparison!

It is quick to judge whether the sound quality is good or bad from the data.

However, there are several factors that make up sound quality.

Therefore, in this article, I explained the sound quality in a rather broken way.

If you are a little interested in sound quality, check it out.

Difference between bit, kHz (kilohertz) and kbps (kilobby PS)
What is a bit?
What is kHz (kilohertz)?
What is kbps?
High-resolution sound quality and CD comparison
Over the limits of human hearing! High resolution doesn’t make sense?

Necessary environment to enjoy high resolution
High resolution sound source
High-resolution compatible headphones / earphones / speakers
High resolution compatible terminal
High resolution recommended elements
ACTIVE “CT10”
Difference between analog data and digital data
Difference between lossless compression (lossless compression) and lossy compression (lossy compression)
Lossless compression (lossless compression)
Lossy compression (lossy compression)
About the uncompressed sound source
Difference between bit, kHz (kilohertz) and kbps (kilobby PS)
The next three units are important for measuring sound quality.

little
kHz (kilohertz)
kbps
Let’s briefly explain each unit.

What is a bit?
bit is the number of quantization bits.

Here, it is easy to understand if you think of it as “the resolution (fineness) of the sound itself”.

The higher the value of this bit, the smaller and finer the sound can be reproduced.

In other words, it is more faithful to the original sound.

However, there is a disadvantage that the amount of data increases when the bit is large.

What is kHz (kilohertz)?
kHz is the sampling frequency.

It’s easy to understand if you think of it as “the number of data used in the expression of sound per second”.

The higher this number, the greater the range that can be recorded.

Also, kHz is one of the numbers often used to express headphone specifications.

If you look at the specification table, you will often see numbers like “20Hz to 20kHz”.

This indicates the range of supported ranges.

The lower the number on the left, the better the bass can be heard, and the higher the number on the right, the greater the playback range.

What is kbps?
kbps is the so-called bit rate.

Also known as “bits per second” or “kilobits per second”.

Unit that expresses how many kilobits of data can be transmitted per second.

Kbps can be calculated using the following formula.

kbps = bit x kHz x number of channels

The number of channels is the number of speakers, for example, in stereo, it is “2”.

In theory, the higher the number of processed bits per second, the higher the sound quality.

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High-resolution sound quality and CD comparison
Let’s compare CD and high resolution sound quality from a data point of view.

little kHz kbps
16 bit CD 44.1-48 kHz 1,411.2 kbps
High resolution Exceeds 44.1 kHz / 16 bit
Those that exceed CD specifications are defined as high resolution.

Specific examples are as follows.

44.1 kHz / 16-bit: CD specifications
48 kHz / 16-bit: CD specifications
44.1 kHz / 24 bit: high resolution (the number of quantization bits is greater than the CD specification)
48 kHz / 24 bit: high resolution (the number of quantization bits is greater than the CD specification)
96 kHz / 16 bit: high resolution (sampling frequency is higher than CD specification)
96 kHz / 24-bit: high resolution (both higher than CD specs)
96 kHz / 12 bit: not high resolution (low number of quantization bits)
32 kHz / 24 bit: not high resolution (sample rate is low)