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I got one of those Reference Recordings 176KHz files to try.  Everyone so go rave about them…

I did not truly pursuit them before as whatever they have interesting musically was released before – how much you can listen the same 5 disks even if they this time released in better format?

Anyhow, I was wondering about the 176/192kHz. The Pacific can play them - why the hell do not try?

So, I did it… and I am not impressed. The upper region instruments are very nice but the lower region sounds all have wrong formants. I got more 176kHz recordings and all of them had not the same but similar effect – the bass is just wrong. Even more: because the bass is kind of “strange” those glorious HF notes do not really connect with anything and they juts sound as stand-alone notes. I find it musical.

I wonder, the Morons out there are choking in orgasmatic screams about the 176/192kHz, why I cannot concur it? I see a few possibilities:

1)      I am an idiot why has no idea how it shall sound (I degree with it as I do not see evidences of it.)

2)      The files that are pitched to us as Master Files had already barbarously edited and all bass was destroyed (highly possible)

3)      My 176/192kHz Pacific DAC is not good. (Possible, but most if not all of those files were recorded on this processor. The Pacific in 44/88 is good, why would it be worse in 176/192kHz?)

4)      The high-resolution digital very much like the high-speed reel tape does benefit HF for the expense of LF  (possible,  there is a group of world-class sine who support this view but I do not treat their view as a definitive)

5)      The 176/192kHz is too fast and the Morons who adore it are juts Morons. (Possible, the LF formants on 192kHz sound very similar to the contemporary pressings LP. The idiots like them but there is a reason why I call then idiots)

I think I would need to record the same thing in 88kHz and 176kHz and to compare.  I have only one Pacific processor that can do it – so, the result might be too much Pacific-centric. I do not know. I have no judgment on the subject. It is kind of strange - I am trying to find out if 176kHz it “better” then 88kHz but at the same time my absolute reference in sound quality is BSO from 1949….

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