BackstageBlog

Hear The Difference: High Resolution Audio with the Legacy V System

Posted on May 01, 2015

"At AXPONA 2015 Legacy Audio provided an excellent opportunity for audiophiles to carefully compare several common playback resolution levels on a high quality system. The session was without agenda and provided a reality check for listeners."

"Half-minute edits from three different selections from the Sono Luminus catalog were chosen and played back over the reference grade Legacy V system and Wavelet DAC preamp processor. The recordings provided were from the master files from the Sono Luminus label."

"Each musical selection began with a 192kHz, 24 bit file, followed by a 44.1kHz, 16 bit file, and finally a MP3 file at 320kbit/s."

More than 200 listeners participated in the 8 sessions over three days.

Comments received at the show included:

“The 24 bit seemed to have more life.” “No real tonal difference, but dynamics are better at the higher resolution.” “MP3 was grainy on the treble.” “The air diminished when dropping below the 24bit version.” “The MP3 sounded smaller in soundstage. It was more difficult to separate the instruments.” “Not as big a difference as I expected, but definitely audible.” “The female vocalist in the background became more distant as resolution decreased.” “I would only pay the 24 bit cost difference on well recorded material and music I care about.”

Read the full report and leave your comments at Audioholics, here.