Hi-Res Listening
One of the latest Buzzwords in audio is Hi-Res. In-depth explanations of what it is and how it works are usually very technical and over-detailed. We wanted to put a slightly different slant on our explanation and tell you what to listen for.
As with TV, purveyors of audio equipment are always looking for a new peg to hang their hats on! At the moment, everyone is talking about Hi-Res or HD audio. TV has been discussing HD for years, so we will stick with Hi-Res to ensure everything is clear.
Hi-Res audio is defined by the Japan Audio Society (JAS) as music reproduced from data having a 24-bit world length and a sampling frequency of at least 96kbps. Digital music is transmitted as a series of “words” made up of 1’s and 0’s or “bits”. The parameters in the JAS spec tell you that in Hi-Res audio, a “word” is a string of data containing 24 bits. Bits are sampled 96,000 times per second and made into 24-bit words. Clear? Don’t worry if not; all you need to know is that to achieve Hi-Res music, your music source must send much more data than required for a CD (16-bit word length with a sampling frequency of at least 44.1kbps). If you need more science, check out the article CD Vs Hi-Def Audio in issue V of Driving Sounds, but don’t blame us if your brains begin to dribble out of your ears.
All the above information defines the technical capability of any Hi-Res equipment you may want to buy. It doesn’t offer a tangible, compelling reason for doing so. For this to happen, you need to experience the difference.
Many Hi-Fi manufacturers want you to take their word that investing in Hi-Res equipment will change your life and listening habits forever. Coming from a different angle and not necessarily depending on sales of equipment to fund my modest lifestyle, I would urge you instead to listen critically to some music that you know well or some that we recommend in this article. Every person has a different perception of audio and music, and this is generally a helpful thing. However, it drives marketing departments mad that a single perception may not be experienced by others. This means the blanket messaging they like to use to persuade you to upgrade your audio equipment is not as effective as it could be.
I was first convinced about Hi-Res audio when listening to files streamed from the audiophile streaming service Qobuz. I had no JAS-certified equipment at the time. I streamed from the headphone output of an iPhone into an analogue input on a 2-channel system. Furthermore, I was not even streaming at Hi-Res data rates, so everything I was doing was wrong. However, even a 320kbps MP3 rendering of a Hi-Res source sounded better than its CD equivalent! This experience led me to upgrade to a system that is Hi-Res capable from end-to-end (source to amplifier).
One track worth checking out is “Riders on the Storm” by The Doors. The track begins with rolling thunder followed by rain. I recommended this to Lauren, who looks after our social media. She is young and by no means an audiophile (yet!). We recently upgraded the audio in her Vauxhall Corsa, and she has since been discovering all sorts of music she would not ordinarily have been exposed to. Looking for a way to articulate what Hi-Res audio is, she asked for my help. I told her to listen to the Doors track streamed from her usual Apple Music and then to the same track from Tidal. She described her experience perfectly, with these words, “WOW! The difference was instantly noticeable quality-wise. I enjoyed the Tidal version a lot. Whilst I could hear the rain in the background, in the Tidal version, my ear kept noticing the crash cymbals. Once I noticed them, I couldn’t stop hearing them. It was beautiful. Also, the bass guitar was sexy! It was so smooth. It reminded me of a cocktail I had at my sister’s work that had a scoop of gelato in it, which made the cocktail velvety and luxurious.”
I have never had a cocktail with a gelato in it, but I can totally relate to her report.
Some types of music will make less of an impression, of course. Hi-Res is all about dynamic range. This is the way loud sounds and quiet sounds blend. If the source music is just a wall of noise, then Hi-Res will have a less noticeable effect. However, if you are partial to acoustic, orchestral or jazz music, to name a few, you too can have this experience.
The difference becomes clear across all music genres once you upgrade to an end-to-end Hi-Res system.
The Top Five featured in this article should have you experience the difference. Listening to a Hi-Res system may be necessary to get it entirely, but even the source differences should be compelling enough.
Hotel California – Eagles (MTV acoustic version from Hell Freezes Over Remastered 2018 – Tidal MQL version) - A very live introduction with a superb rendering of the different instrumentation in the intro.
Limehouse Blues – Arne Domnerus (Jazz at the Pawn Shop 30th anniversary edition)
Pristine live recording. It is considered the best-recorded live album of all time.
Ravel: Bolero, Rhapsodie Espagnola Ma mere l’Oye – Berliner Philarmonica, Pierre Boulez
It is beautifully rendered on Qobuz. Features all instruments of the orchestra.
Since I’ve Been Lovin’ You – Led Zeppelin. Remastered. Can you spot the squeaky bass drum pedal?
Oh Baby, Don’t You Loose Your Lip On Me – Sweet Baby James. Hi-Res from Qobuz. 1 m49s of pure acoustic fun!
Find out what our partner, The FOUR MASTER Network, can do to bring Hi-Fi quality to your car. Simply put some brief details into the form below.
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