Andreas wrote:Crummy Old Label Avatar wrote:I think the real question is: why does Mr. Perfect Purist have any clipped samples at all on his vaunted disc?
Good question. However, I always assumed you come from the objectivist side of audio discussion. Have you done any AB-test to determine if you can detect 257 clipped samples in a blind test?
I don't know, but I do know that I can detect the difference in levels. I levelmatched the two files (CD rip and the SACD A-D transfer that thomh did), using the replaygain values as a guide. Replaygain indicated that reducing the CD version by 1.54 dB would give a perceptually levelmatched comparison. (This accords pretty well with the difference in avg RMS for the two tracks after *peak*-matching.) Then I ABX'd the files using foobar 2k's ABX tool. I got 10/18 correct: no better than chance. Then I performed the same test but didn't levelmatch the tracks. I got 18/18. So *if* the CD version is truly being output at a dB or more greater than the SACD version, people may well hear a 'difference'. But it sure as hell isn't due to DSD vs CD.
I'm going to make .flacs of these available , so people can fool around with them themselves.
Btw, I'm curious to know, is Fortunate Son the loudest track on other versions of this album?