Blu-Ray Pure Audio

BlueFox

NAD also makes a DAC with an HDMI input. At one point I considered buying one, and adding a BR player to my two channel system.

Loud & Clear

Looks like they're making a move in this segment. The NAD C 390DD is an integrated amp (2 channel) with a dac that includes hdmi input/output.

4xoddic

No onboard support for DSD? Maybe a future $299 DSD MDC? BUT, you'd have to give up a phono or HDMI MDC slot? Just when Steely Dan's Gaucho DSD is available?

"we place all digital interface circuitry on easily upgradable modules. We call this Modular Design Construction or MDC. The C 390DD comes standard with one module, the DD USB 1 for USB interface, and open slots for two more modules."

http://nadelectronics.com/products/hifi-amplifiers/C-390DD-Direct-Digital-Powered-DAC-Amplifier

C 390DD Audio Resolution chart.
USB Type A - 24 bit/48 kHz
USB Type B - 24 bit/96 kHz
Optical - 24 bit/192 kHz
Digital Coax - 24 bit/192 kHz

NAD C 390D $2,599.99

Optional analog/phono input module $299.99
Optional HDMI DD HDMI-1 - 24 bit/192 kHz $299.99

BlueFox

Not to side-track the thread, but DSD downloads are starting to catch on. On other forums there are discussions whether a single DAC can do both PCM and DSD well, or if two specialized DACs are needed. Of course, there are also other discussions going on as to whether or not DSD files are audibly better than high-res PCM files, or if the DAC is the source of any sonic difference.

tonyb

BlueFox wrote: »

Not to side-track the thread, but DSD downloads are starting to catch on. On other forums there are discussions whether a single DAC can do both PCM and DSD well, or if two specialized DACs are needed. Of course, there are also other discussions going on as to whether or not DSD files are audibly better than high-res PCM files, or if the DAC is the source of any sonic difference.

One thing you can't take away from audiophiles is their ability to argue over the most minute differences in sound, graphs, measured tests, and to hype the next thing as the second coming of Christ.

BlueFox

tonyb wrote: »

One thing you can't take away from audiophiles is their ability to argue over the most minute differences in sound, graphs, measured tests, and to hype the next thing as the second coming of Christ.

LOL. That's the truth, and many times it is just splitting hairs.

tonyb

Sometimes I think we lose our focus....just enjoy the damn music. I'm all for chasing SQ, but at some point you just have to sit back and enjoy. Once you start chasing every minute detail, it no longer becomes enjoyable and turns into obsession.

BlueFox

BlueFox wrote: »

Nirvana's In Utero arrived yesterday. I am really liking this BR Audio idea. Hopefully, the trickle of titles will turn into a flood. Even better, let's hope we start getting new releases recorded and mastered right from the start as high-res audio.

I am not to happy with this purchase. I guess it sounds okay, but I forgot how much I disliked this album when it first came out. To me, there is only one good song on it. Oh well, win some, lose sum.

chumlie

Genesis catalog coming.
http://www.genesis-news.com/news-Genesis-albums-to-be-released-on-Pure-Audio-Bluray-n385.html

Tornado Red

chumlie wrote: »

Genesis catalog coming.
http://www.genesis-news.com/news-Genesis-albums-to-be-released-on-Pure-Audio-Bluray-n385.html

Cool, thanks for posting Charlie

chumlie

Looking forward to Lamb & Selling England.

Tornado Red

chumlie wrote: »

Looking forward to Lamb & Selling England.

I'd like Selling England By The Pound as well. I have We Can't Dance on SACD and Genesis (Mama) on DVD-A, looking forward to having one of theirs on BD-A.

solarrdadd

i received this today from amazon. i have been wanting to try this new line of Pure Audio Blu-ray Audio series of disc and what better way then to do it big band Q style!

first, gear run down. i have an Oppo 105 connected via Audioquest RCA interconnects from the dedicated 2 channel analog output to an Emotiva UPA-200 amp with a pair of Vintage Polk SDA-2 speakers (soon to have their crossovers fully upgraded) connected via a pair of BJC #10awg ultrasonically welded banana plug speaker cables.

i took the disc out of the case, put it into the 105 and it played PCM 96/24 automatically which was a nice surprise. i don't yet have a monitor for my 2 channel rig (just got the 105 for myself as a Christmas gift) so this disc design was very much welcome.

i want to start of by saying that the first track began and two things happened right away, 1st, i got up and started dancing a foxtrot, 2nd, i started having Austin Powers flashbacks! the first track titled Soul Bossa Nova by Quincy Jones, was as most of you know used and revitalized by and in the opening sequence to the first Austin Powers movie soundtrack.

right away, i could immediately feel the large soundstage drop in front of me and damn near on top of me! it plays at a beautiful level, the seperation of left and right are precise and the phantom center is well done too. this is big band music played big. the instuments are very, very well defined. the low end on some of these tracks is very well, never overdone, but when it's done, you know it, you feel it and i mean FEEL IT! every string, woodwind, percussion, cymbal, cowbell bongo, you name it, you can pick it out and know exactly where the artists were standing on the stage when performing it.

this is quite possibly the best thing i have heard on my 105 thus far. i own a lot of SACD's, DVD-a's, FLAC up to 192/24 & DSD downloads, but this, given it's age, the content is incredibly fresh and invigorating to the soul. it's hard pressed for you not to hear an odd noise and stop the music and realize it's your foot tapping like crazy to the beat!

you can feel the fun that Q had with this, all the artists were onboard with his vision. the content has incredibly large dynamic range by my ears. it is always moving with little or no rest. get your honey and prepare to get your booty moving to this music from a bygone era.

if you love big band music, if you love bossa nova music then your musical dreams have been realized on this disc. it's quick, it hits you like a train and you will be glad you were on the tracks!

while i am away that not all the released Pure Audio discs are good, some have not been very well received (which is too bad) but i can tell you that this one is something special. i wish all of them could be as good as this one is. dim the lights, get that glass of wine or some good sippin whiskey ready and get ready to be taken away for a while.

Uncle Solarrdadd Approved!

BlueFox

Thanks for the tip. I just ordered it, and Celebration Day, from Amazon. I was just watching the BR Celebration Day while testing my new HT rack, and it sounded even better than the first time I watched it. It will be good to add to the music server.

Tornado Red

Yeah, thanks for your thoughts on that one SD, good to know. I've got this BD-A coming next week:

BlueFox

I received the BR Audio of Celebration Day, and just ripped it to the music server. It is playing now, and sounding great.

Tornado Red

Is that an audio only blu-ray? I have Celebration on blu-ray, but it's the concert + CDs. My "Sixteen Sunsets" BD-A and the America SACD I ordered were in town and both were "out for delivery" by UPS on Friday...until we had another snow storm, now back to being listed as 'in transit", lol. Monday.

BlueFox

Yes, audio only. This concert has to set the record for being on the most formats. I'm surprised it isn't on cassette.

I tried to rip the audio of the BR video, but that didn't work. When I saw it was also on BR Audio I ordered it.

BlueFox

I forgot I owned this, and 'found' it last night with my BR concerts. Just ripped it to the music server, and it sounds GREAT. Even the regular CD is an excellent recording.

Patricia Barber - Modern Cool

voltz

Hey BlueFox I just got the BR Celebration day also and have been really enjoying it! WTG Jason! It was just so cool to see him up there

Tornado Red

Jane Ira Bloom's "Sixteen Sunsets" was a nice find if you like a little modern jazz on soprano sax. Preordered "Imagine" today, due out in 1 1/2 weeks.

Tornado Red

Picked up Stevie Wonder's "Songs In The Key Of Life" on BD-A last evening from a local dealer for $20. Only had time for a 30 minute listen so far, but sound was stunningly good. There are a few misses on this new format, but I'm really liking the ones I have so far, and the price has been right.

voltz

Picked up "Beethoven * Symphonies nos. 5&7" Wiener Philharmoniker - Carlos Kleiber

BlueFox

Wow! I just realized this Primus deluxe edition of Sailing The Seas of Cheese includes a Blueray Audio disk. I might have known that when I bought it, but had forgotten. Tomorrow it gets ripped to the music server.

teekay0007

voltz wrote: »

Picked up "Beethoven * Symphonies nos. 5&7" Wiener Philharmoniker - Carlos Kleiber

Heh, heh...........he said "Wiener"!...Heh.

Tornado Red

Received my copy today. First impressions are good. It seems like the worst song for audio quality is "Imagine", for some reason. Quite a bit of hisssss and it sounds almost compressed, yet not so for the rest of the album which is quite good. Good separation and sound stage for stereo. This is a 2.0 disc, btw, with the usual 3 options for these HF Pure Audio discs. I don't own another version of this, so hard to compare. I was trying to keep in mind that it's 40+ years old.

BlueFox

Just finished listening to Beck's Sea Change after ripping it the server. Sounds quite good.



It comes with coupon to also download it. At first I thought this will save me some time, but the files are MP3S, whatever the 'S' means. I thought that was funny to offer MP3 files with a BR Audio disk.

Tornado Red

BlueFox wrote: »

Just finished listening to Beck's Sea Change after ripping it the server. Sounds quite good.



It comes with coupon to also download it. At first I thought this will save me some time, but the files are MP3S, whatever the 'S' means. I thought that was funny to offer MP3 files with a BR Audio disk.

I wondered about that too. I have a couple with the d/l coupon but haven't tried it. On the other hand, the Sixteen Sunsets HF pure audio BD-A has "Mshuttle", in which you can upload to your pc as long as you have a networked BD player. Your choice of uploads is wav, mp3 or flac. I tried it in flac and it performed well. One thing though, this is the first one of these discs for me that is 5.1, but it only uploads in stereo.

whgarrett1394

I just got Sea Change by beck in the mail yesterday. I am extremely pleased with how this album sounds in multi-channel. I have a cheap sony blu ray player that doesn't have multi-channel analog outputs so I use the hdmi cable. My receiver is an older Marantz sr5001. It cannot decode the master hd files, so I send the signal as lpcm. Cannot wait for his new album to be released.

On a side note, I just got rca cables for the multi-channel outs for my Pioneer sacd/dvd-a player. I can now finally hear Elton John, NIN and Bob Dylan in 5.1.

bcline

I think the real crux of BluRay Audio is that it potentially could become a real replacement for CDs. Everyone will have a BluRay player eventually (much like everybody bought a CD player). I understand that many consumer BluRay players will not make these sound any better than a CD, but those of us who have something like an Oppo 95 or the likes, will definitely benefit in that all the music is not coming out on a superior format to CD (a 1980s technology). How can we not be excited about this prospect? Maybe is a little less in quality to SACD, but if all the music is now on a high quality lossless format, I think the audiophile community should be overjoyed. No longer would we have to wait around to see if it will ever be put out on SACD... We can get an lossless format no matter what. I hope it replaces CDs and for the first time, I see a format that logically can.