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| Letters -- January 2006 High-resolution audio limitations January 30, 2006 To Rad Bennett, I read your article ("Where Does High-Resolution Audio Stand?") and found it very informative, but it seemed to avoid some of the issues I have with both formats. The biggest is the lack of proper bass management on most players, the lack of information on full-range signals and where they are going (I still run into people that are getting full-range signals to their subwoofer), analog only for most players, lack of time alignment, dB settings, and watermarking. I also find that no one wants to talk about the limitations of recording-studio equipment like microphones, and old habits like 16- or 20-bit transfers. I was going to buy a Denon 3910 to complement my 3805, but the price and lack of content that I like has really killed my enthusiasm for either format, as well. I find it hard to make any real judgments because all of the music I am intimately familiar with is not available in high-resolution for an A/B comparison. Will any of these get better? Will the content providers ever agree on a secure digital connection that is not proprietary and cost a mint? Or will the new HD video formats make all of this pointless as audio to match is developed? Brad Westcott Jeff has answered most of the issues below. As regards the subwoofer output, almost all SACD discs are now 5.0, not 5.1, though DVD-Audio discs still most often carry a separate subwoofer signal. Though some companies, like Pentatone, are quite committed to SACD, many others are not. If you don't find the content that you want to hear in these formats, I'd wait to see what happens with the new ones coming down the pike....Rad Bennett There are a couple of issues here. Regarding bass management, there is very sophisticated bass management in the place that most enthusiasts use it: the processors that control their home theaters. You’re right that a way to manage bass in SACD and DVD-A players has been horrible until fairly recently. However, the LFE signal that is sent to subwoofers is no issue due to the crossover function in almost every powered subwoofer on the market, not to mention surround processors, so I'm not sure I’m following you there. And if it is LFE content, the signal is already filtered and should be bass only. Regarding your last statement, you’re right again. The HD formats are all that the big manufacturers/software providers are interested in, and therefore SACD and DVD-A as progressing formats is all but over…Jeff Fritz RS versus Nordost January 27, 2006 To Mike Silverton, I have read with great interest your review of the RS Palladium cables, and I am considering acquiring them. You compared them with your reference Nordost Valhallas. You mentioned that you "lost enough enchanting air" in replacing the RS with the Valhallas. Can you elaborate what are the other sonic differences between the two, as the Nordost cables are a reference yardstick for many, and that will truly throw a better light on the relative worth of the RS cables. Trevor Forgive me dodging your inquiry, but you're asking me about a cable that left the premises far too long ago for me to hazard a characterization now of its particular qualities. As a reliability indicator, you're much better off with my published comments. Those at least came hot upon listening sessions and direct comparisons. This much I can tell you. I've replaced the Nordost cables with Cardas Golden Reference: interconnects, speaker cables and the Aurum Acoustics tweak of the Golden Reference power cord. You might want to look at that review. The sense of spot-on musicality the Golden Reference cables convey is totally and unequivocally satisfying (as much as I hate to revert to flaccidly convenient terms like "musicality"). And the Golden Reference cables are a whole lot less expensive. However, if you're determined to stick to your purpose -- and who can blame you? -- try contacting RS. If the cables can be returned, you'd certainly have the perfect opportunity for coming to your own conclusions. A home trial is always a good idea in any event….Mike Silverton Zarex HD January 23, 2006 To Rad Bennett, I wanted to take this moment to catch up with you. In fact, I believe we may once more have occasion to interact frequently. As of December, 2005, I am doing a number of services relating to SACD. In addition to being able to record on location in native DSD multichannel and post-produce and master that audio in-house (at Zarex HD studio), I have arrived at a process whereby I now can take previously stereo-only masters, either analog or digital at any sampling rate, and upconvert (upsample) to 192k/24-bit PCM or DSD, and remix the audio as well in 5.1 surround. The product is then reissued as a hybrid SACD with PCM Red Book layer and Scarlet Book layer containing both a stereo and multichannel DSD audio version of the program. One might think this process of dealing with old stereo source materials as a bit less than kosher -- after all, the remix process is "faux surround." I can assure you that the results are very convincing. I have just completed a remaster and remix of a symphonic title for Albany Records, and I believe there will be about 140 more classical remix jobs like that one coming here in 2006. By the way, my studio is called Zarex HD. In addition to the remix and reissue SACDs, I am doing all my work now for Pro Organo in multichannel DSD (I prefer Genex GX-9000 recorders in the field), and the first Pro Organo hybrid SACD, recorded in DSD multichannel in Scotland last March, is now available. I have four more hybrid SACDs coming out on Pro Organo in the next ten weeks. There are not too many facilities at present that do actual SACD authoring, especially in the USA. Zarex HD now has this capability, as I have all of the original Philips authoring hardware and software here. I can take PCM or DSD files, compress them and make them into edit masters, and then author the data as a disc image to Sony's AIT tape. This means that the product can be made direct from the AIT tape without additional prep, and can be sent to Sony-DADC in Terre Haute, or to three other SACD-capable facilities in China, Austria and Los Angeles. I would like whatever help I can get from you and the other media about getting the word out on Zarex HD's rare SACD authoring function. A link to the pertinent page on my website is: www.zarex.com/StudioHD.html. Many thanks, Rad, and keep up your great work! Frederick Hohman "PentaTone is very much alive" January 16, 2006 To Rad Bennett, Happy New Year! PentaTone is very much alive. We saw our turnover of hybrid SACDs growing steadily in 2005, and we will continue as a 100%-dedicated SACD label in 2006 and beyond. It is just a matter of time. Some things come about by way of revolution; others through evolution. Giel Bessels SACD's demise January 13, 2006 To Rad Bennett, You are way off on your assessment for the reason for SACD's demise. It wasn't "poor promotion," it was bad recordings (and a sub-par-sounding format to begin with). There were many SACD followers five to six years ago, but, thanks to advances in Red Book recordings and playback, there are now far fewer. Just ask SoundStage! writers Jeff Fritz and Marc Mickelson what they think. They'll confirm what I'm reporting; SACD was king, but they have since heard better. Many other writers in audio are reporting similar findings. Recordings made by Hyperion, Harmonia Mundi, EMI Classics or Chesky played through the Zanden separates or players from Reimyo, Aurum, or dCS (brand new) will show you what all the Red Book buzz is about. If audiophiles are rejecting SACD, then how can it make it in the mass market? J. Phelan FM Acoustics January 11, 2006 To Jeff Fritz, After a long and exhausting search for the Holy Grail, I, too, ended my search with the Boulder 1010 preamp and 1050 monos this past year and have been extremely happy with my choice. But as much as I feel the Boulders were money well spent, I can't help but wonder what the FM Acoustics products sound like. My brother, who is a very accomplished studio musician in the recording industry, swears by this company’s products. I have had many of his recording-industry friends over to my home countless times, often listening to music until dawn. I am the unfortunate one in the family who didn't receive any musical talent. I have another brother who plays the guitar and my uncle played in Woodstock with Paul Butterfield's blues band. My talent is listening, not playing (is this a talent?). Anyhow, I respect the opinions of these individuals greatly and they all tell me I haven't heard the best in audio playback until I hear an FM Acoustics system. This was all but impossible since getting hold of FM Acoustics equipment was so difficult. I had a better chance of catching the bird flu than auditioning an FM Acoustics product. I'm told this company's products are so coveted that they don't care about the US market; as I later found out, this small private Swiss company run by Manuel Huber has more business without the US market than they can keep up with. Most of their products are back ordered for six months to a year. I recently found out through a client of mine that there is now one US dealer of FM Acoustic gear: Audio Limits in Colorado. Apparently this distributorship was established with the help of Gary Koh, the owner of Genesis Speakers. Apparently he and Manuel Huber are close friends, and Audio Limits happens to be the largest Genesis distributor in the US, so do the math. If Ultra Audio is truly in search of the best of the best, FM Acoustics is apparently the ultimate stop and, of course, you, I feel, are the perfect reviewer to tackle this task as you have experienced most of the ultra contenders in the marketplace. Happy New Year and continued success! Brett H. Williams I have wanted to try FM Acoustics equipment in my system for some time. Perhaps this information will finally help me secure the necessary review samples. Of course, a comparison to Boulder would be mandatory. I appreciate the suggestion and rest assured I will follow up in the near future….Jeff Fritz
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