SACD/DVD-A shootout

[Schexnayder]

Hey Folks,

I am currently working on a SACD v. DVD-A shootout at MTSU in Murfreesboro, TN as part of a rather large undergraduate research project and was hoping that maybe some of you guys could give some input on some of the factors I am struggling with in order to make a very neutral listening test.

The basic structure of the test;
-one song delivered to listeners in stereo on headphones
-two formats are playing at once and switched every 20 seconds are so for duration of song
-the formats are blindly delivered, and listeners only know them as "A" and "B"
-there is equal volume between songs
-switching is as cleanly done as possible
-and finally I am ensuring that each song is processed, mixed and mastered the same way so that extra factors are not added in.

Any chance you guys might have some input on some of this...
I want to ensure that the test is not one of preference between playback devices...so would the same model universal player for each format produce the most neutral response between the two?
what factors would you folks focus on in general to ensure that music being delivered is delivered as neutrally as possible?
How much would the style of music matter...specifically since the audience will be college age listeners?

There seems to be so much grey area in producing a neutral test, and similarly so many different opinions. Any help is greatly appreciated...you guys rock.

[tINY]

Make sure to get good enough headphones. If you can even hear a difference on cheap headphones, the bias will be because of the particular interaction of the recording medium with the poor transducers. You probably need to spend around $200 (or more) on the headphones (from Sennheiser, Beyer, AKG).

Also, make sure to have a good headphone amp.

As far as music selection goes: You probably want something recorded direct to 2 channel with no tracking or processing. The supposed benefits of the DSD (SACD) standard revolve around the fact that the signal is never decimated. So, you need a stereo live recording that was orignally recorded straight to 2 "track" DSD.

You should probably use a player that reads both formats to reduce any differences in the audio chain.

I'd be suprised if there is any statisical difference in preference (if people even claim to hear a difference.


-tINY

[laughingbear]

On the mastering engineers weboard is a section SACD vs. DVD-A, you might find the reading interesting.

http://webbd.nls.net:8080/~mastering/login

[Adler]

Schexnayder,

I'm not so sure that using headphones is the way to go. Headphones are great for checking details, but they really do not present the stereo image properly. Granted, setting up a listening room that is both accurate and quiet enough for such a test would be difficult, but it seems to me that this shootout would benefit greatly by presenting the two formats in the best light possible.

Just my thoughts,
Chris

[sonare]

It seems to me that unless the material being auditioned was recorded simultaneously in different formats or derived from high-quality analog, the "results" are worthless.

Also, I think the "format" is very important regardless of the age of the listener. You should definitely have well-done classical and jazz, as those genres will have a wide dynamic range and extended overtone structure. String quartet is very revealing for such things.

If you want to cut to the cahse, similar tests at Emil Berliner studio in Germany among tonmeisters could not generate anything other than random results-- no clear winner.

Rich

[Bixby]

Also keep in mind the quality of the players - there's a great range of them. How do you say x DVD-A player is equivalent to y SACD player? Converters, transports, everything makes a difference.

On a tangent:

If you check out last month's Stereophile magazine, there's an interesting article about a recording they did. Tony Falkner engineered it, and the editor of the magazine (who's done some amazing recording as well) produced it. They recorded it and delivered it in both analog and digital formats - analog tape to vinyl, and I think DSD to SACD. You can purchase both formats. An interesting concept.

[sonare]

Tony told me about this awhile back, and his comment was that comparing the digital to the analog would "curdle any audiophile's milk", or words to that effect.

This from a man who makes digital sound as good as anyone on the planet.

Rich