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Upsampling. Truth vs Marketing

Has anyone done a blind AB test of the up sampling capabilities of a player? If so what was the result?

The reason why I ask because all the players and converters that do support up sampling are going to 192 from 44.1. And that is just plane wrong.

This would add huge amount of interpolation errors to the conversion. And should sound like crap, compared.
I understand why MFG don't go the logical 176.4khz, because once again they would have to write more software.

All and all I would like to hear from users who think their player sounds better playing Redbook (44.1) up sampled to 192. I have never come across a sample rate converter chip that does this well sonically and if one exist, then it is truly a silver bullet, then again....44.1 should only be up sample to 88.2 or 176.4 unless you can first go to many GHz and then down sample it 192, even then you will have interpolation errors.
izsakmixer
megasam's avatar
megasam
798 posts
 
Upsampling may or may not sound better depends on overall design and implementation.

Companies use upsampling because it can allow digital filtering designs that do least amount of harm to music signal.

Don't get hung up on the numbers game, listen to the end result - the music.
darrenlite
24 posts
 
I own an Ah! 4000 CD Player with the optional upsampler board. It's a neat comparison because you can remove the board and replace with the stock chips. Anyway....

The improvement is DRAMATIC...It's smoother, has better resolution and basically does everything better with the Upsambler installed.
izsakmixer OP
39 posts
 
If an when you got an upsamiling player do you know what the actual upsampled rate is? Is it 192khz or 176, none of you listed it. I know of one product that has upsampling and it goes to 192 and it does sound different, but not better. Just looking at the difference in the recorded waveforms (44.1 and 192) clearly shows interpolation errors. If anyone has means to record WAVE files of the output, I would be happy to analyze. All and all I would have to beleive that if your player sounds better upsampled they must be doing 172. Or could it be that their clock is crap and when you use higher sample rate, jitter is less of an issue?..hum..

A<.
unclejeff
1,313 posts
 
An above response having to do with individual preferances rings true. If you do an inventory of some of the most impressive virtual systems on Audiogon you will generally find more upsamplers than those without. I do think that one test of upsampling has to do with amps and speakers. If they work well with upsampling then this is the way to go.

when I first got my Audio Aero Cd player I tried to run it through my receiver and all of the bass and tone controls sounded terrible. I had to set everything at neutral and it sounded better.
blkadr
731 posts
 
I agree with Megasam, specs dont tell you anything about the sound. I cant really comment on the upsampling question, but my experience with amplifiers tells me you dont always get what you would be led to expect. That goes for power ratings, type of technology, price or age. My Totem Ones taught me that numbers can decieve. When a 25 watt ss amp drives a speaker better than a 100 watt ss amp of fairly good quality, you know the only way to tell is by listening. Buy the stuff that sounds good.
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