The Universal Question what sound better?

[@Mattmzn50]

I always look forward to seeing you on my weekends Thank you for your dedication

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

I appreciate that!

[@davidbee8178]

I once told a sommelier that I know nothing about wines . . . he said not to worry - the only thing that matters is whether you LIKE the wine. End of discussion :-)

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

👍🏼

[@davidbee8178]

@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel I think I should have added that if we are not open to trying NEW things we may never know what we might be missing! The mind is like a parachute - works best when open :-) thank you for all your expert videos, Hans!

[@a.s.2426]

True and also one’s sense of taste evolves and often times this is towards a consensus (not unanimous but generally majority) as to what sounds good over time. Some of what you once thought sounded bad will sound good and vice versa, over time and spending time with more experienced audiophiles.

[@davidbee8178]

@@a.s.2426 That's true too :-) Although I can't honestly remember going back to something I thought sounded bad ! LOL Happy listening!

[@sricchiuto]

Thanks Wiki-Hans, a great idea to to make this greatly informative video by itself also a hub to deep dives in your past videos. Definitely a “one stop shop” for anyone who wants to be informed.

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@BobbyBass-x6i]

Thank you so much for answering my question. Your knowledge and expertise are greatly appreciated. I am now a subscriber and will continue to view all of your future videos. Please keep up your excellent work. Thanks again!

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

Welcome aboard!

[@paulpavlou9294]

Great stuff as usual. To sum things up, if you like what you have - enjoy it, and keep it. In Australia we say “if it ain’t broken don’t fix it”. Thx Hans.

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

🙏👍🏼

[@noturnleftunstoned72]

This video should be a mandatory study for all "audiophiles" before starting an audio YT channel. No hyperbole. In fact I would pin it on everyone who is into audio, ripping, portable and home use at the top of the channel. This is just excellent clear, unbiased and much studied information. Any more and we are getting 'lost', any less and we are left guessing. Brilliant. I am unrelated to the author :)

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

🙏🙏

[@b00ty]

Thank you so much for these insights Hans! This video answers so many small questions that have bounced around the back of my mind for some time now. And I really appreciate the wine analogy at the end, I'll make sure to share it the next time a subjective sceptic refutes even the concept of audible but non-measurable differences in audio quality. Have a lovely weekend!

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

🙏🙏

[@brown-eyedman4040]

Thank you sir for another excellent analysis of such a complex set of topics. It is easy, as a consumer, to get caught up in a kind of comparison by numbers. Even when there doesn't seem to be a set of numbers that can explain what we hear. I prefer CD because it encourages me to sit down and listen to whole works of music. And even Rock and Jazz albums are complete works.

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

Excellent

[@marcob.7801]

Thank you once again for a concise, probative and easily understandable "class" on such a nuanced subject! So glad to see you not too much worse for wear. As the years go by I feel my "ET" getting the better of me at times but, I'm still vertical, can think critically, and wake up with a somewhat positive attitude about life regardless of all the complete "insanity" going on in the world! Our "hobby" has done yeoman work and saved me much expense in psychotherapy thus making a potential MU2 purchase very inexpensive therapy! Kudos again old friend! So glad, truly, to still see you "killin' it! Regards from Brooklyn, NYC

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

Thanks for your kind words. My essential tremor is rather well under control and the deep brain stimulation doesn't seem to loose its effectiveness. Working on loosing weight (-20 kg) and improved fitness has payed off too. I hope you keep counting your blessings rather than your handicaps (I know, it's not always easy) but a positive mind can concur a lot. Stay well.

[@merrillfalk]

Thanks!

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

Thank you too

[@ulrichulrichulrich]

Thanks for another entertaining video with much information and knowledge. I really struggled at the beginning of storing my CDs the first time on harddisk (using an early version of EAC over 20 years in the past) and with streaming, trying several available formats, fighting with organization and tagging of the files. Today its much easier, like always, when you had tried hard to get things running and are aware of the hurdles to take. But, as always, you got same new thoughts for me and i really enjoy them.

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

👍🏼🙏🏻

[@AverageNiceGuy]

Thank you so very much for your straightforward teaching 😎👍

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

You're very welcome!

[@johnnyhickman6798]

Thanks

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

Thank you too

[@SuperMcgenius]

The analogue output, section of a DAC has a big effect on the sound.

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

Everything can have great impact on the sound!

[@faremissound]

Really appreciate this video! Thank you! Would you consider making an overview of the HQPlayer? Would love to hear your opinion on using it and how it interacts with ROON. Thanks again!

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

For now I haven’t planned it.

[@ja6185]

Thank you sir, simply thanks!

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

👍🏼🙏

[@ArnoFloore]

Dear Hans, Maybe my question could lead to a new topic. After having been under a hi-fi rock for about 10 years, I have been completely captured by the hi-fi virus again for the past two years. I learned so much from your channel, especially in the field of streaming, a new world opened up for me. I currently only play music by streaming and I am now looking into how I can improve my installation. I have two questions about that: 1. What has more impact on the sound quality, the streamer or the DAC. personally I would think the DAC because that task seems more difficult to me. I now know that streaming is more than just passing on ones and zeros, but in the end it comes down to that. I understand that the clock is very important, but a good DAC has that. And that you can upsample and filter and all kinds of things, but a DAC can often do that too. And that you have to keep noise and interference low, but if you have a good Ethernet switch and filter then you have come a long way. I am curious about your vision and, especially, practical experience. 2. Is it better to have integrated equipment, or everything separately (up to and including the power supply) Nowadays you have a lot of equipment in which a DAC is integrated, for example a streamer or an amplifier or even an all-in-1 device, I recently listened to the AVM-CS8.3, and I was very impressed. I have everything separately (streamer, DAC and amplifier, and a separate power supply for all three). I can imagine that if you have everything in one, the components are better coordinated. The disadvantage may be that there is more interference between the components, you would rather not have a sensitive streamer close to a powerful amplifier signal. I'm curious about your vision. Sincerely Arno Floore

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

Every component has its influence on the sound. If the streamer degrades the sound quality, the DAC won't be able to remain that and so on. And, despite simple logic says that bits are bits, the digital signal can severely damage the sound quality by offering the DAC a less stable and/or polluted digital signal. Question 2: it all depends on how well the equipment is built.

[@korling99]

I think you meant Grammy award in your earlier statement. Great information in this video for many of us!

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

Yes! Thank you!

[@merrillfalk]

As usual, most informative and interesting. I would point out that, at this point in time, the use of MP3 files seems ridiculous. You can buy a 4 Tb solid state hard drive for less than $400 around here. Memory is no longer a rare commodity. For my spouse's car I purchased a half a Tb thumb drive and loaded 18,000 FLAC files on it. You are correct that a car is not an ideal listening environment, but we get pretty good sound for months and months with no repeats. And finally, thanks for all the great videos. You are appreciated.

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

Thank you and agreed

[@thepuma2012]

Those who listen MP3 are not that interested in sound quality (or have not discoverd the difference yet). They listen via mobile phone and that s it most of the time.

[@brooksc900]

Thank you for this one. Very informative.

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

🙏👍🏼

[@techmed-rainer]

Danke!

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

Thank you too

[@KITFLETCH1]

Brilliant You explained it perfectly

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

Glad you liked it

[@JaqUkto]

Dear Hans, have you watched Golden Sound’s review of MQA that concludes that this format isn’t lossless and doesn’t consider any studio equipment to improve the quality of the recording (which in my opinion was obvious from general logic)?

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

I am only interested in what sounds closest to the sound in the studio. I believe an MQA file through an MQA DAC comes closer than a regular FLAC file through a non-MQA DAC of the same price.

[@JaqUkto]

@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel I very much respect your opinion watching your reviews for many years in a row. However the progress is moving forward. And given that the mentioned material looks to be well supported by the evidence, I’m afraid that there should be something more substantial than just belief. Even you as a trained listener most probably don’t know how the recordings sounded at studio, neither have done blind comparisons of MQA vs FLAC. Or you may have another reason to believe, which you don’t wish to share?

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

The only reason is the sound quality. No hidden agenda. When the CD was introduced there were technicians claiming perfection for the medium. We all know now this was not true....

[@gavinhall4112]

@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel The problem with MQA is where to get the files, now that Tidal are slowly moving to FLAC?

[@jakobgooijer]

Well, that required some paying attention, but it was also understandable for a nitwit like me. Besides the fact that high-resolution files sound better, I especially notice that the man behind the technology ensures that the music sounds good or extremely good. Labels such as ECM and DG often sound better to me at 44khz/16 than higher resolutions from other labels. I will not repeat the gradation that a friend of mine gives to this here, but it is something like what goes in comes out.....😉

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

😃👍🏼

[@yuriwalter385]

So, here's a toast to long lasting audio (and brain) equipment! Thank you, Hans!

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

🙏

[@stuartmacleod8669]

Trees *and* forest. Thank you Hans.

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

👍🏼

[@RAMIRO61FERNANDES]

What could I say. I LOVE listening MUSIC! SOUND! But insted of more reviews on equipment that all Audio reviewers do only, generaly speaking. Audio sophisticated knowledge it was presented in a more simple way to the public. This is fenomenal. It open our minds into full potential in the fantastic world of Audio and beyond....! A GURU! Then...👍🎯💯 💥💥💥💥💥 (5/5) No doubts. Sory if some of words are inconvenient.

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

Blush...

[@leach720]

Hello Hans. I'm glad you spoke about bit depth of recordings. I have a question about album versions available from the high-resolution streaming services, I'll give an example. The Smile have just released Wall of Eyes and from Qobuz there are two versions available, both 44.1kHz but differing bit depths of 16 and 24bit. From The Smile's website a digital download is available only in 44.1/24. Why the two versions with bit depth differences only, especially the 16bit?

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

The Node gives 16 bit out

[@leach720]

So, your using the Bluesound Node as an example of a DAC that only supports 16bit hence the need for a 16bit file, am I understanding you correctly?

[@marcocastronuovo1480]

I don't know if I'm on topic, the question is: Could a 1:1 isolation transformer be used upstream of each hi-fi component?

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

Yet it could, but it would give losses. To what degree that is audible depends on the quality of your gear, your ears and the transformers.

[@marcocastronuovo1480]

@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel I was thinking of using a power conditioner, the costs are very high. if I use good quality and oversized transformers galvanic isolation could bring me some advantages I already have a dedicated power line just for hifi, I don't notice any disturbance, the background is quite dark the equipment is: innuos zenith mk3, ddc hermes, dac terminator, pre audio research ls28, mccormack dna 500 power amplifier, b&w 801 matrix s3 speakers, well-treated room of around 35m2, good quality accessories and cables. p.s. If I'm not mistaken, network conditioners are a topic you've covered yet I congratulate you greetings from Naples

[@JingoLoBa57]

Do you mean what sounds better?

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

Oops, corrected. Thanks!

[@AverageNiceGuy]

Thanks!

[@AverageNiceGuy]

Thank you Mr. Hans. 😎👍 You are rescuing me from so many audio equipment decisions that would likely have been expensive regrets.

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

My pleasure entirely