Does hi-res audio sound better?

Yes, although your experience of hi-res audio will depend on the device playing hi-res audio. For example, cheap earbuds may not sound any differently playing MP3s or hi-res audio. More capable listening devices take better advantage of hi-res audio.

Is hi-res audio worth it?

Maybe. If you consider CD-quality audio hi-res audio, there is a meaningful upgrade to be had on any music you listen to over iTunes downloads or streaming services. For better-than-CD-quality hi-res audio, this is often much more niche, less accessible, and less relevant to the average consumer.

Home Theater & Entertainment > Audio

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What Is Hi-Res Audio? The Basics

High resolution audio changes your music listening options

By

Robert Silva

Updated on July 18, 2021

What Is Hi-Res Audio?

To fit music into a format that can be easily streamed, as much as 80 percent of the information in the original recording may be lost. The same is true when you convert an original recording from a CD to an MP3 file.

The goal of hi-res audio is lossless audio. This means that a music file retains all the information provided in the original studio recording process. A lossless file is commonly uncompressed. Still, some compression algorithms allow the retention of all required information.

How Is Hi-Res Audio Defined?

The DEG (Digital Entertainment Group) defines hi-res audio as lossless audio capable of reproducing the full range of sound from recordings produced from better than CD quality music sources.

The CD format is considered the reference point separating low-res from hi-res audio. In technical terms, CD audio is an uncompressed digital format represented by 16-bit PCM at a 44.1 kHz sampling rate.

Any format below CD quality, such as MP3, AAC, WMA, and other highly-compressed audio formats, are considered low-res.

Hi-Res Audio Formats

Hi-res audio is represented in physical media by the HDCD, SACD, and DVD-Audio disc formats. Digital hi-res audio formats include ALAC, AIFF, FLAC, WAV, DSD (the same format used on SACD discs), and PCM (at a higher bit and sampling rate than CD).

What these file formats have in common is that they provide the ability to listen to music in higher quality. However, these files are large, which means they usually need to be downloaded before you can start listening.

Downloading Hi-Res Audio Files

The main way to access hi-res audio content is by downloading it. This means that most of the time you can't listen to hi-res audio on demand. Instead, you download hi-res music files from a content source available on the internet to your PC or other compatible devices. Two popular hi-res audio music download services are Acoustic Sounds and HDTracks.

Hi-Res Audio Playback Devices

You can listen to hi-res audio on your PC. If you have a network-connected home theater receiver that is hi-res audio compatible, it may be able to access hi-res audio files from network-connected PCs, media servers, or a flash drive plugged into the receiver's USB port.

Hi-res audio playback is also available through select network audio receivers and portable audio players. Some brands that incorporate hi-res audio playback capability on selected digital audio players, stereo, home theater, and network audio receivers include Astell & Kern, Pono, Denon (HEOS), Marantz, Onkyo, Pioneer, Sony, and Yamaha. Look for the official hi-res audio logo on the product or product packaging.

Sony Europe Press Centre / Creative Commons

You can also play some hi-res audio content (24-bit/96 kHz) on non-hi-res audio compatible playback devices using Chromecast Audio and compatible Play-Fi devices.

Hi-Res Audio Streaming With MQA

MQA stands for Master Quality Authenticated. It provides a compression algorithm that allows hi-res audio files to fit into a small digital space. This allows the music files to be streamed on demand, provided you have an MQA compatible device. Although MQA files can be streamed, some services may only provide a download option.

If your device doesn't support MQA, you can access the audio by downloading it. However, you won't get the benefits of MQA encoding. Some MQA hardware product partners include Pioneer, Onkyo, Meridian, NAD, and Technics. Some MQA streaming and download partners include 7 Digital, Audirvana, Kripton HQM Store, Onkyo Music, and Tidal.

Qobuz streams hi-res audio in the FLAC format and does not use MQA.

Is Hi-Res Audio Worth the Cost?

If you want to take advantage of hi-res audio listening, there are costs involved, both on the hardware and content end. Although hi-res audio capability is incorporated into a growing selection of moderately-priced stereo and home theater receivers, dedicated hi-res audio compatible network audio and portable audio players can be expensive.

The price of hi-res audio download and streaming content is also higher than their MP3 and low-res audio file counterparts.

If you're planning to make the jump to hi-res audio listening, seek out and conduct your own listening tests to see if the price of entry is worth it for you.

FAQ

Does hi-res audio sound better?

Yes, although your experience of hi-res audio will depend on the device playing hi-res audio. For example, cheap earbuds may not sound any differently playing MP3s or hi-res audio. More capable listening devices take better advantage of hi-res audio.
Is hi-res audio worth it?

Maybe. If you consider CD-quality audio hi-res audio, there is a meaningful upgrade to be had on any music you listen to over iTunes downloads or streaming services. For better-than-CD-quality hi-res audio, this is often much more niche, less accessible, and less relevant to the average consumer.

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