Is DSD the Best?

To S. Andrea Sundaram,

I have a Wadia 861 for CD playback and use my Oppo BDP-105 for high-resolution formats like 24/96, 24/192, and DSD. Do you still think DSD (via SACD) is still the best format?

Mark

The most natural sounding recordings I've heard are done in pure DSD. There are a number of factors that go into that comparison: choice of microphones, microphone placement, other electronics in the signal chain, recording venue, skill and intention of the recording engineers, etc. Based on my experience with a wide variety of albums through a range of equipment, I tend to think that the DSD format holds some advantage over 96kHz -- and even 192kHz -- PCM, but I find many great recordings done both ways. . . . S. Andrea Sundaram