I've heard of that too, but in my case it's batch of Japanese distributors like e-onkyo [1] or Ototoy [2].
[1] https://www.e-onkyo.com/music/ [2] https://ototoy.jp/top/
[1] https://www.e-onkyo.com/music/ [2] https://ototoy.jp/top/
The real problem with CD audio is that it's premixed in stereo, and the real next step is Atmos/spatial audio. Just because you only have two ears doesn't mean you can't hear 360 degrees.
I can hear the difference between 16-bit audio and 24-bit audio. 16-bit isn't bad at all, but 24-bit is definitely superior. I've worked with 32-bit on digital boards, and I think it is probably over-overkill, but whatever makes someone happy.
But one thing I know for certain and beyond all possibility of doubt is that I only have two ears. All that is necessary for 3D sound is stereo speakers. To be clear, with only 2 speakers sound can be mixed to seem like it is coming from any direction the engineer desires, left, right, top, bottom, front, back, and everywhere in between. And stereo speakers are dead simple to set up correctly for 3D sound. Sure, you can use 6 or 8 or 10 speakers to get the same effect, if you can figure out how to properly set them up, which is not a given, but I think it's a dick-pull and a money grab because no one can hear with more than two ears.
I realize there are Surround fanatics out there and in here that feel very strongly about it, but the physics of acoustics tells me their set ups are no better than and less efficient than stereo, and nearly always incorrectly configured.
Generally means they got the dithering wrong. (You might be hearing the dithering actually.)
How well can you hear quiet music while standing next to a running power drill? 16-bit can represent that accurately.
> But one thing I know for certain and beyond all possibility of doubt is that I only have two ears. All that is necessary for 3D sound is stereo speakers.
But it doesn't matter how many ears you have. The problem is that it always sounds like it's coming from the same direction, because it's premixed. Can't turn yourself around and have the front and back switch, or move your head around to get a better localization.
Even if you don't care about that, it won't sound perfect because the mixer doesn't know your HRTF or if you're on headphones vs IEMs vs speakers.
Is this like VR, but for sound?
Who are "they?" And when was I converting higher bit rates to lower? I have no issue distinguishing between pro-quality 16-bit and 24-bit ADC, no dither involved. This is not exceptional, and many can consistently distinguish between them even not knowing before hand which converter was used. It is theorized that ultrasonics picked up by the higher converter can affect sounds at a lower frequency, which can be heard. 32-bit ADC sounds no different to me than 24-bit, and though I understand the application, I've never needed absurd amounts of dynamic range.
> The problem is that it always sounds like it's coming from the same direction
Once a proper stereo field is created, a listener can not accurately tell from where sound is coming, regardless of head movement. That they falsely believe they can is only due to psychoacoustics: they see a speaker and assume it is the source of the sound. Repeated studies involving arrays of speakers with only two active have confounded listeners who have insisted sound was coming from inactive speakers above and behind them.[1] These studies were performed in a large room with wall treatment, and the listeners were allowed to move around the room (and obviously were not paralyzed to prevent them from turning their heads). Because you know where the speakers are, you will assume sound is coming from them. A stereo field will not collapse if you turn your head, unless the stereo field is only as large as your head or smaller. Your assertion is false.
> But it doesn't matter how many ears you have.
This is ridiculous. If you only had one ear, or were deaf in one ear, you could only hear in mono. This is known as counter-example proving your assertion incorrect on its face.
> The problem is that it always sounds like it's coming from the same direction, because it's premixed. Can't turn yourself around and have the front and back switch, or move your head around to get a better localization.
Again, the reason why you confidently believe you know where reproduced sound is coming from is because you can see your speakers, you know where they are, and obviously, that is where you know sound is being produced. Sound localization is confounded by sounds bouncing off surfaces and reaching one ear or the other, in one example, before those coming directly from speakers. It is impossible to determine if the sound was directly perceived or indirectly perceived, namely because sound is invisible.
If you have a tiny stereo field, what you describe is possible. This is common in DAW workstations set up to maximize space, and this is why professional control rooms are larger and have more than one set of speakers placed at different distances apart from each other and further away from the engineer. IOW, it is the reason medium and far field monitors are necessary to properly mix professionally. Once one or both ears are outside the stereo field, you'll have a different aural effect. But if your stereo field is large enough (which necessarily involves increased sound pressure) and your ears stay within it, turning your head, standing upside down on your head, or turning around will make no difference.[2] Your ability to determine the sound direction is only reinforced by what you see and what you know. If you were blindfolded and did not already know where your speakers were, in a properly treated room and listening within a stereo field, you would not consistently be able to determine where your speakers were nor if you were listening to stereo or surround sound. These beliefs that one can determine sound direction in only a stereo field are engrained due to assumptions and visual cues, and due to the home stereo industry that marketed surround sound for the home. The only way to dislodge these false beliefs is in a full demonstration set up like the studies I have described above. Only when you are certain sound is coming from one speaker and not another, and shown that the speaker you insist is the source of the sound you hear is not connected to anything and not active will it finally click, and you'll recognize the power of psychoacoustics and how you've been fooling yourself all along.
[-1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auditory_illusion
[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franssen_effect
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4744263/
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_localization#The_cone_of...
Sure, if you want to sit perfectly still in a tiny spot this will work. And don't even think about trying to move closer to that one instrument you hear coming from the rear left.