High-Res Audio

High resolution audio is the same as hi-res audio, high-res audio and Hires audio. It refers to music files with a higher sampling frequency and/or bit depth than a regular CD, which is 16 bit / 44.1 kHz.

These are the six audio file formats that can be called "high resolution audio": DSD (dff), DSD (dsf), WAV, AIFF, FLAC and ALAC.

High resolution formats at NativeDSD

At the NativeDSD Music Store we offer the highest resolution audio formats: DSD 1024, DSD 512, DSD 256, DSD 128 and DSD 64, DXD (352.8 kHz, 24 and 32 bit) and PCM 384 kHz. Most albums also come as FLAC 192 and FLAC 96 in stereo and multichannel.

Apart from FLAC, the most notable format on that list is probably DSD 64, because that is the SACD resolution. "SACD" stands for Super Audio CD, a physical carrier released in the year 2000 with a DSD 64 stereo layer and often a DSD 64 multichannel layer, for playback on SACD players.

Cat and mouse

As the number of SACD players declined, and listeners still wanted to hear music in high resolution, digital downloads were the natural next step. As Jared Sacks (recording engineer and producer of Channel Classics Records) once said:

For many years we have been playing "cat and mouse" with listeners at home. In the studio we would always have one step higher quality audio format than the people at home purchasing downloads. I think that most of us were hesitant to put our "studio masters" out there in the world. But what a shame to keep the best for yourself! Now, with the availability of the actual master files from DSD and DXD recording labels, that "game" is finally over. The listeners at home now hear what the recording engineers, musicians, and mastering engineers heard in the recording: the sound, levels, balance, interpretation, ambiance, overtones, and the emotions, exactly the way they are intended to be heard.

C. Jared Sacks

Not all DSD is real DSD, but it is still high resolution audio

The "highest" resolution is not always what it seems. It is not uncommon for a PCM recording to be released on SACD. So where does that DSD 64 layer come from? It is upsampled and remodulated PCM audio, which does not create more overtones or emotion, because they were never captured in the recording. Once a DSD 64 edition exists, remodulations are made to also create DSD 128 and DSD 256 files.

Not here, not at our store. At NativeDSD we have a source guarantee. The verified hi-res sources are: DSD 64, DSD 128, DSD 256, DSD 512, 352.8 kHz (DXD), 384 kHz original recording format, or analog tape transfers direct to DSD or DXD. You can find the "Original Recording Resolution" on every album page.

Try DSD now, for free

The NativeDSD Starter Pack is free in DSD 64, and available in DSD 128, DSD 256, DSD 512 and FLAC 96 / 192 for a small fee, with many thanks to the participating labels. Choose the rate and channel structure that suits your playback setup. If your setup is DSD compatible, it is always safe to give stereo DSD 64 a try. This is what high resolution audio can sound like.

Get the free Starter Pack More about the free download

Where to go next

Read About DSD, check which rates your DAC accepts in the DSD database, or browse DSD 512, DSD 1024 and FLAC downloads.