Dr. AIX

Mark Waldrep, aka Dr. AIX, has been producing and engineering music for over 40 years. He learned electronics as a teenager from his HAM radio father while learning to play the guitar. Mark received the first doctorate in music composition from UCLA in 1986 for a "binaural" electronic music composition. Other advanced degrees include an MS in computer science, an MFA/MA in music, BM in music and a BA in art. As an engineer and producer, Mark has worked on projects for the Rolling Stones, 311, Tool, KISS, Blink 182, Blues Traveler, Britney Spears, the San Francisco Symphony, The Dover Quartet, Willie Nelson, Paul Williams, The Allman Brothers, Bad Company and many more. Dr. Waldrep has been an innovator when it comes to multimedia and music. He created the first enhanced CDs in the 90s, the first DVD-Videos released in the U.S., the first web-connected DVD, the first DVD-Audio title, the first music Blu-ray disc and the first 3D Music Album. Additionally, he launched the first High Definition Music Download site in 2007 called iTrax.com. A frequency speaker at audio events, author of numerous articles, Dr. Waldrep is currently writing a book on the production and reproduction of high-end music called, "High-End Audio: A Practical Guide to Production and Playback". The book should be completed in the fall of 2013.

10 thoughts on “Happy July 4th! Charting Misinformation

  • Engineers *are* making recordings at the 8x rates, though, as well as 2x and 4x DSD. Just because it’s not prevalent doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.

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    • I did say virtually…and they is absolutely not benefit from clocking at that rate. There are no microphones that exceed 50 kHz! The chart mentions DSD 128…but no matter what you do, DSD is still unusable in its native state. Why bother?

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  • Mark, getting 32/384 is extremely simple and easy these days thanks to delta-sigma dacs, and LH’s product use them to boost the number. Whether those delta-sigma dacs really properly decode 32/384 (or anything else really)…. well, is still very questionable.

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    • 384/32 is complete hype and simply a marketing scheme.

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  • Convenience will win, who wants another gadget in his/her pocket? Next year there will be many mobiles and phablets supporting 24-192 and with 128GB, so why to spend $1,000 in just a hi-res player? DSD is all hype, there is no more than 200 albums available in true DSD recording, how do you want to build an industry with only 200 albums?
    Anyway, what LH is achieving with their Indigogo campaings is amazing, maybe they’ve invented a new business model.
    This one from PS is also fun: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2022604828/sprout-hifi-stereo-amp-that-transforms-the-way-you $800 for a little amp with DAC and a phone input presented like a bargain and skyrocket technology…common. But I am happy to see some money is now flowing to the audio industry.

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    • You’re right…the Ponos, Geeks (anything) and A&K devices are all headed for diminished sales when the Smartphones get it right…and some already have.

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  • Aside the DSD vs PCM debate, the player plays both. I ordered the Wave on the hopes it may be similar quality to an A&K or other quality players at a much lower price. How would you stack it up to the PONO at this point?
    Thanks

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    • The Pono player will be excellent and the A&K devices are as well. But they really don’t do any better than the HTC M8 HKE phone…for less money.

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  • There is so much misinformation in audio!

    I designed audio gear from 1967 until 1971. Had to get out of the business. Much too hard to get the truth accepted. So much pseudoscience!

    Example: Took a new sub-woofer design to a trade show. People would come up to me (not knowing who I was) and tell me how it worked. None of them had a clue. When I tried to explain the way it actually worked, no one would believe me. Couldn’t or didn’t want to follow a very clear, step-by-step explanation.

    Look to fight what may be a losing battle.

    Roger

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    • I realize that I’ve been fighting a losing battle since I started. But I also believe that I’ve made a difference…a little one in the way things are talked about and produced.

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