Why is “Format” Important?
CDs operate at a sampling frequency of 44100.0 Hz. Compressed MP3 and AAC music
files and audio streams are typically encoded at three different quality levels—128kbps,
256kbps (iTunes Plus), and 320kbps—and are most often reconstructed as 44100.0 Hz
files. Similarly, many music downloads and CDs ripped as Apple Lossless or FLAC files
are reconstructed to 44100.0 Hz. If you have higher resolution files, it is important to
choose the correct higher sample rate in order to maximize the benefit of those files.
For the best performance with sampling rates above DragonFly Red’s 96kHz ceiling,
files should be played at a rate mathematically related to their native resolution. For
instance, a 192kHz file should be played at 96kHz (i.e., 2 x 96000.0 = 192000.0).
Some programs (such as NPR) use 48000.0 Hz. These 24-bit/48000.0 Hz files can sound
amazingly close to higher sample-rate files. Some “high-res” files use 88200.0 Hz
because it is a multiple of the CD standard sample rate (i.e., 2 x 44100.0 = 88200.0).
Some “high-res” files use 96000.0 Hz because it is a multiple of the sample rates used on
DVDs, Blu-rays, and in the computer world (i.e., 2 x 48000.0 = 96000.0).
DragonFly Red’s LED lights up in different colors to indicate status or sample rate:
Red:
Standby
Green:
44100.0 Hz
Blue:
48000.0 Hz
Amber:
88200.0 Hz
Magenta:
96000.0 Hz
11
