As streaming has become the mainstream way to listen, many enthusiasts, including me, have changed to brand new equipment to enjoy a simple, convenient and high-quality journey. It's just a little earlier, many popular science have revealed to the up master and the practitioners of the **circle that there is an "IQ tax" trap on a number of well-known streaming platforms: the membership service opened by Hua** is heard by the secondary processing ** file, which is completely contrary to the "high-quality audio source" and "pure mastering quality" claimed by these platforms.
In the face of the "untrustworthy behavior" of these streaming platforms, what other streaming platforms do enthusiasts have to choose from? Yes, that is, Sony, which everyone is familiar with, launched in 2018 Sony Select Hi-Res** (referred to as Sony Select) service. This is the first (and only operates in mainland China) Hi-Res streaming *** service provider in Chinese mainland, currently available for iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, TV, and web. There are 2 types of services provided, which are divided into streaming *** services (**listening*** and ***buying*** two services.
Caption: There will be a detailed list and categorization on the web side.
A summary of Sony's featured features.
Stream Services >
Let's talk about the stream** service first, mobile phones, computers, TVs, or Android systems**device, you can go directly to the app** or Sony selected official website**app. After paying to open a membership, you can experience Sony's selection of massive** resources. In terms of specifications, there are two kinds of listening, plus members can listen to up to 96kHz sound quality**, and support listening to 360RA live sound effects**content; Premium members can also listen to up to 192kHz on the basis of PLUS membership benefits. At the same time, Android users can see the "DXD Streaming** Zone", where Premium members can **enjoy ultra-high sound quality up to 384KHz 24IT**.
Below I will pick out a few commonly used for testing**,To compare the differences between Sony Selection and other streaming *** platforms,Friends who have a certain understanding of Sony Selection,You may wish to jump to the back and take a look。
In addition, if you want to experience Sony's selection of audiophiles, they have launched a member-discounted, limited-time free Hi-Res playlist during the Spring Festival, and a chance to win the grand prize of koi - a vinyl disc set of "Vienna New Year's Party" imported from Germany, so don't miss it!
Caption: Simple and easy-to-understand ** instructions, you can understand the basic audio knowledge at once.
Let's talk about *** through the web side, or the APP side of the button jump to the "** area, you can buy in the form of a single ** and *** every once in a while, you can also experience different track content for free, try it first and then consume, it is reasonable.
Caption: In the early years, it was not easy to access the resources of UNAMAS.
About Sony's selection "**It solves a problem that has plagued me and many audiophiles for years: rare recording resources. Such resources are only available overseas, and the medium may be CD SACD, or it may be an inaccessible online platform, in short, it is not easily available. Now, through Sony's lead lead, this kind of resource can be directly listed on Sony Pick. In this way, we can try it out before we buy, log in at any time, and never get lost in the resource.
In addition to high-quality and rare sound sources, Sony Select also lays out the future in advance, offering MQA, Dolby Atmos, 51 channel of ** content. Especially Dolby Atmos and 51 channel, in the early years, everyone felt that they had a certain threshold and were difficult to experience; As many brands including Sony continue to improve soundbar and related home audio equipment, as well as the high popularity of electric cars with built-in rich entertainment functions, it has become the first choice for many people to buy a car for the first time, and there is a great need to support Dolby ATMOS and 5For a 1-channel sound source, Sony Select is the natural choice.
In addition to preparing for the future, Sony Picks also pays attention to the details of the experience. Taking the web as an example, even if you don't log in, you can see what brand resources Sony Select has prepared, and each section will have detailed and accurate Chinese information to avoid ambiguity. If you are relatively unfamiliar with certain genres, such as difficult classics, Sony Selection also provides you with a special area for you to listen to and understand.
Good appreciation**.
As mentioned at the beginning of the article, those well-known streaming platforms provide the best content, and there is a situation of secondary processing. And what is the difference between it and Sony's selection of mastering quality resources? Here I chose wm1zm2 + justear club full set of Sony "suit" combination for comparison, these ** are my daily hands-on test equipment, for the majority of enthusiasts worth a try.
Piazzolla: Strings & Oboe Unamas
One example of the rare resources mentioned above is UNAMAS, a record label that has repeatedly won Japanese professional awards for its productions. Piazzolla: Strings & Oboe commemorates the 95th anniversary of the birth of Astor Piazzolla, the "father of tango", and was recorded in the unique AGS acoustic laboratory, which offers a strong immersion even with headphones and two-channel speakers.
One of them, "Liber Tango", is a work that many people are familiar with, and the official has also provided a recording of the performance clip at that time, which can clearly perceive the positioning details of each instrument. Only the high-resolution** files provided by Sony Select can reproduce this positioning detail exactly, and it can be felt through headphones. Since the pronunciation area of the strings is mostly concentrated in the middle and high frequencies, other platforms often directly cut these frequency bands, resulting in the loss of overtones and high-frequency details, and directly remove the essence of this **. However, only Sony selects, implements the technical indicators of Hi-Res, retains complete overtones and high-frequency details, and fully reproduces them under the equipment that supports Hi-Res specifications, allowing people to enjoy the naturalness and elegance brought by this **.
Party in the mirror vocalfuture future vocals star alien**.
VOCALFUTURE Future Vocals, referred to as VF, was established in 2015 as a pure vocal ensemble of Guangdong Xinghai ** College. Friends in Guangzhou should have listened to their wonderful performances at the Guangzhou Grand Theatre a little earlier, and I have actually listened to some of the demos, and I have also personally talked to the band members to understand the production process behind this **. I have to say that there are ** people born in science class in China who can form a group to perform a cappella, and insist on the original production of high-quality ** works, which is naturally more encouraged and supported.
As a result of this experience, when comparing Sony Selection with other platforms, it was easier for me to distinguish through a few familiar singles, and other platforms not only lost some recording details in the process, but also affected the timbre effect, such as the lack of impact in some percussion clips. These details have been preserved under Sony's selection**, and the sound quality is consistent with that of the mastering studio.
A shade of blue Yamamoto trio evosound
When Susan Wong visited Hong Kong many years ago to promote her new album "Close to Me", I was also on the spot to personally compare her original sound with the sound effect of the Hi-End stereo playing SACD, and I was very impressed.
However, this time, I chose one of my favorite jazz works, "A Shade of Blue" recorded by the Yamamoto Trio at the Gotanda Bunka Center in Tokyo, and most of the jazz songs are included. According to the time recorded in 2021, the three of them are already 209 years old together, which is really old and strong. And the actual sound effect, because it is an empty field recording, the sound is natural and real, as long as the timbre is not dyed, and the details are restored in place, it is worth listening to and enjoying more. It's just that only Sony Select can do this basic skill in place, and other platforms either make the tone weak or emasculated the high-frequency details, which is really disappointing.
Mahler: Symphony No. 10 in F sharp major"Not finished"(Vance Ska & Minnesota Symphony Orchestra) BIS
One of the reasons I bought this one is precisely the "unfinished" mentioned in its name, because Mahler had died before he finished the Tenth Symphony, and the work was all based on sketches provided by Mahler's widow and performed by different composers or conductors, so the versions are different. I listened to the excerpts, this ** has his different characteristics, and *** also has a complete collection, the sound quality is particularly good, there is no reason not to accept it. As for the performance, as long as you listen to classical music, there is no reason to resist Mahler's symphonic works, which belong to the masterpieces that naturally cannot be stopped after listening to them.
Listen to 360 Reality Audio.
It is worth mentioning that Sony also provides a series of 360 Reality Audio, developed by Sony's own development, using Sony's object-based spatial audio technology. Through this technical processing, the human voice, musical instruments and other ** details will surround the listener, like a sphere to wrap around you, showing an extraordinarily strong immersion effect. Here I switched to Haibei's newly launched flagship ** device R8ii and MEZE 99 Classics to experience, after all, wired headphones + head-mounted architecture, the sense of atmosphere will be a little stronger.
In fact, the "Thriller" by MJ and "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston were selected by 360 Reality Audio, and the vocal details were more realistic and three-dimensional, condensed and clear, and the more you listened, the more you listened, the more charming. Especially for "Thriller", many audiophiles know that this song has a particularly rich soundtrack, and the better the equipment, the better the performance, the more wonderful the work, and the new effects brought by 360 Reality Audio technology take this experience to a whole new level, refreshing the different listening effects.
Speaking of which, in fact, everyone already knows that Sony's selection of Hi-Res** is very reliable, rich in resources, and outstanding in sound quality, it can be said that it is completely for audiophiles, and it is worth recharging high-quality audio sources. Some friends may feel that the membership fee is a bit painful and a little afraid to try. However, during the Spring Festival, there will be many limited activities and surprises in Sony Selection, so don't miss it if you pursue sound quality! Be sure to check it out