Top Atmos Producer Admits He Can’t Hear the Difference Between CDs and High-Res Audio Anymore

When the sound guru can’t hear the difference what hope do we have?

Steven Wilson, a leading producer in spatial audio, has built his career pushing the limits of immersive sound through Dolby Atmos and 5.1 surround mixes.

But, despite his skill, Wilson recently admitted he struggles to hear the difference between CD-quality and high-res audio like 24/96.

So, what does it mean when someone as experienced as Wilson struggles to tell them apart?

A Surprising Admission

As a top Dolby Atmos and 5.1 mixmaster, Wilson has become the go-to guy for artists wanting to try immersive audio. His clients include Andy Partridge of XTC, Martin Fry of ABC, Roland Orzabal of Tears for Fears, and Mat Osman of Suede.

His approach to winning over spatial audio skeptics? Simple: he brings them into his studio and lets them hear their own music in immersive audio.

And, it’s not hard to see why it’s been effective so far.

At his home studio near London, Wilson uses a 7.1.4 system with Logic Pro DAW, Universal Audio Apollo interfaces, and Genelec 8020 speakers. He also uses the Dolby Atmos Renderer and Music Panner to create spatial sound.

His 2023 project, The Harmony Codex, also shows some of his most detailed Atmos mixes. He says he’s proud of that album, as it shows everything possible with Atmos.

But, while he’s known for his work in spatial audio, Wilson admitted in an interview he can no longer easily tell high-res audio formats apart.

What This Means for the Audiophile Community

Wilson’s candid admission throws a wrench into the long-standing debate about high-resolution audio.

On paper, the difference between CD-quality audio (44.1kHz/16-bit) and 24/96 (96kHz/24-bit) is huge. High-res formats are supposed to capture more detail, offering a more lifelike music reproduction.

But if someone with Wilson’s trained ear struggles to hear these differences, what does that mean for the average listener?

For one, it questions the idea that higher bitrates and sample rates always lead to noticeable sound improvements.

In fact, it suggests that for many, the difference between CD and high-res audio might be more theoretical than practical.

For instance, consider how most people consume music today.

Many use streaming services on wireless headphones or portable speakers. But, these modern listening setups often hide the fine details of high-res audio with background noise or compression.

This raises the question: is high-res audio worth the money if the difference isn’t clear in everyday listening?

That said, Wilson quickly points out that he still believes in recording at the highest possible quality to capture the most detail possible.

This makes sure that even if the differences aren’t clear right away, the detail is saved for future playback systems or listeners with better hearing.

Hearing the Difference Between CD and High-Res Audio

Wilson’s experience isn’t unique. Many people also find it challenging to detect differences between CD-quality and high-res audio.

Several factors explain this, such as:

• Limits of human hearing: Most people can hear frequencies between 20 Hz and 20 kHz, and CD-quality audio already goes beyond this range. So, a lot of the extra detail in high-res formats is beyond what the human ear can hear.
• Age-related hearing loss: As we get older, our hearing gets worse, especially for high frequencies. Even experienced audiophiles like Wilson may lose the ability to hear the finer details in high-res formats over time.
• Source material quality: A badly mastered recording won’t sound much better in a high-res format.
• Law of diminishing returns: A casual listener might notice the jump from MP3 to CD-quality. But the leap from CD to high-res audio is often too subtle to notice.

Physical Formats: CDs, Vinyl, and Beyond

While Wilson may downplay the distinction between CD and high-res formats, he isn’t ready to abandon physical media.

He still likes CDs, especially for genres like ambient or classical music. That’s because, according to him, it’s where surface noise on vinyl can make the listening experience worse.

He argues that the clarity of CD still makes them a good choice, especially when high-res formats aren’t available.

This point resonates especially with younger generations, who are rediscovering CDs. Wilson notes that they can buy classic albums cheaply in charity shops, making CDs an easy way to start physical music collections, compared to vinyl.

Despite this, Wilson admits that formats like vinyl will keep a niche, even as streaming and digital downloads dominate the market. And, his own massive wall-to-wall vinyl collection at home, which he carefully curates, is a testament to this.

Lastly, Wilson believes that Atmos will continue to grow especially in streaming services.