CES 2016 Press Center
CES' Hi-Res Audio Guide

  Hi-Res Audio (HRA) is an opportunity for music-lovers to experience their favorite artists and songs as they never have before. Getting involved in hi-res listening and being able to appreciate the sonic benefits of these differences may require some adjustments in how you collect and play your digital music, but CEA is committed to helping consumers make the worthwhile transition.  

What is Hi-Res Audio?
Hi-Res Audio (HRA) offers the highest digital sound quality while retaining the benefits of digital audio, such as portability and personalization. HRA provides listeners greater sound clarity and detail than MP3s and other compressed digital audio formats.

What audible benefits does Hi-Res Audio provide?
Hi-Res Audio tracks capture the details, instrument and vocal timber and textures that listeners typically sacrifice when listening to MP3s, CDs or streamed Internet music.

What equipment do you need to enjoy Hi-Res Audio?
Better audio playback gear make the benefits of Hi-Res files more evident, though an expensive audiophile sound system is not required. Headphones, speakers, and amplifiers, and DACs (digital-to-analog) converters are necessary for a hi-res experience, and should be selected carefully to ensure their ability to reveal nuance in the music.

Are there streaming music options for hi-res listening?
The higher bandwidth requirements of Hi-Res Audio, coupled with low consumer awareness, have kept the most popular online music services from offering hi-res streams to date. However, one music streaming subscription service, Tidal, has announced plans to launch a hi-res music option.

Hi-Res Audio Gear Guide
Portable Hi-Res Digital Music Players
Smartphones equipped to store and play hi-res music in their native resolutions remain rare, but dedicated hi-res portable players are increasing in numbers.

Digital-to-Analog Converters (DACs)
Virtually all audio-related products today contain a digital-to-analog converter, or DAC, that converts digital audio bitstreams into analog signals that can be played with an amplifier and speakers or headphones.

Premium Headphones/Headphone Amplifiers
Well-engineered, sonically revealing speakers or headphones are a critical link in the audio chain for hearing what's truly special about high-resolution audio. Premium headphones, coupled with a good DAC/headphone amp combo or a portable hi-res music player, can be a great starter system for music lovers looking to get into the game.

Speakers, Powered and Passive
Desktop speakers or studio monitors with built-in amplifiers can take hi-res audio files off a DAC. Alternately, traditional passive bookshelf or tower speakers can be mated with a good-quality stereo receiver or integrated amplifier (with an attached or built-in DAC) for in-room playback of hi-res music. Some wireless speakers and multi-room audio systems using Wi-Fi or AirPlay do boast hi-res compliance.

Audio/Video and Network Receivers
Most A/V receivers and so-called “network” stereo receivers or amplifiers sold today can be hooked up to a home network where they can access hi-res audio music files stored on a network-attached computer, hard drive or even a hi-res-compatible cloud storage locker.

Specialty Audio Cables
Premium audio cables will help with the high-quality transfer of digital audio signals over USB and coaxial or optical S/PDIF cables.

Online Hi-Res Music Retailers
HDtracks
Acoustic Sounds SuperHiRez
Pono Music Store
Pro Studio Masters
Onkyo Music
iTrax
Channel Classics
eClassical
Gubemusic
Bleep

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