My Journey with Sound Liaison and the Pure DSD Technique
By Frans de Rond, Senior Recording Engineer at Sound Liaison
At Sound Liaison, craftsmanship, innovation, and authenticity form the foundation of everything we do. As a senior engineer, I’m proud to contribute to a philosophy that values exceptional sound quality and precision in musical storytelling. Our first Pure DSD recording marks a new milestone in this journey—one that blends tradition with cutting-edge technique to create an experience that’s as immersive as it is sonically refined.
For this landmark session, we invited Iman Spaargaren (saxophone, clarinet) and Peter Bjørnild (double bass) into our studio. What followed was not just a musical collaboration—it was a bold step into the future of audiophile-quality recording.
Experimentation at the Core
After decades in the field, my curiosity about sound continues to fuel every project. For this recording, I developed an entirely new workflow tailored for Pure DSD256, a format renowned for its ultra-high resolution and natural sonic character.
Capturing music in Pure DSD demands a meticulous approach. Everything from microphone placement to post-production must be handled with exacting care. The goal? To reproduce the original performance with absolute fidelity and emotional depth.
The Evolution of DSD: From Archiving to Artform
Originally developed by Sony and Philips in the 1990s as an archival solution for analog master tapes, Direct Stream Digital (DSD) has grown into a format celebrated by engineers and audiophiles alike. Its 1-bit, high-sampling-rate architecture (up to 11.2 MHz for DSD256) enables it to preserve the fine-grained detail and natural ambiance of an analog recording with stunning accuracy.
What excites me most is how DSD has transitioned from archival utility to a living, breathing creative tool—a platform for artistic expression that aligns perfectly with Sound Liaison’s ethos.
The Beauty of a Minimalist Microphone Setup
For this session, I used a single Josephson C700S stereo microphone, known for its unmatched phase coherence and spatial precision. This minimalist approach allowed us to capture the full scope of the performance—including the subtle interplay between instruments and the room’s natural acoustics.
Less gear, more music. That’s the philosophy. And with the right mic, in the right space, you can deliver a more intimate and emotionally transparent sound.
Bridging Analog Warmth with Digital Precision
This project represents a marriage between the best of both worlds: the warmth of analog and the precision of digital.
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Recording & Editing: Captured in Pyramix, the industry’s gold standard for DSD workflow.
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Mixing Console: Vintage Studer 169 analog desk, chosen for its organic tonal character.
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Reverb & Atmosphere: TC Electronic’s System 6000, applied with subtlety to enhance space and realism.
The analog output passed through two PowerBoxes 6pro NCore units—advanced analog processors feeding ten NCore amplifiers, which powered a pair of Linkwitz LX521.4MG full-range dipole speakers.
(More on these speakers)
The synergy of this setup was simply breathtaking. The depth, clarity, and dimensionality of the soundstage made the entire mixing process a uniquely inspiring experience.
Free Listening Samples – Hear the Difference
To showcase the results, we’ve made two sample versions of the recording available for free download:
🎵 Pure DSD256: Download Here
🎵 DXD 352kHz Conversion: Download Here
Whether you're a seasoned audiophile or curious about high-resolution audio, these samples offer a glimpse into the uncompromised realism of the Pure DSD format.
The Future of Pure DSD at Sound Liaison
This project is the beginning of a broader mission: to develop a dedicated Pure DSD recording workflow that captures music in its most truthful and emotionally resonant form.
By blending analog expertise with modern digital formats, I hope to help define a new benchmark for audiophile recording—one where the listener feels not just the music, but the space, the breath, and the intention behind every note.
Final Thoughts
This recording session with Iman and Peter is more than a technical success—it’s a testament to the power of experimentation, the richness of analog, and the potential of digital formats like DSD.
At Sound Liaison, we don't chase trends. We pursue excellence—in sound, in craftsmanship, and in the emotional impact our recordings deliver. I hope this work resonates with you and inspires deeper listening.
For those who seek sound without compromise, this is just the beginning.
🎧 Explore more Pure DSD and high-resolution albums at Sound Liaison