New Springsteen Box "Album Collection '73-'84'" (Part Two)

Yeah, it's not like the rest of the catalog is crap!

I was just a little surprised how much I "got into" "Darkness" as I played the new CD. I've heard that album so much that I thought I was burned out on it - I guess I was wrong!

"Darkness" is definitely Bruce's best studio guitar-playing, IMO - just blazing!

 

I care about vinyl and it doesn't bother me.

 

They'll be back at some point somewhere.

 

What's the latest with the 24/96 HDtracks releases in the US only? Are they still available? I'm in the UK so I can't tell.

 

I almost never play The River. Never liked the sound of it but I always enjoyed the songs.
This is the fourth time I'm listening since Tuesday. It's not that great sounding now either but it got that needed improvement that got my attention again.

Love the ballads and Steve's "Keith Richards exile" harmony vocals adds a lot. Love that on tracks from that era as well.

 

And his acoustic guitar

 

Interesting. Is it possible that the hot sales in the UK market for the 2010 set took a bite out of potential sales this time out?

 

It is amazing how much confusion they managed to create around these digital downloads.

 

Don't forget the price differential on those two sets: c£13 versus c£50.

 

Click on the "About This Album" tab on both titles on HDtracks, they both show as 2014 releases and both mention the new remastering process. For Greetings:

"This release of Greetings from Ashbury Park, N.J. was remastered by acclaimed engineer Bob Ludwig, working directly with Springsteen and longtime engineer Toby Scott, newly transferred from the original analogue masters using the Plangent Process playback system."

BTR:

"This 30th Anniversary Edition of Born to Run was remastered by acclaimed engineer Bob Ludwig, working directly with Springsteen and longtime engineer Toby Scott, newly transferred from the original analogue masters using the Plangent Process playback system."

Yes BTR is mislabeled as the 30th Anniversary edition but both titles are clearly the new remasters.

 

Amazon-Germany has this set on sale for 37.99 Euro = $47.50. That's a nice price for those that aren't in a rush to get it, probably
equal the Amazon-Canada price from last week with shipping...

 

The wording for both albums suggests that they consider the Plangent Process an improved transfer process rather than a remastering tool. If the process does not change the EQ, .maybe they don't consider it a brand new mastering?

 

I've found Born To Run in 24/96 on HDtracks labelled as the 30th Anniversary Edition as well as Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. also in 24/96.

Is this definitely the 2014 remaster of Born To Run sourced from the Plangent Process transfers and not the 2005 remaster for the 30th Anniversary Edition? I don't want to purchase it until I know for sure. The 2005 remaster and 2014 remaster sound quite different from one another and it's very easy to hear which is which. The 2014 remaster is quieter than the 2005 remaster.

 

I got the LP box today in Nice, €165. I'm leaving on Saturday so couldn't wait for Amazon.de

The packaging looks beautiful and very good quality. It says "Made in the EU" but the Columbia vinyl label "Print in the US".
How do we know that this was pressed in France?

 

True, but still your comment is completely misleading in this particular case since they released the SAME version in different resolutions only within a mere week.

I can not think of any justifiable reason to release the crippled 24-44 version just a few days before offering the original 24-96 master files considering both versions share the same price tag btw... If they will not offer the opportunity to upgrade to customers of the 24-44 (as I have been told last weekend) such business can only be named 'modern piracy'. And the latter sure will be the way to go with Sony then...

 

I wouldn't worry. It looks like they are making an effort to get these out in a bunch of places, but not paying much attention to customer service or the information about the releases or pending releases in superior formats.

Lots of bad business practices from them on this release.

 

It's the music industry... what do you expect?

 

Any guesses as to why only Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. and Born To Run have been released in 24/96 so far on HDtracks? They're all labelled as, "coming soon", on the Pono Music Store, but there's no information about what formats they will be available in or what the bit size and sample rate will be.

 

I'd say they are gonna dole these out slowly over a few weeks like has been happening with the new Who releases.

 

The Hastings where I live has this for 34.99 cd and 124.99 for the vinyl. It's a Thanksgiving Day sale.

 

Hold your horses everyone before you go purchasing the 24/96 version of Born To Run. I don't think they've made a mistake by calling it the 30th Anniversary Edition. I took the plunge and purchased it and now wish I hadn't. There is very little difference between the HD download and my FLAC CD rip of the 30th Anniversary Edition.

However, when I compare Thunder Road to the version I downloaded from iTunes (from the new album box set) there was quite a big difference, both to my ears and looking at the sound waves. The iTunes version was a lot less compressed than both the HDtracks copy and the 30th Anniversary copy from the CD. I'm under the impression that the "Mastered For iTunes" editions are sourced from the Plangent Process copies, from what I've read on here.

There is more tape hiss audible on the HDtracks version that my 30th Anniversary CD and I can hear some improvements over the CD, such as slightly more ambience and parts of the songs more separated. However, I'm pretty sure it's the 30th Anniversary remaster. If only I could turn back time to around 20 minutes ago

 

You be the judge...

24/96 HDtracks

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9t00tpteob6i5s0/01-Thunder Road.flac?dl=0

16/44.1 CD rip of the 30th Anniversary Edition

https://www.dropbox.com/s/71gd67fo3qgz79m/01 Thunder Road.flac?dl=0

Mastered For iTunes (the 2014 remaster)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/bnii3u8g2ewmeui/3-01 Thunder Road.m4a?dl=0

 

Although I left a bit of a complaint on the official site about the better files showing up 3 weeks later and kinda screwing their day-of-release hi-res buyers, I have to say that I am pleased enough with the 24/44's already purchased that I'm quite content to hold.

 

All HDtracks had to do was use the new 24/96 master instead of the one made back in 2005 and everything would've been OK. There might've even been an improvement over the 24/44.1 releases. Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. on HDtracks must be the new remaster as it's never been remastered before.

There's no way I'm going there to find that out. Besides, it's not one of my favourite albums of his.

 

24/96 Greetings sounds pretty great, a huge upgrade from my CD from the 1980s. 24/96 Born To Run is definitely from the new master as well. I A-Bed from the 30th remaster last night and something like "She's The One" features much less compression on the new master. Looking at your comparison files Andrew, the iTunes file and the HDtracks file seem to be a close match, except for the file compression on the iTunes file that makes it look less compressed when you look at the waveform.