Hi-Res Download News (HDTracks, ProStudioMasters, Pono, etc.) & Software/Mastering Part 12**

Sorry to interrupt the current train of thought....

Quick question. I seem to remember for Black Friday a few years back HDTracks offered a 25% coupon. Is that a pretty standard annual event? If so, what is the best way to get this coupon? Couple things I could consider buying from them if the price was dropped just a bit.

I have also been keeping an eye on the coupons thread here, but I always seem to miss these deals, so this time I thought I would look into it in advance

 

Exactly. I will say this in Pono's defense. They also have quite a few CD quality downlaods that where the CD is out of print or is only available as an expensive import. But overall, it is a rip much of the time.

 

Just downloaded Weather Report "the Legendary Live Tapes". I was just listening to "Live and Unreleased" prior. I can't comment on the performances as I am not a total Weather Report expert but I will say the sound is quite nice, good creamy midrange, nice dynamics and separation. Deep soundstage, not too wide. I think it is worthy of the hi rez treatment and recommended. there is some talk of audience recordings being used, but I haven't run across any yet and my understanding is that they are just used to fill in some holes. Jaco's bass solo is pretty amazing! Nice, quiet crowd as well.

 

For ambient fans, Pono has tge Max Richter project Sleep (complete). It isn't cheap but I think it's eight hours or more of music as it's supposed to play during your sleep cycles. The other thing I discovered is that they have the reissued Mark Lanegan albums individually instead of as a box set. In case you don't want or need them all.

 

While my computer is d/l the Max Richter collection I noticed three tracks with the status "Track Down." Has anyone seen this before? I know some have had issues d/l music on Pono so I'm wondering of this Trakc Down status is part of that scenario. My connection isn't the greatest so it is taking a long time to d/l my purchases.

It seems to me that when slow d/l speeds cause the computer to go to sleep and it seems like it stops the download process during that time. Because there are three tracks with that status I can't help but wonder if the computer went to sleep mode during the d/l process for those songs.

 

sorry, but to my ears, Ryan Adams: 1989 sounds like dog poo.

 

Pono store now open in Canada according to posts at Pono Music.com

 

Pono News
Live in Canada!
November 22, 2015


Purchases available from Canada

Aloha!

We are pleased to announce that the PonoMusic store is now opened in Canada!

We'll be bringing you the best selection of high resolution music with new releases and new reissues each week.

During this Beta stage of our Canadian store, pricing will temporarily be shown and charged to you in USD but we are able to process Canadian credit cards. We hope to be able to charge in CAD soon.

Also, the PonoPlayer is now available for purchase at London Drugs stores throughout Canada, as well as online at Amazon.

Our PonoPromise album upgrades will be available in Canada shortly.

Thanks for being part of team Pono!

 

Woo-hoo!

I can finally order from Pono.

Any current discount codes in effect?

 

I made my first Pono purchases about an hour and half ago; "Hearts on Fire" and "Never Been In Love" by Randy Meisner.

 

Mark Lanegan's Whiskey For the Holy Ghost (24/96 FLAC, HDT) is fantastic.

Compared directly to the original CD, the download adds loads of dimension. You really hear
it on this album because of the predominance of acoustic instrumentation. I will now purchase
the Winding Sheet...

Download & Original CD.


:

 

Great news. Just picked up three Rush releases that were not available on PSM Canada yet.

 

Pono also has this: https://www.ponomusic.com/ccrz__CCP...pageKey=search&searchText=Bob+&+Doug+mckenzie

 

Does anyone know what the status is - or what's going with the recordings of Dick Hyman?

For those not familiar - fantastic keyboard/piano player - many of his moog tracks have been on SH's "Bachelor" series back in the DCC days and sound phenomenal. I would have plucked from that album too for that series!

It would be fantastic to have the entire Moog: The Electric Eclectics LP from '69 in its entirety (it was to show off the capabilities of the "new" instrument - but the LP itself is a well-regarded work of art).

However, the weird thing is, he's recorded for the Reference Recordings label and other audiophile-specific releases recording in 24bit...

Yet those albums pop up in 16/44.1 only as far as I can find on all HD sites... so you can buy 'em, but... ?

Anyone else frustrated or know if his work is coming to HD? His work is wonderful and some of it was recorded specifically or this day to come... ?

Jeff

 

Just in time for Christmas!

 

Are the Rush releases on PONO all the latest remasters? At least up to the ones that have been released so far?

 

Yes the 2015 remasters are available at Pono up to Hold Your Fire currently.

 

HDtracks still has Loaded for sale with no indication that the two most well-known tracks are CD res upsamples. Did they possibly receive true hi-res from the label or are they really just continuing to knowingly sell upsamples?

 

You can get the CD containing these files from Amazon for $7.46 http://www.amazon.com/Great-White-N...1EPF/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpi_1/192-9139620-9035812

 

That's ridiculous...You put an asterisk and a note the second you find out (if they were unaware in the first place)...Anything less is unacceptable...

 

Has it really been remastered?

 

I didn't expect the free Foo Fighters EP to be 24/192. I wondered why the download took so long. (I did the WAV version, to convert to ALAC)
http://www.saintceciliaep.com/

 

Don't get to much of a woody....the DR average is 5. Great tracks, but they could have been so much better if there were actually some dynamics.

I guess for the price one should not complain. At least the EQ is decent, but why bother with 24/192?

 

Pono shows two versions - copyright 1981 & 1996...

 

Doesn't necessarily mean it's been remastered. Could be a reissue. Also one mentions New Zealand and the other does not. Strange title to be remastered anyway.