Metallica - Hi-Res Downloads (Metallica.com)

This is a dedicated thread for the back catalog hi-res downloads available on Metallica.com.

@Panama Jack got the scoop on these and was kind enough to let us know. There is some discussion already mixed into the existing thread for the KEA/RTL box sets and the general HDTracks thread. I'll attempt to consolidate things here.

As of April 29, Metallica.com had hi-res downloads available for the albums below. They are supposed to be hi-res versions of the Mastered For iTunes editions.

Master of Puppets (24/96)
And Justice For All (24/96)
Black Album (24/96)
Live ****: Binge and Purge (24/96)
Load (24/96)
ReLoad (24/96)
Garage Inc. (24/96)
S&M (24/96)
St. Anger (24/88.2)
Some Kind of Monster (24/44.1)
Death Magnetic (24/96)
Beyond Magnetic (24/44.1)
Through The Never (24/44.1)

Kill 'Em All and Ride The Lightning are new remasters - see the box set thread for info on those.

 

Past messages from other threads, Part 1:

 

Past messages from other threads, Part 2:

 

Past messages from other threads, Part 3:

 

Past messages from other threads, Part 4:

 

Last one:

 

I'm interested about knowing what the dr is on Death Magnetic. I have the vinyl and CD so I'm curious how the 24 bit measures up.

 

Avg. DR figures, complete album, from JRiver for Mac.

Master of Puppets (24/96) - DR11.1
And Justice For All (24/96) - DR8.6
Black Album (24/96) - DR8.5
Live ****: Binge and Purge (24/96) - DR7.3
Load (24/96) - DR7.1
ReLoad (24/96) - ??
Garage Inc. (24/96) - DR6.0
S&M (24/96) - DR6.5
St. Anger (24/88.2) - ??
Some Kind of Monster (24/44.1) - ??
Death Magnetic (24/96) - DR6.4
Beyond Magnetic (24/44.1) - DR4.3
Through The Never (24/44.1) - DR7.8

 

Thank You

 

Awesome! Thanks for compiling everything, @B-Mike .

It's a good idea to give this topic it's own thread. You rock!

 

So for some of the more recently albums (I'm looking at you St. Anger and DM), it doesn't look like these hi-rez versions are any less compressed that the CD versions? I'm willing to buy St. Anger and DM 24/96 as long as there is any marginal improvement over the CDs.

 

Crap this is going to cost me. Well, I guess I go for Master and keep going as long as I am happy. (Please leave that alone )

 

DM is less compressed, and much better sounding than the CD issue. Definite improvement.

 

I bought MoP, Justice, Black Album and Garage Inc. Disappointed in Garage, but the others are great. I wish we could have the MFiT versions of Kill and Ride in hi-res instead of the remasters.

 

So are the people that are buying these assuming that when they remaster the rest of the catalog for the box sets (at least until the Black Album I'd assume) the new remaster hi rez versions of them will be worse than the MFIT Hi Rez versions?

 

I guess I am, but after MoP I don't think they'll be much of a difference b/w these MFiT versions and the remasters.

 

So... Just to be clear... Did either the Pono or these Metallica.com versions finally fix DM or not?

 

According to the DR, it is slightly higher ;however, still pretty low. The vinyl version is even higher and it still has issues so my guess is no. I'm not purchasing it.

 

Depends on what you mean by fixed. The Pono, MFiT, and the new MetStore versions no longer have audible clipping or distortion. Are they still compressed? Yes. But not as crushingly bad as the original retail version. Now it just sounds like most other modern releases. Not audiophile by any means, but still very listenable.

But if you're someone who requires a DR value of at least 11 or more in order to consider something good, then no, it's not fixed.

 

Has anybody here listened to Load and ReLoad? How do the hi-res versions sound? I know that I'm in the minority here, but I think that both albums have some fantastic songs, and I always loved the production of the original releases.

 

I'm looking for reviews of these 2 downloads too. Anybody grab them yet?

 

Ok, I took the plunge DM. It is an improvement over the CD. It's less harsh then the CD version and the distortion appears to be reduced even compared to the vinyl. I recommend highly.

 

I plan to purchase these soon. I will report back once I do.

 

Thanks!

 

can anyone confirm if any of the other 24/96 releases available in the Metallica are upsamples like Master of Puppets unfortunately is?