The Official "Apple Digital Masters / Mastered for iTunes" Thread*

The Monkees are up.

Shalom, y'all!

L. Bangs

 

Apple posted their Essential Soundtracks: Mastered for iTunes (click here for the link). I was glad to see a list I haven't seen in the past. I really wish they put the MFiT label on albums in Apple Music, but until then, I will continue to posts screenshots of them.

 

You wouldn't believe how much switching back and forth between AM and the store I do. That and running two devices side by side, scooping up MFiT albums into My Music

 

Good to see the Rocky Horror, Evita and Godfather soundtracks on along with the original London cast recordings of Les Mis and Miss Saigon. Would love to see (and buy!) the Complete Symphonic Recordings albums for Les Mis and Miss Saigon, especially the latter: the I Still Believe duet between Joanna Ampil and Ruthie Henshall just reduces me to tears (as it does every time I've seen the show).

 

I used to do this then I realised it is easier just using Spotify if I want to stream. Then any MFiT stuff that crops up I'll buy. Still waiting on Curtis Mayfield on UK site.

 

What's really interesting, much like their recent Alternative list, is a lot of those albums listed as MfiT don't actually carry the badge in the iTunes Store. Puzzling.

 

I am on iOS and prefer AM's Siri integration...among other things...but that is probably a discussion for another thread.

 

I wonder if there is different licensing that needs to be had to put the MFiT label on them? It might explain the lack of an MFiT label in AM, as well.

 

Could it be that they have plans to not confuse even more by using the name mastered for iTunes in Apple music?
I mean iTunes is not the most loved brand name they have, especially lately with the iTunes match issues and so on.

I'm thinking that possibly mastered for Apple Music (Mfam?) could be a future name for streaming service (via optimized stand alone app, please) and the name MFiT we all love would be the name for that same masters in the upcoming store in hi-res?
Or do you think they would skip this middle step of streaming/buying alac coexisting and go directly to offer hi-res a la Tidal? Possibly also going for MQA files?

 

Does anyone put off making certain purchases because you're holding out for a potential MFiT release? I just discovered David Bowie yesterday (!!) with Ziggy and Aladdin - both MFiT. I've become instantly hooked and now I want to get Low, Station, etc., which haven't been released as MFiT (yet). I suppose I could just get those now and hope that I'll get a free upgrade by deleting and re-downloading if and when the time comes.

 

don't ! no guarantee that will happen it is better to just to wait .

 

What's the consensus on Springsteen and Elvis sound quality?

I was thinking I might start hacking away at their Albums boxes, a few tracks at a time.

 

The droplet is not handy if you want to convert CDs. There will be no difference with the iTunes encoder.

However, if you want to convert 24/96 or 24/192 vinyl rips, it will produce better results. I recommend it for this. Be prepared to retag all the tracks after though, it keep the tracks name, but removes all the rest. You have to retag the artist, album title, and track numbers.

 

What droplet are you talking about sorry I've missed something.

 

I've heard people say that the Elvis are really good. His catalog has been remastered in the last few years and they've done a really good job on it.

 

The droplet is a download from Apple's Mastered for iTunes site. It's a utility for converting hi-res (above 16bit 44Khz) file to Mastered for iTunes compliant 256Kb/s AAC files.

When using a 16/44 'master' (i.e. from a CD) it's no better than the ripping function within iTunes itself.

 

Could this make my 24bit files sound any nicer if redone in MFiT otherwise it would be a waste of time for me.

 

The only answer is to suck it and see - Apple tout superior encoding of 256Kb/s AAC files from a hi-res source vs going hi-res > 16/44 lossless > 256Kb/s. If your hi-res files sound particularly good to you then give it a try; your ears are the best judge vs a technical explanations.

They won't make you 24bit files themselves sound any nicer. The droplet only has the potential to make AAC files derived from the 24bit files sound better vs other 'conventional' AAC encoding methods.

Oh, and the droplet only works on Mac OSX - there isn't a Windows version of the droplet.

 

Well, I bought his two '60's gospel albums (His Hand In Mine & How Great Thou Art) a few months back, as well as the complete Elvis At Stax set, all on MFiT. They sound great. The gospel albums, in particular, are superb.

 

As I mentioned above, I was worried that these lists were running out. This week, for the first time in many months, there is no longer an MFiT section on the New page. I am a little bit worried that the party has ended, but I am hoping they are just retooling for WWDC.

 

If they were avoiding confusion, you wouldn't think they would not even have the MFiT section in AM that they have had for months ( maybe since the beginning, but the section was at the bottom of the New page, so I only noticed it back in October or November last year).

I would not be surprised to see a name change, though. Eveything you said makes sense, but I don't know if we will see hi res. AirPlay can't natively support 24/96 and the higher bitrate could cause issues with streaming in a lot of environments even if Apple updated the AirPlay protocol. There are already a lot of people with older routers saying they have issues with the current version of AirPlay. I think lossless 16/44.1 is more probable, but they would have to rethink MFiT so that it is optimized for this resolution (I think they get the 24/96 version of the recording most of the time).

 

More Simple Minds albums are now available or coming soon in MFiT...Sparkle in the Rain has been there for some time but I hadn't seen New Gold Dream or Once Upon A Time listed in the format before now. Would love to see some Talking Heads up soon....

 

David Bowie "Changesonebowie" is now MFiT. Note that the songs from DD, YA, and STS say "2016 Remastered Version", though those full albums themselves are not yet available as MFiT.

 

Are the Chili Peppers albums new to MFiT?

 

They have been out awhile. I think they all sound better played on an iPod with the exception of Californication. It still sounds like crap and clips during "Scar Tissue" but it is a bit more muted.