Has Hi Rez Audio Become Nothing More Then MFIT?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by eric777, Sep 17, 2017.

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  1. eric777

    eric777 Astral Projectionist Thread Starter

    I've been noticing lately that it appears most 24 bit audio has the same DR values as Mastered For iTunes. I remember when hdtracks hardly had anything. Once MFIT came along, suddenly 24 bit downloads were becoming more common. Is it possible that the industry decided to take advantage of having to remaster for iTunes by offering the already remastered 24 bit version to sites like hdtracks?
     
  2. Claude Benshaul

    Claude Benshaul Forum Resident

    That's an interesting observation and it sounds very plausible. Do you have some example of albums that you think are identical releases for iTune and HDTracks?
     
    eric777 likes this.
  3. c-eling

    c-eling They're made of light,We never would have guessed

    New Order's Music Complete 24/96 has MFIT tags.
    The Hi-Rez DL's that came with the Peter Gabriel Lp re-issues were downed for MFIT.
     
    Last edited: Sep 17, 2017
    eric777 likes this.
  4. eric777

    eric777 Astral Projectionist Thread Starter

    I have noticed this with the two most recent Megadeth 24 bit versions as well as Slayer, Iron Maiden, and Pantera.
     
  5. Time Is On My Side

    Time Is On My Side Forum Resident

    Location:
    Madison, WI
    256k AAC tracks do not sound bad at all when mastered properly.
     
  6. wwaldmanfan

    wwaldmanfan Born In The 50's

    Location:
    NJ
    Hi-res music offers nothing except a ripoff price, unless the remastering is done properly, and few are.
    Trying to sell me a remastered hi-res version of a CD that I already own, when the remaster is DR8 and the original CD is DR14 is a cynical money-grab, and an insult to my intelligence.
    It's like putting premium gasoline in a car that's designed to run on regular, and having the engine perform worse as a result.
     
  7. DaleClark

    DaleClark Forum Resident

    Location:
    Columbus, Ohio
    Apple reauires MFIT to be at least 24/96. Plus, theres a special mastering/ conversion process etc that is outlined when converting to MFIT. I believe you can find it on apples developer site. So hdtracks may have the same MFIT master and offer the hi Rez version and apple does the lower rez version. I would say a whole lot better than the many hi rez offerings that are just a hi rez version with minimal changes for the format.
     
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  8. Mike-48

    Mike-48 A shadow of my former self

    Location:
    Portland, Oregon
    IMO: A lot of what is sold on HDTracks is redigitized old tapes. Those don't benefit audibly from HR format; though some apparently have improved through better mastering. Prices are stratospheric, and often the shortest version of an album is sold, omitting bonus tracks or twofers in later releases. When you consider something recorded to tape in the 1970s or before, there is no reason that HR in itself should be an improvement over a competently mastered CD version. Modern DACs have gotten really, really good at rendering CD-quality material -- if the quality is in the recording and mastering to begin with.

    It makes me angry that so much emphasis is on the output format, rather than the quality of the recording and mastering to begin with. The magazines are not helping with this.
     
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  9. SquishySounds

    SquishySounds Yo mama so fat Thanos had to snap twice.

    Location:
    New York
    Gear Magazines exist to sell gear. They don't care what you listen to on it.

    Music Magazines exist to sell music. They don't care what you listen to it on.
     
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  10. KevinM

    KevinM Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Kingston, Ontario
    Anyone explain simply what exactly is MFIT. Other than what it stands for. I have heard the term.
     
  11. SquishySounds

    SquishySounds Yo mama so fat Thanos had to snap twice.

    Location:
    New York
    1. Better than brickwalled mastering for the consumer.
    2. Apple mixing and mastering software for the artists. (Easy AAC/ALAC coding from what i hear)
     
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  12. DaleClark

    DaleClark Forum Resident

    Location:
    Columbus, Ohio
    I agree a great recording and mastering can sound great even at the MP3 level. Horse crap recordings reveal more " crap" at higher resolution
     
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  13. AudioEnz

    AudioEnz Senior Member

  14. c-eling

    c-eling They're made of light,We never would have guessed

    Unfortunately there are ways of tricking the requirements. They can take a brick and just re-level it.
    The MFIT of Goo Goo Dolls-Magnetic is actually worse than the 24/96
    As is Abba's-Super Trouper, which uses the 2011 remaster but has clipping (peaks hitting 0) compared to the compact disc
     
    Last edited: Sep 18, 2017
    eric777 likes this.
  15. KevinM

    KevinM Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Kingston, Ontario
    Interesting read from the link provided. This is music from the music store, does anyone know if MFIT carries over to Apple Music. I subscribe to both Tidal and Apple Music (for the family). Net savings of 5$ a month if I put the family on Tidal.
     
  16. AudioEnz

    AudioEnz Senior Member

    Yes, they use the same files.
     
  17. KevinM

    KevinM Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Kingston, Ontario
    Thanks, explains why some of the files sound good. Is there a way to tell if the album is MFIT in Apple Music?
     
  18. cdash99

    cdash99 Senior Member

    Location:
    Mass
    Look at it in the iTunes Store. If it's labeled as such there then they're streaming the same version.
     
  19. KevinM

    KevinM Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Kingston, Ontario
    Thank you. After all of this reading, I'm starting to consider discontinuing Tidal. Thinking. The family uses Apple Music.
     
  20. SandAndGlass

    SandAndGlass Twilight Forum Resident

    The thing that grabs me about "Hi-Res", is that today's studio's (the majority of them) are already mixed and most mastered in 24/192, or higher. They have to be reduced, to fit a CD or a MP3/AC3 format.

    So, I'm gonna pay more to get the original file? I find that kind of stupid and insulting, from a general principle standpoint.

    Agree with @Mike-48, older analog tapes, benefit from better remastering, not 24/192.

    While many tunes benefit from remastering, remastering does not necessarily mean better mastering.

    I can play vinyl, CD's (which I'm listening to right now), and then switch to Pandora One streaming service, which is (as I am given to understand), is 192-AAC at best. Songs which were properly recorded and mastered sound excellent, even at that resolution.

    I say this as a long time "past" HATER of digital music, which I so intently disliked, that I left audio completely for over 20-years.

    I refrain from commenting on Hi-Res, downloads, because I have never downloaded and listened to any Hi-Res music.

    Maybe someday?
     
  21. John Moschella

    John Moschella Senior Member

    Location:
    Christiansburg, VA
    I wish that your post wasn't true, but unfortunately it is.

    It is really sad, but the best mastered/sounding CDs were produced in the 90s and the best LPs in the 60s and 70s. Sure equipment has gotten better, but not the quality of the sound.
     
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