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

The 1610 could do editing if you had two of them, two U-matic decks and a DAE-3000 editing controller. I'm not sure how much more precise they were - I always thought early digital editors were pretty primitive. Here's a pic of the DAE-3000:



Whatever, it's unfortunate. I've never thought the 1610 sounded very good, although that might have as much to do with its analog components as its early D/A converters.

 

Just relistening. 1:13 - 1:23 is quite different.

 

Isn't it ironic that what they thought was the greatest thing at the time (digital recording), is now in hindsight one of the reasons why so many 80's recordings are now stuck/lost in the "44/16" world forever, while analogue tape from 50 years ago, still can be converted into the modern digital world in a remarkable quality.

 

You could cut to the sample.

 

Oh, and on In The Garden, the break between the opening cut "English Summer" and "Belinda" seems much shorter and more abrupt, to the point where "Summer" is possibly truncated.

 

Thanks, that helped. Indeed quite obvious.

 

THIS WEEK on HDtracks...

Jethro Tull- Heavy Horses (Steven Wilson Remix)
Duane Allman & Gregg Allman - Duane & Greg Allman (Deluxe Edition)
Flaming Lips - Scratching The Door: The First Recordings Of The Flaming Lips (Remastered)
Pete Townshend - Who Came First (Deluxe) (45th Anniversary Expanded Edition)

plus much much more...

Other possible titles;
.38 Special - Special Delivery - Rockin Into The Night - Special Forces
Poison - Open Up and Say....ahh!

 

I downloaded The Outfield. Terrible mastering, loud and bright.

 

Like the original cd or worse?

 

I don't have the original cd, but the download is mighty bad. Does anyone else want to chime in?

 

Which album? Play Deep?

 

The brightness is on the old compact disc mastering as well. The lp tames it somewhat. The EQ sounds the same from the Qobuz sample I checked out but with the levels boosted.
Sucks, I was looking to be done with this title.

 

The Who - 1968 Fillmore isn’t getting the HD treatment

 

The new Pete Townshend deluxe offering seems to be a different mastering compared to the 2016 non-deluxe edition.
Did not have the chance to listen to it closely, but it appears to be less louder and looks different, less limited.... Is there further info available which sources have been used for the new release?

 

Yes, Play deep. I couldn't even play it once.

 

It’s a new Jon Astley remastering. I have the CD and like it early listening. Seems like a better transfer than the Ryko, and not loud like the other remasters. If you don’t know the album however keep in mind it’s demos and Pete’s home studio, so I feel you hear a bit more of those limitations in this pretty revealing remaster; but it’s an album I’ve always loved regardless.

 

Just got email from CDJapan. Three Steely Dan issues on CD+MQA playback?

 

Stones and The Who too. Probably others too I imagine.

 

The Royal Scam [Hi-Res CD (MQA x UHQCD)] [Limited Release] Steely Dan CD Album
Description from CDJapan about The Royal Scam - Steely Dan:

"Reissue in Hi-Res CD format (UHQCD format x MQA technology). Features the DSD master in 2018, using US original master tapes. The DSD master is available in 176.4kHz/24bit high resolution (perfect for MQA-enabled audio players). Comes with lyrics and a description. Green color label coating. Comes in a slim case packaging. *The disc can also be played on regular CD players in UHQCD 44.1kHz/16bit resolution. However, MQA-enabled hardware/software is necessary to harness the full potential of this Hi-Res CD."

I am not that technically literate but does this mean I can put the cd in a cd player, connect the cd players digital output to an MQA enabled dac and get 176.4/24 playback from a cd?



List of MQA x UHQCD titles:
CDJapan : Search result by ( MQA x UHQCD ) OR "MQA x UHQCD"

(I just noticed "Queen" titles are now availabe in MQA on Tidal)

 

Read the sentence literally. I think it’s saying the DSD master was used to create a 24/176 PCM master from which a 16/44 MQA CD was created. So a hi-rez master is a “perfect” source for discs and systems utilizing MQA.

That’s my read of it anyway.

 

That makes sense.
But then what is the purpose of the MQA technology being used on the CD if the end result is still 16/44? The description says "MQA-enabled hardware/software is necessary to harness the full potential of this Hi-Res CD." What is this "full potential"?

 

The search engine is your friend. That’s basically what Meridian, et al are selling with MQA...hirez from 16/44 using MQA.

But that’s as much as I’m going to wade into those waters - otherwise this thread could take an ugly, winding, and lengthy detour...

 

MQA is essentially lossy Redbook that can be decoded to lossy Hi-Res.

It's a shame that these unique masterings (Royal Scam...) won't be available in their true original resolution (DSD).

 

Yep. The Royal Scam on SACD from “the DSD master in 2018, using US original master tapes.” (yes, they’ve apparently done a recent DSD transfer of Royal Scam too).

We can only hope...in the meantime we get workarounds.

 

Waste of time. Also, the original masters were in bad shape over a decade ago, according to engineer Roger Nichols. I highly doubt any new transfers would best those he supervised circa 2003 or whenever.