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

As far as I've studied in Economics, more demand creates higher prices not lower for most everything except say gasoline in most cases.
Look at vinyl new or used. High prices are not the result of low demand but the result of people willing to pay the price large or small market.
As long as enough people pay the asking price, the prices will certainly not go lower.
On one level they're doing you a favor by jacking the price on Zak Brown
On the other hand I'm disappointed about the Ryan Adams live download.

Look, hi-res music anything has never been and will never be mass market unless it's the only option offered.
As long a consumers have cheaper options they won't care and will always opt for the cheaper and/or more convenient option.
The reason that 1080 penetration is as high as it is is a lot of reasons but mostly because that's what is offered.
I still contend that a good chunk of TV owners have 1080 sets but little to no HD delivery in disc, cable or streaming.
They sit too far from their set to "see" any worthwhile improvement from upscaled DVD to BD.

 

Here's a good (comparatively) deal on Pono.

R.E.M. - Chronic Town - 24/192 - $10.49

Cheaper than even 15% off the ProStudioMasters 24/96 price.

HDTracks: 24/96 $17.98, 24/192 $24.98
ProStudioMasters: 24/96 $13.99, 24/192 $17.99

 

Does anyone have the current discount codes for HDTracks and Pro Studios? Thanks in advance

 

Pono has it priced "correctly", as it is an EP.

HDTracks is out of the ballpark completely.

 

Price tends towards marginal cost, right? And marginal cost is close to zero.

I don't think classic economic theory can apply where scarcity is artificial.

Tim

 

£6.11 on Qobuz

 

HDMAY12 - 15% although 20% sometimes appears randomly too.

 

The market for HD downloads is not shrinking. HDtracks has seen year over year gains every year they have been in operation. That may not be the case this year because of all the competition they now have but HD downloads sales as a whole are actually on the rise not fall. You may be confusing it with the fact that downloads overall are down but that is mostly because of the lossy download market getting eaten alive by streaming services.

 

Yes, Qobuz has reported something like 200% annual growth.

 

Too bad that it is too compressed.

 

Which one is that for?

 

Someone who can't hear the difference between lesser formats and 2496 makes me very leery to own their work.

 

I thought $25 for an ep was a little crazy! $10.50 and Im thinking maybe I can do the upgrade. Thanks!

 

Let me rephrase..even if if the HD download market expands by a factor of 10 it is still a joke in overall sales compared to even a download of ONE top selling title on iTunes.

 

That's not a rephrase that's a completely different point that I agree with but that wouldn't explain the raise in prices for HD especially considering there is usually nothing more involved in delivering the product to the HD download sites.

 

Current HD download pricing just encourages buyers to group together and share releases. That then becomes a habit and so ...

 

Any I think.

 

Ordered Hemispheres at ProStudioMasters. I guess at this point it looks like I'll be re-buying pretty much all of these Rush re-issues.
For the life of me I cannot get the download manager for PSM to work though. Every time I have made a purchase I have had to reach out for assistance to complete the download. That said, they do seem to have a helpful and responsive support team. Just wish I did not need separate finicky downloader applications for every HD music vendor...

EDIT: Ha Ha figured out my problem w the Download manager. Just me being dumb again

 

Ok. We agree. But..let's even be conservative. Let's say it costs the labels around 3 grand to remaster and prepare and HD download. The rest of the cost of the recording has been recovered many, many times over with sales in previous physical formats. The pricing does not reflect any economic reality in my book.

 

You are correct.

 

Most of the ones that I am seeing at a higher price are new releases that in most cases are the same master that they are sending to iTunes so there would be virtually no additional cost involved.

 

Yes that can be the case, but there have been some remasters done specifically for download. But yes, for the most part you are right.

 

HDT Upcoming releases...

RUSH - Hemispheres
Graham Parker & The Rumour - Mystery Glue
Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear - Skeleton Crew
Jeff Beck - Live +
The Yardbirds - Little Games
Paul Weller - Saturns Pattern
Harry Belafonte - Belafonte: At Carnegie Hall
Red Hot Chili Peppers - One Hot Minute
The Philadelphia Orchestra - Brahms: Symphony No. 3 & Strauss: Suite from Der Rosenkavalier
Capella de la Torre - Water Music - Tales of Nymphs and Sirens

and more...

I'm all over The Yardbirds/Little Games..a long time fave.

 

Not offering the new Faith No More in hi-res?? Damn...

 

although..how would be categorize the "flat transfer" 24/192 series from Warner...