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

Hmm, comparing the new Rush Hemispheres with the AF SACD will be interesting.

 

iTunes and the MP3 market are going to shrink. I think you'll see a continued increase in HD sales for at least the next five years.

 

Right, I am not disputing that. What I am saying is that no matter how much it can realistically grow, it will be a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of music sales.
Vinyl is about 1% of all music sales, just to give perspective, and HD downloads are a fraction of that.

BTW, even LOSSLESS downloads, Redbook quality, are a tiny number in comparison.

 

I think more artist like U2, The Police, ACDC and others need to make their complete catalogs available for HD download. I wonder what the percentage of sales HD downloads make up for music that is available in all formats download, CD, SACD and vinyl. I think a lack of enough material available for HD download is the biggest challenge.

 

I just bought some Skynyrd and Kiss albums from High Res Music (I only previously owned compilation CDs) and am very much enjoying them.

 

I would disagree in that I think there are boatloads of HD material avaialable.

I agree, there are many artists sitting on the side lines.

But 80% of U2's catalog is digitally recorded, at 44.1 or 48 Khz. So not much satisfaction there.

The first 5 U2 albums are all analog, and they would sound great.

 

Plus one on early U2. There is LOADS of stuff that needs to come out in Hi Rez download form. Stick it out on all formats - SACD, Blu Ray, Vynil and DL, let the consumer pick his/her poison.

Come on labels!

 

Just the first five? That's through Joshua Tree. So the studio stuff on Rattle & Hum is digitally recorded?

 

No analog, but mixed to DAT. Probably the worst digital format of all.

 

Vinyl is over 4% of sales and climbing every year and I wanna say that hi res downloads are somewhere around .5%. But I strongly believe that you will see both numbers make significant increases over the next couple of years. Hell, vinyl gains about an additional 1% share every year for the past couple and so far this year vinyl sales are up over 50%. I haven't seen the numbers for HD downloads for this year yet.

 

Do you not like the format, or the way it stores info? I was under the impression that digital is digital.

 

no, digital ain't digital. I have had every kind of digital recorder from DAT to SD card, every resolution to DSD. Digital ain't digital.

 

What is your source for vinyl sales?

 

I was off by .4% actually but here

http://m.billboard.com/entry/view/id/111381

And

http://m.billboard.com/entry/view/id/121705

And

http://www.billboard.com/biz/articl...r-first-time-in-2013?mobile_redirection=false

 

thank you.

 

Yardbirds was totally unexpected; I wonder about the mastering? The albums are already up at Qobuz in 16/44...might have to check a couple of them out.

 

Yes, I wonder as well...hopefully the original masters were used.

 

I just bought the bullet on "Drinking Muddy Water" from Qobuz (mono and stereo versions). No clipping; might be mastered too loud for some people, but I like it.

 

thanks!!!! does not look too bad..but of course, how it sounds against the two CD set is what counts.

 

Am also curious to know about the mastering and sound of this hi res release. Any difference with the 16/44 available download?!
Price on qobuz is very tempting (11,99 euro each stereo/mono)...

 

Is anyone else having strange issues with the HdTracks Downloader? I made a purchase last night and the downloader also downloaded albums from previous orders. This morning I opened the downloader and it starts to download more albums from previous orders! In all cases, these downloads were all successfully completed when originally purchased - I hope I am not getting charged for these. I re-installed the downloader and checked to ensure my Java is up to date. Same thing happens.....

JQ

 

I have been having it happen on stuff where the PDF of the cover wasn't downloaded because of errors. It happens every time I download. It is just trying to download those PDFs nothing else.

 

No problems here... Just dl'd Hemishperes last night.

 

My situation is different I think, it downloads the entire album! I just noticed that for albums that are re-downloading the "resume download" option is available and I am 100% certain that the album was downloaded properly the first time around. Strange, but as long as I am not being charged again I will just deal with it.

 

No issues with HDTracks downloader to speak of here...