What Is High Resolution Audio Worth?

High resolution audio is worth its weight in virtual gold.

 

I wouldn't necessarily blame the studio about using MP3, i would blame the label as they are the ones who are making the decision on the source material (cheaper to use a CD rip or MP3 rather then do a new analog transfer). Studio's only work with what they are given.

 

I don't mind saddling the label with the bulk of the blame, but all of the other links in the chain that knowingly passing off a subpar product, or more or less intentionally avoiding knowing for reasons of plausible deniability, are guilty IMO. If HDtracks doesn't know that they're selling an upsampled mp3, it's because they don't care to know.

 

Another thing to factor in is that when you buy physical media you have the option to sell it if you want to recoup some or all of your money. Can't do that with downloads.

 

No more than $10. The record labels cost is lower for downloads regardless of resolution - no physical product, no art work, etc. The current prices charged by HDTracks, Pono, etc. for hi-res are a ripoff. Even Quobuz prices for CD quality are a ripoff. Why should any download cost more than the price of the CD?

 

See I was right! I didn't mean it as a dig or anything I think that came out wrong, I am sure they sound lovely. It's just that I mostly listen to music to relax and I actually like going through the shelf and picking out an album holding it in my hand, reading the cover and liner notes or lyric sheet, and then putting it on the turntable or in the cd player, it's all part of the process for me, helps me connect to it better. Nostalgia or something silly like that. Maybe someday I will change.

 

Yes, you found the denotation. Were you aware that there are connotations? I cannot say whether of not Archimago is aware of the connotations of "apologist", but I see it as difficult to be a member of modern English-speaking society without having such an awareness.

Some insight, if you need it, here.

When Archimago writes "Neil Young's musician buddies (video) are clearly over-dramatic", look at the use of "buddies", look at the use of "clearly" and "over-dramatic". Can you say there is no agenda behind that?

If Archimago wants to shore up his claim as a "more objective" muser, he needs to take on the whole package...and not use loaded words to amplify his personal viewpoints.

 

That's way too much work for me. I just want to hear the music.

 

Enough stuff at Qobuz under 12€, with Sublime annual subscription most downloads are even under 10€. E.g. Elton John's "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" (and many other classic pop & rock titles) costed between 5€ and 6€ last week.

The annual subscription is still cheaper than Tidal + you get the reduction in price on hi-res downloads as extra (their moto is hi-res at the price of mp3). How long this will be viable for them I don't know ...

 

If hi res is so great why do people keep saying without provernance,they are not sure what they are listening to? Cant be much differece then can it? Lol! And the prices!! Just out to bleed you all over again.

 

I am of the opinion that high-res files shouldn't cost any more than the regular files, it should merely be a choice on the part of the recipient. No extra work went into the high-res versions (assuming we're talking the same version / mastering / release that is available in standard-res or compressed format), if anything more work went into creating the standard-res and compressed files from the high-res master, and IMO the extra bandwidth involved doesn't justify a two- to three-fold cost increase.

 

Nothing; not ready to give up physical media. And at my age, I'm a lost cause.

 

RE: "Pono apologist" - it's not said as a negative. I've been openly critical of Pono and have been open with the reasons why. But the issue at hand is HRA itself and the "value" therein. Apologetics as a "discipline of defending" something especially in an intellectual sphere is completely reasonable. Perhaps you're concerned with the term because it's generally used in issues of faith like "Christian Apologetics"?

 

I don't understand why they should cost more than the physical media. I buy most deluxe packages, ie. Tull, Crimson, Yes and get both the redbook Cd, DVD with high res Stereo and Multichannel and a nice booklet and generally it's between $25 and $35. Yet the Download is $25 or more, just doesn't make sense. They should be priced at $15.

 

Pretty content with prices as they are now. I'd take them cheaper, for sure, and I'm far from wealthy... but if I want an album, having it priced at $15 vs. $20 is not a deal breaker.

 

Complaints about $15 downloads while some will happily drop $40 on a SACD from Japan?

 

It's not difficult to run a test and find out for sure if a lower resolution format has been upsampled to high res. I can't believe HDTracks doesn't screen it's material to make sure this doesn't happen... they are charging money and have a responsibility to make sure what they are selling is as described.

Audacity is a free program and apparently it has this capability:

http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue60/hirez.htm

 

I just read a press conference where Qobuz states that they're almost out of financial trouble, and have big plans for 2015.
They will also launch DSD-format in their shop, also new ones that haven't been available before. They want to become the nr. 1 source for DSD-files and Hi-res Audio.

I guess it will be tough times for HDTracks if they don't change their policy, in Europe they already lost a serious part of their clients.

 

Yeah. I think that pricing system is off kilter. A 50% gain from 24/96 --> 24/192 is excessive for basically no audible difference no matter how one slices it. And this whole business of not knowing the origination of the file is very troublesome.

So far, none of these companies have allowed reviews to be posted with the "product" like say on Amazon. I think doing this, allowing folks to leave feedback on the sonic quality would be beneficial. Until they do this, I will be looking at places like:
http://dr.loudness-war.info/
to see if anyone has put in an entry from HDTracks just to at least make sure things look reasonable... Not that the DR measure alone is all that matters, but at least make sure there are no red flags and give me an idea if mastering is any different from the equivalent CD.

I wouldn't be surprised if the companies purposely refuse to do the review system because I'm sure there will be many responses around the lines of "I hear no difference!" or "stick with the CD"...

 

People are posting spectrograms on Computer Audiophile, here's an example of an HDTracks DL:

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/dbtreview.php?do=view_review&id=40&ri=review

 

I don't get the original question. What they are "worth" is a weird way to phrase it, but playing along.... if you assume HDTracks and other like companies are going to stay in business the answer is right there as to what the downloads are "worth."

 

Let's quote the full sentence shall we:
"Neil Young's musician buddies (video) are clearly over-dramatic about what they heard or he did something to the car audio to accentuate the difference between MP3/lossless/hi-res in my opinion."

I gave 2 options. Either they're overly dramatic (you've got to admit many of them were over the top) - normal people do NOT respond like that to CD vs. HRA. OR maybe Neil's "Revealer" in the car played with the sound quality such that the sonic difference was truly phenomenally different (to justify the drama). Friends/buddies/pals... What's so bad about that? I'm not writing an academic paper otherwise I wouldn't be using "" elsewhere either.

The bottom line is that differences are NOT *that* obvious as if these guy's minds were blown talking about "never heard music like that" and similar superlatives. However I do trust that my facts and discussions are persuasive and logical.

 

I downloaded some Hi-res titles, and the I burned a Hi-res dvd of the title. Now I can play it on my badass APL 3910 without having a computer. I have noticed that the dvds sounded better than playing through the usb cable.

 

HDTracks probably explicitly doesn't want to have any sort of quality control. What if that led to their supply of fake high rez files drying up and labels weren't willing to give them legit high rez?

I've never tested files myself (as I'd have to buy them first and risk getting burned), but I'm aware of the measuring tools and have read a lot about the results, for instance things like this http://archimago.blogspot.com/2014/03/follow-up-anomalies-in-becks-morning.html

The fact that HD tracks doesn't bother to respond to anything like this is pretty telling. I'm forced to assume this is what I should expect from most of their catalog.

But as one of the comments on that post says, "I supposed some people when they see their DAC LED lights '24' '96' are on, they feel good right away".

 

It's disappointing. It would not be to difficult for them to verify the resolution is as-stated.


On the topic of price, I think it'll go down in time. Currently the price of high res downloads are more than I want to pay but I'll make some exceptions. If the price was lower I'm sure they would sell more and make more money.

I have downloaded a whole bunch of free tracks and a couple albums from nativedsd.com, they are worth checking out. I haven't run the check on any of their files but now I'm curious.