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

I tried to find PSM and couldn’t. Is it a Canadian seller? If you have a link, that would be great!

 

Stereophile mag claimed years ago (seriously) that some early digital classical recordings were done in 8 bits!

 

ProStudioMasters - Audio Uncompromised™ - High-Resolution Audio Downloads

 

You know I told Stereophile to stay out of my medicine cabinet. Damn! What? I need to put a padlock on the thing now?

Back in the 1960's I suppose. Just a rough experiment. Oh man! Jesus. I am sorry but 48 db is just too freaking noisy. 10 bits but not 8 bit! And some people say I make up crap. LOL

Now if you want good articles look into old issues of AUDIO and UHF mag.

Do you know what 8 bit audio reminds me of?
Say you tape a classic Doctor Who story off the TV back in 1985. A nice VHS tape on the SP mode. And your VCR is from 1981 so it can actually record 240 lines. I make a copy of this tape for a cousin on good tape on the SP mode. That copy is not bad. It is o.k. And then my stupid cousin makes a copy for his girlfriend. It is now a crap tape but it is still watchable. Now the girl makes another copy to give to her Aunty Dorma. Forget it! The tape is a mess. Go read the novel. That to me is 8 bit audio. Hissssssssssssssssss!!!!!!!!! Yea, wow, listen to that digtial purity.

Some members on here may laugh at my 1986, 14 bit / 44.1 converter but it didn't hissssssssss. O.k. it molested the top end. But you wouldn't notice unless you did a full exam.

 

Off Topic for download; on topic for hi-res:

I've been playing the blu-rays from the 1969 King Crimson box (so far they vary from 96 to 192). Other than an AWFUL sounding 1969 audie concert in 192/24 (why they bothered I'm clueless); the "Sessions" Disc & the new Wilson mix on the "2019 Disc" have the best digital sound quality I have ever heard. So far I've made it through all of the Sessions & others disc (#21) & am on the 2nd track of the 2019 Wilson remix of the main Album. There are also new Wilson 5.1 & 7.1 mixes for those who can play them (I'm 2.0 only).

I'd only suggest it for major fans, because there's a ton of repetition with slight variations on the over 10 hours Sessions section of the first blu-ray; but this is a great album & (almost) everything I've heard so far sounds bloody Amazing. A purchase also gets you a tom of really mediocre sounding audie 1969 concerts on cd & cd repetition of some of the br content.

 

This is great to hear. Is the newer Wilson mix available in some sort of a package with a bluray without investing a massive boxset?

I guess I'm more out of the Crimson loop than I thought lately. I have all of the albums for the 40th anniversary in surround sound. I thought those were Steven Wilson...Did he not do the debut?

 

Wilson has redone both the debut & Red for the second time. Both are huge upgrades tonally from his first attempt; especially Red. The debut "50th Anniversary" 96/24 is only available in the big 1969 box. The "50th Anniversary" Red is available separately on cd only on the KC website; or on blu in the massive Road To Red box.

 

Yes, there is a cheaper package with the new Wilson remix.

 

There was a smaller set a few months ago; but it's missing much of the blu-ray content from this one. Sorry I forgot about it. There isn't a smaller set with a 24 bit version if Wilson's 2nd Red mix.

 

To be exact, SW only remixed Red once in surround and once in stereo. He didn't do a stereo remix originally in 2009, only surround. The 2009 CD+DVD reissue only contained a stereo remaster, no stereo remix.
Then he had a go at a stereo remix in 2013, which is the version you speak of (no "50th anniversary" edition for Red.)

 

In The Court Of The Crimson King (50th Anniversary)

No Atmos mix though.

 

I want to thank everyone who responded. I genuinely appreciate it!

So, upon thinking about this further, after having not listened to the Crim much over the past few months, it occurs to me that Simon Heyworth's stereo remaster of Red, which I think I'd already had on a previous re-issue (maybe 2004 or so (??) ), was, in fact, re-used, I believe, for the 40th anniversary set, with SW doing a new 5.1, as Plan has pointed out.

Now, the SW stereo remix from 2013: It was originally only available from the Road to Red set, yes? Has this become available anywhere else since, as of yet?

As far as ITCOTCK is concerned, I thank you greatly, Plan, for linking to it. When Burning Shed refers to the Original master edition as being part of this CD/Bluray set, are they referring to Simon Heyworth's work in 2004?

Also, I'm working towards an Atmos setup, but, not there right now. Is the Atmos mix (not included on the above set) a noteworthy improvement over the 5.1 from either SW's first attempt in 2009 or the 5.1 on the newer set?

Thanks!

 

It's on the 2013 CDs, coupled with the remaster or on its own (Japan only).

 

Yes.

I haven't heard the Atmos mix, but everyone who has says it is has something extra. It is of course similar to the 2019 surround mix, having been done at the same time.
Both the 2019 surround remixes are considered superior to the 2009 attempt.

 

Thanks for this. I had no idea it had come out beyond the big box...great. Interesting that it's still listed as part of the 40th Anniversary Series, despite apparently being released four years after the 40th Anniversary Series I have.

Well, it was bound to be substantively better, wasn't it? My wallet knew it was going to be better...I didn't care to listen!

 

They are only a few people in our industry I admire. Steve Hoffman is one of them and Steve Wilson is the other.

 

A proper audiophile Dolby Atmos setup is a truly tricky thing. Good luck. Let us know how it turns out.

 

CBS era Mott on SACD! Based on history this may very good........... or not. Best current price i can find is on the manufacturer's website; with today's exchange aprox $37 delivered to the USA.

https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=2CDSML8578

 

psyched for this.

 

This has become a standard in transfering analog tapes. You make a DSD and PCM transfer at the same time. Or it was where I worked. I would give our exclusive DSD catalog but it got frozen along with all the studios assets. And no? That is not a joke.

 

Not to be a killjoy but most studios were still using 8 tracks in 1969. The Ampex MM-1000 16 and 24 tracks were around by 1969 but most studios didn't have them. And the studios that had purchased (in 1968) the MM-1000 24 track regretted it after the head stack cracked. Hence the quickly introduced MM-1100.

Steve always does amazing stuff with 5.1 but don't except more that 8 tracks maybe 16. And you can only pan so much around with 8. Actually with 8 tracks you will hear even more with Wilson's mixing style. I can't wait either.

 

This album was recorded on 8 tracks but there were reduction tapes for all songs. All original work tapes were found before the 2009 remix.

 

Supertramp's Even in the Quietest Moments has shown up today in 24/96. It's at both ProStudioMasters and HDtracks. Anyone know anything about this release?

 

It seems that Supertramp - Even In The Quietest Moments, Asia - Alpha, and Asia - Astra were released in Hi-Res (24/96) this week. I just got them from Qobuz.

foobar2000 1.6.2 / Dynamic Range Meter 1.1.1
log date: 2021-01-24 09:30:44
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Analyzed: Supertramp / Even In The Quietest Moments...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR Peak RMS Duration Track
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR7 -0.21 dB -9.70 dB 4:09 01-Give A Little Bit
DR7 -0.21 dB -9.33 dB 6:52 02-Lover Boy
DR8 -0.21 dB -11.26 dB 6:28 03-Even In The Quietest Moments
DR11 -0.21 dB -14.94 dB 4:03 04-Downstream
DR8 -0.21 dB -10.55 dB 4:52 05-Babaji
DR8 -0.21 dB -10.55 dB 6:21 06-From Now On
DR7 -0.21 dB -11.95 dB 10:52 07-Fool's Overture
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of tracks: 7
Official DR value: DR8
Samplerate: 96000 Hz
Channels: 2
Bits per sample: 24
Bitrate: 2897 kbps
Codec: FLAC
================================================================================

foobar2000 1.6.2 / Dynamic Range Meter 1.1.1
log date: 2021-01-24 09:31:16
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Analyzed: Asia / Astra
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR Peak RMS Duration Track
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR9 -0.20 dB -11.03 dB 4:07 01-Go
DR10 -0.20 dB -12.25 dB 4:25 02-Voice Of America
DR10 -0.20 dB -11.12 dB 3:34 03-Hard On Me
DR11 -0.20 dB -12.69 dB 4:14 04-Wishing
DR11 -0.20 dB -13.81 dB 6:49 05-Rock And Roll Dream
DR10 -0.20 dB -11.24 dB 4:15 06-Countdown To Zero
DR10 -0.20 dB -13.01 dB 4:11 07-Love Now Till Eternity
DR9 -0.20 dB -11.45 dB 4:12 08-Too Late
DR9 -0.20 dB -11.99 dB 3:45 09-Suspicion
DR9 -0.20 dB -11.50 dB 5:09 10-After The War
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of tracks: 10
Official DR value: DR10
Samplerate: 96000 Hz
Channels: 2
Bits per sample: 24
Bitrate: 3067 kbps
Codec: FLAC
================================================================================


foobar2000 1.6.2 / Dynamic Range Meter 1.1.1
log date: 2021-01-24 09:31:42
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Analyzed: Asia / Alpha
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR Peak RMS Duration Track
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR9 -0.20 dB -10.72 dB 3:36 01-Don't Cry
DR9 -0.20 dB -11.49 dB 3:13 02-The Smile Has Left Your Eyes
DR9 -0.20 dB -10.84 dB 3:46 03-Never In A Million Years
DR9 -0.20 dB -11.42 dB 4:48 04-My Own Time (I'll Do What I Want)
DR9 -0.20 dB -11.10 dB 4:57 05-The Heat Goes On
DR9 -0.20 dB -10.23 dB 3:13 06-Eye To Eye
DR9 -0.20 dB -11.86 dB 4:40 07-The Last To Know
DR9 -0.20 dB -11.99 dB 3:51 08-True Colors
DR9 -0.20 dB -11.15 dB 3:48 09-Midnight Sun
DR9 -0.20 dB -11.81 dB 6:25 10-Open Your Eyes
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of tracks: 10
Official DR value: DR9
Samplerate: 96000 Hz
Channels: 2
Bits per sample: 24
Bitrate: 2998 kbps
Codec: FLAC
================================================================================

 

Oooo - this is GREAT news! And it includes the quad mix of The Hoople too. I see Amazon has it for $44.98.
I'm just not too thrilled with the way it's sequenced, and I've never heard of this Dutton company (though they have 97% positive Amazon reviews).
Hoping this is an indication of a possible hi-res download release, though nothing quells my fears of that (or these discs) having low DR.
It's tempting me though.