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

They should have retitled this remaster "Even In the Not So Quiet Moments"

 

Does anyone know what the HD tracks hi res version of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road uses?

 

The awful 2014
Grab the old stock US disc, either the 2 disc or the later 1 disc 1992 silver PDO. They all use the old Japan mastering. Warm and dynamic.
Best of all, can probably still be had for cheap.

 

Gotcha, the stereo isn't nearly as bad as the surrounds though. If there was a difference, I would have bought it. I can edit these down to individual tracks from the Blu Ray

 

My GBYBR physical collection

 

Well I'd say amongst those you already have the 'best' mastering

 

The two on the left on the top row.

 

That was my guess

 

Dutton-Vocalion specializes in quality reissues of original Quad mixes on SACD. Their mastering is also what you would call audiophile.
I don't think any of their masterings have been available as downloads, other than Classical.

 

Looks like Universal dumped a bunch of HD releases on Friday to the online outlets. Supertramp, Mamas & Papas, Diana Ross, Joe Cocker and others. From what I've seen, the DR is pretty poor on these, and I'm wondering if this is because they probably couldn't master these from the master tapes, most or all of which were destroyed in the 2008 fire.

 

I still don't understand why Joni's first two albums have never been reissued in high res.

 

According to ProStudioMasters, Even in the Quietest Moments "contains high-resolution digital transfers of material originating from an analogue master source".

 

If they just tossed them out there without much fanfare (and we're lucky) they just cut them flat, not wanting to spend extra money on mastering.

The crappy DR isn't a good sign, though.

 

That's encouraging, but the DR numbers are possibly telling a different story. All of their releases originate from an analogue master source, right? Not necessarily the master tapes, though...

 

Agreed!

 

OK, so I snagged Give a Little Bit from Even in the Quietest Moments to compare it to the 2002 CD.

The CD has a DR of 8, the download has 7. But the CD is brittle, and you can't even hear the lower strings on the opening acoustic strum. The whole range is audible on the download, but by a bit too much...it's a little muddy.

At least with the mud I can mess with the EQ.

 

Dutton is a UK indie record co that specializes in Quad SACD reissues. Quality varies wildly from excellent to poor. The bad ones seem to be from high gen safety masters. My ears tell me they use flat transfers. I have over 10 of their discs.

It's about $8 cheaper buying direct; & they fulfill the Amazon orders also.

 

PSM also has 2 Tubes titles, 3 Joan Baez, Dan Hicks' first live album, BTO #1 & more. I hope they're not all bricked.

 

Baez's Gulf Winds (a pop/folk album) is overly compressed at best if not downright bricked.

foobar2000 1.3.18 / Dynamic Range Meter 1.1.1
log date: 2021-01-24 18:58:35

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Analyzed: Joan Baez / Gulf Winds
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DR Peak RMS Duration Track
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR10 -0.31 dB -13.15 dB 4:28 01-Sweeter For Me
DR8 -0.31 dB -11.22 dB 4:33 02-Seabirds
DR8 -0.31 dB -10.38 dB 3:43 03-Caruso
DR9 -0.31 dB -12.69 dB 3:01 04-Still Waters At Night
DR9 -0.31 dB -11.28 dB 7:50 05-Kingdom Of Childhood
DR8 -0.31 dB -10.77 dB 3:19 06-O Brother!
DR9 -0.31 dB -12.13 dB 3:43 07-Time Is Passing Us By
DR8 -0.31 dB -10.42 dB 4:05 08-Stephanie's Room
DR11 -0.31 dB -15.29 dB 10:29 09-Gulf Winds
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Number of tracks: 9
Official DR value: DR9

Samplerate: 96000 Hz
Channels: 2
Bits per sample: 24
Bitrate: 3015 kbps
Codec: FLAC
================================================================================

 

The Tubes - Now is DR 8-12. Not horrible?

 

Per Dr Loudness, a DR11 average is the minimum acceptable. My ears tend to agree. Unfortunatly, other than The Dead, King Crimson & Neil Young, it's rare to see new releases of acceptable quality these days.

CRAP. what's the average? Could you post a print out? The Tubes are probably the 2017 masters which were loud.

When are these IDIOTS going to figure out that a hi-res audience doesn't want brickwalled music?

All 4 i mentioned above are titles I REALLY want in true audiophile quality.

 

I have all of those versions as well..../ I’d rate the top left as 3rd best behind the MFSL and the recent SHM CD (that is not in your collection)

 

When it impacts their ability to buy coke.

 

Hi res digital is becoming more mainstream so what happened to CDs is now happening to hi res. You can’t just count on getting audiophile mastering there anymore.

 

Someone posted recently that APO is getting out of digital (SACD's & Downloads). If so, those of us who opted out of vinyl are getting low on options.