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

Did AF do 24 bit editions or just cd? IMO, well mastered 24 bit or dsd will beat cd any day.

 

I just checked: SWB & MSS were also previously released in 192/24. I have both; I have so many 24 bit albums it's hard to mentally keep track of them. So another issue is are these even upgrades over previous downloads? Both are from the 2013 "flat transfers series". SBJ is a DR13, & MSS is a DR 12.

 

One would think so, however that is often not been the case over the past five or six years.

The words well mastered being key to that statement.

 

Agreed.

 

Couple comments on Thurs PM releases (after midnight Eastern)

1. The James Taylor's were supposedly done by Bernie Grundman. PSM has them individually or in the set. Individual pricing at 96/24 was around $12.37 if I remember right

2. On the DC5's: when "The Hits" comp came out about 3 weeks ago, PSM had it for under $11. None of these new ones are that cheap so far. "The Hits was partially upsampled (as stated) & only sounded ok. I'm hesitant to bite on these newer ones with 1 or 2 hits & a ton of filler (as most early 60's rock albums were compiled) for $14+. I am curious if the mastering is better the "The Hits" (which also has 28 songs).

Unless these get really killer reviews, I'll probably just stick with the comp.

Nothing else really worth mentioning at PSM or HDT; everyone else in the USA waits until friday aft for new releases.

 

That looks the same as my files that I got from HDTracks in March of 2018:

foobar2000 1.4 / Dynamic Range Meter 1.1.1
log date: 2019-07-18 21:24:46

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Analyzed: Jackson Browne / Late For The Sky (24-96 HDTracks DL)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DR Peak RMS Duration Track
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR11 0.00 dB -14.01 dB 5:42 01-Late For The Sky
DR12 0.00 dB -14.44 dB 6:52 02-Fountain Of Sorrow
DR12 0.00 dB -14.52 dB 5:21 03-Farther On
DR11 0.00 dB -14.12 dB 5:14 04-The Late Show
DR10 0.00 dB -12.04 dB 3:08 05-The Road And The Sky
DR12 0.00 dB -15.52 dB 4:46 06-For A Dancer
DR11 0.00 dB -12.93 dB 3:55 07-Walking Slow
DR12 0.00 dB -14.41 dB 6:23 08-Before The Deluge
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Number of tracks: 8
Official DR value: DR11

Samplerate: 96000 Hz
Channels: 2
Bits per sample: 24
Bitrate: 2816 kbps
Codec: FLAC

 

I thinks it's safe to guess we have the same mastering, lol!

 

THIS WEEK on HDtracks…

Tool - 5 albums
Skillet Music - Victorious
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Live At Woodstock
Joan Baez - Live At Woodstock

….plus much much more...

 

Will be curious to see if the Tool albums are a different mastering than my old CDs.

 

Somebody PLEASE buy some of the tool albums and do a DR / listen comparison!

 

It seems like every couple weeks we're getting a 2 complete Woodstock performances. I hope Canned Heat and The Who are coming soon.

 

Aenima & 10,000 Days have some numbers up on the DR/Database. They pretty much look the same as the original CD releases. I think these will be a pass for me.

 

ain't listened yet but here's the DR comparison for 10,000 days


2019 Album details - Dynamic Range Database

foobar2000 1.3.14 / Dynamic Range Meter 1.1.1
log date: 2019-08-02 00:24:33

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Analyzed: TOOL / 10,000 Days
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DR Peak RMS Duration Track
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR6 0.00 dB -7.82 dB 7:06 01-Vicarious
DR6 -0.10 dB -8.02 dB 7:29 02-Jambi
DR7 -0.10 dB -11.11 dB 6:11 03-Wings For Marie (Pt 1)
DR7 -0.10 dB -9.51 dB 11:14 04-10,000 Days (Wings Pt 2)
DR6 -0.10 dB -7.98 dB 6:22 05-The Pot
DR10 -8.14 dB -22.86 dB 1:11 06-Lipan Conjuring
DR11 -1.57 dB -15.49 dB 3:46 07-Lost Keys (Blame Hofman)
DR6 -0.10 dB -7.57 dB 11:11 08-Rosetta Stoned
DR8 0.00 dB -10.84 dB 7:21 09-Intension
DR6 -0.10 dB -9.87 dB 8:56 10-Right In Two
DR13 -2.23 dB -21.69 dB 5:01 11-Viginti Tres
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Number of tracks: 11
Official DR value: DR8

Samplerate: 96000 Hz
Channels: 2
Bits per sample: 24
Bitrate: 4608 kbps
Codec: PCM
================================================================================


Original: Album details - Dynamic Range Database

foobar2000 1.3.8 / Dynamic Range Meter 1.1.1
log date: 2015-12-09 17:40:29

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Analyzed: Tool / 10,000 Days (82876-81991-2)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DR Peak RMS Duration Track
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR6 0.00 dB -7.97 dB 7:07 01-Vicarious
DR7 0.00 dB -8.14 dB 7:29 02-Jambi
DR7 0.00 dB -11.23 dB 6:11 03-Wings for Marie, Pt. 1
DR7 0.00 dB -9.62 dB 11:14 04-10,000 Days (Wings, Pt. 2)
DR6 -0.02 dB -8.09 dB 6:22 05-The Pot
DR10 -8.22 dB -22.94 dB 1:11 06-Lipan Conjuring
DR11 -1.67 dB -15.59 dB 3:46 07-Lost Keys (Blame Hofmann)
DR6 0.00 dB -7.69 dB 11:11 08-Rosetta Stoned
DR8 -0.10 dB -10.96 dB 7:21 09-Intension
DR6 0.00 dB -9.98 dB 8:56 10-Right in Two
DR12 -2.32 dB -21.80 dB 5:03 11-Viginti Tres
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Number of tracks: 11
Official DR value: DR8

Samplerate: 44100 Hz
Channels: 2
Bits per sample: 16
Bitrate: 488 kbps
Codec: FLAC
================================================================================

 

I've posted for Aenima. Although seems the same, it is an obvious improvement. Fuller sound with cleaner instrument separation. Go for it!

 

Thanks, now we need to check to see if these are legit hi-res, as in a spectrum analyzer. Is there actually data above 44/16...

 

Yes, all legit.

 

Analyzed: Tool / Aenima
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR Peak RMS Duration Track
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR8 -0.05 dB -9.77 dB 5:11 01-Stinkfist
DR8 -0.05 dB -10.64 dB 8:29 02-Eulogy
DR7 -0.05 dB -10.91 dB 6:07 03-H.
DR14 -2.80 dB -26.12 dB 0:39 04-Useful Idiot
DR7 -0.05 dB -9.71 dB 6:04 05-Forty Six & 2
DR18 -10.69 dB -31.29 dB 1:53 06-Message To Harry Manback
DR6 -0.18 dB -8.88 dB 4:34 07-Hooker With A *****
DR12 -11.51 dB -26.72 dB 0:56 08-Intermission
DR7 -0.05 dB -9.50 dB 5:24 09-Jimmy
DR9 -2.00 dB -12.58 dB 2:17 10-Die Eier Von Satan
DR7 -0.05 dB -10.27 dB 9:56 11-Pu****
DR11 -0.35 dB -16.82 dB 1:26 12-Cesaro Summability
DR8 -0.05 dB -9.44 dB 6:40 13-Aenema
DR13 -0.42 dB -18.66 dB 4:00 14-(-) Ions
DR8 -0.05 dB -10.58 dB 13:47 15-Third Eye
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of tracks: 15
Official DR value: DR10
Samplerate: 44100 Hz
Channels: 2
Bits per sample: 16
Bitrate: 856 kbps
Codec: FLAC

These are the values for the original Aenima CD, if anyone wants to compare. The HD version seems to be slightly less dynamic from what I've seen.

 

Legit hi-res, here's "Eulogy" from "Anima":



Sound is really good, though it is roughly in line with the original CD dynamically, it sounds better than I remember. I don't have my CD rips on this computer to do a direct A/B at the moment, but I've listened to this album at least 100 times since its release so it's pretty ingrained. I bought all five from HDTracks with the 20% off code and will be listening throughout the day.

 

I've just bit the bullet for the Tool discography. I'm not skilled in posting the graphs and such, I will leave that to others, but, I will be happy to let you fine folks know if they sound swell or not

 

OK, so, at first blush, there's maybe, perhaps, a marginally better sense of spacial separation between instruments on Opiate & Undertow, but, we're talking really slight here.

I'm admittedly a looney toon, granted, but, Undertow does sound (at least to my ears and on my equipment, let's be clear about that) to be ever so slightly more, I don't know the proper word to use....controlled? DR numbers notwithstanding, Undertow sounds a TAD more harsh on my CD vs the hi-res.

Will listen more intently later

 

No. Undertow got the greatest change. Midrange is more present, it's crispier and the low end toned down, more controlled. I'm comparing the 1993 remaster and 96/24 files.

 

I'm glad you're enjoying them. I'm not sure it's that absolute, though, to be fair, I did say it was playing on my equipment and that I was listening with my ears. I also did point out that Undertow sounded "more...controlled." I mentioned that I have yet to listen extensively, nor do I currently have access to your ears, so, we shall see a bit later on if my opinion changes when I've had a chance to listen more.

 

Pretty sure one thing we can ALL agree on, regardless of the technical specifications, is that the introduction of the drums in Hush from Opiate still sounds absolutely bonkers , in any format.

 

No Woodstock complete.......................

 

Are The Joker, Fly Like an Eagle and Book of Dreams worth picking up on HDtracks? I've been combing through this thread, but haven't really seen an answer. Been wanting to pick these up, but if they are duds it isn't worth it.