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

Gold OBI? That’s the one I have.

 

I don't remember the color, but if it's an 80's Blue box with an obi, likely the same.

 

I think there was a white one too. I believe they’re different pressings - with the gold OBI version considered the better of the two (but I’ve never heard the white obi box).

The UK box set is certainly better sound than the Japan box IMO. The Japan has better vinyl though.

 

I do remember comparing my Japan box with the same vintage UK box & preferring the Japan at the time. It may be system voicing: system at the time was Well Tempered Record Player->Blu Point Standard->Acurus P-10->Mod Squad Line Drive Deluxe->NAD 2600->Tara Cabling on all->Dahlquist DQ20 Speakers. All that's still in my system from that is the Mod Squad & some of the cables.

 

Mileage. I think 90% of the time they're right. Anything less than 11 sounds unnatural and distorted, and 9 or less is ear-bleed garbage. Only exceptions I've run across are dance music - still distorted, but not as ear-bleeding since the compression tends to hit the bass.

Even some remasters down in the 10 range that I think at first seem alright...eventually I notice all sorts of distortion, and I find them a fatiguing listen.

 

I'll raise your 90% to 95

 

Listening to the new Abbey Road mix in high res for the first time and just don’t agree with all the grumpy DR stuff. The vocals are the cleanest they’ve ever been. The instruments sound great. The musicianship is brilliant and contemporary. That’s a good thing and stands as a testament to how gifted these guys were and a monument to their work and a memorial to George, John and George Martin. It sounds gorgeous.

 

I knew it! I knew all hope was not lost....Here Comes The Sun! And it's alright.....

Unfortunately many will disagree with you. And some will ignore how good it sounds. They will see DR9 and make their opinion on that. Sad but true. I think this is a valuable lesson on DON'T JUDGE THE MUSIC ON DR or the LUVS. Listen and use your ears ...

 

My ears have 100% correlated with the #'s on this one. I also now believe there are 3 versions of the 2.0 out there: the HDT & 2 different blu-ray masterings. I don't have an explanation of why, but I've found another version of the blu 2.0 that seems to be less compressed. I've been playing AR so much that I need a break before playing it again. I do plan to listen to this 2nd blu soon.

One thing this experience has done for me is given me the attitude that AR would have been twice the album if they'd left out Maxwell & Octopus.

 

Oof... Big disagree.

 

There are definitely 2 different blu-ray 2.0 masters on the market. I have no explanation or useful information. The 2nd one I played sounds pretty good.

 

I missed how you arrived at this conclusion, were there reports of different Blu-Ray masters?

 

Now that I've played the 2nd master, my simple answer is my ears. The difference is not subtle.

 

From whence came these two different Blu-rays? Do you have two physical discs, or just rips?

 

I'm enjoying my purchase of the Ray Charles Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music, Vols 1 & 2 (96kHz-24bit). Sounds good to my ears. Overall DR is 11.

 

HDtracks is running a sale, 20% off of Beatles/Solo Beatles albums. I have the Ram set, but I used the card years ago on terrible internet, never got the download. I'm tempted to get the 24/96 for $18, not sure if it sounds much better than the CDs though.

The code is FabFour20

 

Those early unlimited hi-res masters done for the McCartney deluxe archive sets (same digital files as the HDTracks offerings) sound fabulous. They're competitive with the Steve Hoffman gold DCC discs, IMO, including Ram.

 

Just bought this:

Larry Tamanini - Front & Center 96/24 flac edition

Nice jazz guitar from audiophile indie Blue Coast available in dsd, flac, wav or cd.

Bandcamp has this also, but buying directly from Blue Coast is cheaper.

Larry Tamanini |

This is really nice. It was close to a "Blind Buy"; I listened to a couple minutes on You Tube, but it's better than I expected.

 

Yeah, not too shabby. The limited keeps it's dynamics as well, no shaved peaks, just a few dB's louder.

 

Very good to know. I do have the BOTR unlimited download, which I love. Wasn't sure how the others sounded. I might have to pick up Ram, maybe McCartney as well.

Thanks for the input!

 

I really like that McCartney (& at one time Petty) gave us the option of limited or uncompressed options.

 

I thought that was pretty cool, and was hoping for that type of trend to continue!
Really made you feel you were getting a good bang for the buck
Limited for your portables, Un for the home system!

 

I've been on the fence about getting the White Album deluxe, since I already have the CD. Got it when I saw this code. Pretty glad I did. Sounds very good to me.

 

THIS WEEK on HDtracks...

Freddie Mercury - 3 albums
Frank Sinatra - Christmas Songs By Frank Sinatra
Kings of Leon - Aha Shake Heartbreak
Lacuna Coil - Black Anima (Bonus Tracks Version)

plus much much more...

 

I've been noticing the last few weeks that PSM is adding a TON of stuff that HDT has had for years (mainly Warner), & also a ton of indies that one would normally find on Qobuz, 7 Digital & Juno. Me thinks PSM has decided to really compete. Now if they'd just get a few important exclusives..... (The only exclusive I've ever bought from PSM was a nice 96/24 master of Ten Years After A Space In Time which they are no longer carrying.

Absolutely nothing for me this week at either PSM or HDT. The weekly 24 bit King Crimson 50th anniversary single is about all that's up my alley.