High Definition Releases - Reviews

I'll throw my hat into the ring.

Alison Krauss, HD Tracks, 24/96

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Talent, dedication, knowledge, and experience come together to make this a hallmark digital release. Alison's voice has this pure, honest quality about it that makes it perfect for this kind of intimate small ensemble work. The supporting cast of Union Station and their delicate acoustical string "magic" just round out this performance.

The focus of the recording chain from stem to stern was digital and the results speak for themselves. The backstory on this recording is also a good read: http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jul11/articles/it-0711.htm
 
I think this is a good idea. Took some time to find the thread but BE it is good.

I think a few artists will try to record on the newest platform and then 192/24 will be fantastic. I am trying to get into it as well since most music stores are now all but gone.

Shopping from my chair is pretty cool though!!

I am in-home testing a Mcintosh D100 and I am looking for a few titles to test with.

Think I will try the one just above!!:yes:
 
Have been listening to American Idiot by Green Day in 24/192 for a while now.

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From HDTracks web site:

"American Idiot was a multi-track digital session mixed through an analog desk with analog EQ and analog effects to an analog tape deck. It was delivered to Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound in NYC as an analog 1/2” 2-track master and converted to 192/24 digital."

Sounds quite nice. Dynamic range varies between 8 and 10, which is quite good for a rock record with dense musical passages.

I have not heard the CD version, so cannot compare.

Playback chain is CAPS V2 (variant) to Meridian Audio Explorer to Emotiva Airmotiv 4 active monitors.
 
Just got a couple of High Rez files that I thought I would comment on.

Supertramp - Crime of the Century - 24/192

I was gonna follow Ernies lead and get this on vinyl, but the high rez file was just to tempting. Listening to it through a NAD D 1050 at full resolution, and it sounds wonderful. Very big and full. The drum sound is sensational. Huge 1970's drum sound. Lots of neat stereo things going on, with all of the little sound effects that Supertramp liked to do being very clearly evident. Best version of this album I have ever heard.
 
Nat King Cole - The Extraordinary Nat King Cole - 24/192

This is a new release and very much a labor of love for Alex Luke, former EVP of A&R at Capitol Records, who is a huge Nat King Cole fan. I'm only a few tracks in, but from the start of L-O-V-E it already showed itself to be Dynamic as hell. This is the best I have have ever heard Nat sound, and likely the best I ever will, unless someone wants to lend me the masters at Capitol. As good as the Supertramp album sounds, this one is even better. Nat's vocals are so big and full and rich. One of those goose bump inducing albums. Highly recommended for Nats fans.
 
After reading about all the Hi Rez audio that's becoming available I have took some time to read more about it, I am hoping
to buy a portable Hi Rez player this year but I wanted to experiment with some Hi Rez downloads before I made a purchase.

I did need to upgrade my sound card to be compatible with 24/192 digital recordings and then install the drivers for it to work.
Then I had to install a media player that could play Hi Rez AIFF files, I have been using Foobar2000 and so far liking it better
then a few others I tried, it's easy to load the Hi Rez files into the playlist and set the output for 24 bit and it runs very smooth
and sounds great.

Most of the time I use a couple of modified Roberts 770x mono tube amps connected to the Hi Rez sound card output and
it's sounds really good with digital HD music.


List of HD music that I have gotten from HD Tracks.

Creedence Clearwater - Chronicle 24/96 AIFF
I have this album from way back and I always thought it could have been a better recording, the 24/96 digital recording sounds
better then expected but does not come near the other Hi Rez recordings that I have downloaded.

Van Morrison - Moondance 24/192 AIFF
I was never a really a huge fan of Van Morrison back in my younger years but after hearing his music in 24/192 Hi Rez I have
taken a new liking to the Moondance album, this one sounds really good in HD, the horns sound so real and lifelike, very pleasing
with Van Morrisons vocals.

Eagles - Hotel California 24/192 AIFF
This one sounds amazing in Hi Rez, it's very detailed and clean sounding, hearing things in the recording that I never noticed
before, I am really looking forward to hearing Hotel California on a portable Hi Rez player while I am hiking in the mountains.
Very dynamic with awesome imaging, drum symbols are very detailed and sound fantastic.

Heart - Dreamboat Annie 24/192 AIFF
This one took me by surprise, I have never heard Ann wilson voice sound so amazing and smooth sometimes bone chilling,
this album is just plain excellent in Hi Rez, I feel this one is my favorite sounding Hi Rez albums from my small list here, just
can't say anything negative about it.

This is really a great idea Bigeric starting this thread.
 
Just got a couple of High Rez files that I thought I would comment on.

Supertramp - Crime of the Century - 24/192

I was gonna follow Ernies lead and get this on vinyl, but the high rez file was just to tempting. Listening to it through a NAD D 1050 at full resolution, and it sounds wonderful. Very big and full. The drum sound is sensational. Huge 1970's drum sound. Lots of neat stereo things going on, with all of the little sound effects that Supertramp liked to do being very clearly evident. Best version of this album I have ever heard.

I agree it sounds exceptional!

This has nothing to do with the remaster but I don't agree on the creative choice of making the quieter passages as quiet as they did, there is no album where you constantly want to adjust the volume as much as this one. LOL
 
Heart - Dreamboat Annie 24/192 AIFF
This one took me by surprise, I have never heard Ann wilson voice sound so amazing and smooth sometimes bone chilling,
this album is just plain excellent in Hi Rez, I feel this one is my favorite sounding Hi Rez albums from my small list here, just
can't say anything negative about it.

I almost didn't buy this one, sure glad I did!!!!!
 
Okay you guys sold me on the Supertramp - Crime of the Century, that will be on my wish list.
I always liked that album from way back and I did see that one at the HDtracks web site.
 
Dang - almost forgot about this thread. I've picked up a few downloads in the interim, so I'll add them here over the next few days.

Starting with this one: Southbound - The Doobie Brothers. Source - HD Tracks. 24-44.1 FLAC.

http://www.hdtracks.com/doobie-brothers-southbound

This release finds the Doobies teaming with notable country music artists playing various selections from the Doobie's extensive library. As with any such collaboration / compilation album, some tracks don't work for everyone. Most of them worked pretty well for me, though. The sound is quite good and consistent overall, and the musicianship is first rate. My least favorite tracks are those featuring Michael McDonald, but his vocal contributions across the album are limited.

While the sonics are quite good, I'd suggest that this might be an album to purchase when HD Tracks has one of their many sales / promotions. They were running a 20% just before the holidays, and that's when I purchased this. Its regular price of $17.95 USD is a bit steep, but the sale price makes it a bit more palatable.
 
Van Morrison - Moondance 24/192 AIFF
I was never a really a huge fan of Van Morrison back in my younger years but after hearing his music in 24/192 Hi Rez I have
taken a new liking to the Moondance album, this one sounds really good in HD, the horns sound so real and lifelike, very pleasing
with Van Morrisons vocals.

Eagles - Hotel California 24/192 AIFF
This one sounds amazing in Hi Rez, it's very detailed and clean sounding, hearing things in the recording that I never noticed
before, I am really looking forward to hearing Hotel California on a portable Hi Rez player while I am hiking in the mountains.
Very dynamic with awesome imaging, drum symbols are very detailed and sound fantastic.

Heart - Dreamboat Annie 24/192 AIFF
This one took me by surprise, I have never heard Ann wilson voice sound so amazing and smooth sometimes bone chilling,
this album is just plain excellent in Hi Rez, I feel this one is my favorite sounding Hi Rez albums from my small list here, just
can't say anything negative about it.

This is really a great idea Bigeric starting this thread.

I picked up all of these except Chronicle, and your feedback is spot on.

However, one area where I think HD Tracks needs to up its game is on the "provenance" of their releases. I have both the DVD-A and the HD Tracks of Hotel California. Hard to find much, if any, sonic differences between the two. I have to wonder whether the HD Tracks release is a unique mix or just a repackaging of the DVD-A mix (or maybe sourced from the SACD mix?).

Might sound like a quibble, but if some folks already have the DVD-A then getting the HD Tracks mix would be a bit of a rip off.
 
I picked up all of these except Chronicle, and your feedback is spot on.

However, one area where I think HD Tracks needs to up its game is on the "provenance" of their releases. I have both the DVD-A and the HD Tracks of Hotel California. Hard to find much, if any, sonic differences between the two. I have to wonder whether the HD Tracks release is a unique mix or just a repackaging of the DVD-A mix (or maybe sourced from the SACD mix?).

Might sound like a quibble, but if some folks already have the DVD-A then getting the HD Tracks mix would be a bit of a rip off.


My understanding is that the DVD-A and the HD-Tracks version are the same.
 
As neither of the mods said no, I think I'll make a sticky out of this. They are always free to remove it as such, if they like.
 
I have the complete Beatles albums 96/24 flac on usb. I love the the way it sounds although since buying the Mono vinyl remasters, I have been listening to those more often.
I also purchased the blu ray versions of Nonesuch by XTC in 96/24 and Hypnotic Eye, Tom Petty's new album in 24/48.
Both are great albums and both sound amazing in hi def surround.
 
I have the complete Beatles albums 96/24 flac on usb. I love the the way it sounds although since buying the Mono vinyl remasters, I have been listening to those more often.
I also purchased the blu ray versions of Nonesuch by XTC in 96/24 and Hypnotic Eye, Tom Petty's new album in 24/48.
Both are great albums and both sound amazing in hi def surround.

You mean 24/44.1 on The Beatles? The USB key release wasnt 24/96.
 
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