High Definition Releases - Reviews

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.

That is a very nice sounding set. Kinda hard to wrap my head around the USB thing, but no qualms whatsoever about the sound quality.
 
That is a very nice sounding set. Kinda hard to wrap my head around the USB thing, but no qualms whatsoever about the sound quality.


I loaded the flac files to my pc and play them through the foobar player. I was lucky enough to get the usb drive with the stem intact and don't want to take a chance on breaking it.
 
I agree with the previous comments on HDTracks' version of Van Morrison's Moondance. It is one of my favorite recordings - not that the original was any slouch.

Being a 90s kid, that's where I started. These are all HDTracks files.

Counting Crows, A Long December, 192/24
Highly recommended. The individual instruments sit apart from each other much better, particularly the ones with treble overtones, like the mandolin and accordion. It also sounds slightly warmer than the CD; probably because they kept the tape hiss in, rather than running noise reduction. A must-buy for fans.

Natalie Merchant, Tigerlily, 96/24
One of my favorite records, but not a great version. It's clearer, but with a clear pair of speakers, particularly a forward sounding pair, there is occasional distortion in her voice. It's especially bad at the end of My Beloved Wife. Do not buy. In HDTracks' defense, I wrote them to tell them this, and they issued me a credit - but it's still for sale.

Soundgarden, Superunknown, 192/24
This was the first album I bought myself, years ago. So it holds a special place in my heart. That said, I'm mixed on it. Their music just doesn't benefit a whole lot from higher-res versions. There are a few songs from the second half of the record that do, but most sound just ever so slightly better, with a little more dynamic range on the top and bottom. Buy if you're a fan, pass if you're not.

Smashing Pumpkins, Mellon Collie, 96/24
This is the high-res alt-rock record to buy. I haven't got them all yet, but I'm sure of it. The recording quality is fantastic, and really takes advantage of the extra data, particularly on all the power ballads. Tonight, Tonight sounds holy crap awesome, as does Porcelina, and the other similar songs. The heavy songs are much better for workout music than the CD versions too. A must buy. Worth noting though: the file naming is all screwed up. You'll have to manually rename everything and create new folders to get it to show up with your other Pumpkin tracks, or even play in order.

That's it for now. I think my next purchases will be Tea for the Tillerman, and perhaps In Utero. I've been looking for a version of Exile on Main Street too, especially since my Dad swiped my 180 gram reissue.

I suppose it's only fair, considering how much I've swiped from him over the years :)
 
Oh, and on a related note ... The Stephen Wilson DVD audio remasters of the Tull, King Crimson, etc. albums all include a 96/24 stereo mix, and most of them are really good too. Thick as a Brick is a personal favorite(and probably my favorite album ever), but the 5.1 mix is screwed up.
 
Oh, and on a related note ... The Stephen Wilson DVD audio remasters of the Tull, King Crimson, etc. albums all include a 96/24 stereo mix, and most of them are really good too. Thick as a Brick is a personal favorite(and probably my favorite album ever), but the 5.1 mix is screwed up.

Sorry I am anal......Steven Wilson :D

What is wrong with the 5.1 mix?
 
I signed up at ProStudioMasters web site and I downloaded the Supertramp - Crime of the Century Hi-Rez album, I had no problems at all with their downloader software
so I will using this site more often.

Last Saturday I got a chance to hear the Crime of the Century album on my Hafler DH-500 amp and I really pumped up the volume and Wow what a pleasant surprise
on this one, it sounded just fantastic.


Supertramp - Crime of the Century in Hi-Rez gets five thumbs up from me.


I did notice a lot of early Lynyrd Skynyrd Hi-Rez Albums that are available and was wondering if anybody has heard any of them and if worth downloading in higher resolution?
 
Sorry I am anal......Steven Wilson :D

What is wrong with the 5.1 mix?

Thanks :p

Apparently there was a mastering problem, and the first few batches went out with all sorts of reverb and phase issues. It was corrected, but since those releases are all short-term, it's hard to find a fixed one.

On the bright side, that means stereo guys can pick it up cheap and enjoy the 96/24 stereo, which sounds awesome. I got my copy for $5 shipped on eBay.
 
Diana Krall, The look of Love. FLAC 96/24 HD Tracks SKU HD00731454984621

Rebecca Pidgeon, The Raven. FLAC 176/24 HD Tracks SKU HD0090368011527

Both are just how I imagine it sounded in the studio. Absolutely purrrfect.


Holding comment on all the Led Zeppelin material for later.
 
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'd like to compare it with the MFSL CD version I have. Did you download from HD Tracks? http://www.hdtracks.com/crime-of-the-century-remastered
 
Diana Krall, The look of Love. FLAC 96/24 HD Tracks SKU HD00731454984621

Rebecca Pidgeon, The Raven. FLAC 176/24 HD Tracks SKU HD0090368011527

Both are just how I imagine it sounded in the studio. Absolutely purrrfect.


Holding comment on all the Led Zeppelin material for later.

I downloaded the first 3 Led Zep HD track albums, (24/96) ALAC. I'm a fan but the recordings are flat and small sounding in my opinion. Not that I might not download more, just don't expect a sound quality leap from a Led album recording.

Other recordings I have from HD tracks, all I believe in ALAC 24/96

Eric Clapton, Unplugged
Van Morrison, Astral Weeks
Amber Rubarth, Sessions from the 17th Ward
The Doors,
Crosby, Stills & Nash
CCR, Chronicle
Bill Evans Trio, Waltz For Debby
Amy Winehouse, Back To Black
James Taylor, Before This World
Various Artists, The First Selection of High Resolution Classic

Of those, I agree with what was said of the CCR recording, its ok, not a standout.

The rest are pretty darn good but CSN and Amber Rubarth are outstanding.

I just downloaded the Bill Evans album so I can't speak to that yet. Amy is awesome on the Back to Black recording.

The James Tayor download is brand new stuff and I highly recommend it.
 
I have the Doors first album, Strange Days and LA Woman, all three albums really surprised me and sound excellent, I play them all a lot. All three @ 96/24

Over the 4th of July weekend HD Tracks sent me special offer for a discount and I downloaded Emerson Lake & Palmer - Trilogy and I'm listening to it right now, so far it sounds really good. (96/24)

I also got the Roy Orbison - The Monument Album Collection and have been playing it all weekend, it's just plain awesome to hear such older music sounding better then I ever heard it before, if you like Roy Orbison I don't think you will be disappointed with this box set. (96/24)
 
Update on the Emerson Lake & Palmer - Trilogy, this is the Deluxe Edition and there are new stereo mixes included,
also an alternative version of From the Beginning that sounds fantastic, this album in HiRez is a good one to add to your
collection.

About two months ago I downloaded the Fleetwood Mac - Rumours (Super Deluxe) 96/24 this is a really great sounding
album in High Definition and is loaded with some very cool extra tracks, this one will also be no disappointment to anyone
who likes this Fleetwood Mac album.
 
What I have on Led Zeppelin is Led Zep II, Led Zep III, Led Zep IV and Led Zep Physical Graffiti @ 96/24,
I think they sound Okay but like lizard84 wrote they just don't stand out like some of the other HiRez
recordings do although I don't think the are bad sounding at all.

After reading the good reviews on the Crosby, Stills & Nash I will put them on my wish list to get.

I have Simon & Garfunkel - Greatest Hits in 192/24 and I was a little disappointed in that one, some songs
do sound better then others and some songs sounded no better then my CD that I have had for years,
your mileage may vary.

Now I can give a very good review for The Who - Tommy @ 96/24 HiRez, it was way better then I expected
and have enjoyed that one every time I play it, no disappointment on that one.

jean_genie posted on the Jethro Tull - Thick as a Brick in post #43

It does sound very deferent to me in HiRez and it does appear to have been remixed, it does sound really
good although it will sound a little different from the old recording, you may like it or you may not care for
it at all, I thought it was Okay.

Jethro Tull - Aqualung in 96/24 sounds amazing and is a very clean sounding, I liked it better then
Thick as a Brick, this one is definitely worth getting.
 
Muse - The 2nd Law 24/96 from HDtracks

This is one of my favorite newer albums, and this mastering is very nice in comparison to the original redbook release. I've been listening to this one a few times a week since I got it, simply wonderful.
 
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.

Supertramp - Crime of the Century in Hi-Rez gets five thumbs up from me.

I'd like to compare it with the MFSL CD version I have. Did you download from HD Tracks? http://www.hdtracks.com/crime-of-the-century-remastered

Late to the party, but I was wondering if anyone has compared the Hi-Rez Supertramp - Crime of the Century to the recent 40th anniversary re-mastered CD?

I ordered the deluxe CD and plan to do an ALAC 16/44 rip, but tempted to get the 24/192 version for the Pono instead.
 
I have several hi-res files downloaded in FLAC from HDTracks, LINN, Pono and others. I second the prior endorsements of Eric Clapton Unplugged, Van Morrison Moondance & Bill Evans Waltz for Debby.

Two more that might have slipped under the radar are Klipsch Tapes Vols. I & II from High Definition Tape Transfers (http://www.highdeftapetransfers.com/products/klipsch-tape-reissues-vol-ii-24bit-192khz-1)

Paul Klipsch supervised the recordings at 15 ips to stereo reel to reel in the early 50s, so that dealers would have excellent stereo recordings to demonstrate Klipsch speakers before stereo recording were generally available.

Vol. I has powerful organ pieces and some Dixieland jazz.

Vol. II features the Joe Holland Quartet. The music and recordings are superb.
 
Three more recommendations. Dave Brubeck Time Out from HDTracks, Mile Davis Kind of Blue from Pono and Mike Masse Something from Loudr.

In the likely event you're unfamiliar with Mike Masse, Google him and check out the YouTube video of More Than a Feeling. Mike's story and talent are extraordinary.

It occurs to me that the Pono Music Store might not be accessible unless you're a registered owner of a Pomo player. If that's the case, use HDTracks.
 

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Jethro Tull, Aqualung on BluRay- Sounds totally amazing! (I listened in stereo only.) So full and detailed without any harshness or shrill over amplified treble response. Easily one of the best "hi-rez" remasters I've heard.

Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Trilogy- Really good, listened in 7.1 on a 9.2 set up. Very clean with nice use of the surround effects, not so overwhelming as to detract from the music. Overall very good sound.

Genesis, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway- Too much surround effects, I found it distracting. Very good bass response, there are all lot of parts for bass pedals on this album and they reproduce faithfully. I liked the option of hearing Peter Gabriel a cappella by only listening to the center channel.
 
So, I'm all set up here for hi-Rez surround 5.1 from SACD, DVDA and BluRay. Also, I run my CD collection ripped flac through a laptop as a server. I first want to say that I was having some trouble getting the sound from my server to match a physical disc. Out of curiosity, I ordered 2 Audioquest Forest USB cables, one between my hard drive full of music and laptop, and the other from the laptop to my external Asus Xonar U7 sound card. From that I go digital coax to my receiver. Anyhow, today I got one of the cables, the one for the hard drive, and let me say to those of you who don't think USB cables can matter, they do. Instant improvement so...either something was wrong with my cheap cable or it really does matter. Either way, I'm convinced and looking forward to getting the other cable tomorrow. Hopefully it will improve things a bit more. Maybe the cheap laptop will cut it after all.

My best sounding Hi-Rez:
King Crimson Thrack on DVDA
XTC Oranges and Lemons on BluRay
Talking Heads Naked on DualDisc DVDA
Elton John Captain Fantastic on SACD
Nine Inch Nails The Downward Spiral on SACD
Beatles Love on DVDA (not for the purist, but sounds excellent)

And I have about 40 total surround albums and most sound pretty amazing. The Who, Quadraphenia, Rush 2112, Moody Blues EGBDF, Dire Straights Brothers in Arms, etc, etc.
 
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