24bit audio reviews

[Peter Larsen]

Hi,

I have ventured into hires audio, 24bit 96khz and would like some advice. Are all 24bit remasters nessecarily any better in sound quality? I mean I read a long time ago that Donal Fagens The Nightfly was recorded in 16bit on a 3M recorder, so in my ears it doesn't make much sense to issue a 24bit 96Khz version. Won't that just be an upsampled version which a DAC could do just as well?

Any advice appreciated 🙂

 

[quadpatch]

I have heard about HD audio tracks being upsampled from CD quality sources before. I have still yet to hear any difference above CD quality (which seems to align with the scientific limitations of our hearing) so this is probably how they get away with it.

 

[Anonymous]

Peter,

You need to do your research so you know exactly what you are buying and how the high res version was created.

Take Dire Straits "Brothers in Arms" recorded on 16bit/44.1khz multi-track recorder. The original mixing for this album was also 16/44.1 meaning the finished original digital master was 16/44.1khz.

When the 2005 Anniversary edition was commissioned, the original multi-tracks were sampled into Pro-Tools at 24/96 or higher and then remixed in 24bit to produce a different high res master. The results are far superior to the original master as anyone like me who has the rare US Dual Disc/DVD Audio can testify.

If the original master tape was analogue and care has been taken processing to digital (equipment used etc), then the results should be better than CD quality

 

[Peter Larsen]

Wow, and I thought Brothers in Arms sounded great on CD.

Where is that album available as HD download?

 

[Anonymous]

Peter,

A couple of weeks before Easter, I got an email from HDTracks that Brothers in Arms would be available as either a 24/96 or 24/192 download. For some reason (probably licencing) it got pulled and has yet to re-appear on the site, so keep your fingers crossed that it may re-appear at some stage.

Incidentally here is some background on the recording of the Donald Fagen album

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/archive/index.php/t-256789.html

 

[TALON1973]

teh hybrid cd/ super audio cd version can be bought .... its on amazon atm £10.37

 

[TALON1973]

also does anyone know if the lionel richie Can't Slow Down album on hdtracks is a genuine hd version ?

 

[Peter Larsen]

Okay, bought The Nightfly, and it sounds fantastic. And its 48khz, not 44.1 as stated on HDtracks.

Listened to it thorougly yesterday evening and it not only sounds fantastic, it also sounds different compared to the CD. The opening on Green Flower Street has different piano strokes. Really strange to hear given that I know the album so well. Could they have been using different masters, and thereby different takes of Fagens playing?

 

[Andrew Everard]

A couple of weeks before Easter, I got an email from HDTracks that Brothers in Arms would be available as either a 24/96 or 24/192 download. For some reason (probably licencing) it got pulled and has yet to re-appear on the site, so keep your fingers crossed that it may re-appear at some stage.

The HDTracks release of Brothers in Arms was pulled when, to quote the company, "After having the title up for only a few hours we discovered that the title was mistakenly labeled in both the 192 and 96kHz formats. The file that you received was in fact 44.1kHz/16bit. Upon realizing the error we immediately removed the title from our store."

All those who bought the release were refunded within a day or two, and HDTracks says that "For the time being we have put this title on hold until such time as we can be certain that we are able to offer the best quality files available for this title."

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Andrew,

Other than the 2005 5.1 24/96 Surround remix, I am not really sure another high res version even exists because it has never been remixed to two channel and the link below seems to confirm this:

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/chuck-ainlay-ed-cherney-frank-filipetti-george-massenburg-elliot-scheiner-al-schmitt/48970-dear-mr-ainlay-bill-porter-brothers-arms.html

If you are lucky to have the US Dual Disc, then the surround audio is the new 5.1 24/96 PCM surround master in its pure form together with the original remastered two channel version at 24/48.

The SACD contains a DSD conversion of the 5.1 24/96 PCM, which is why the Dual Disc commands such a high price tag in comparison

 

[TALON1973]

hmm has lionel richie been pulled from hdtracks ? decided to take the plunge and no lobger available 🙁

 

[Peter Larsen]

Nope!

https://www.hdtracks.com/index.php?file=artistdetail&id=10005

 

[ngibbs]

I wrote on a thread about this a short while ago:

Whether some of these Hi Res albums are worth the money is, of course, another matter (sorry if I'm going off the OP's topic here). As always, it seems to depend on the master, and even that doesn't necessarily mean a huge difference: both Beck's 'Sea Change' and the Stones 'Let it Bleed' sound superb on Hi Res, i.e. a cut above the CD versions (to my ears); the latter's 'Beggers Banquet' , ironically, not much different to the (admittedly very good) ABKCO remastered CD. A few manage to sound worse (again, to my ears) - Natalie Merchant's 'Tigerlily' for instance.

[/quote]

Talking Heads 'Remain in Light' as well. Sounds as if it came from the pre 2005 (i.e. non- remastered) master. The CD is streets ahead.

[/quote]

+ Getz & Gilberto (the jazz classic): the CD is fuller and with better balancing. Very hit and miss these High Res files. Listen carefully before you buy.

[/quote]

just my impressions you understand.....

 

[ngibbs]

I wrote on a thread about this a short while ago:

Whether some of these Hi Res albums are worth the money is, of course, another matter (sorry if I'm going off the OP's topic here). As always, it seems to depend on the master, and even that doesn't necessarily mean a huge difference: both Beck's 'Sea Change' and the Stones 'Let it Bleed' sound superb on Hi Res, i.e. a cut above the CD versions (to my ears); the latter's 'Beggers Banquet' , ironically, not much different to the (admittedly very good) ABKCO remastered CD. A few manage to sound worse (again, to my ears) - Natalie Merchant's 'Tigerlily' for instance.

Talking Heads 'Remain in Light' as well. Sounds as if it came from the pre 2005 (i.e. non- remastered) master. The CD is streets ahead.

[/quote]

+ Getz & Gilberto (the jazz classic): the CD is fuller and with better balancing. Very hit and miss these High Res files. Listen carefully before you buy.

[/quote]

just my impressions you understand.....

[/quote]

Email from HD Tracks on quality of the Talking Heads album mentioned above:

"I'm sorry you were unhappy with the Talking Heads album. We receive the most up to date masters from our record label partners. Each record label has their own recording/mastering process when it comes to high res. We are not a record company. We don't do anything to music provided to us by record companies. This is an up to date master from the label. We are just a retailer. We don't downsample or upsample.
Older recordings when remastered may present qualities that originally were unnoticeable when first released or in previous formats. We only hope that our label partners have taken note of that. This may not answer all your questions but we do hope it is helpful."