Blu-ray High Definition Audio Discs - first thoughts

altruistic.lemon

New member
Jul 25, 2011
64
0
0
Visit site
Having read about these the WHF, and having a Blu-Ray player that seldom gets used, I decided to import some of these, and have report the result is better than I thought possible. OK, I only bought 3 new classical discs from the Naxos range - The 4 Seasons, Chopin Piano Concerto No 1 and Mahler's 8th (forgot it was the one with all the singing in) . Silences are positively limpid, soundstage wider than I've ever heard it. It's like the pianist (playing Chopin) is there with you. As for detail, in the Chopin I swear you can hear the piano stool creaking during the difficult bits. The Vivaldi has an immediacy up with that of the seminal Jansen CD, but somehow with more space around it. Not just me who thought this, either. My girlfriend walked in and asked me what I'd changed in the system, it sounded so good. "It's almost like a 3D orchestra is in the room", she said.

The format is explained here http://www.whathifi.com/news/ultra-high-quality-audio-from-blu-ray-enters-the-mainstream . Naxos say this about it http://www.naxos.com/blu-ray_audio.asp , and here's a list of currently available titles http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=11097

These play on any Blu-ray player, and they come in Stereo and DTS (not sure what that is) mode. As far as I know there's no video component, apart from an on screen menu, but you can just put them straight into your Blu-ray player and press play.

I'm only sorry they've come so late on the scene. From what I've heard, they may be an advance on the regular CD, and I'm wondering how stunning the 5.1 DTS would sound.

Worth trying out, the format is genuinely impressive, particularly if you like classical.
 

busb

Well-known member
Jun 14, 2011
83
5
18,545
Visit site
I don't see the point of yet another audio disc format (with SACD already catering for HD), albeit one based on an existing video one. I firmly believe that the only discs being spun sooner rather than later will be vinyl.

Another problem is the most DACs won't handle DTS streams so the user is reliant on the analogue output from their BD player or down-sampling the digital output to 16bit 44.1k (CD quality). Please correct me if things have changed - I'd be delighted to be wrong! I don't think HDMI converters will output 24/96 let alone 24/192.
 

john dolan

New member
Dec 20, 2008
3
0
0
Visit site

datay

New member
Nov 19, 2008
28
0
0
Visit site
busb said:
I don't see the point of yet another audio disc format (with SACD already catering for HD), albeit one based on an existing video one. I firmly believe that the only discs being spun sooner rather than later will be vinyl.

Another problem is the most DACs won't handle DTS streams so the user is reliant on the analogue output from their BD player or down-sampling the digital output to 16bit 44.1k (CD quality). Please correct me if things have changed - I'd be delighted to be wrong! I don't think HDMI converters will output 24/96 let alone 24/192.

As mentioned above, they come with a DTS and a stereo PCM mix, this can be output via coax to DAC. Downmix to PCM is standard on all Blu-ray players anyway, surely?
 

datay

New member
Nov 19, 2008
28
0
0
Visit site
altruistic.lemon said:
You seem to have missed the point.

Who seems to have missed the point? Since your post followed mine, I was replying to the quoted text; the point being that most people consider their DACs to be better quality than their blu-ray players, and the PCM stream is 24/96.

It is what I am doing with the recent Hawkwind Warrior at the Edge of Time remasters, perhaps you might look those up.
 

john dolan

New member
Dec 20, 2008
3
0
0
Visit site
That patricia barber blu-ray i linked above is 24.96 and when played through coax out to my m-dac the m-dac shows 16/48 on its display and its hard to rip a blu-ray so for streaming i used a Sony digital recorder fed from the blu-rays analogue out and recorded at 24.96.:)
 
T

the record spot

Guest
Bit more of an open-minded reply here in Cloud Cuckoo land AL. Mind you, less lapdogs running round the place admittedly. ;)
 

manicm

Well-known member
Although I scoffed at yet another disc format this is great. According to Naxos 'Each HIGH-DEFINITION AUDIO DISC has both stereo and surround versions of the programme at 24-bit 88.2/96kHz high resolution.'

So, no need for an external DAC, or even an AV amp as is my situation to get the best stereo playback. And that's the big advantage over DVD-A (which wasn't too prevalent) or SACD (you need DSD decoding to get the best out of it - which not even top-end Oppos et al have).

It's great for those of us who haven't adopted streaming yet, or want to dabble in hi-res audio. And since I still do buy CDs I may as well buy these!
 
There are 2 distinct advantages of this format:

1) Minimum standards have been defined.

2) It will pave way for blu ray audio players.

SACD has remained a niche format due to poor adoption and penetration. Blu ray player sales are on the rise. Besides, 50GB capacity can be exploited for much higher resolutions in the future, if it survives.
.
 

BigH

Well-known member
Dec 29, 2012
115
7
18,595
Visit site
bigboss said:
There are 2 distinct advantages of this format: 1) Minimum standards have been defined. 2) It will pave way for blu ray audio players. SACD has remained a niche format due to poor adoption and penetration. Blu ray player sales are on the rise. Besides, 50GB capacity can be exploited for much higher resolutions in the future, if it survives. .

SACD never took off because it was too expensive and lack of releases, I'm glad I did not go down that route. BD audio does seem to be more affordable, lets hope most music will become available.
 

Benedict_Arnold

New member
Jan 16, 2013
661
3
0
Visit site
I'm all for it, and for paying a premium, if it moves us into a state where we can buy authentic genuinely lossless (or as close as lossless as possible) versions of our music. Far better, IMHO, that such material be made available by legit record companies, however "evil" they are, rather than here-today-gone-tomorrow internet shysters trying to sell us upscaled rips and nothing more.

And I'll happily pay a premium for the recordings.

Back when CDs first hit the streets en masse, a vynil LP cost about five Pounds or five pints of beer at the pub. A CD cost twelve Pounds (or pints). A CD is still about 12 Pounds, now just three or four pints, so a lossless Blu-Ray or whatever would have to be, what? thirty to forty Pounds to equate to the same hangover-coefficient.

Oh yeah, the only drawback is that I'm really NOT looking buy DSOTM for the fourth or fifth time, so the music industry had better come up with something (or some people) worth listening to again instead of relying on their back-catalogues and teeny bopper boy bands for their ill-gotten gains.

JMHO.
 

busb

Well-known member
Jun 14, 2011
83
5
18,545
Visit site
Benedict_Arnold said:
I'm all for it, and for paying a premium, if it moves us into a state where we can buy authentic genuinely lossless (or as close as lossless as possible) versions of our music. Far better, IMHO, that such material be made available by legit record companies, however "evil" they are, rather than here-today-gone-tomorrow internet shysters trying to sell us upscaled rips and nothing more.

And I'll happily pay a premium for the recordings.

Back when CDs first hit the streets en masse, a vynil LP cost about five Pounds or five pints of beer at the pub. A CD cost twelve Pounds (or pints). A CD is still about 12 Pounds, now just three or four pints, so a lossless Blu-Ray or whatever would have to be, what? thirty to forty Pounds to equate to the same hangover-coefficient.

Oh yeah, the only drawback is that I'm really NOT looking buy DSOTM for the fourth or fifth time, so the music industry had better come up with something (or some people) worth listening to again instead of relying on their back-catalogues and teeny bopper boy bands for their ill-gotten gains.

JMHO.

CDs are lossless if not HD. So much previously recorded stuff is only 16 bit anyway. Upsampling reportedly works to some extent but some hate it, hence NOS DACs/players. LPs are pretty expensive these days - probably more than BR discs will be!
 
T

the record spot

Guest
I'd check the mastering first, or at least, who did it and then check what others have to say on the Hoffman forum first. Not the first time a hi-res release has tanked and lost out to an earlier CD version.
 

davedotco

New member
Apr 24, 2013
20
1
0
Visit site
Not really sure what to say about this thread, just a huge exploitative exercise to sell a few more player and a few discs, cant imagine why anyone is taking this product seriously.

Just think of the best CD or standard downlad you have heard.

Just think if all your CDs or standard downloads sounded that good.

And remember, the mainstream music industry does not give a sh*t about the quality of their releases, it is simply not on their radar.
 

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts