Nevermind, remastered, 96kHz/24bit

[6th.replicant]

For folks embracing - wallowing in? - the nostalgia of Nevemind's 20th, here's a couple of notables (IMHO):

A remastered, 96kHz/24bit, download from HDtracks.com - clickety

 

[Anonymous]

Love the album, but from experience I personally can't tell the difference between 16/44.1 and 24/96, and the original CD I have is pretty much free from overcompression.

I'd love to test the 2 together though.

 

[bearwolfblade]

i still can't believe its been 17 years since kurt cobain passed away

 

[El Hefe]

I have downloaded is from HDtracks on Tuesday. And they are also giving 20% discount, hence bought a few other albums as well.

I have played them on the MF CliC and compared it to my old CD version. Definitely there is a different, more in depth and involving sound.

 

[Anonymous]

I have downloaded is from HDtracks on Tuesday. And they are also giving 20% discount, hence bought a few other albums as well.

I have played them on the MF CliC and compared it to my old CD version. Definitely there is a different, more in depth and involving sound.

I may have to shell out, so I can test this one. I wonder if it's simply a better mastering?

 

[Frank Harvey]

Just what I was waiting for!

 

[MajorFubar]

Can anyone confirm if there are plans to launch a remastered version over here?
I won't buy from HDTracks on principle.

 

[6th.replicant]

... I won't buy from HDTracks on principle.

Huh??

Anything we should know..? :?

 

[The_Lhc]

... I won't buy from HDTracks on principle.

Huh??

Anything we should know..? :?

Technically they only supply to the US but using Paypal gets around that restriction, some people have an issue with that, not sure whether it's actually illegal to buy from them from the UK or just slightly dubious though.

 

[dannycanham]

I probably will get it. Heard some very positive and smoe very negative reviews about the remaster.

I was a big fan many years ago. I do remember interviews saying Kurt had very strong opinions about how Nirvana's albums should be produced to the point of engineers telling white lies about some of his idols producing his favourite tracks a certain way to get him to agree to it too.

Can't help but think the remastering will be in a style that was in the past completely against Kurts wishes.

 

[Scissor_digits]

As has been highlighted previously according to HDtracks T&C's

11. Territory. The Digital Store is currently available only in the continental United States, and is not available in any other location. You agree not to use or attempt to use the Digital Store from outside of the available territory, and that HD may use technologies to verify your compliance.

 

[ReValveiT]

'Remaster' is normally a marketing term for 'squashed and maximised the bejasus out of it to make it louder and really annoying on proper hifi'...

Are we sure that isn't what's happened here?

 

[The_Lhc]

They were discussing the anniversary on the Radio 5 this weekend, one of the comments made by the music journo they had on was that for a supposed "punk" or grunge record Nevermind was horribly over-produced anyway, sounding much safer than a record of that type should do, if the remaster puts a bit of bite back into it it might be a good thing.

 

[6th.replicant]

As has been highlighted previously according to HDtracks T&C's

11. Territory. The Digital Store is currently available only in the continental United States, and is not available in any other location. You agree not to use or attempt to use the Digital Store from outside of the available territory, and that HD may use technologies to verify your compliance.

Huh?? So it's an issue of copyright?

Odd, I often buy SACDs and CDs via mailorder from the US and there's no problem re copyright/territories - what's the beef with downloads?

OK, done some Googling... Perhaps MajorFubar is referring to the discovery that some of HDtracks' releases are not as hi-res as it claims? Frampton Comes Alive and Metallica's 'Black' album, for example.

Seems that Frampton... has been re-catalogued - downgraded from 96/24 to 44.1/24 - after complaints, and some boffins are suggesting that the hi-res 'Black' download actually has more compression compared to the original Red Book CD. Hmmmm. :shame:

 

[ID.]

Can't help but think the remastering will be in a style that was in the past completely against Kurts wishes.

I remember hearing somewhere that he wasn't particularly happy with Vig's production on it in the first place. Too clean. Overproduced if you will.

 

[John Duncan]

Huh?? So it's an issue of copyright?

Not so much copyright as publishing and distribution rights. HDTracks may only have negotiated those rights with American publishers and record companies, ASCAP, Harry Fox etc rather than PRS and MCPS. Maybe they couldn't be bothered.

 

[El Hefe]

As has been highlighted previously according to HDtracks T&C's

11. Territory. The Digital Store is currently available only in the continental United States, and is not available in any other location. You agree not to use or attempt to use the Digital Store from outside of the available territory, and that HD may use technologies to verify your compliance.

Huh?? So it's an issue of copyright?

Odd, I often buy SACDs and CDs via mailorder from the US and there's no problem re copyright/territories - what's the beef with downloads?

OK, done some Googling... Perhaps MajorFubar is referring to the discovery that some of HDtracks' releases are not as hi-res as it claims? Frampton Comes Alive and Metallica's 'Black' album, for example.

Seems that Frampton... has been re-catalogued - downgraded from 96/24 to 44.1/24 - after complaints, and some boffins are suggesting that the hi-res 'Black' download actually has more compression compared to the original Red Book CD. Hmmmm. :shame:

This is interesting. I have the Black album too for HDTracks. And when played on Foobar (or was it something else???), itshowed 96/26.... hhhhmmmm.....

 

[El Hefe]

By giving the option to purchase via PayPal which bypasses the 'US sales only' rule, they are contradicting their own T&C and by that, I hope buyers are not to be blamed.

 

[6th.replicant]

...

Seems that Frampton... has been re-catalogued - downgraded from 96/24 to 44.1/24 - after complaints, and some boffins are suggesting that the hi-res 'Black' download actually has more compression compared to the original Red Book CD. Hmmmm. :shame:

This is interesting. I have the Black album too for HDTracks. And when played on Foobar (or was it something else???), itshowed 96/26.... hhhhmmmm.....

Can't link you directly to a 'rival' forum but if you Google, 'Metallica - Black Album HDTracks download computer', you'll find the info.

 

[MajorFubar]

Perhaps MajorFubar is referring to the discovery that some of HDtracks' releases are not as hi-res as it claims? Frampton Comes Alive and Metallica's 'Black' album, for example.

No you were right first time...I was referring to the fact that buying from HDTracks in the UK is legally dubious at best, because not only are you breaking their T&Cs via the anonymity of PayPal*, you're sidestepping any EU and UK dues, such as VAT, which would be payable if they were trading in the UK or EU. As I've mentioned before, for us it's one step away from being an illegal download, and if I want an illegal download, I know ways of getting one for MUCH less than $17+.

*Not even anonymous, but the small number of purchases from here will easily get lost in the crowd.

 

[The_Lhc]

Perhaps MajorFubar is referring to the discovery that some of HDtracks' releases are not as hi-res as it claims? Frampton Comes Alive and Metallica's 'Black' album, for example.

No you were right first time...

Ahem...

 

[El Hefe]

Theoretical graphs shows 'noise' added.

However, feedback from laymen listeners are mixed. Some like it. And some dont.

 

[Anonymous]

...

Seems that Frampton... has been re-catalogued - downgraded from 96/24 to 44.1/24 - after complaints, and some boffins are suggesting that the hi-res 'Black' download actually has more compression compared to the original Red Book CD. Hmmmm. :shame:

This is interesting. I have the Black album too for HDTracks. And when played on Foobar (or was it something else???), itshowed 96/26.... hhhhmmmm.....

Can't link you directly to a 'rival' forum but if you Google, 'Metallica - Black Album HDTracks download computer', you'll find the info.

Very interesting, so the CD has the highest dynamic range in this instance. Glad I saw this, I'll be emptying my shopping basket and deleting my account...

As for the dubious legality...I don't care. It's HDTracks breaking their terms, not the buyer doing anything wrong.

 

[ReValveiT]

So, For those who've compared this 'remaster' with the original CD, is it better, or just (as I suspect) louder? Be nice to hear your thoughts.

 

[dannycanham]

That's right he wasn't too happy with it in the first place and that time round he had considerable more say.