The State of True High Definition records, 2017

Discussion in 'Music and Recordings' started by Peti, Sep 17, 2017.

  1. Scubadude

    Scubadude Almost "Made"

    Joined:
    Jan 23, 2016
    Likes Received:
    332
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Pretoria, South Africa
  2. Peti

    Peti Facebook Friend

    Joined:
    Apr 8, 2016
    Likes Received:
    107
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Location:
    PRC (People's Republic of California)
    Wow, Tacet Records! Thanks for the tip man!!
     
  3. Peti

    Peti Facebook Friend

    Joined:
    Apr 8, 2016
    Likes Received:
    107
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Location:
    PRC (People's Republic of California)
    Having a loaner cd around and man, I'm thoroughly enjoying it! Talking about realisticly sounding music!

    [​IMG]

    Blues is not the first genre I reach after but man, this recording sounds eerily real. I wanted to try because this is one of the not fake HDCDs and just wanted to see how it fares on my dac with HDCD capability.
     
  4. Peti

    Peti Facebook Friend

    Joined:
    Apr 8, 2016
    Likes Received:
    107
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Location:
    PRC (People's Republic of California)
    Another new acquisition here: Harry Belafonte - Live at Carnegie Hall (1959) (Analogue Productions)

    [​IMG]

    It managed to topple my previous favourite version of this marvelous classic, the HDTracks, 19track version. I've always felt that analogue Productions has that magic touch, when it comes to remastering classic pieces, and they didn't disappoint this time, either.

    I was going to buy this release anyway, as it contains 3 extra tracks, NEVER released before, but after listening to this Hybrid SACD, it became clear rather quickly, that my HDTracks version will be left on the virtual shelf on my hard disk drive.

    The Analogue Productions' edition sounds simply more clear and detailed. Perhaps a tad more warmth, but it might be just my imagination. (Please note, that i'm talking about the redbook cd layer, not the SACD).

    And one more thing: HDTracks Edition DR 12 vs. AP Edition DR14. A clear winner here in my book, folks. I'm a big fan of this album and finally, thanks to AP, I have the full show (after 58 years of the fact - the recording occured in 1959) in it's entirety, unencumbered, and in a marvelous shape, digital.
     
  5. Wfojas

    Wfojas Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    848
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    CA
  6. Peti

    Peti Facebook Friend

    Joined:
    Apr 8, 2016
    Likes Received:
    107
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Location:
    PRC (People's Republic of California)
    Dunno anything about the vinyl but if I recollect properly, AP has both a 5 disc 33rpm and 2 disc 45rpm for the Belafonte -Live at Carnegie album. High-def and vinyl sounds oxymoronic to me; standard definition with some sweet sounding distortion would be better to describe LPs.
     
  7. Wfojas

    Wfojas Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    848
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    CA
    I see. Im unsure what you base that opinion on, but you have every right to it.
    Its possible you may not have not heard a well setup system to compare the very albums you’ve noted digitally vs vinyl, also.

    I think there would be a 5 disc 45 rpm and 2 disc 33 pressings, given the length of the material.
     
  8. Peti

    Peti Facebook Friend

    Joined:
    Apr 8, 2016
    Likes Received:
    107
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Location:
    PRC (People's Republic of California)
    Thank you for clarifying the 45 rpm vs 33rpm statement of mine, Wfojas! Vinyl rocks, just one must be aware of the format's limitations, that's it. But I really don't wish to turn this thread into an analog vs. digital debate. As long as we both enjoy our music, that's all that matters.

    Are you, by any chance, planning to buy the 5 disc vinyl issue? AP boasts that it has a superb, enhanced gatefold.
     
  9. Wfojas

    Wfojas Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    848
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    CA
    I actually don’t subscribe to the thinking that a reissue is better, per se. Some of them are, and some of them aren’t. I have a few copies of Belafonte in Carnegie Hall (Camden pressing plant ) and don't really want to spend money on stuff that might sound better, but not music I really care about. Mikey Fremer gets stuff wrong often enough. The sole blanket rules I have is on any given duplicate between AP and Music Matters, buy the MM everytime, in the 33 rpm . I base this on the albums I've heard. The mid nineties Classic records reissues were almost all bad. The Mercury 45s from Classic were all good, though, go figure. The Musiconvinyl stuff is no better than original pressings, many times worse (they source from digital files, as a lot masters were lost in a fire). Caveat emptor.
     
    Last edited: Feb 4, 2018
  10. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

    Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    7,466
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Winnipeg
    Mild necro, but this was one of the few threads that I could find that had a reference to Stockfisch.
    This may interest a few folks since the recording is done in multiple formats under standardized conditions:
    https://www.stockfisch-records.de/pages_art/sf12_tye_e.html
    (kinda pricey though...)
     
  11. L'Orfeo

    L'Orfeo MoatsArt the Second

    Contributor Banned
    Joined:
    Mar 15, 2018
    Likes Received:
    490
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Australia
    Thanks for bringing this thread to my attention. Hi-res recorded stuff can be good, not necessarily because it's hi res, but because they take care with other elements of the process.
     
    Last edited: Jun 11, 2018
  12. Peti

    Peti Facebook Friend

    Joined:
    Apr 8, 2016
    Likes Received:
    107
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Location:
    PRC (People's Republic of California)
    Well, I haven't been active lately around here but I have some things to say regarding this topic. Instead of bringing up yet another niche audio label, I'd like to say that I'm quite surprised of the quality of some of those japanese K2HD mastering albums. Judas Priest being one of my all-time favourite, I thought I got their 2014 re-issue of their best of. Platinum SHm Cd, K2HD Mastering, HRCutting, (all trademarks, btw) I thought, why not, let's give it a try.

    [​IMG]

    I must say I quite like it. Dunno how they did it, but I get more sound and detail out of this release than the other editions I own. At DR6 it's kinda loud, but not unbearably so.

    After this positive experience I went on and got a copy of Yanni's Live at Acropolis (K2HD Mastering) and Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture (JVC SHM XRCD24)

    [​IMG]

    The Yanni album wasn't as big a revelation as the Judas Priest best of was. Bit louder than the original release, kind of smiley shaped EQ.

    The Tchaikovsky, however, made my jaw drop on the floor. First off, the exterior is exquisite. Easily the most luxurious single cd I have ever seen/owned.With a beautiful booklet which makes you feel like you are indeed holding a book in your hand. I also loved the unorthodox case, which goes way beyond your average jewel case protecting the disc. Sound-wise it was stellar, too, however I have had nothing to compare to. It was 50$, straight from Japan though.

    [​IMG]

    I've heard so much complaints about K2 Mastering, XRCD24, etc. that what they do is only to boost the highs and lows and make it louder but I guess I have to disagree. Mind you, simply seeing these symbols on a cd shan't guarantee you first-class audio.

    P.S.: Just seen a copy of the Tchaikovsky cd on ebay for 179$, ouch.
     
  13. Scubadude

    Scubadude Almost "Made"

    Joined:
    Jan 23, 2016
    Likes Received:
    332
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Pretoria, South Africa
    Fonè Records ... Specialist Italian label since 1983 (I think). Heavy classical and jazz bias. "Fonè records offers more than thirty years of recordings made in the name of the advanced techniques, aimed to the recovery of the original musical atmosphere without any signal electronic manipulation or artificial correction." https://foneshop.it/en/
     

Share This Page