Eric Clapton - Back Home (HDTracks)

[Garf]

In a further attempt to provide additional information for this forum, I am continuing to post samples of my HDTrack purchases and other hi-res downloads I have accumulated. I was interested in seeing what a Grammy winning 'Best engineered album for 2006' sounded like. I will typically refrain from posting my opinion, but in this case, I cannot help it. Avoid this, unless you like a hot, compressed mix. In the HDTracks download, 'Lost and Found' abruptly ends, truncating the last few seconds. I have emailed them, and they promptly provided a link to a single flac file to download. Which also abruptly ends. At least it was a fast reply to my inquiry, that IS an improvement.

 

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Analyzed: Eric Clapton / Back Home

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DR Peak RMS Duration Track

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DR6 -0.10 dB -7.54 dB 4:48 01-So Tired

DR7 -0.10 dB -8.99 dB 4:35 02-Say What You Will

DR6 -0.10 dB -7.49 dB 4:03 03-I'm Going Left

DR6 -0.10 dB -8.23 dB 7:13 04-Love Don't Love Nobody

DR7 -0.10 dB -8.75 dB 5:01 05-Revolution

DR7 -0.10 dB -8.38 dB 4:35 06-Love Comes To Everyone

DR6 -0.10 dB -7.17 dB 5:22 07-Lost And Found

DR6 -0.10 dB -7.69 dB 4:23 08-Piece Of My Heart

DR6 -0.10 dB -8.01 dB 5:20 09-One Day

DR8 -0.10 dB -8.93 dB 5:04 10-One Track Mind

DR6 -0.10 dB -8.71 dB 6:18 11-Run Home To Me

DR9 -0.10 dB -11.09 dB 3:33 12-Back Home

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Number of tracks: 12

Official DR value: DR7

 

Samplerate: 48000 Hz

Channels: 2

Bits per sample: 24

Bitrate: 1646 kbps

Codec: FLAC

 

 

Attached waveform and spectrum from Audacity, spectrum plots to follow.

[Garf]

Spectrum plots

[REShaman]

Garf, I, too, purchased the Clapton Back Home DL. And without benefit of your graphs, share your assessment of the SQ. I was truly disappointed. What I find even more glaring to my sensibilities is the lack of consensus (that word inspires many mixed responses form other CA posters) about the SQ of HDtracks DLs like this Clapton DL. One would expect discerning listeners to arrive at some common ground about the quality of the album. Yet well regarded posters often respond with POVs that avoid the frequent findings of dissatisfaction. As you took the time to voice your research about a purchase you find wanting, I, too, have put myself out there with only my listening experience. Consequently, the frequency of HDtrack purchases have decreased markedly though I still get invitations to purchase at a reasonable discount as a preferred customer. Except that the incentive to purchase from their catalogue is almost non-existent. And the rationale which may be true that HDtracks merely sells the studios submissions does not persuade a different response from me. Perhaps, I am responding to your post to soothe my many disappointments including this Clapton album, which, remarkably others have found well above average.

 

Reading other posts it is obvious as the one about Bob Marley offering at HDtracks and whether or not the OP will purchase it but wanting more information from the membership about the quality.

 

So thank you for taking the time to publish your findings and confirm what I heard as soon as I converted the Flac tracks to AIFF and clicked on "Play". Profound disappointments all around.

 

Enjoying the music, because I can,

Richard

[RF Power]

I should have read this thread before downloading.

Great album (musically) but mastered with FM radio style audio signal processing rules out serious listening through a high end system.

[Julf]

Spectrum plots

 

Either upsample from red book or brickwalled for red book. Is the amplitude range set to -90 dB, or is the ultimate noise floor -90 dB?

[REShaman]

I should have read this thread before downloading.

Great album (musically) but mastered with FM radio style audio signal processing rules out serious listening through a high end system.

 

Yes, unfortunately. I will never understand the criteria that drives a production with such fine talent to be rendered in the state I hear it. After all, hearing is generally available to most people. Is not "better/best" more of everything for everyone? Perhaps the submodalities of production values are notes that are printed on currency and bars that gleam. I suspect we are in the company of many who are similarly disappointed.

(Just venting.)

Best,

Richard

[SammyU]

I have the Dual Disc which I bought for $5 a year ago. I suspect the HD Tracks version is a rip of the 2 channel version on the Dual Disc DVD-A side. There is also a much more dynamic 5.1 track (DR 12). I ripped it and converted it into 2 channels using DVD audio extractor. Sounds great. I've learned to always (also) rip the 5.1 versions from DVD-A/Blu Ray/SACD rips and compare them to the 2 channel versions. Most of the time, they become my music server version, and the 2 channel rip is discarded.

 

The sudden stop at the end of track 7 is how the track is supposed to end. I suppose dissatisfaction with this should be taken up with Eric Clapton, not HD Tracks.