HD Tracks albums you really care about

[audiophile65]

With HD Tracks having been around as long as it has, do you all have any favorite HD Tracks recordings that really do sound good -- no if's, and's, or but's about it -- and seem to consistently set the bar for sonic excellence? All genres of music would be cool.

[Hanuman22]

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[TD=width: 365]Out of hundreds, i keep coming back to my favorite... a file you can play at moderately high volume, and still hear your honey whispering.. Listening to Jimmy Cobb is like Mt Ranier coming into view on a foggy day...

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Artists | Jimmy Cobb | Jazz in the Key of...

Audiophile 192kHz/24bit

Title: Jazz in the Key of Blue 192/24

Artist: Jimmy Cobb

Genre: Jazz

Label: Chesky Records

Release Date: 2009

 

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[wgscott]

Lush Life (John Coltrane). When I first purchased this 24-bit, 96kHz release, I was a bit disappointed to find it was up-sampled from redbook. Nevertheless, I closed my eyes and opened my heart, and learned to listen with my ears rather than via Audacity FFT graphs, and the music really touched my heart and soul. Once I stopped questioning why the objective data did not corroborate the inner warm fuzzy feeling I got, I learned the true meaning of high res is not the frequency output that I cannot hear anyway, but the cosmic oneness I share with those who upsample^H^H^H^H^H^H^H produce this music.

[Garf]

Rumours in 16/96. As far as I can tell, its a one of a kind release. They did replace it with 24/96, but I prefer the sparser 16 bit version.

[Musicophile]

Not purchased at HDtracks, as they don't let me, but you can find it there:

 

https://www.hdtracks.com/index.php?file=catalogdetail&valbum_code=HX7041888516323

 

Ola Gjeilo - Piano Improvisations

 

I've said it before, it is like Keith Jarretts solo concerts in his better moments. And amazing recording quality.

 

[mwheelerk]

I recently came across three recordings from the new Binaural+ series on HD Tracks and I highly recommend the three titles by Amber Rubarth, Lenny White and this one by Wycliffe Gordon some of the most dynamic, "live" music I have heard.

 

https://www.hdtracks.com/index.php?file=catalogdetail&valbum_code=HX090368035462

[obt_man]

 

Coltrane's Blue Train is just magnificent, way way better than a regular CD recording. I have one at 24/96, but 192 is also available.

[Melvin]

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Coltrane's Blue Train is just magnificent, way way better than a regular CD recording. I have one at 24/96, but 192 is also available.

 

I have the 24/192 version and couldn't agree more.

[HiResSteve]

So far my faves would have to include:

 

Sleeper with Keith Jarrett/Jan Garbarek/Jon Christensen/Palle Danielsson. This is a live recording from 1979 and has 1 3/4 hours of music. All these guys were at the top of their games. Excellent transfer at 24/96 right from the analog tape with no noise reduction or any silliness. Has that ECM sound and takes me right back to my university days. This title is too expensive ($36), but it is worth it especially if you have a discount code.

 

Junta by Phish. An amazing transfer of a great album. I understand they did separate transfers for 24/96 and 24/192 so there was no conversion. CDs don't sound anything like this, I'm afraid.

 

Chet Baker - Baker's Holiday. Let's just pull out this master tape from 1965, put it on a Studer deck and hit play. It's like having your own private copy. Amazing.

[Shikasta]

Thanks for all the recommendations. I'm finding HD Tracks VERY hit and miss re DR/compression issues. I almost pulled the plug yesterday after buying Graceland by Paul Simon. WTF are the dynamics??? THEN I saw the thread with DR measurements and I was feeling ripped off.

 

HOWEVER, I'm just downloading some of the recommendations above: Ola Gjeio, Jimmy Cobb, and Keith Jarrett et al "Sleeper".

 

Please post MORE recommendations, as I'm fed up feeding money to cynical record companies trying to find novel ways to fleece people like me that are the sharpest tools in the shed!

 

Finally, I'll add the Stevie Ray Vaughan/Albert King "In Session" 24/192 transfer to the list. One of my WINS with HD Tracks! Excellent dynamic recording and playing.

[Blu]

"What's New" by Linda Ronstadt with orchestra arranged by Nelson Riddle in 192/24. Great sound, I would like them to release the other albums she did with Nelson Riddle, but I guess I will have to wait.

[firedog]

1. The Paul McCartney reissues in the "unlimited" format (no added volume compression);not exclusive to HDT.

 

2. I've bought about 6 of the Blue Note reissues - all of them are really good, some are fantastic (see Blue Note HDT thread on this site)

 

3. Rolling Stones reissues (anything based on the DSD/SACD Bob Ludwig remasters);although the Redbook based on the same DSD remaster is almost as good. The actual DSD rip is even better.

 

4. Diana Krall - The Girl in the Other Room. Fantastic sound

 

5. Green Day - American Idiot. Much better than the CD and has less volume compression than CD

 

6. Gary Clark - Blak and Blu

 

7. Esperanza Spalding - Radio Music Society

 

8. Bill Evans Trio - Waltz for Debby ("you are there" sound).

 

9. Marvin Gaye - What's Goin' On

 

10. Rod Stewart - Every Picture Tells a Story

 

11. David Chesky - Urbanicity (24/48)

 

12. I definitely didn't like the new CSN debut album: the added volume compression made it difficult to listen to for me. I'm assuming the other CSN(Y) reissues in this series will have the same problem

 

13. The Beethoven Symphonies - Barenboim with the East-West Divan Orchestra - is a great bargain and good sound. The performances are only good, not great. But for the money (and if you don't have the Beethoven symphonies) really worth getting.

[Blu]

Thanks Hanuman22, what a great layback chillout album, and terrific sound. Can you recommend any other smooth layback jazz albums like this?

 

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[TD=width: 365]Out of hundreds, i keep coming back to my favorite... a file you can play at moderately high volume, and still hear your honey whispering.. Listening to Jimmy Cobb is like Mt Ranier coming into view on a foggy day...

[TABLE]

[TR]

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Artists | Jimmy Cobb | Jazz in the Key of...

Audiophile 192kHz/24bit

Title: Jazz in the Key of Blue 192/24

Artist: Jimmy Cobb

Genre: Jazz

Label: Chesky Records

Release Date: 2009

 

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[Blu]

Lush Life (John Coltrane). When I first purchased this 24-bit, 96kHz release, I was a bit disappointed to find it was up-sampled from redbook. Nevertheless, I closed my eyes and opened my heart, and learned to listen with my ears rather than via Audacity FFT graphs, and the music really touched my heart and soul. Once I stopped questioning why the objective data did not corroborate the inner warm fuzzy feeling I got, I learned the true meaning of high res is not the frequency output that I cannot hear anyway, but the cosmic oneness I share with those who upsample^H^H^H^H^H^H^H produce this music.

 

Hi Bill, I couldn't find an album by John Coltrane called "Lush Life" on HDTracks, any further pointers?

[Musicophile]

Hi Bill, I couldn't find an album by John Coltrane called "Lush Life" on HDTracks, any further pointers?

 

HDtracks seems to haveremoved it by now given that it turned out to be upsampled.

[wgscott]

It was the one that started this whole thing off for me.

 

A friend of mine (who is about 70 and has had a lifetime collection of jazz on vinyl) wanted to hear what high res on computer audio sounded like, so he suggested that title, which I bought and downloaded, converted, and played for him. He was polite about it, but I could tell his response was "meh". He suggested I do a FFT on it (he's a scientist, in the Nat'l Academy actually) and so I googled and found Audacity, downloaded it, and we realized we had been had. I complained. It was disappeared. They gave me a merchandise credit and assured me it was a fluke.

 

So that's how it all started.

 

It actually is a really good album, and despite being redbook, it sounds fine to me. I don't know much about Jazz, but I think it is much better than say Love Supreme.

[pescholl]

One of my favorite HDTracks album is "Reveries" in high definition from Reference Recordings.

[jmdesignz2]

HDtracks seems to haveremoved it by now given that it turned out to be upsampled.

 

Anyone know if they are going to get the correct version?

[audiojim]

So the only hi res file I purchased -- lush life -- wasn't legitimate hi res . Lol.