High-Resolution Downloads to die for…

[acousticsguru]

The all-new 24/96 download.

 

A legendary recording, probably on every classical buff's short list of the greatest recordings of the 20th century. The difficulty with Stravinsky's Sacre du Printemps is simply that it's impossible to make it sound as new, let alone shocking, as it apparently did to its first performance audience (which caused an unprecedented riot). It simply won't do to put emphasis on the sheer technical difficulty in pulling it off, which is what too many technically squeaky-clean modern performances/recordings try to achieve. The trick, as Bernstein's recording proves, is sheer excitement - which makes this sound eternally new and stimulating.

 

The remastering is probably the finest I've heard from a major label in terms of resolution, timbre and spatial reproduction. As good as it gets. To think of all else there would be in Sony's archive which could be remastered and released as high-resolution downloads…

 

Greetings from Switzerland, David.

[regnaD kciN]

So, what's your number 14?

[regnaD kciN]

Available as 24/96 "Studio Master". Critical consensus has it that Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli's 1957 recording is pianistically the greatest Ravel's Piano Concerto is likely to receive - ever. From a purely musical/interpretive perspective I'd always want to have both in my collection. Samson François nails the wittiness, irony and sweetness of the piece, and who could conduct this repertoire better than André Cluytens, or sound any more French than the Paris Conservatoire Orchestra?

 

Plus it's coupled with one of the very finest recordings of Ravel's Piano Concerto for the Left Hand (my favourite are Fleisher's, the earlier under Comissiona in particular, the old Casadesus deserves to be heard, as well as Katchen's entry - the first few notes that have made some critics wonder if perhaps he cheated using both hands).

 

More than decent sound quality, by the way, Samson François has never sounded better than in these 2011 remasterings (the same that served as a basis for the SACD release).

 

Greetings from Switzerland, David.

 

BTW, do you have a link to this one? Even Qobuz seems to only show it available in CD quality. Thanks! (And also for clearing up my confusion about the numbering of your entries.)

[acousticsguru]

Available in 24/96. Please note I do not actually own the download, but the Classic Records HDAD, of which I've ripped the stereo mix in both 24/96 (no doubt identical to the download) and 24/192 (as well as the original 24/96 three-channel, which I have no means of playing back). While 24/192 sounds even better (fractionally more resolved especially at low levels and the upper end of the spectrum, somewhat more velvety and spacious overall) on my system than 24/96, the truth is, both sound awesome, and the same cannot be said of so many DACs I've auditioned (in general, 24/96 is just fine). If all the music I love were available in 24/96 remastering of this quality, I would be a perfectly happy customer.

 

I have at least two favourite recordings (the potential third I have no copy of, and haven't listened to in years, so let's leave that aside) of Manuel De Falla's El Sombrero de Tres Picos, as it's originally called. The other is Ernest Ansermet's with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande and soprano Teresa Berganza, of which the finest sonic incarnations in digital format have been the LIM XRCD and Esoteric SACD (based on a 24/96 digital copy of the master tape, although from the analogue original - just saying…), presumably both out of print. I could never decide which I prefer (invariably the one I'm listening to, it seems).

Ansermet is a bit more exciting yet objective, with the famous allusions to e.g. Beethoven more literal (and thus easier to recognize). Jorda's has that unmistakable Hispanic flavour to it, with the sullen moments more melodramatic, the nonchalant more mediterranean and laid-back, the uproars more heated without being faster, on the contrary, he seems to find more weight and seriousness in this score than does the more analytical Ansermet. Those who don't know the (full) score, don't underestimate it as light ballet music - it's right up there with the great Russian Prokofiev, Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky's finest - as a matter of fact, there's no ballet score I listen to with greater joy or regularity. Sound quality and remastering are as good as it gets, and thanks to 35 mm film versus the usual half-inch tape recording, the noise level is as low as the dynamics and bass and treble extension are impressive. Wow!

 

Greetings from Switzerland, David.

[acousticsguru]

So, what's your number 14?

 

Holy cannoli! How did you beat me to that one (since edited…)?

 

Greetings from Switzerland, David.

[acousticsguru]

BTW, do you have a link to this one? Even Qobuz seems to only show it available in CD quality. Thanks! (And also for clearing up my confusion about the numbering of your entries.)

 

https://www.hdtracks.com/index.php?file=catalogdetail&valbum_code=HD5099970561555

 

Greetings from Switzerland, David.

[acousticsguru]

Exclusively available as 24/96 WAV, master tape copy tapped directly from the source, unfined and unfiltered, so to speak.

 

Just to say everything everyone (else) says is true. Frans de Rond was so nice as to send me a replacement of track 11 "You don't know what love is", which sported a digital glitch at 0:41 minutes into it that almost made me leap out of my listening chair when I first listened to the album late at night. Quite minimalist recording using one microphone per instrument except three for the drums (one bass drum mike, two overhead). Happy to say it's not your everyday audiophile download in the sense that one will listen to it a couple of times admiring the sound quality, then forget about owning it altogether. Great artistry and music-making, very enjoyable and entertaining. Live atmosphere and yet, audience is so non-intrusive (inexistent apart from the applause between tracks), makes me wonder if the engineer must have given everyone an icy stare who was even dreaming of pulling out a hanky…

 

Greetings from Switzerland, David.

[firedog]

Stravinsky / Leonard Bernstein, NYP: Le Sacre du Printemps / The Rite of Spring (1958)

 

https://www.hdtracks.com/index.php?file=catalogdetail&valbum_code=HD886443827165

[regnaD kciN]

Just curious -- have you heard the 1994 Everest CD release of the Jorda/de Falla? If so, how does the HDAD/download compare sonically? Is it mainly a difference of greater resolution, or are there more basic tonal and/or dynamic differences in the masterings?

[regnaD kciN]

Strange. The Modern Jazz Quartet European Concert, Volumes 1 & 2 (24/192) are available form Qobuz for €20.98 each (€41.96 for the two albums), but the tracks are available for individual download for €1.49 each, which comes to €22.35 for the 15 tracks on the two albums.

 

Once again, Qobuz must have the most disorganized site ever, because I can only see these files available there at "CD quality" -- for hires, it seems you need to go to HDTracks at the moment. Also odd is that it appears to be available in 24/192, but not 24/96. (Googling "Modern Jazz Quartet," "European Concert," "24," and "96" gets you a whole series of, uh, less-than-kosher "providers," apparently passing along a needledrop at that resolution, but nothing from legitimate sources.)

[Snowmonkey]

Once again, Qobuz must have the most disorganized site ever, because I can only see these files available there at "CD quality" -- for hires, it seems you need to go to HDTracks at the moment. Also odd is that it appears to be available in 24/192, but not 24/96. (Googling "Modern Jazz Quartet," "European Concert," "24," and "96" gets you a whole series of, uh, less-than-kosher "providers," apparently passing along a needledrop at that resolution, but nothing from legitimate sources.)

Yeah, I initially found the 24/192 versions on Qobuz, by following this link from findhdmusic.com: Find HD Music | European Concert, Vol. 1 - The Modern Jazz Quartet

The albums were definitely there and with the weird pricing, whereby buying all the tracks individually would have cost about half as much as buying the complete albums. Anyway, if you follow that link to the Qobuz website now, it claims that the page does not exist. They're disorganized, but you gotta love them for all the great music they provide which is unavailable for download anywhere else (at least not legitimately).

[acousticsguru]

Just curious -- have you heard the 1994 Everest CD release of the Jorda/de Falla? If so, how does the HDAD/download compare sonically? Is it mainly a difference of greater resolution, or are there more basic tonal and/or dynamic differences in the masterings?

 

I own both and compared. The HDAD release even includes a CD downsampled from the new remastering - Classic Records remastered in 24 versus Vanguard's 20 bits, it's clearly not the same. The sound, sound stage, treble extension etc. are all more open, spatious, more lively, it truly sounds more live/alive (even if Vanguard's 20-bit SBM-remastering was a relative success for its era). Each format step up (24/96, even the 24/192, which is only available via the HDAD release) makes a difference (although the latter, in my experience, is system-dependent - not all DACs that convert/accept 192 kS/s sound better at it).

 

Greetings from Switzerland, David.

[regnaD kciN]

I own both and compared. The HDAD release even includes a CD downsampled from the new remastering - Classic Records remastered in 24 versus Vanguard's 20 bits, it's clearly not the same. The sound, sound stage, treble extension etc. are all more open, spatious, more lively, it truly sounds more live/alive (even if Vanguard's 20-bit SBM-remastering was a relative success for its era). Each format step up (24/96, even the 24/192, which is only available via the HDAD release) makes a difference (although the latter, in my experience, is system-dependent - not all DACs that convert/accept 192 kS/s sound better at it).

 

Greetings from Switzerland, David.

 

Thanks -- I'll go grab that one now!

 

By the way, since you mentioned that it was "presumably out-of-print," I should probably let people know that the XCRD of the Ansermet is still very much available, including new from Amazon. I don't have that one, but do have the Classic Records gold CD, which always struck me as very nice-sounding, but never compared it to other remasterings. Imagine my surprise, then, to check eBay and find the XCRD going for aroung $28-$41, the Esoteric SACD for $399, and the Classic CD for $699-$799. It seems scarcity can be an amazing thing...

[regnaD kciN]

Yeah, I initially found the 24/192 versions on Qobuz, by following this link from findhdmusic.com: Find HD Music | European Concert, Vol. 1 - The Modern Jazz Quartet

The albums were definitely there and with the weird pricing, whereby buying all the tracks individually would have cost about half as much as buying the complete albums. Anyway, if you follow that link to the Qobuz website now, it claims that the page does not exist. They're disorganized, but you gotta love them for all the great music they provide which is unavailable for download anywhere else (at least not legitimately).

 

Maybe they found a problem with it as part of their quality-control program?

 

Anyway, I wish that companies woukl make a 24/96 version available for everything, not just 24/192. My system streams through a Squeezebox Touch, which refuses to stream (even by auto-downsampling) anything greater than 24/96, which means I'd have to resample the tracks before adding them to the server, and I have no idea whether the SoX resampler in Foobar2000 would do as good a job as whatever tool the record label might use.

[firedog]

Maybe they found a problem with it as part of their quality-control program?

 

Anyway, I wish that companies woukl make a 24/96 version available for everything, not just 24/192. My system streams through a Squeezebox Touch, which refuses to stream (even by auto-downsampling) anything greater than 24/96, which means I'd have to resample the tracks before adding them to the server, and I have no idea whether the SoX resampler in Foobar2000 would do as good a job as whatever tool the record label might use.

 

the Touch is supposed to use a built in SOX resamlper in LMS software to automatically downsample 176 to 88k and 192 to 96 for playback. Do you have SOX turned off? You may if you changed the "Advanced>file type" settings from the default standard settings.

 

Alternatively, you can install the EDO plugin, which turns the Touch into a h-res player that will output 24/176 and 24/192 natively.

[Julf]

I have no idea whether the SoX resampler in Foobar2000 would do as good a job as whatever tool the record label might use.

 

The SoX resampler is considered to be one of the best. For comparing resamplers, there is always SRC Comparisons.

[regnaD kciN]

the Touch is supposed to use a built in SOX resamlper in LMS software to automatically downsample 176 to 88k and 192 to 96 for playback. Do you have SOX turned off? You may if you changed the "Advanced>file type" settings from the default standard settings.

 

How would I go about changing that? The page in question shows sox being used for WAV to FLAC, but only "native" or "disabled" for FLAC to FLAC.

[Julf]

How would I go about changing that? The page in question shows sox being used for WAV to FLAC, but only "native" or "disabled" for FLAC to FLAC.

 

You will have to edit the convert.conf file. Some (but very limited) information here, but you'd be better off asking on the Squeezebox community forums.

[regnaD kciN]

You will have to edit the convert.conf file. Some (but very limited) information here, but you'd be better off asking on the Squeezebox community forums.

 

Thanks, but it now appears that the problem lies with the NAS which I have running Squeezebox Server -- it apparently won't run SoX or even allow access to the configuration files.

[Julf]

Thanks, but it now appears that the problem lies with the NAS which I have running Squeezebox Server -- it apparently won't run SoX or even allow access to the configuration files.

 

OK, then you have a more serious issue. Why doesn't it run SoX? Architecture/CPU family issue? It is strange, as the squeezebox server usually relies on SoX pretty heavily. And what is preventing access to the configuration file? I am assuming you have admin privileges on the NAS?

 

Again, I suggest the squeezebox community forum is the right place for this kind of discussion - there are lots of users there with experience with running the squeezebox server on various NAS units.

[acousticsguru]

Thanks -- I'll go grab that one now!

 

By the way, since you mentioned that it was "presumably out-of-print," I should probably let people know that the XCRD of the Ansermet is still very much available, including new from Amazon. I don't have that one, but do have the Classic Records gold CD, which always struck me as very nice-sounding, but never compared it to other remasterings. Imagine my surprise, then, to check eBay and find the XCRD going for aroung $28-$41, the Esoteric SACD for $399, and the Classic CD for $699-$799. It seems scarcity can be an amazing thing...

 

Must be. In terms of sound quality, the LIM XRCD is, as are all of Winston Ma's releases, so good it seems to surpass the usual redbook limitations. Esoteric SACDs tend to be very sensitively done (but note they're remastered from a 24/96 master tape copy, not the analogue tape itself) - those guys were the first ever to master the Dvorak/Kertesz "New World" first movement at the correct speed! Always liked the early Classic Records 20-bit remasterings for the Gold CD releases, but in general both LIM/FIM and Esoteric releases tend to surpass them sonically.

 

Greetings from Switzerland, David.

[regnaD kciN]

Available in 24/192, in two volumes.

 

(Amarra is having a friendly day and playing back three-digit sampling rate files glitch-free - or almost…)

 

How lucky and blessed we are microphones were put up those three days in April 1960 in Göteborg and Stockholm, and that this was recorded. The music, the music-making, the sound, oh my… It's as if one leapt right into it headfirst.

 

Admittedly, the sound "stage" is forward (little depth, typical multi-channel use of microphones, but note the phase linearity is still better than in most recordings of the period, let alone later), Milt Jackson's vibraphone occasionally drives its microphone(s) into (near-)overload, and John Lewis's piano sounds a bit boxy (in addition to dry, which however is something they did on purpose, so it would contrast with the vibraphone - to say little or no use of pedal would be an understatement, not sure what exactly they did to that piano to achieve this sound, but from an artistic point of view, it makes perfect sense).

 

I'll admit I'm a sucker for live concerts (the atmosphere, the sense of being there), even so, I'm not sure this isn't simply the most engaging jazz high-resolution download money can buy. If this won't make you tap your toes, consult a doctor asap. Sure brings tears to my eyes, it's so damn beautiful…

 

Greetings from Switzerland, David.

 

Here's a new mystery -- since, apparently, this is now only available from HDTracks, I checked out the samples from their website...and it sounds like everything on Volume 2 is in mono. I assume the Qobuz download was in proper stereo? Of this is the case (that only a mono version is now available for download), that would seem to be cause for some concern.

[acousticsguru]

Here's a new mystery -- since, apparently, this is now only available from HDTracks, I checked out the samples from their website...and it sounds like everything on Volume 2 is in mono. I assume the Qobuz download was in proper stereo? Of this is the case (that only a mono version is now available for download), that would seem to be cause for some concern.

 

Maybe it's just the samples?

 

Greetings from Switzerland, David.

[regnaD kciN]

Maybe it's just the samples?

 

The samples they have up for volume 1 are in very nice-sounding stereo.

 

Since you didn't reply with "Oh, I forgot to mention volume 2 is mono" ;-) , I think I should probably contact HDTracks customer support about this before buying. (It would seem hard to believe that Rhino would do a 24/192 stereo transfer, and then do a second one in mono, unless there was some sort of reverence for the mono mix as with the Beatles' albums.

[regnaD kciN]

As a follow-up to my question about the MJQ'S volume 2, I received the sadly-predictable non-response boilerplate from HDTracks:

 

I'm not sure how the MJQ albums were originally recorded but as with all the music in our store; we receive the most up to date masters from our record label partners. Each record label has their own recording/mastering process when it comes to high res. We are not a record company. We don't do anything to music provided to us by record companies. If something needs to be change or revised it is sent back to label for the process to be taken care of. We are just a retailer. We don't downsample or upsample.

 

Whenever possible we try to provide as much information as possible about the mastering process that is giving to us by the labels.

 

Older recordings when remastered may present qualities that originally were unnoticeable when first released or in previous formats. We only hope that our label partners have taken note of that. When it is an issue we do our best to have them correct it.

 

In general with regards to our hi-res content, we DO test them in-house as well as by an independent 3rd party, at various time points within each track in the album. What we look for is a gradual rolloff in frequencies up to the appropriate point for 44, 48, 76, 88, 96/24, etc, and reject anything with an obvious brickwall cutoff. Note that depending on where in a track a sample is taken, the rolloff may be at a slightly different frequency, which is natural with dynamic music.

 

This may not answer all your questions but we do hope this information is helpful.

 

Sincerely,

Stephan

Support@

 

http://www.hdtracks.com

 

I replied that, since they "test" their hi-res material, I didn't see why they couldn't simply have someone there listen to it and let customers know if the actual tracks they were given for a stereo album turned out to be in mono like the samples.