Which Doors Digital Re-issue To Purchase

[ignatz22]

I've been trying to decide which digital re-issue (re-master / re-mix) to purchase.

As far as I can tell, it boils down to the 24/96 HD Tracks download, the Perception Box Set, the Infinte SACD set, and one other that I can't seem to remember.

These will be played from my server, and it seems that ripping a SACD is a pretty intensive activity.

Any thoughts of the various options would be appreciated.

[cjf]

I bought all the 24/96 offerings from HDTracks and think they sound great. Each of the albums had an overall dynamic range value of either 11 or 12 so nothing to complain about there.

[ignatz22]

Thanks for the info. which software do you use to measure the DR, as there seems to be a choice of different packages.

I'm PC based.

[cjf]

I use Foobar with the Dynamic Range plugin installed. I had to dig around to find the plugin because I think the newer versions of the software removed that feature.

[ignatz22]

Once again, thanks.

[mav52]

I also went to HD 24/94 The Complete Doors & the 24/94 version of LA Woman thinking the downloads would be better than the LP's I own of the doors. I own the LA Woman (1971) and The Doors LP (1967) plus the 2012 re-release of LA woman on vinyl and the SACD version of the Doors from 'Acoustic Sounds". The LP sound so much better than the downloads, but the SACD ( played on Sony xa5400es / OPPO 105) vocals sound clear and smooth, bass and drums believable so much better than the HD tracks. Haven't compared the DCC Gold CD of LA Woman with the SACD.

[sshd]

The Perception Box is all remixes - doubt you want that?

 

The Japanese Doors ST SACD from 2011 is remixed too.

 

The old LA Woman SACD from 2000 is terrible - dynamic range 8-13 - just like the awful 1999 remasters.

 

HDTracks is okay, but I like the DCC versions much better.

 

Haven't heard the 2013 SACD set yet.

[powelb]

Surprised by some of less positive views on the HDTracks versions.

 

For me, they are the best ones to have. Smooth and clear and true to the original feel (at least my perception of that feel). They also don't have the original vocal edits reversed (i.e. in Break On Through, he sings "She get..." instead of "She get high").

The remixes do sound good, but I don't enjoy the changes - others do.

Avoid the 1999 remixes as they're too compressed. They are the redbook discs in the Perception set, alongside the remixes on the DVDs.

 

Note that HDTracks first offered the s/t album in high rez, and later released the full set of albums. I believe the s/t is different between these two releases (I own the new set, and I got the entry for the first s/t release from DR Database, and it's different to my later version).

[chriss71]

I have struggled myself buying this boxset: Analogue Productions

 

I have all old DCC's (mastered by Steve Hoffman) and all HDTracks... Now this set mastered by Doug Sax.

My opinion is, that the new APO is a little bit better than the HDTrack's one. It's not night and day, but audible.

The DCC's are really warmth sounding, but that is the signature sound of Steve Hoffman.

 

BE AWARE THAT THIS IS JUST MY OWN OPINION.

[hogger_129]

I didn't like the sound of "The Doors" at all. Something just sounded off about it. What's even worse is that when I tried burning it to a CD at 16/44.1 WAV, it sounded like there was a ton of artifacts in it, like a loud hissing/buzzing. Are HDTracks files watermarked or something that it ruins it when you burn a CD?

[hogger_129]

I have struggled myself buying this boxset: Analogue Productions

 

I have all old DCC's (mastered by Steve Hoffman) and all HDTracks... Now this set mastered by Doug Sax.

My opinion is, that the new APO is a little bit better than the HDTrack's one. It's not night and day, but audible.

The DCC's are really warmth sounding, but that is the signature sound of Steve Hoffman.

 

BE AWARE THAT THIS IS JUST MY OWN OPINION.

 

See I would go after the DCC, MFSL, Audio Fidelity discs FIRST if the former were affordable. I only have the Audio Fidelity version of Billion Dollar Babies which was great, plan to buy more.

 

But anything by MFSL, DCC, etc, seems to command prices of $50 or more, which is ridiculous for one album.

 

The Audio Fidelity stuff is typically <$50 because they're still in production mostly.

 

I also don't see why these folks can't offer these discs digitally - like as a lossless download. I often think their releases/remastering work is much better than HDTracks.

[firedog]

Because they haven't been sold the licensing for it. Either the label doesn't want to give it to them, it's too expensive, or they've decided not to offer it for download until after discs/LPs have been sold.

 

 

 

I also don't see why these folks can't offer these discs digitally - like as a lossless download. I often think their releases/remastering work is much better than HDTracks.

[cjf]

I tried burning it to a CD at 16/44.1 WAV, it sounded like there was a ton of artifacts in it, like a loud hissing/buzzing. Are HDTracks files watermarked or something that it ruins it when you burn a CD?

 

That's probably because you are trying to squeeze a golf ball thru a garden hose in doing so. If you look at an FFT Plot of the HiRez version of the album and note the musical peaks seen and then take a ruler across your computer screen at the 22k mark on the FFT plot you will see that everything above the 22k plot will be chopped off the hard way with no attempt at smoothing when you burn it to a 44.1k Red Book format.