audiojim Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 I've been away. My earlier impression was that hd tracks was basically the only company offering a wide range of hi res files for sale . Is acoustic sounds now pursuing same business model as hdt? (Who is acoustic sounds)? Do AS and HDT get involved in the actual preparation, mastering or whatever goes into the hi res files ?... If so, any comments on their relative quality ? Do they offer the same inventory ?.. Any chance we will have multiple sources for hi res versions of the same albums so we might see price competition ? mac mini 2011, Transparent audio usb cable, bryston bda-2, hegel h300 integrated amp, audio physic virgo 25 speakers, transparent audio speaker cables interconnects and digital cables. Link to comment
kumakuma Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 I've been away. My earlier impression was that hd tracks was basically the only company offering a wide range of hi res files for sale . Is acoustic sounds now pursuing same business model as hdt? (Who is acoustic sounds)? Do AS and HDT get involved in the actual preparation, mastering or whatever goes into the hi res files ?... If so, any comments on their relative quality ? Do they offer the same inventory ?.. Any chance we will have multiple sources for hi res versions of the same albums so we might see price competition ? There are now a number of sites out there selling high resolution music. I have found the following site to be a good way to see who has what: Find HD Music | Search for High Definition Audio | High Resolution Download Sites Directory Sometimes it's like someone took a knife, baby Edgy and dull and cut a six inch valley Through the middle of my skull Link to comment
mwheelerk Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Both those companies have some involvement with recording, producing and mastering some music they sell on those sites. I believe it is the Analogue Production recordings for Acoustic Sounds and Chesky Records for HD Tracks. But for the majority of Dowmloads they sell they are nothing more than the retail outlet. "A mind is like a parachute. It doesn't work if it is not open." Frank Zappa Link to comment
CatManDo Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Both those companies have some involvement with recording, producing and mastering some music they sell on those sites. I believe it is the Analogue Production recordings for Acoustic Sounds and Chesky Records for HD Tracks. But for the majority of Dowmloads they sell they are nothing more than the retail outlet. Acoustic Sounds also sells DSD downloads of some of the Blue Note, Impulse, Verve, etc transfers made for Analogue Productions SACDs. Claude Link to comment
mwheelerk Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Acoustic Sounds also sells DSD downloads of some of the Blue Note, Impulse, Verve, etc transfers made for Analogue Productions SACDs. Yes that is true that they also sell other things under that label that they are not involved in the creative process. "A mind is like a parachute. It doesn't work if it is not open." Frank Zappa Link to comment
CatManDo Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Yes, but they created the product they sell (the new transfer), which is an advantage in terms of quality control. Claude Link to comment
Boris75 Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Yes, but they created the product they sell (the new transfer), which is an advantage in terms of quality control. +1. I too find this very reassuring. Link to comment
Le Concombre Masqué Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Acoustic Sounds & Analogue Productions are parent companies funded by Ched Kassam and highly dedicated to music and audiophiles. HDtracks has proved very capable of garbage in/garbage out transactions... give your money to whom you feel closer ; and if that is AS, great, do also buy the great efforts HDT produced such as the Velvet underground albums, Bill Evan's Waltz for Debby etc Link to comment
InfernoSTi Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 The AS site is much easier to navigate. And DSD sounds great on my system so that is a nice choice to be able to consider. I have to use Google to search for titles/artists on HDT since the "upgrade" to their site. Positive emotions enhance our musical experiences. Synology DS213+ NAS -> Auralic Vega w/Linear Power Supply -> Auralic Vega DAC (Symposium Jr rollerball isolation) -> XLR -> Auralic Taurus Pre -> XLR -> Pass Labs XA-30.5 power amplifier (on 4" maple and 4 Stillpoints) -> Hawthorne Audio Reference K2 Speakers in MTM configuration (Symposium Jr HD rollerball isolation) and Hawthorne Audio Bass Augmentation Baffles (Symposium Jr rollerball isolation) -> Bi-amped w/ two Rythmic OB plate amps) -> Extensive Room Treatments (x2 SRL Acoustics Prime 37 diffusion plus key absorption and extensive bass trapping) and Pi Audio Uberbuss' for the front end and amplification Link to comment
audiojim Posted February 12, 2014 Author Share Posted February 12, 2014 If I see the same digital title at same bit rate/sampling rate on both AS and HDT , then presumably they are identical . If these companies are often the just resellers then perhaps amazon will start selling these, at a discount ... I find HDT very difficult to search for , say , all titles from one artist . It's weird that they wouldn't make that easy. mac mini 2011, Transparent audio usb cable, bryston bda-2, hegel h300 integrated amp, audio physic virgo 25 speakers, transparent audio speaker cables interconnects and digital cables. Link to comment
gabeg Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 Acoustic Sounds & Analogue Productions are parent companies funded by Ched Kassam and highly dedicated to music and audiophiles. HDtracks has proved very capable of garbage in/garbage out transactions... give your money to whom you feel closer ; and if that is AS, great, do also buy the great efforts HDT produced such as the Velvet underground albums, Bill Evan's Waltz for Debby etc Hdracks also produces many audiophile grade recordings. David Chesky composes music. Not sure what your point is. Anything that Acoustic Sounds and Hdtracks hasn't produced themselves comes from the exact same place: the labels. As such, the same garbage in/garbage out applies. Link to comment
mwheelerk Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 Hdracks also produces many audiophile grade recordings. David Chesky composes music. Not sure what your point is. Anything that Acoustic Sounds and Hdtracks hasn't produced themselves comes from the exact same place: the labels. As such, the same garbage in/garbage out applies. To me if you are bitching about an album you downloaded from one of those sites because you don't like the sound it would be the same as going to the local record shop and complain to them about a CD or LP you bought there as if they had something to do with its mastering. "A mind is like a parachute. It doesn't work if it is not open." Frank Zappa Link to comment
firedog Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 If I see the same digital title at same bit rate/sampling rate on both AS and HDT , then presumably they are identical . If these companies are often the just resellers then perhaps amazon will start selling these, at a discount ... I find HDT very difficult to search for , say , all titles from one artist . It's weird that they wouldn't make that easy. I don't think you can be 100% sure that is true. Acoustic Sounds sells downloads based on their own remasterings. Generally those are DSD, but I don't think you can assume they won't ever put out a PCM download based on their previous remaster. Main listening (small home office): Main setup: Surge protector +>Isol-8 Mini sub Axis Power Strip/Isolation>QuietPC Low Noise Server>Roon (Audiolense DRC)>Stack Audio Link II>Kii Control>Kii Three (on their own electric circuit) >GIK Room Treatments. Secondary Path: Server with Audiolense RC>RPi4 or analog>Cayin iDAC6 MKII (tube mode) (XLR)>Kii Three BXT Bedroom: SBTouch to Cambridge Soundworks Desktop Setup. Living Room/Kitchen: Ropieee (RPi3b+ with touchscreen) + Schiit Modi3E to a pair of Morel Hogtalare. All absolute statements about audio are false Link to comment
CatManDo Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 Those DSD downloads only exist because Analogue Productions or Sony did DSD transfers for SACD release before. It could well be that when audiophile labels stop releasing SACDs (that day will certainly come) and stick to hi-rez downloads, the transfers will be made in PCM again, given the dominance of PCM support on the playback hardware side. Claude Link to comment
firedog Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 I was also trying to say that, take for instance a Blue Note album originally in analog. Some have undergone more than one transcription/remaster for digital - PCM, DSD or even more than one of either. So I don't think it is 100% for sure that an HDT and an AS digital download of the same bitrate will always be derived from the same files. Main listening (small home office): Main setup: Surge protector +>Isol-8 Mini sub Axis Power Strip/Isolation>QuietPC Low Noise Server>Roon (Audiolense DRC)>Stack Audio Link II>Kii Control>Kii Three (on their own electric circuit) >GIK Room Treatments. Secondary Path: Server with Audiolense RC>RPi4 or analog>Cayin iDAC6 MKII (tube mode) (XLR)>Kii Three BXT Bedroom: SBTouch to Cambridge Soundworks Desktop Setup. Living Room/Kitchen: Ropieee (RPi3b+ with touchscreen) + Schiit Modi3E to a pair of Morel Hogtalare. All absolute statements about audio are false Link to comment
Leroy Bad Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 At site I just discovered last night is Pro Studio Masters. Their 192kHz downloads are about %10 cheaper than HDtracks and Acoustic Sounds. But their collection is not huge. Link to comment
Allan F Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 The AS site is much easier to navigate. And DSD sounds great on my system so that is a nice choice to be able to consider. I have to use Google to search for titles/artists on HDT since the "upgrade" to their site. I heartily agree. After downloading Band of Horses' "Acoustic At The Ryman" DSD download from AS, I read about the HDT version. I thought I would read their description, but couldn't find it via the search function on their site, which is totally useless. "Relax, it's only hi-fi. There's never been a hi-fi emergency." - Roy Hall "Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." - William Bruce Cameron Link to comment
firedog Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 The AS site is much easier to navigate. In other words, a site search that actually works? Points for understatement. Main listening (small home office): Main setup: Surge protector +>Isol-8 Mini sub Axis Power Strip/Isolation>QuietPC Low Noise Server>Roon (Audiolense DRC)>Stack Audio Link II>Kii Control>Kii Three (on their own electric circuit) >GIK Room Treatments. Secondary Path: Server with Audiolense RC>RPi4 or analog>Cayin iDAC6 MKII (tube mode) (XLR)>Kii Three BXT Bedroom: SBTouch to Cambridge Soundworks Desktop Setup. Living Room/Kitchen: Ropieee (RPi3b+ with touchscreen) + Schiit Modi3E to a pair of Morel Hogtalare. All absolute statements about audio are false Link to comment
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