HDtracks: 461 Ocean Boulevard (2014)

[Malcolm02]

I just recieved the following e-mail from HDtracks:

 

"At HDtracks we are committed to offering titles at the highest available quality. Occasionally we are provided a higher quality version of a title we already carry.

 

While it's exciting to have a better-sounding version of a classic album, we understand it can be frustrating to purchase a similar product again.

 

Because you purchased the 96/24 version of Eric Clapton's 461 Ocean Boulevard, we would like to extend the best discount we can so you can experience the new 192/24 version.

 

Just use code <deleted> at checkout to receive 25% off the 192/24 version of Eric Clapton's 461 Ocean Boulevard."

 

 

What do you guys think? While it's good that they are bringing a new version online and claiming that it is better, it would still cost me nearly $19 with the code, and I'm getting really tired of purchasing the same music over and over again (I'm old enough to have started with vinyl before the digital era). Of course, there is still no provenance information. Should they have offered more of a discount? Should I e-mail them and ask them what is better about this version?

[Priaptor]

I just recieved the following e-mail from HDtracks:

 

"At HDtracks we are committed to offering titles at the highest available quality. Occasionally we are provided a higher quality version of a title we already carry.

 

While it's exciting to have a better-sounding version of a classic album, we understand it can be frustrating to purchase a similar product again.

 

Because you purchased the 96/24 version of Eric Clapton's 461 Ocean Boulevard, we would like to extend the best discount we can so you can experience the new 192/24 version.

 

Just use code <deleted> at checkout to receive 25% off the 192/24 version of Eric Clapton's 461 Ocean Boulevard."

 

 

What do you guys think? While it's good that they are bringing a new version online and claiming that it is better, it would still cost me nearly $19 with the code, and I'm getting really tired of purchasing the same music over and over again (I'm old enough to have started with vinyl before the digital era). Of course, there is still no provenance information. Should they have offered more of a discount? Should I e-mail them and ask them what is better about this version?

 

I got the same a thing and personally I think it is a ripoff. Is the sampling the only thing different or is it a new master? They don't say.

 

It should be a giveaway to those of is who bought UNLESS it was mixed differently other than the upsampling.

[Teresa]

I got the same a thing and personally I think it is a ripoff. Is the sampling the only thing different or is it a new master? They don't say.

 

It should be a giveaway to those of is who bought UNLESS it was mixed differently other than the upsampling.

 

Neil Young agrees with you and the upcoming Pono music store should put pressure on all online download services to end to this practice of selling the same music over and over!

 

"We provide the best it can be and if the best it can be gets better, Pono will supply the new track for nothing. You get it. You already bought the best it can be, the best it can be just got better, so you don't have to pay a penalty." - From the article Hello Mr. Soul: My Interview with Neil Young by Michael Lavorgna

 

This is quite a guarantee and will be a historical first, you buy the music once and you're done. From his quote I would take that to imply that not only improved formatting but also better remixes and remasters. He believes in paying just once for music. I hope it spreads like wildfire!

 

At the very most HDTracks should only be charging the difference in price between the 24/96 and 24/192 download for upgrading, what they offered you and Malcolm in my opinion is a slap across the face.

[Malcolm02]

I got the same a thing and personally I think it is a ripoff. Is the sampling the only thing different or is it a new master? They don't say.

 

It should be a giveaway to those of is who bought UNLESS it was mixed differently other than the upsampling.

 

As usual, provenance is a closely guarded secret, but from the way they are phrasing it, it sounds like it is a new master. At least that's how I read it.

[Malcolm02]

Neil Young agrees with you and the upcoming Pono music store should put pressure on all online download services to end to this practice of selling the same music over and over!

 

"We provide the best it can be and if the best it can be gets better, Pono will supply the new track for nothing. You get it. You already bought the best it can be, the best it can be just got better, so you don't have to pay a penalty." - From the article Hello Mr. Soul: My Interview with Neil Young by Michael Lavorgna

 

This is quite a guarantee and will be a historical first, you buy the music once and you're done. From his quote I would take that to imply that not only improved formatting but also better remixes and remasters. He believes in paying just once for music. I hope it spreads like wildfire!

 

At the very most HDTracks should only be charging the difference in price between the 24/96 and 24/192 download for upgrading, what they offered you and Malcolm in my opinion is a slap across the face.

 

This is interesting. Of course it happens all the time that you buy the latest and greatest, only to have it superseded by a better version shortly thereafter, both with software and hardware. But in the case of HDtracks, they claim to be "The World's Greatest-Sounding Music Downloads" and now they are telling me that what I bought is not the greatest. I kind of feel that I'm entitled to a free upgrade.

[Malcolm02]

It goes without saying that all those of you who have the old version and are willing to download the new version, do a detailed comparison and give a full report of your findings, I would be interested. But don't all rush in at once.

 

For the record, I think the old version actually sounds very good, and I would be surprised if there was a substantial improvement.

[One and a half]

The charge should be the difference between the two versions maximum, or $1. This covers the re-packaging and an upsampled product from the 96/24 arranged with Pro-tools.

Offering DSD would be preferred anyway, avoids all the different rates from redbook and up, simple.

[ted_b]

I find this offer to be insulting. $36 for old customers, $22 for new customers (since the old ones get 25% off $25, plus the $18 they already spent, while any new customer can wait for a coupon code every/any week that averages 10% off).

 

Oh, of course the old customers now have two versions...big deal.

[firedog]

Agree. And in their offer they actually haven't given any real info about what makes this version better, other than higher sampling rate.

 

I find this offer to be insulting. $36 for old customers, $22 for new customers (since the old ones get 25% off $25, plus the $18 they already spent, while any new customer can wait for a coupon code every/any week that averages 10% off).

 

Oh, of course the old customers now have two versions...big deal.