Best Hi-Res Audiophile Releases 2014.

[oso]

So Many Stars | John Moriarty

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]14093[/ATTACH]

 

Nice!... From 16/44 PCM to 128DSF

 

Roch

 

Fever,

[oso]

Fever with Sound Liaisons Carmen Gomes;

 

this is not the same version as the one from the ''1000 Shades of Blue'' download, that has a better audiophile sound,

but it is the same arrangement.

Thousand Shades of Blue (WAV)

[Stereolab42]

I like Lyn Stanley's version:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwGmaMTkfzw

[PAP]

Is this album released in 2014? If so it gets my vote but if I remember right I bought mine in December 2013, not 100% sure though.

 

Hi Krzyszttof look in the liner notes!: After Silence (FLAC)

 

 

 

Mixing Headphones Sennheiser HD800.

 

 

After Silence (FLAC)

[PAP]

These are my nominees for best sound and well played downloads released in 2014:

 

Bjørn Bolstad Skjelbred: Waves & Interruptions - New | HDtracks - The World's Greatest-Sounding Music Downloads

 

Modern Classical music from the Norwegian masters 2L. The music is a bit ''difficult'' butI find that it is good sometimes to challenge my ears and my perception of music. The recording quality is sublime.

 

After Silence (WAV)

Here there is less of a challenge to my perception of what good music is. The 1th tune ''Oblivion'' is breathtakingly beautiful, astonishing well played by a group of musicians who has no problem with pure musical emotion. The Sound is on par with 2L, but maybe a bit warmer, more analogue vibe. After Silence (WAV) I

 

Linn Records - Mozart: Requiem (Reconstruction of first performance)

Here is is sufficient to quote Gramaphone

Gramophone Recording of the Month: ‘Purely on grounds of performance alone, this is one of the finest Mozart Requiems of recent years. As with all of Butt's recordings, however, this Mozart Requiem is something of an event. It is Butt's minute attention to these details, though, that makes this such a thrilling performance.'

 

BATIK (WAV)

 

This is what I would call a visual album, when I downloaded the album I did as someone suggested, read the Hemingway novella along with it, and indeed, a whole new dimension was added to listening and reading at the same time. And what a Sound stage!

 

Off the Wall | HDtracks - The World's Greatest-Sounding Music Downloads

 

Normally I am very skeptical with remastered albums but this one sounds good. Bruce Swedien and Quincy Jones used their Jazz background when recording and mixing this album and that is probably why it has stood the test of time.

[PAP]

Is this album released in 2014? If so it gets my vote but if I remember right I bought mine in December 2013, not 100% sure though.

No I was wrong I bought in April.

[DreamOperator]

Off The Wall HD Tracks release is very compressed. DR8, compared to the original CD DR16. Yuk.

 

Album list - Dynamic Range Database

[PAP]

Off The Wall HD Tracks release is very compressed. DR8, compared to the original CD DR16. Yuk.

 

Album list - Dynamic Range Database

 

So the CD has the best dynamic range. Very strange. One should think that they would at least leave it as it is.

 

Did you compare the CD with the download in terms of sound quality as well, and if so, what do you think?

[DreamOperator]

So the CD has the best dynamic range. Very strange. One should think that they would at least leave it as it is.

 

Did you compare the CD with the download in terms of sound quality as well, and if so, what do you think?

Nothing surprises me when it comes to compression anymore.

 

I did not make any comparisons. I listen to a rip of the US vinyl and simply would not sacrifice that amount of dynamics for any other possible improvements.

[PAP]

Off The Wall HD Tracks release is very compressed. DR8, compared to the original CD DR16. Yuk.

 

Album list - Dynamic Range Database

 

How does the Dynamic Range Database work, where and how do they get their information?

Any one care to explain.

[DreamOperator]

How does the Dynamic Range Database work, where and how do they get their information?

Any one care to explain.

There's a tool that can analyze music files. The entries are user submitted. Check out the link below.

 

KVR: TT Dynamic Range Meter by Pleasurize Music Foundation - Analyser / Monitor VST Plugin, Audio Units Plugin and RTAS Plugin for Windows and Mac OS X

[PAP]

Thanks,Very interesting, I will upload a few files. .

[PAP]

So I have uploaded the Batik; The Old Man and the Sea, hi-res download. (Sound Liaison Music Shop)

 

Looks pretty good no? all green from 13-19.

 

[TABLE=class: table table-bordered table-striped, width: 100%]

[TR]

[TH=bgcolor: #F9F9F9]bad[/TH]

[TH=bgcolor: #F9F9F9]transition[/TH]

[TH=bgcolor: #F9F9F9]good[/TH]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]

01

02

03

04

05

06

07

[/TD]

[TD]

08

09

10

11

12

13

[/TD]

[TD]

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

[/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

[TABLE=class: table table-bordered table-striped, width: 100%]

[TR]

[TH=bgcolor: #F9F9F9]Artist[/TH]

[TH=bgcolor: #F9F9F9]Album[/TH]

[TH=bgcolor: #F9F9F9]Year[/TH]

[TH=bgcolor: #F9F9F9]DR[/TH]

[TH=bgcolor: #F9F9F9]DR

min[/TH]

[TH=bgcolor: #F9F9F9]DR

max[/TH]

[TH=bgcolor: #F9F9F9]Codec[/TH]

[TH=bgcolor: #F9F9F9]Source[/TH]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Batik[/TD]

[TD]The Old Man And The Sea [24/96] (Sound Liaison download)

i

[/TD]

[TD]2014[/TD]

[TD]

13

[/TD]

[TD]

11

[/TD]

[TD]

19

[/TD]

[TD]lossless[/TD]

[TD]Download[/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

• 1(current)
  

 

[DreamOperator]

You're welcome. Yeah, looks good. I do enjoy that album as well

[christian u]

Hi Dream operator and PAP

I have started a thread here on this very same subject, the Dynamic Range Database. If you would care to comment I'd be much obliged.http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f13-audiophile-downloads/importance-dynamic-range-and-maximum-possible-21947/

(and I also uploaded the Batik album!)

So I have uploaded the Batik; The Old Man and the Sea, hi-res download. (Sound Liaison Music Shop).

 

Looks pretty good no? all green from 13-19.

 

[PAP]

Yes thank you, very interesting, I left a comment or two.

[Milan]

Off The Wall HD Tracks release is very compressed. DR8, compared to the original CD DR16. Yuk.

 

Album list - Dynamic Range Database

 

But there's also a read out where it scores 13 (lowest) and 15 (highest) from the HD Tracks download but after using ''declipping software'', can someone explain? Album list - Dynamic Range Database

[cheezmo]

But there's also a read out where it scores 13 (lowest) and 15 (highest) from the HD Tracks download but after using ''declipping software'', can someone explain? Album list - Dynamic Range Database

 

Apparently someone has written a tool to try to reconstruct clipped peaks and/or dynamically expand the sound (kind of like a dbx decoder?). I don't think I would count on the results of that kind of thing to sound great, but the numbers look pretty I guess.

[burnspbesq]

I offer as an addition to this list the 96/24 download (from HDT) of the new Kenny Barron/Dave Holland duets album, "The Art of Conversation."

[Keyser Söze]

I just pre-ordered the Audio Fidelity Eric Clapton Pilgrim hybrid SACD. I currently have Alice Cooper - B$B, Vangelis - Blade Runner and Legends-Get It On from AF. All sound awesome on my gear.

 

Whoops, just realized this is audiophile downloads. Well in that case, I really liked the Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons (got it for my dad).

[oso]

These are my nominees for best sound and well played downloads released in 2014:

 

Bjørn Bolstad Skjelbred: Waves & Interruptions - New | HDtracks - The World's Greatest-Sounding Music Downloads

 

Modern Classical music from the Norwegian masters 2L. The music is a bit ''difficult'' butI find that it is good sometimes to challenge my ears and my perception of music. The recording quality is sublime.

 

After Silence (WAV)

Here there is less of a challenge to my perception of what good music is. The 1th tune ''Oblivion'' is breathtakingly beautiful, astonishing well played by a group of musicians who has no problem with pure musical emotion. The Sound is on par with 2L, but maybe a bit warmer, more analogue vibe. After Silence (WAV) I

 

Linn Records - Mozart: Requiem (Reconstruction of first performance)

Here is is sufficient to quote Gramaphone

 

BATIK (WAV)

 

This is what I would call a visual album, when I downloaded the album I did as someone suggested, read the Hemingway novella along with it, and indeed, a whole new dimension was added to listening and reading at the same time. And what a Sound stage!

 

Off the Wall | HDtracks - The World's Greatest-Sounding Music Downloads

 

Normally I am very skeptical with remastered albums but this one sounds good. Bruce Swedien and Quincy Jones used their Jazz background when recording and mixing this album and that is probably why it has stood the test of time.

Great sounding list , and very varied choices but the sound is outstanding regardless of the style of music.

[oso]

I find I've only purchased 12 hi-res albums to-date in 2014, but all of them are gems:

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]11989[/ATTACH]

*click image to enlarge and actually see the album covers

 

Got the Julia Fischer Sarasate, very nice indeed.

 

and found this portrait to polish up my German!

[gstanley75]

Blue Coast records Cava Menzies and Nick Phillips "Moment to Moment" as DSD or PCM192.

 

Fantastic trumpet work. Cookie M's marketing says if you like "Kind of Blue" you will like this recording. Normally I don't go in for hype like this, but this recording is no BS the genuine article. I have listened to the recording about a dozen times in last month and it just keeps growing on me.

[jhwalker]

Blue Coast records Cava Menzies and Nick Phillips "Moment to Moment" as DSD or PCM192.

 

Fantastic trumpet work. Cookie M's marketing says if you like "Kind of Blue" you will like this recording. Normally I don't go in for hype like this, but this recording is no BS the genuine article. I have listened to the recording about a dozen times in last month and it just keeps growing on me.

 

Another Blue Coast release: "Seminole Star", by Quiles & Cloud. Gorgeous acoustic folk, recorded live to 2" tape, then digitized to DSD256. I've listened to this one maybe five times in the past month, which is exceptional for me.

[PAP]

Great sounding list , and very varied choices but the sound is outstanding regardless of the style of music.

Thank you! Glad to be of service.