Well, at least I didn't buy the $700 one: 30 trips around the sun, lots of upsampling and weirdness

[wgscott]

I should know better by now. This is the condensed "best of" version of the $700 live release box set, so it only cost me $41 on dead.net (or $50 on HDtracks). Nonetheless, it gives you one track from each year, so you get an idea of the quality control, or lack thereof, for the $700 version.

 

Here are some samples, taken at random:

 

 

[wgscott]

 

[wgscott]

 

 

[wgscott]

So of the seven I picked at random, a grand total of TWO look like the real deal.

 

The third one is especially weird.

[goldsdad]

The third one is especially weird.

 

Upsampled from 48 kHz to 96 kHz fs. The content above 24 kHz is a less intense mirror image of the content below 24 kHz because it has been gently rolled-off instead of being aggressively eliminated by a brick wall low-pass filter. There are a few other examples in the forum.

[wgscott]

One of which I posted, but I never understood it. Thanks for the explanation.

[AnotherSpin]

Sound quality of 4CD set is ok. Especially for those, who were listening for tapers materials for years (me included). Anyway I do not have such software in my mac and do not care how it looks as far as it sounds right.

[wgscott]

All this says is that you are better off buying the CD resolution version. It sounds fine. My quibble is with the extra money I paid for higher resolution; you aren't getting anything more in most cases.

[AnotherSpin]

All this says is that you are better off buying the CD resolution version. It sounds fine. My quibble is with the extra money I paid for higher resolution; you aren't getting anything more in most cases.

I think the difference between good and bad music is beyond graphs, but I could be easily wrong. Many times I paid money I was not getting more or better.

[wgscott]

The point of the graphs is to see whether the extra content that they are charging extra for is really there or not. In most of these examples, it is not. The conclusion is that you might be better off doing what you did, which is to get the CD resolution version. This should make you feel better. You didn't miss out on anything.

 

The point of the graphs is not to determine whether it sounds good or not. The sound quality is not something that can be represented in a spectral graph (although if the recording is defective, that might show up).

[goldsdad]

I think the difference between good and bad music is beyond graphs, but I could be easily wrong.

 

You're not getting it. This isn't about the music. It's about receiving phoney merchandise in return for good money.

[AnotherSpin]

That was my point. I do not feel money always related to graphs directly. "Phoney merchandise"... this is market, and in case of Dead not just market at all. This dance band granted permission to tape their music free of charge from sound boards for decades. Now feel free to pay extra for new GD box set or not to pay, nobody pushed to do this.

[goldsdad]

Bill, I take it you bought this from dead.net and there was no warning of upsampling.

 

HDTracks.co.uk presently warns that some tracks are upsampled from 44.1 kHz.

 

[wgscott]

I wonder what they think of number 1 and number 7 (the first two I posted)?

 

Still, this is a major step forward for them.

[goldsdad]

I wonder what they think of number 1 and number 7 (the first two I posted)?

 

Still, this is a major step forward for them.

 

Track 1 seems to have been missed by HDTracks, but "number 7" (disc 3 track 7 of the CD set?) is track 23 at HDTracks, and they have warned about that one.

 

By the way, you posted a graph of track 1 twice.

[wgscott]

Good spot. I was trying to do it while my wife was nagging me to do something else like take the trash out.

[wgscott]

That was my point. I do not feel money always related to graphs directly. "Phoney merchandise"... this is market, and in case of Dead not just market at all. This dance band granted permission to tape their music free of charge from sound boards for decades. Now feel free to pay extra for new GD box set or not to pay, nobody pushed to do this.

 

If you purchased your CDs only to find they were stamped out from 128 kbps compressed mp3s, would you still feel the same way?

[firedog]

I wonder what they think of number 1 and number 7 (the first two I posted)?

 

Still, this is a major step forward for them.

 

They have done it before. One example of several I know about:

Morning Phase

 

Available in Audiophile 96kHz/24bit

 

 

Title: Morning Phase Artist: Beck Genre: Rock, 2015 Grammy Winners, Best Pop Artists of the 90's Label: Capitol Records Release Date: 2014 Notes: Tracks 4, 5, 7, 10, 11 contain elements of 48k tracking, mastered in 96/24.

[wgscott]

I went for the redbook for all things Beck. He seems to like compression. Maybe it is a Scientology thing.

[AnotherSpin]

If you purchased your CDs only to find they were stamped out from 128 kbps compressed mp3s, would you still feel the same way?

I understand pretty well what you said, you do not want to buy 96kHz track if it was processed from 44kHz. I guess I would not hear the difference between 44kHz and 96kHz. Not exactly the same case as with 128 kbps mp3 stamped as redbook.

[firedog]

I understand pretty well what you said, you do not want to buy 96kHz track if it was processed from 44kHz. I guess I would not hear the difference between 44kHz and 96kHz. Not exactly the same case as with 128 kbps mp3 stamped as redbook.

 

then why pay for the 96? Just buy the CD. Bill's point is you shouldn't be told you are buying hi-res and paying a premium for it if you are getting upsampled 96.

[AnotherSpin]

then why pay for the 96? Just buy the CD. Bill's point is you shouldn't be told you are buying hi-res and paying a premium for it if you are getting upsampled 96.

 

Bill's point is very clear for me, I was trying to convey it as straight as I could. My point was: one shouldn't buy anything if he/she is not sure he/she wants to buy it; second: for 30 years GD has been providing their fans with lot of free opportunities, including free access to tape their concerts (in dedicated tapers zones), most of the tapes were and are in free access now, also those which are preserved in better quality, than redbook. Also, as a deadhead (I am) I do not care if some of the tracks in new compilation are processed, I accept the sound of this set all way through. Message which is still here is more important than kHz's.

[AnotherSpin]

Thank you guys. After thinking it over I came to the following. In fact, this is a belief system. Or world outlook, if one wish. Some people expect (at the beginning, they want with time, and beg at the end) to be cheated. They are buying 96/24 material and they check individual parts with sophisticated software to find out they were cheated (what a pleasant surprise!). They run into feeling themselves bad, they hate the world, and they're returning to strategies to kill this crazy neighbor's cat. Others, who are not expecting to be cheated, are buying the same material, they love music, they do not care to check purchase through with sophisticated software, the world is agreeable, and that neighbor's cat is so sweet... Of course, sorry for some generalization, and I do not point to nobody.

[wgscott]

In the 1970s, General Motors started putting Chevy engines in their Oldsmobiles without telling their customers.

 

Presumably only the customers who looked would care. Were they disfunctional as you describe, or was GM culpable?

 

Are people who use Audacity or similar software to look at the content of their downloads really the equivalent of animal abusers? Kind of a funny 'argument' to make.

[wgscott]

The lesson I learned from this: If there is any doubt, buy the CD (or CD-resolution download), save money, and enjoy the music.