Article: The Next Track: Episode 159 | Amazon Music HD

[Jud]

8 minutes ago, bbosler said:

 

color me skeptical, but does anybody think that Amazon has gone back to the masters and sourced 24/96 and 24/192 files ???

 

I am going to believe they are streaming upsampled CD 16/44.1 files until proven otherwise 

 

Aren't you not using them anyway?

[Jud]

2 hours ago, kirkmc said:

 

Got it. But they're not claiming that these purchases are HD, so the confusion would arise from someone who has an HD subscription but then buys music thinking it's the same quality. Probably an edge case, but I see your point. 

 

Also, there is a download-to-own segment of the industry in music, where there never has been one of any size or substance for movies or TV shows. Qobuz refers to download for local listening but not owning as "cache" or "offline" or something that makes it a bit clearer this isn't ownership.

[Jud]

9 minutes ago, NOMBEDES said:

 

On the new Abby Road the bass has been enhanced.  According to Mike F. at Stereophile.

 

That's in the remastering itself, since the producer no longer has to worry about the limitations of vinyl grooves and cartridge tracking.

[Jud]

So, more on Abbey Road (and who knows, perhaps other streaming versions of files, though perhaps not...read on):

 

1 - As you can see from DR Database and other sources such as @firedog here at AS, the Redbook version of Abbey Road appears to be measurably louder than the 24/96 Blu-Ray version.

 

2 - From the Hoffman forum and again, firedog, it appears (at least with our information to this point) the 24/96 streaming version is louder than the 24/96 Blu-Ray.

 

3 - If memory serves, Giles Martin did this with Sergeant Pepper and the White Album as well (i.e., the 24/96 was a less loud, more "audiophile" version than the Redbook - don't know about the streaming versions).

 

4 - My guess is both the Blu-Ray and the Redbook versions were mixed/mastered at 24/96 in the studio.

 

5 - Quite possible all streaming services got versions based on the 24/96 intended for Redbook, meaning the louder 24/96 streaming version would not have been upsampled, it just wasn't downsampled.

 

6 - @David Craff and @dmackta, I don't know if it's at all possible to check out whether all the foregoing is correct and if so whether you can get the 24/96 less loud Blu-Ray version for streaming and sale, but if it's possible to ask, it would be appreciated.