Anyone get the HDTracks Elton John Madman?

[KDinsmore]

I just saw Madman is available 24/96. Anyone get this or seen a spectrograph? Worth it or not. FWIW I bought Stones Let it Bleed in 24/176.4 and it was no big deal.

 

W4S DAC2>Woo Audio WA22>balanced beyerdynamic Tesla T-1

 

[gcorley]

Slightly off-topic, but ...

 

Has anyone tried the Elton John Goodbye Yellow Brick Road? I'm really tempted to get this, but have heard comments about the highs being too aggressive on the SACD. Would like to know about the HDtracks download before making the purchase!

 

Geoffrey

 

 

 

[jhwalker]

I bought the 96/24 release of "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" and it sounds great to me. Level is good and signal very clean. I haven't done a spectral analysis, but it's clearly better than the CD I had.

 

[stillone]

I downloaded Madman Across The Water the other day and it does sound very good. Surely a lot better than the tic and pops on my vinyl version I have owned forever. I already have the SACD of Yellow Brink Road so I am not looking for a HD version of that one.

 

[gcorley]

@jhwalker

 

Thanks for the feedback! I'm already downloading the 24/96 version of YBR now!

 

Geoffrey

 

[Kippyy]

Big EJ fan...GYBR is one of my all-time favorite albums.

Have listened to the MFSL audiophile version for the past few years and love it...I also read some of the reviews on this SACD as being bright and was wary of simply accepting the Hi-res version as automatically better.

I just downloaded "I've Seen That Movie Too" from HD tracks and compared the 24;96 to the MFSL 16;44 version. Here goes:

-The HD tracks version is louder-not 21st century loud, but I;d say, normal volume levels. I play the MFSL version much louder than almost any other album, so the MFSL version is transferred quiet.

-The HD tracks version has much more treble overall;EJ's vocals and guitars are clearer,bass is slightly less prominent.

-The strings in the HD tracks version are almost piercing to listen to, especially during the crescendo of the instrumental breaks.

Conclusion:

I probably could get used to and be happy with the 24;96 version if I had nothing to compare it to, but, I'll stay with the MFSL as my go-to version.

 

[labjr]

What about low level detail? Should be better at 24/96. Anyone know the history of the mastering? Why does it say "Release Date: 1996" ?

 

[gcorley]

I bought GBYBR last week and listened to it for the first and probably last time - piercing is an understatement!

 

[Garf]

Just bought my first purchases from HDTracks, and GBYR was the first to be downloaded. I hope I can get a refund.

 

I can barely listen to it, it sounds wonderful except when the level peaks, mostly on the drum highs. Is this the fault of the recording? Compression?

 

The Eagle's Hotel California is almost downloaded, I hope I have better luck with that. (edit: yes, I did!)

 

[Paul R]

I downloaded it a couple weeks ago, and it sounds okay, but I think the compression in it wears on my ears quickly. It is difficult to listen through the entire album.

 

-Paul

 

 

[Kippyy]

I downloaded both Capt Fantastic and the Elton John albums, and think they both sound awesome,much better than the redbook CD's. They are both 1990's loudness, and are louder than their CD counterparts.

 

 

[dufferdan]

I recall that when I first purchased the early Elton John albums on LP, the treble (high hat and crash) sounded very tight and clipped. The sound was consistent, if I recall correctly, up through to "Don't Shoot Me". The cymbals sounded more of a "tic..tic...tic" with no ringing or sustain, for want of a better description.

 

If I recall, GYBR was much smoother, but may have had a bit of the same feeling. Caribou on is much cleaner IIRC.