What Hirez Discs Have You Purchased Recently? (1 Viewer)

[David_B_K]

I'll probably go the Audio Fidelity route myself for Nat's Xmas SACD. I suspect the Amazon problem relates to having priced it nearer the price of a CD rather than SACD.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Good news for me this morning. Amazon now says it will have the NKC SACD "in stock" this Saturday, November 21st. So I will get it soon enough...and still get my $17.99 order price.


I was really hemming & hawing over whether to order at one of the audiophile sites (for $30 +shipping) in order to get it NOW!


I will now go back to them and order other stuff!

 

[Paul.S]

I just hope for your sake that date "sticks," Mike. Sometimes those availability dates with Amazon shift under you.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I just hope for your sake that date "sticks," Mike. Sometimes those availability dates with Amazon shift under you.

I hear that. But it makes sense...especially based on that quote from the person at Steve Hoffman's site who said Audio Fidelity told them that Amazon shouldn't be delayed in getting the product.


I was thrilled to lock in at that $17.99 price...but who wants to wait until the week before Christmas?

 

[Paul.S]

...but who wants to wait until the week before Christmas?

Indeed. I spun the CD to kick off my annual Holiday music listening (I usually start around Halloween!) for the first time this season about two weeks ago and those opening two, descending guitar notes . . . and then the strings . . . and then NKC comes in . . . Delicious timeless classic. It lifted and shifted my mood as I so very much need around this time of year every year.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Sounded good, did it?!?


I have a bunch of the NKC Capital-era SACDs. They are really, really nice.

 

[Paul.S]

Sounded good, did it?!?


I have a bunch of the NKC Capital-era SACDs. They are really, really nice.

And that was just the CD! Haha.


I am looking at The Nat King Cole Story and either The Very Thought Of You or Love Is the Thing. Both of the latter feature Gordon Jenkins arrangements so I'm thinking of only getting one . . . trying to go easy on the wallet and 'spread it around' in terms of the voluminous number of releases out there I want.

 

[Mike Frezon]

The NKC Story is one of my extravagant purchases from a couple Christmases ago. It's probably the best of the lot--based on volume of tracks and the way they span the breadth of Cole's career. I'm a bigger fan of the earlier Cole stuff. I am especially fond of the After Midnight disc.


As promised, I went back to Acoustic Sounds today and ordered the new Hall & Oates Rock 'N Soul (greatest hits) collection along with a Manilow disc (no flames, please!!!) and an upcoming Christmas compilation disc. That's pretty much my high-rez music budget for a looooong time.

 

[David_B_K]

And that was just the CD! Haha.


I am looking at The Nat King Cole Story and either The Very Thought Of You or Love Is the Thing. Both of the latter feature Gordon Jenkins arrangements so I'm thinking of only getting one . . . trying to go easy on the wallet and 'spread it around' in terms of the voluminous number of releases out there I want.

I hate to tell people how to spend money, but if you are into Nat, I think all three of those SACDs are indispensable. Certainly, the NKC Story will give you most bang for the buck as it covers hits from Nat's entire career, but I think Love is the Thing is a stunning album. I like it more than The Very Thought of You, but the title track from The Very Thought of You is IMO Nat's single best vocal. I also agree with Mike as to the merits of After Midnight. I'm not much of a jazz fan and I seldom listen to Nat's early Trio recordings, especially the ones with lots of playing and little singing. But After Midnight is one I really do like. It's recorded in mono, but the SACD sounds so real it's scary.


Again, it's your money. I just ordered some cigars myself (this is the only time of year I smoke them - when it's cool outside) so I'm putting off ordering the Xmas album for a week myself; so I understand not being able to buy them all as they are so expensive. I think I bought those SACDs (and one other one, I think it was Just One of Those Things) over a period of time - two here, one there, etc. I'd make a plan to get them all, just maybe not at once.

 

[Mike Frezon]

...After Midnight is one I really do like. It's recorded in mono, but the SACD sounds so real it's scary.

Agreed. It is unbelievable how it fills the room. I hesitated for a half-second when it was announced (just because of the "mono"). So glad I didn't!

I'd make a plan to get them all, just maybe not at once.

I'm sure that's what will happen to me. Since new interesting SACD releases are few and far between (for me). I can pretty well predict that's exactly what will happen.


The Just One of Those Things SACD will be next!

 

[Paul.S]

As promised, I went back to Acoustic Sounds today and ordered the new Hall & Oates Rock 'N Soul (greatest hits) collection . . .

Thanks for mentioning this as I didn't know this had seen an SA-CD re-release. I still think I'm gonna eventually get their 4-CD box set though.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I meant to include a link to it (Rock 'N Soul Part 1-Hall & Oates). I've gone back and done that now.


[Goes away singing to self: I can't go for that...no can do. I can't go for that. Can't go for that. Can't go for THAT!]

 

[Phil A]

Thanks, Phil.


is there a search function I'm missing?


And when does someone create an account through which they log in?

Mike - when one goes to the main page there is a product catalog in the upper left area. One can then select SACD (or multi-channel) for example. That's what I usually do. Other sites like Amazon or Acoustic Sounds have things like wish lists which I keep. If there is something on Audio Fidelity I want I usually just leave it on my Amazon wish list and don't bother with their site. The last thing I bought from the label was 'The Best of The Guess Who' on SACD (which now says out of stock) and I've bought probably 7 or 8 of their discs over the past year or so mostly from Amazon and probably just one directly from them. For example I just noticed that Judy Collins' Greatest Hits on SACD is slated for release on December 11. Amazon has it listed for $5 less so I just threw it on my wish list. I'll likely order it within a few months (I often also look at the Dynamic Range Database too - http://dr.loudness-war.info/ - to see what the reported quality is like many times before buying).


I usually try (as best as possible) to stay on top of hi-rez releases (I go to CD Japan's site probably every couple of months to see what is slated for SHM SACD release so I don't get shut out of the limited edition releases) as much as possible. I keep a wish list and check on HDTracks on a regular basis as well. Many of them are limited releases and I probably have a decent number of SACDs (or DVD-As) that are out-of-print.


I usually burn the SACDs to file format as soon as I get them to play on the music servers (I may play one of the SACDs on occasion when I leave the disc in the system where I have the PS3 to burn them). Sometimes you also see stuff shortly after release on HDTracks too. It's so tough to keep up with the hi-rez formats, try to follow what format they originally were recorded on, etc. Unless I really love an album, I generally won't re-buy another hi-rez version of it.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I see Acoustic Sounds is selling DSD tracks now.


I listened to cuts from both Thriller and the Carpenter's Singles release (at work on my work PC). I was amazed at how good those tracks sounded...even on a set of cheap 2.1 speakers. I mean they sounded awesome. Very different styles of music and they sounded great.


Got me thinking again about joining you with the high-def downloads.


I've probably asked this before Phil...but once downloaded...what's the easiest way for me to play such downloads to my best advantage? This would be without fancy servers of RAIDs. Can I just offload them onto a flashdrive and plug them into the front USB jack on my receiver? Airplay from my laptop to my receiver (which I have yet to setup and try(!)?


You're a bad influence on me, Phil. You keep getting me to think about all these other ways to spend money on high-rez music.

 

[Ruz-El]

I see Acoustic Sounds is selling DSD tracks now.


I listened to cuts from both Thriller and the Carpenter's Singles release (at work on my work PC). I was amazed at how good those tracks sounded...even on a set of cheap 2.1 speakers. I mean they sounded awesome. Very different styles of music and they sounded great.


Got me thinking again about joining you with the high-def downloads.


I've probably asked this before Phil...but once downloaded...what's the easiest way for me to play such downloads to my best advantage? This would be without fancy servers of RAIDs. Can I just offload them onto a flashdrive and plug them into the front USB jack on my receiver? Airplay from my laptop to my receiver (which I hae yet to setup and try(!)?


You're a bad influence on me, Phil. You keep getting me to think about all these other ways to spend money on high-rez music.

I wont speak for Phil, but I'm pretty pleased with the PONO player for hi resolution downloads (and playing digital music, period). It's got a great DAC in it, and whether on the go with goodish head phones or plugged into my stereo, it all sounds great. Only strikes with the player is the battery sucks, you only get 6-8 hours, so if you're travelling, bring a battery back up. You can plug it into the wall (with micro usb) for use in the home. It has 64 gig of space internal, but will accept a micro sd card at 128 gig for your music.


Aside from the battery, I have zero complaints. CD rips played on the PONO sound better than CDs played on my PS3 on the same system. It just won Digital Product of the year from Stereophile magazine, so they're finally getting the credit they're due instead of the "Neil Young's crazy player" junk that they seemed to be getting at the start.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Russ:


That looks like the perfect thing. But, uh...it's $400?!?


I've got an old iPhone 4S collecting dust at the moment. I don't suppose that could accomplish the same thing?

 

[Ruz-El]

Mike:


I don't believe any of the iPhone products would match the sound. The closest players to the Pono are the Fiio line. Pono is more expensive due to packing more analogue electronics compared to purely digital. I've not listened to the Fiio, so I can't speak to the sound quality or if they work similar when plugged into a home theater. On Amazon they range in price of $100 to $350.


So none of them are cheap cheap. Sometimes Amazon or Frys electronics have them on sale. I have no regrets with the PONO I got through kickstarter, it's the first player I've listened too aside from vinyl where you forget you're doing stuff on a computer because you got lost in the music. Which sounds like corny hippy-dippy stuff that I hate but it's true ha ha.

 

[Mike Frezon]

No. I get that.


I'm gonna have to figure something out.

 

[Phil A]

I've been known to be a bad influence


I realize I have a bad sickness


I even have (but have not used yet) the Parts Express microphone for Room EQ Wizard and have a one third octave RTA for many years, which, should tell you I am a few fries short of a Happy Meal


I've looked through the Pono store for music but have not as yet bought anything from them. I've heard the player sounds pretty good. I have a Meitner DAC in the main system (it will play back regular sample DSD files with my music server and converts everything to double DSD), a Teac DAC in a secondary system that plays back things in its native format up to double DSD and 384kHz (for PCM). I also have a music server in each of those systems (with Oyen Digital hard drives). In another system I have an Oppo BDP-103D with a hard drive with music files, including DSD and multi-channel DSD. My bedroom system feeds the outdoor speakers and I have an Oppo BDP-93 (which can play back files up to 192kHz) with a hard drive attached. At some point in the future, I will move to NAS and a streaming solution.


Some receivers can play back hi-rez music via a USB port. You need to look through the manual. I sold my iPod Classic 160GB player several months back as I basically got most of what I paid for it 7 years earlier and my car with accept a thumb drive with either MP3s or Windows Media Audio files and I have quality 320kbps MP3s and I can use JRiver to convert files (including DSD) to the WMA format. JRiver is a $50 program and they do make some hardware for playback. There are also stripped down small PCs one can buy that are not horribly expensive and free programs like Foobar, the Teac HR Audio Player (and from memory they may even have an App for an iPhone).

 

[Phil A]

Here's what JRiver sells for Hardware - http://jriver.com/Id/ - I've never seen or heard any of it but lots of people seem to like the Rasberry Pi