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

[JohnRice]

I'm sure FLAC will be more than adequate for my system and aging ears.

Mike, I tend to doubt that you'll ever hear any difference between DSD and a similar bitrate of FLAC with a good playback system. I have a ton of SACDs, which I play with a Marantz SA8004, a player that's not exactly a slouch, and it still doesn't sound quite as good as a 96/24 FLAC played back through my Emotiva DC-1 DAC.

I guess I forgot about this thread, but I started getting HD downloads from HDTracks a year or so back. My main system is set up for music as the #1 priority. I use an analog Emotiva XSP-1 pre-amp and the DC-1 DAC for HD music, with the files on a HD connected to an Oppo BD-103. It sounds spectacular. One nice thing about this setup is that since the Oppo has an app, I can control it with an iPad and don't have to turn on the TV a surround pre-amp to play HD music.

For anyone who wants the best music playback they can get for a somewhat reasonable price, the XSP-1 pre-amp and DC-1 DAC really are amazing. They're not exactly cheap, but they both sound like 4X their price.

I've gotten mostly Classical in HD, but a couple real standouts in Rock are Aqualung and Crime of the Century. You can also get Rush "Sector" collections for a song when they're on sale. I think I got One and Two for less than $50 total. That's eight studio and two live albums. Quite a deal.

A particular standout in Classical is the Joshua Bell/Michael Tilson Thomas recording of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto with the Berlin Philharmonic. That one is an absolute MUST HAVE!!!

 

[Paul.S]

One nice thing about this setup is that since the Oppo has an app, I can control it with an iPad and don't have to turn on the TV . . . to play HD music.

Good to know, thanks. Here's hoping this kind of functionality ports forward to OPPO's UHD universal player.

You can also get Rush "Sector" collections for a song when they're on sale. I think I got One and Two for less than $50 total. That's eight studio and two live albums. Quite a deal.

FWIW for those Rush fans who already have the 1997 CD remasters and don't want to buy those CDs again in the Sector box sets: Remember that the single album DVD-As bundled with those sets (Signals, All the World's A Stage and Fly By Night) have now been released a la carte as BD-Audio titles. Used copies on Marketplace are $17 and under.

 

[Vegas 1]

recent purchases Leon Russell from Audio Fidelity and Carly Simon Anticipation from MFSL

 

[Paul.S]

Not a purchase, but I really enjoyed my recent rental of the MTT/SFSO Keeping Score on Berlioz' "Symphonie Fantastique." A nice, hour-long documentary on the work, plus a performance of it (Dolby TrueHD stereo, 5.1 and 7.1 available). Also tasty here is a little 10-minute featurette on the production techniques and specialized cameras that director Gary Halvorson and his team use to capture some remarkable footage of the orchestra in performance.

Thsi is my fourth of the six Keeping Scores (Shostakovich 5, Tchaikovsky 4, Mahler, Charles Ives, Copland and the American Sound) and it's perhaps my fave yet.

After a recent LA Phil performance of the work lead by Slatkin then a rental of this BD, I've def got the Naxos BD-Audio of "Fantastique" semi-high on my still-crowded-after-all-these-years Wish List.

 

[Paul.S]

Rage Against the Machine's eponymous debut on Audio Fidelity SACD. A lot of excitement about this release in the Steve Hoffman thread.

 

[Paul.S]

Talking to myself. May have to knuckle under and participate more in the Blu-ray.com high rez audio purchases thread.

Finally broke down and got the So (Peter Gabriel) SA-CD when I found it for a good price at Amoeba.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I hate when Paul is left chattering to himself in the corner of the room!

I just haven't run across any new high-rez audio to buy in a while (STILL haven't taken the download plunge).

Until...I splurged on a used five-disc Totally Stripped - Rolling Stones package from a dealer on Amazon. Got a good price on it.

I've only listened to select tunes from one of the three full concerts. The surround mix sounded pretty good. Not very aggressive (with any of the musicians actually placed in the surrounds). But there was a big difference between the LPCM stereo mix and the surround mix. The surround mix very pleasantly filled my living room.

It was a little perturbing that the video wasn't better (most of the wide shots of the band/venue were "disturbingly" SD). I know the source material will only allow so much resolution. but the wide shots are really soft. But the music and audio more than make up for it.

 

[Phil A]

Let's not leave anyone chattering. I've gotten a bunch of stuff. Some classical things (a few Pentatone SACDs) and Oregon "Beyond Words," Patricia Barber's "Cafe Blue" remastered on SACD and a hi-rez download of Eleanor McEvoy's "If You Leave." Been busy (in between a couple of not too far way vacations over the last two) months, making new interconnects for my various systems (and a few guys in the Space Coast Audio Society wanted them too and sort of begged), cleaning up some of my tagging on JRiver, recovering a corrupted hard drive (of music) for someone, helping a couple of the guys in the Audio Society with computer audio stuff and a bunch of other stuff.

Will be getting more stuff as soon as I catch up with things. Watching for - http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/hirez/messages/28/287958.html

It may be a bit as Acoustic Sounds shows things coming soon for a long time.

Also picked up the Blu-Ray of Robert Plant's 'Band of Joy.' Will probably pull the trigger on (the Blu-Ray of) Stevie Windwood and Eric Clapton Live at Madison Square Garden within the next few weeks.

 

[Phil A]

Music Direct is showing 2 Hendrix SACDs coming September 30 - https://www.musicdirect.com/Search?...eatedDate|DESC&page=1&c1=tab-products&c2=list

I'll have to get my wish lists at various places in order and see if they do a hi-rez download too. There are some SHM SACDs coming soon too - http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/searches?p...1-01-2016-12-31&term.media_format=&q=shm+sacd

 

[Mike Frezon]

If I understand what I'm looking at on CDJapan and Amazon.jp, it looks like the Carpenters - Singles SACD is getting reissued.

But the track list looks very short.

I'm having a hard time figuring out how to get the Japanese translated into English in Firefox.

 

[Phil A]

I have the SACD originally issued so I probably won't buy it - http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/UIGY-15001
Here's the track listing on the new issue:
"
Tracklisting
1
WE'VE ONLY JUST BEGUN / Carpenters
愛のプレリュード / カーペンターズ
2
TOP OF THE WORLD / Carpenters
トップ・オブ・ザ・ワールド / カーペンターズ
3
TICKET TO RIDE / Carpenters
涙の乗車券 / カーペンターズ
4
SUPERSTAR / Carpenters
スーパースター / カーペンターズ
5
RAINY DAYS AND MONDAYS / Carpenters
雨の日と月曜日は / カーペンターズ
6
GOODBYE TO LOVE / Carpenters
愛にさよならを / カーペンターズ
7
YESTERDAY ONCE MORE / Carpenters
イエスタデイ・ワンス・モア / カーペンターズ
8
IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME / Carpenters
小さな愛の願い / カーペンターズ
9
SING / Carpenters
シング / カーペンターズ
10
FOR ALL WE KNOW / Carpenters
ふたりの誓い / カーペンターズ
11
HURTING EACH OTHER / Carpenters
ハーティング・イーチ・アザー / カーペンターズ
12
(THEY LONG TO BE) CLOSE TO YOU / Carpenters
遙かなる影 / カーペンターズ"

 

[Phil A]

Mike - since your Denon can play files (either via a thumb drive or via a network connection), there's also the option of stuff like - http://www.hdtracks.com/singles-1969-1981

At $17.98 and 24/96 in a variety of lossless formats, it is more reasonable than the SHM SACD and includes more tracks.

 

[Phil A]

I also should add that if you get an HDTrack's email list they send online coupons for things on a regular basis. Sometimes it is everything and sometimes it is just selected stuff (they may even give you a sampler for signing up - they used to). I usually wait until I'm ready to buy a few things and then I watch for a 20% off of everything code.

 

[Paul.S]

Phil A: Please comment on your impressions (liners, SQ) of the PentaTone SACDs. I have a few of their titles on my radar but haven't purchased any yet.

Motivated by their concert at the Hollywood Bowl last month, I've picked up a couple of Peter Gabriel / Sting (and The Police) discs. Mentioned So already; also got the Zenyatta Mondatta SA-CD in the mail yesterday. With the exception of robustness of bass, I'm not super impressed by the latter in terms of significant SQ improvement noticeable over the CD remaster. Will sit down for more critical listening later.

Ironically, just earlier this week I was about to pay more than I'm comfortable with to finally get the R.E.M. Out Of Time DVD-A. Today, I see this:

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/REM-Out-of-Time-Blu-ray/163032/

 

[David_B_K]

I hate when Paul is left chattering to himself in the corner of the room!

I just haven't run across any new high-rez audio to buy in a while (STILL haven't taken the download plunge).

I really have not gotten much high-rez lately either. 99% of the time I listen to classical. Even though classical is very well represented in high-rez formats, I find that too many releases are 2nd rate orchestras and conductors who don't appeal to me. I assume this is to cut down the costs of producing the music. I'm still buying a lot of redbook CDs, though. Lots of labels are putting out fairly inexpensive box set classical collections built around a specific composer/conductor.

 

[Phil A]

Paul - I've only listened to a few things (just got back from vacation and catching up with lots of stuff). This one sounds really good - http://dr.loudness-war.info/album/l...ussian National Orchestra, Kent Nagano (Dir.)

That's one of my go to sites to see how good a recording is as is this site - http://www.hraudio.net/showmusic.php?title=1467 and this title too - http://www.hraudio.net/showmusic.php?title=5506

 

[Ruz-El]

I've got a bunch of downloads but haven't been posting since they're not SACD discs that everyone here is interested in collecting.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I've got a bunch of downloads but haven't been posting since they're not SACD discs that everyone here is interested in collecting.

Uh...I'M interested, Russ!

I figure the more I might here about these HD downloads, the more it'll push me into actually getting off my duff and star spending money on something else my wife can roll her eyes about!

I also should add that if you get an HDTrack's email list they send online coupons for things on a regular basis. Sometimes it is everything and sometimes it is just selected stuff (they may even give you a sampler for signing up - they used to). I usually wait until I'm ready to buy a few things and then I watch for a 20% off of everything code.

Phil: Thanks! That $17.98 is a price drop on the Carpenters collection. I should jump on that...AND I'm gonna take you up on your idea to join up for the e-mails and hope to see some discounts. THOSE will always push me off the fence!

 

[Ruz-El]

Uh...I'M interested, Russ!

I figure the more I might here about these HD downloads, the more it'll push me into actually getting off my duff and star spending money on something else my wife can roll her eyes about!

I don't know how much help I'll be since your mileage will vary depending on what you have to listen to them on of course. Main problem is the standard one in this era: Crushed dynamics so that everything will have the same volume on your iPod. Sadly many of the labels are crushing the music at the hires level so then down rezing it for CD and mp3. So I tend not to pre-order anything until I know more about where it's coming from. So far, classic re-releases by Neil Young, Tom Petty, the Beach Boys, etc have been great. Anything from Metallica sounds like shit. some are fake hires with no infor above 44/24bit. It's a mess!

Last purchase was the new Neil Young live album "Earth". As a live album, it's a bit of a miss-step since it's heavily overdubbed with animal sound effects and chorus which takes me out of the (amazing) live performances. That said, once you get into it as a concept album on the state of nature, it's remarkably solid with Young hitting songs from through out his career, and Promise of the Real being the most perfect outfit to back him this side of Crazy Horse. I just wish the damned crow he recorded on this didn't scare the hell out of me every single time. It also sounds fantastic in high res. I'm listening on the Pono player with balanced IEM's from Trinity. Anyway, easily one of the weirdest albums he's put out, which is saying something considering how weird his catalogue is, but it mostly works and it's nice to see a guy in his seventies still pushing the music. For the record, every Neil Young album in the PONO store (currently offline being updated) sounds remarkable. If you're a fan, these should be the last version you'll need to buy.

 

[Phil A]

Neil Young is one artist who cares about the sound quality of his stuff. I have many of his hi-rez files. There's lots of skill in the mixing and mastering an hi-rez can't help something that starts from terrible. Soon, I'll be starting to buy a bunch of hi-rez stuff (just ordered a new main PC as the old one was about 5 years old) as soon as decide what to get in the main system for a new receiver and rotate stuff around to secondary system. The coupons from HDTracks always come and it's hard not to pull the trigger even when one is behind in stuff.