BUCKINGHAM NICKS - as good as it gets from vinyl!
 

Hi everyone...

Some time ago, I came across a post at Demonoid (a torrent forum/community), where a guy under the SN "DLedin" had done an absolutely superb transfer of the vinyl LP to a digital format. He first posted it at standard 16-bit quality (CD quality). He then upgraded the upload to a 24-bit quality... You can find it here:
http://www.demonoid.com/files/details/1514316/10323666/

He has not used any noise reduction processing or equalization. But he has manually removed each clip and pop. All his vinyl rips are pretty evenly acclaimed by downloaders... and when you hear this, I think you'll understand why!

If you are on Demonoid (I believe registration is now closed to anyone who doesn't have an invite from a friend), you can download it there in 24-bit quality.

For those of you who don't have access to the community there, and for those who don't use torrents, I am posting his rip (with permission) here:


Lossless version:
PLEASE NOTE: I have converted the 24-bit files to 16-bit WAV files for everyone's convenience and also because of uploading size (reduces file size by more than half).

1. Crying In The Night - http://www.multiupload.com/XAE0DEGE4T
MIRROR 1: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=6DKTPUIP
MIRROR 2: http://hotfile.com/dl/38980381/013f8...ck_01.wav.html

2. Stephanie - http://www.multiupload.com/5SEM23KRDL
MIRROR 1: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=HGFJCS89
MIRROR 2: http://hotfile.com/dl/38979898/c9eaa...ck_02.wav.html

3. Without A Leg To Stand On - http://www.multiupload.com/B0V7K0X217
MIRROR 1: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=GBR9TPTT
MIRROR 2: http://hotfile.com/dl/38979394/fd848...ck_03.wav.html

4. Crystal - http://www.multiupload.com/6PE1QSHG3H
MIRROR 1: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=4C8FBAKD
MIRROR 2: http://hotfile.com/dl/38979136/abf16...ck_04.wav.html

5. Long Distance Winner - http://www.multiupload.com/TC5GD78XCR
MIRROR 1: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=L4Q4111S
MIRROR 2: http://hotfile.com/dl/38978587/25b3c...ck_05.wav.html

6. Don't Let Me Down Again - http://www.multiupload.com/LUJ8F2TME6
MIRROR 1: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=NDMSQVUN
MIRROR 2: http://hotfile.com/dl/38978151/d900e...ck_06.wav.html

7. Django - http://www.multiupload.com/3P7GWQRL4O
MIRROR 1: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=MVJKO0R1
MIRROR 2: http://hotfile.com/dl/38976895/9ad8c...ck_07.wav.html

8. Races Are Run - http://www.multiupload.com/CYIUOXLAA1
MIRROR 1: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=NG4I8GJC
MIRROR 2: http://hotfile.com/dl/38976346/f5d85...ck_08.wav.html

9. Lola (My Love) - http://www.multiupload.com/ENPC9U2RYN
MIRROR 1: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=FCTYROP0
MIRROR 2: http://hotfile.com/dl/38974416/77000...ck_09.wav.html

10. Frozen Love - http://www.multiupload.com/UMUSPAWY0W
MIRROR 1: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=DC0KWQYQ
MIRROR 2: http://hotfile.com/dl/38973475/e7697...ck_10.wav.html


HQ MP3 version:
As requested, here is a lossy upload (converted from 24-bit WAV source to 256 bitrate MP3) for those who don't wish to bother with lossless quality...
http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=b...6e5c9d3b204475


MORE INFO...
Here is his verbage/technical info. from the page:

"There are various pirates of this out-of-print 1973 LP floating around.
Some time ago I picked one up to see how it sounded. (Asphalt Records) At
first I thought it sounded pretty good but that it could use a little bit
of pop/click removal work. I had nothing to compare it to at the time.
Eventually I ended up getting a NM vinyl copy of this out-of-print LP.

I gave it a spin to compare it to the Asphalt pirate disc I had.
I immediately realized how much the Asphalt version had been EQ'd for lots
& lots of top-end. It was quite harsh in comparison to the actual vinyl.

That prompted me to do my own needledrop.
The setup used:
-Technics SL-1900 direct drive turntable running an Ortofon Super OM-20 cartridge.
-Bellari VP-129 tube phono preamp
-Hoontech/Soundtrack Audio DSP24 Value sound card

The signal was imported into Adobe Audition at 96kHz/32-bit (float). All vinyl pop removal has been done manually using Audition's pop/click removal tool. No EQ or NR has been added. When ready, the audio was converted to 24-bit wav files and from there to level 8 flac files."


I do believe this is about as good as it gets! I'm not sure that the clarity of sound presented here will ever be matched, even if it officially makes its way to CD one of these days.....

So enjoy! ;)

I have been wanting to do this myself for a while now. The CD bootleg I bought about 10 years ago is AWFUL. There is hardly any lower frequency. When I listen to my LP it sounds a lot better. I dont mind the pops and so much as the limited sound field of the earlier CD rips. Hopefully this one sounds better. Otherwise I will just make my own lossless rip. I have a great linear tracking turntable and a vintage 1970s Tube amp that I can run directly into my Mac. From there I can use Garage Band to record both channels and then break up the tracks and convert to Apple Lossless and from there into MP3 or AAC.

Could someone by chance puts these on anotehr share site that doesnt suck? MEdiafire? The rapid share is lame and I cant download more than one file at a time and its slow unless I pay. Uhg.

:blob2: I haven't heard any songs from Buckingham Nicks before (well, "Crystal" doesn't count, as it was redone for Fleetwood Mac)! Thank you so much for finding and posting this! :blob2: You simply can't conceive of my appreciation! :D Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! :blob2:

Have you tried one of the other mirrors? Megaupload usually works well for me. I upload to multiupload because it uploads to multiple mirror sites, so that if one takes it down, there are still mirrors that have the tracks available (without having to re-upload right away). In the past, I've seen problems with Mediafire corrupting data (particularly with ZIP & RAR files). Also, the direct download on multiupload usually works well for me as well!

I have added direct links to the mirrors on this page... so maybe you can try those. When I click on the Multiupload links, it directs me to a page where it shows the multiple mirrors I can download from (including a direct download from Multiupload). I'm curious if other people have different results, since I have had a few complaints about Multiupload (where I've never encountered a problem).

Thanks for this! :wavey:

You're welcome! I'm looking forward to hearing others thoughts about the sound quality. I think it's nearly flawless... when I first heard it, I was in disbelief.. lol!

24 bit vs. 16 bit
 

What exactly is the difference between 24bit and 16bit? I understand the whole sampling rate issue, but have never heard what this meant. I've noticed that 24bit mastered CDs are usually louder and seem to have a larger frequency range. But can a person actually burn a 24bit CD - or are all CDs burned at 16bit without a special program or drive? You mentioned the file sizes are twice as big - so that makes me wonder how a person COULD burn a 24bit CD over 40 minutes. AND is the 24bit sound better only on high end equipment, or is there an improvement on ANY output?

I'm up to "Crystal" now. :blob2: I'm almost in tears I'm so happy! Thank you so much for finding this and sharing it here! :D (And, of course, due thanks to the kind person who remastered the LP and shared his efforts online! :nod:)
Flawless? This is some of the best quality audio I've ever heard! :blob2:
Btw, "Stephanie" reminds me quite a bit of "Eyes Of The World"... dare I say, like a better version of it, actually! Anyone else agree?

Does this help? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_bit_depth
I only know about bits when it comes to computer (instruction set) architecture, I'm afraid. :sorry:

Thanks for the link! That essentially explains it better than I ever could... Some "audiophiles" claim you can hear a difference when something is burned with 24-bit audio data... but yes, burning the tracks onto a regular CD would downgrade the audio to 16-bit anyways.

I will probably never afford/bother to have the high-end stereo setup necessary to actually hear a difference.

Isn't it awesome?! You're welcome...

I actually had never thought about any comparisons between "Eyes Of The World" and "Stephanie". But now that you mention it, I can hear exactly what you mean in the melody... I like both, but do probably like "Stephanie" better. It's a very nicely, but simply arranged instrumental.

Sure! :) After all, Wikipedia knows all! :laugh:
I'd consider myself a novice audiophile - I always use headphones if intently listening to music nowadays. I doubt I'd ever worry about a stereo setup personally, but I'd be more than happy to exploit friends' stereo setups if given the chance! :D

Until the Mobile Fidelity version comes out.
Someone really cool started a thread about
the new release. If I could only remember
his name!

LOL..... oh yes, let me thank you for that thread.

My reaction went as follows:

:eek: , :blob2: , :shocked: , :confused: , :( , :o , :mad: , :( , :o , :laugh: