HDTracks.com Rumors?

[Phoenixgypsy]

Just saw this on Faceook...

Rumours is now available in pristine master quality sound, available at HDtracks.com as a high resolution download. YOU WILL HEAR THE DIFFERENCE.

Wondering if anyone has downloaded this...and how it sounds?


https://www.hdtracks.com/index.php?f...detail&id=9813

[badanimals87]

I haven't downloaded Rumours because I have the DVD-audio disc but I downloaded Tusk and they now have Tango. Both sound fantastic...especially on a good set of speakers hooked up to a good receiver.

Tim

[holidayroad]

They should put up Mirage!

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by holidayroad

They should put up Mirage!

God I hope so. I need the punch put back into that album!

[Christopher]

Originally Posted by holidayroad

They should put up Mirage!

They just put up Mirage & Tango https://www.hdtracks.com/index.php?f...detail&id=9813. I'm very tempted to download these. Has anyone here had the chance to download & hear the difference? I wonder if these are Rhino's original remaster's that were shelved? If so, It's a shame that extra's are not included to entice us even more.
Hope these are worth it, and that hdtracks also release Stevie's 1st 4 solo cd's in audiophile sound (badly needed)

[mylittledemon]

My beef with these releases is this... what is the source material they are using? The commercially available CDs? Because if so the 96/24 and 88/24 flac statement doesn't mean much. You can still get AIF (CD quality sound files) from the original CD releases. They are using the 96/24 tag to say that you're getting DVD quality audio (or HD audio)... but have they altered or remastered the CDs they took the files from? Prolly not. Just for a test, I replayed "Book of Love" from their Mirage page repeatedly and then played my aif file (on some THX Logitech Z2300s) and heard no difference.

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by mylittledemon

My beef with these releases is this... what is the source material they are using? The commercially available CDs? Because if so the 96/24 and 88/24 flac statement doesn't mean much. You can still get AIF (CD quality sound files) from the original CD releases. They are using the 96/24 tag to say that you're getting DVD quality audio (or HD audio)... but have they altered or remastered the CDs they took the files from? Prolly not. Just for a test, I replayed "Book of Love" from their Mirage page repeatedly and then played my aif file (on some THX Logitech Z2300s) and heard no difference.

Thanks for testing, I won't waste my time.

[kenzo]

Absolutely no disrespect is intended, but multimedia speakers designed primarily for game-playing and action films may not be the best way to detect the very subtle differences between 44kHz/16bit files and higher sample rate / bit depth files. Even on studio reference monitors in a sound-treated room, it is extremely difficult to distinguish the difference.

As mentioned, though, the most important factor would be the quality of the source that was used and to a much lesser extent how it was converted to digital.

Here's hoping for true source remastering!
Cheers,
kenzo

[drzubritsky]

Originally Posted by mylittledemon

My beef with these releases is this... what is the source material they are using? The commercially available CDs? Because if so the 96/24 and 88/24 flac statement doesn't mean much. You can still get AIF (CD quality sound files) from the original CD releases. They are using the 96/24 tag to say that you're getting DVD quality audio (or HD audio)... but have they altered or remastered the CDs they took the files from? Prolly not. Just for a test, I replayed "Book of Love" from their Mirage page repeatedly and then played my aif file (on some THX Logitech Z2300s) and heard no difference.

I don't know the source for the files that WB supplied to them, but I bought Tusk and Mirage and can definitely say that they weren't sourced from the CDs. For one, these files contain the original LP mixes of "I Know I'm Not Wrong" and "Straight Back", not the alternate mixes that appeared on the CDs. Some other differences/observations:
- The Tusk remastered CD has noticeable dynamic range compression (commonly used in newer masterings or reissues to make the volume much louder); the HDTracks version has no dynamic range limiting whatsoever
- The eq on both HDTracks versions is much less bright than the original Tusk or Mirage CDs
- Tape hiss and minor anomalies are audible in the spaces between tracks
- There is minimal to no audio information above 22 khz in these files; that could indicate that the original recordings were 16/44, or that these files were sourced from a 16/44 transfer then upsampled...only WB or HDTracks would be able to answer that.

Given that these sound like straight, untampered with transfers, I do wonder if these are the transfers that were done in preparation for aborted DVD-A or remaster releases. I will say that some may like the sound of these, but others may not. They don't sound "punchy" in the least, since it doesn't sound like any eq or compression has been applied...they sound virtually "unmastered". I don't mind this approach, particularly for Tusk, although I do prefer the slightly brighter eq of the old Mirage CD. Nonetheless, it's nice to have these, particularly to get the original "I Know I'm Not Wrong" and "Straight Back" from a tape source.

[mylittledemon]

Originally Posted by kenzo

Absolutely no disrespect is intended, but multimedia speakers designed primarily for game-playing and action films may not be the best way to detect the very subtle differences between 44kHz/16bit files and higher sample rate / bit depth files. Even on studio reference monitors in a sound-treated room, it is extremely difficult to distinguish the difference.

As mentioned, though, the most important factor would be the quality of the source that was used and to a much lesser extent how it was converted to digital.

Here's hoping for true source remastering!
Cheers,
kenzo

Exactly. I'm a sound engineer, remember? That's the point I was trying to make, but not as well as you did. I don't think there's a discernible difference to the average listener when it comes to these tracks. If you've got a nice receiver and some quality towers or something... then yeah possibly.

And Dr. Zub, thanks for your break down. Once I get my "studio" set back up I'd like to give them a proper listen and see if these versions are a more enjoyable listen.

[UndoingTheLaces]

I am now intrigued. I only ever had Mirage on CD so I didn't even know there was a different version of Straight Back. Can someone tell me what the difference was?

[Mac_Man_Dan]

having listened to the Tango HD album.... i am very impressed, there has been much i have missed and am really enjoying it, i have high hopes for Mirage when i finish this. However, i am not getting the same vibe as i have done from the original cd quality, as in my opinion its lost its 80's ness i love in albums. for example, Isnt It midnight, almost a new song... but its ....just lost that pinch that i thought made it epic, now it just sounds like a modern album.

Dont get me wrong, its a great listen, but for someone who loves the 80's vibe in music, its not got it, and i feel a little gutted personally....but thats not for effort made to do it, just my own opinion.....

[PenguinHead]

I'm a bit conflicted. Not sure if I want/need these. And, they are rather pricey at 24 bucks. Are they really worth the cost?