OK, so who buys Hi Rez Audio?
AsSiMiLaTeD
Posts: 11,726
Specifically, I'm wondering who else out there buys Hi Rez stuff from places online like HDTracks.
I know alot of us have SACD collection, but I'm wondering if anyone else is buying the downloads?
I've recently discovered HDTracks and really like the service they provide, am wondering if there are other places online that I should be looking at.
Anyone?
I know alot of us have SACD collection, but I'm wondering if anyone else is buying the downloads?
I've recently discovered HDTracks and really like the service they provide, am wondering if there are other places online that I should be looking at.
Anyone?
Post edited by AsSiMiLaTeD on
Comments
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I've gotten a few titles from HDTracks. It's definitely the best site I've found for mainstream recordings in Hi-Rez downloadable format. I've seen other sites where you can purchase 24-bit downloads, but they weren't recordings that I'd heard of. Dunno, maybe they were indie-artists, but I couldn't find anything I recognized.
I've purchased 7 titles from them so far, all 24-bit flac. Rush, Rolling Stones, Dianna Krall, and The Who. I don't have an SACD player or any discs to compare with, but several of the titles I purchased are ones I also have on cd (Rush and The Who I also have MFSL gold versions) and ripped losslessly with EAC/flac. The 24-bit stuff from HDTracks blows all of the cd stuff away playing through Squeezebox and Benchmark DAC-1, so identical source path.
Definitely plan on acquiring more.Good music, a good source, and good power can make SDA's sing. Tubes make them dance. -
HDtracks is fantastic, and I have a good numbers of albums from them; most at 24/96. Part of the reason they sound so good is because they feature record companies that specialize/prefer HiFi recording like Chesky Records. To me they sound as good or better than my SACD player, and are much easier to use and access; plus I don't have to leave the couch.
I'm actually considering selling my SACD player and SACDs because the exact same recordings are available in digital hi-rez, which means one less component for me. -
HD Tracks is awesome. They are the way it should be done. SACD due to the fact that it treats me like a criminal never held any appeal for me. I like being treated like a customer therefore they get my $$.
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If you are serious and you do come to that point. Please contact me. I am always interested in purchasing used SACD's.zingo wrote:I'm actually considering selling my SACD player and SACDs because the exact same recordings are available in digital hi-rez, which means one less component for me.~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~ -
HD Tracks is awesome. They are the way it should be done. SACD due to the fact that it treats me like a criminal never held any appeal for me. I like being treated like a customer therefore they get my $$.
Well said. I have high hopes for the combo of Squeezebox Touch + Benchmark DAC-1, plus lots more music continuing to be made available as legal download through sources like HDTracks. I never bought and SACD player for precisely the reasons you're highlighting. The whole key is that we need more and more music to be released.Good music, a good source, and good power can make SDA's sing. Tubes make them dance. -
Hi-rez vinyl works for me, and I buy it all the time.The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD
“When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson -
I didn't know you could download vinyl, sign me up!!!
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I'm a big fan of HD Tracks too. There are a few other players in the market, but none of them seem to have much I'm interested in listening to. I don't know if the HD Tracks stuff is better than SACD/HDAD. Or I guess I should say, I don't know if I can tell the difference on my equipment. I've got an OPPO 93SE to decode from optical disks, and a good recording on that can sound mighty good. But the HD Tracks downloads are definitely head and shoulders above 99% of what you can find on CD. I only have a couple of recordings in multiple formats so it's hard to do a side-by-side.
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It took me a while to get over the feeling of spending money for "bits", but I have purchased a few downloads from HDTRACks and am impressed. The RUSH Moving Pictures is excellent.
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I've downloaded the HD tracks free sampler and have been impressed, but unlike polkitup i haven't gotten over that feeling yet to actually purchase it.. but after looking through it recently again, I think I will soon.. I should do as my dac can handle it up to 24-96Main 2ch -
BlueSound Node->Ethereal optical cable->Peachtree Audio Nova 150->GoldenEar Triton 2+
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Denon 3500 -> Dynaudio Excite 32/22 -
Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road just was released on HDtracks in 24/96, and when they came available, I downloaded Ella and Louis and Band on the Run. Their classic albums in 24/96 sound amazing and have been some of my favorite listening sessions.
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Is this going to be a big layout of money to acquire whatever i need to get this type of recordin g.
was looking around for a high quality cdp or dac and everything.
If anyone is interested in giving a tutorial in whats needed or a site that can explain it, i would be very gratefulhumpty dumpty was pushed -
Just get a squeezebox touch and be done with it
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AsSiMiLaTeD wrote: »Just get a squeezebox touch and be done with it
Yup.Good music, a good source, and good power can make SDA's sing. Tubes make them dance. -
What are we talking price wise for an HD download? Single track? Album? Just curious as I really don't know.
cnhCurrently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!
Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
[sig. changed on a monthly basis as I rotate in and out of my stash] -
Most albums are 18 bucks or so
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I take it that for that price, you can transfer it to other audio sources that can handle that type of technology in the future? In other words, can you purchase it and make it to where it is playable in the same high resolution not only in your rig but in your car, office or wherever else one may want high resolution sound?~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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SACD is awesome, the way hi-rez audio was meant to be done. Downloads never appealed to me as I don't like paying for something I don't really own. Talk about criminal.
The logic some folks use to justify their decision not to purchase SACD's because of the DRM fails miserably as they purchase the latest Blu-ray release.Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk -
What are we talking price wise for an HD download? Single track? Album? Just curious as I really don't know.
cnh
It depends on the quality. I think their prices are roughly competitive with, say, Amazon for CD quality, like around $10 for an album. For the hi-res stuff it's more. Usually around $18 for an album and $2-3 per track (some tracks are only available if you buy the full album). If you're on their mailing list you'll hear about the sales they have occasionally.
Paying for the "bits" is super convenient... instant gratification and greater portability. But I think for around $20 you can get the RUSH Moving Pictures CD+DVD. So, and extra 2 bucks buys you the remastered CD quality tracks, plus 5.1 tracks and the 24/96 stereo tracks on the DVD, which also includes a couple of videos. There's a Blu-Ray version coming out soon too, so depending on your equipment there are lots of hi-res options out there for some of this material. -
I take it that for that price, you can transfer it to other audio sources that can handle that type of technology in the future? In other words, can you purchase it and make it to where it is playable in the same high resolution not only in your rig but in your car, office or wherever else one may want high resolution sound?
It's FLAC, so you can do whatever you want with it including convert it to some other format that your car's CD player can read or your iPod can play. I'd imagine in the future more devices will decode FLAC, like you said. -
I don't need to possess a physical disc or jewel case to feel like I own it. I just need to know that I can listen to it, having acquired it legally. I've already bought a dac that's capable of handling 24-bit music, which I can't use with an SACD source, I have to pay to buy another high end source.
Once you're used to the Squeezebox, most owners find their redbook cd's packed away in boxes, if not sold. So not having something to hold doesn't really impact my decision to buy from hdtracks. I like the convenience of the Squeezebox, the sound of the Benchmark DAC, and the quality of 2496 music.
I've heard SACD and been blown away, not saying otherwise. But after completely moving to Squeezebox many years ago, if choosing between 24-bit on a SACD player that I'd need to buy vs. 24-bit file playing through the components I already have, the choice is simple for me.Good music, a good source, and good power can make SDA's sing. Tubes make them dance.
