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108.220.54.45
Posted on December 16, 2015 at 09:11:37
oldmkvi
Audiophile

Posts: 10583
Joined: April 12, 2002
 "the so-called hi-res downloads which are usually (!) of analog tape originals and not really hi-res at all."

This has come up a few times now, even though his reviewers have praised
both HDTT Downloads and other Downloads.
I have a number of HDTT Files, and they are terrific, though some have some tape-artifacts,
and are of there Legacy variety.

Many still think Tape is the Best Format.

I find John's Editorializing akin to The Curmudgeon Behind The Curtain...

The only Hi-Res Download I can think of that I don't really care for is the Grieg Set
that was highly praised here, and that's because of the Hall, which sounds cold and hollow,
and not really nearly as nice as the recent Seattle Sym 24/96 Downloads.

Anyway, I've been finding AA to be a rather annoying experience at times, esp recently.

Opinions...?

 

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You're talking Audiophile Audition, right? (Not the TRUE AA - which is this site!) ;-), posted on December 16, 2015 at 10:15:00
Chris from Lafayette
Audiophile

Posts: 26480
Location: SF Bay Area
Joined: February 17, 2004
Contributor
  Since: February 6, 2012
 Interesting that you should comment on that because I've been having trouble with the Audiophile Audition site for at least a couple of weeks now - probably something to do with the tracking cookie prevention add-on to my main browser (i.e., Privacy Badger with Firefox). (I just checked the site with another browser and it seems to be OK. So maybe I'll have to catch up today.)

Anyway. . . to your points:

I mainly use HDTT to get downloads of files which never made it to CD, or to get files of recordings where I was unhappy about some aspect of the CD reissue from the original/parent company. I have a number of the Steinberg/Pittsburgh HDTT reissues of Command Classics originals, most of which were never properly reissued on CD in that cheap MCA series years ago. Although the quality of the HDTT remasterings/reissues has varied over the years, all of the recent reissues (notably the ones which have the original album cover art) have been excellent indeed.

At the same time, spectrographic software will reveal that the high frequencies of these recordings (originally from 35mm film masters - which had even better specs than tape) don't even quite make it to 20KHz. You're right that many listeners do think that tape is the best format - I'm not one of them, but of course mileage may vary. Despite this, I do feel that HDTT does perform a valuable service with many of these reissues which are not otherwise available: they do a good job and I'm thankful they exist.

Back to Audiophile Audition now, and as for John Sunier's editorializing. . . well, all they are are his opinions, and, probably like you, I find often find myself in disagreement with them. In general, the reviews are OK (even though I frequently disagree with them), and I'm particularly amused by Gary Lemco's wordy, purple-prose contributions. (I keep thinking, "Hey, guy! Get to the point!" LOL!)

Regarding the Seattle Symphony downloads, I have only the Ravel/Saint-Saens Organ Symphony album. I agree with you that it sounds super, but I'm not always on board with Merlot's interpretations (balances, etc.).

As to your main point (Audiophile Audition can be annoying), I totally agree, but I still check the site for news and even for the reviews occasionally.

 

To each his/her own..., posted on December 16, 2015 at 11:55:14
Jim Treanor
Audiophile

Posts: 2167
Location: Pacific Northwest
Joined: June 1, 2003
 I like what I hear from the HDTT offerings I've downloaded (mostly the DSD128 incarnations of analog-sourced program). And having just recently returned to the R2R fold after a long absence, I'm amused by the "so-called hi-res downloads" comment. To my ears, analog tape done right by producer/engineer teams who know what they're doing and care about production values offers a sense of organic flow that digitally-sourced material is hard-pressed to emulate, though the best renderings in that format achieve the 'almost' that counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.

As for Sunier's editorializing (and, yeah, my own), is it any surprise that one might detect 'attitude' in his commentaries? We get it here all the time in this AA. Audio seems to do that to people.

Jim

 

RE: You're talking Audiophile Audition, right? (Not the TRUE AA - which is this site!) ;-), posted on December 17, 2015 at 07:04:57
fantja
Audiophile

Posts: 15524
Location: Alabama
Joined: September 11, 2010
 Great point- Chris. Is there a site or database, of files, that never made it to CD/SACD ?

 

I wish there were - I'm not aware of one [nt], posted on December 17, 2015 at 10:20:10
Chris from Lafayette
Audiophile

Posts: 26480
Location: SF Bay Area
Joined: February 17, 2004
Contributor
  Since: February 6, 2012

 

Of course the REAL AA is Alcoholics Anonymous! I , posted on December 18, 2015 at 18:06:09
oldmkvi
Audiophile

Posts: 10583
Joined: April 12, 2002
 agree with your comments, it's a resource, nothing more.
John also likes Discs over downloads, and tends to pooh-pooh Hi res and DSD,
but was using an up sampling to 24/96 CD Player, which was VERY expensive.
Anyway, to each his own.
Of course, my way is a little better...
For me.

 

Yes, and Original Master Tapes from Mobile Fidelity. I've got a Bunch of those, good stuff!, posted on December 18, 2015 at 18:38:46
oldmkvi
Audiophile

Posts: 10583
Joined: April 12, 2002
 I do wish there was more original DSD Music.
Two I like are Blue Coast Alex DiGrassi and Art Lande, but they are just a drop in the bucket.
Whatever happened to the Telarc DSD Recordings, why no downloads?

 

RE: Yes, and Original Master Tapes from Mobile Fidelity. I've got a Bunch of those, good stuff!, posted on December 21, 2015 at 03:28:20
Scott L
Audiophile

Posts: 353
Location: Knoxville
Joined: February 2, 2001
 And where would one acquire Master tapes from Mobil Fidelity ?

My guess is they are not available. Perhaps I'm wrong.

 

Sorry, I meant SACDs from the Original Master Tapes., posted on December 22, 2015 at 17:09:58
oldmkvi
Audiophile

Posts: 10583
Joined: April 12, 2002
 HDTT also uses Original Tapes, some are Multi Channel Masters, too.

 

RE: You're talking Audiophile Audition, right? (Not the TRUE AA - which is this site!) ;-), posted on January 20, 2016 at 01:07:57
regnaD kciN
Audiophile

Posts: 23
Joined: July 18, 2012
 "I mainly use HDTT to get downloads of files which never made it to CD, or to get files of recordings where I was unhappy about some aspect of the CD reissue from the original/parent company. I have a number of the Steinberg/Pittsburgh HDTT reissues of Command Classics originals, most of which were never properly reissued on CD in that cheap MCA series years ago. Although the quality of the HDTT remasterings/reissues has varied over the years, all of the recent reissues (notably the ones which have the original album cover art) have been excellent indeed."

Glad to hear it, as I was the person who sought out and acquired the original tapes for HDTT's releases of the Steinbeeg Brhams 1st and 2nd!

 

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