[Mag]

Seems not too many audiophiles are into concert dvd's. Well I'm here to tell you that for those with a BDA-1 that this is a viable option. For optimal performance disabling the video is recommended, thus lowering the noise floor. Pipe it to your BDA-1 using Toslink, then to your processor. There usually is a choice of audio tracks, pcm stereo, Dolby Surround and sometimes dts. It can vary as to which one sounds the best so I usually switch to the one that sounds the best, with remote. The output is 48K/24 bit which is noticably better than cd and if the recording is good, stellar sound quality. The downside, concert dvds can be difficult to navigate without the seeing the video menu.

[Mag]

Some of my favorite concert dvd recommendations.

Rush- Exit, Stage Left. For those familiar with the cd, it sounds like crap. Not this concert dvd in dts, the sound is fantastic!
Ultravox- Live, 2009 Vienna Tour
U2- Elevation, Live from Boston, 2001
Mike Oldfield- The Art of Heaven Concert
Yanni- Live at the Acropolis
Santana- Sacred Fire
Fleetwood Mac- The Dance, 97
Blue Man Group- The Complex Rock Tour
ZZ Top- Live in Germany, 1980
Heart- Alive in Seattle
Joe Satriani- Live in San Francisco
AC/DC- Live at Donington
Peter Gabriel- Growing Up, Live
Porcupine Tree- Arriving Somewhere

[srb]

The output is 48K/24 bit which is noticably better than cd and if the recording is good, stellar sound quality.

All of the soundtracks on a standard DVD, whether 2 channel PCM or multi-channel, are lossy compressed even if they are "24/48".  I have compared the CD to the DVD with several albums that I have in both formats, and the CD is the better sounding one.
 
That's not to say that the DVD concert disks aren't enjoyable and that the video compensates for the compressed audio for the total experience, but if maximum sound fidelity is the goal, I've found in my experience the DVD falls a bit short and is not noticably better than CD.
 
Steve

[SoundGame]

Blu-ray video now is in a whole different league - if channelled through something like the SP3, the audio/video experience would be priceless.

[ted_b]

All of the soundtracks on a standard DVD, whether 2 channel PCM or multi-channel, are lossy compressed even if they are "24/48".  I have compared the CD to the DVD with several albums that I have in both formats, and the CD is the better sounding one.
 
That's not to say that the DVD concert disks aren't enjoyable and that the video compensates for the compressed audio for the total experience, but if maximum sound fidelity is the goal, I've found in my experience the DVD falls a bit short and is not noticably better than CD.
 
Steve

Steve, That is not true about 24/48 DVD-V audio being compressed.   If it's 24/48 it ain't compressed.  If it's Dolby Digital or DTS, it is.  Standard DVD-V can handle uncompressed 24/96k 2 channel, like Neil Young's Massey Hall or Greatest Hits, or a number of Classic's DAD's or HDAD's (the DVD-V side, of course).   

So if you are saying that a lot of these soundtracks are compressed, yes they are (dd, dts, etc).  But if they are PCM 24/48k they aren't compressed.

[srb]

I have MP3s at various bitrates from 128kbps to 320kbps.  They are compressed but the properties are still 16/44.1, 24/96 or whatever the original source file was, and the receiving DAC also indicates the original sample rate.
 
Steve

[ted_b]

I have MP3s at various bitrates from 128kbps to 320kbps.  They are compressed but the properties are still 16/44.1, 24/96 or whatever the original source file was, and the receiving DAC also indicates the original sample rate.
 
Steve

While that may be true, it does not mean that 24/48 PCM is compressed (you said "PCM").

All of the soundtracks on a standard DVD, whether 2 channel PCM or multi-channel, are lossy compressed even if they are "24/48".

It isn't.  PCM is a non-compressed format, and DVD-V can support up to 24/96 PCM 2.0; that's a fact.  If Mag or someone else is playing dd or dts and it's showing up 24/48 on their pre/pro then that's their problem (and they should be smart enough to know what layer of audio they selected!), but on many of these concert DVD's there is a PCM track, and it is an uncompressed (sometimes decent) soundtrack.  And if you don't own Neil's Greatest Hits cuz it's on DVD-V then you are missing some good hirez analog-to-24/96 transfers.

[srb]

And if you don't own Neil's Greatest Hits cuz it's on DVD-V then you are missing some good hirez analog-to-24/96 transfers.

For some reason, the few I have are not quite as good as the CD.  Are these high-res DVD-Vs advertising the high-res 24/96 audio on the cover or is it buried somewhere on the back or in the liner notes?
 
Thanks, I will have to check out the Neil Young DVD.
 
Steve

[ted_b]

The concert DVD's are often times poorly marked as having a liear PCM track.  The Neil Young DVD's are a bit confusing sometimes cuz he has released Massey Hall, for example, on both DVD-V and in the Archives BluRay series (hell, there may even be a DVD-A of it somewhere).  Same with Fillmore, and Sugar Mountain I think.  I've never seen his GH on anything but DVD-V (almost all the songs made it to Archives BluRay of course, but not same disc, playlist, etc).

[rofo]

The Neil Young DVD's are a bit confusing sometimes cuz he has released Massey Hall,

Ted, is this the DVD that came in the same packaging as the CD, or is the DVD a different release?

PS. and way is this being discussed under the Bryston forum and not the HiRez?.........just say'n 

[ted_b]

Ted, is this the DVD that came in the same packaging as the CD, or is the DVD a different release?

PS. and way is this being discussed under the Bryston form and not the HiRez?.........just say'n 

Yes, DVD was with cd. 

I've been asking that hirez stuff move over to my Circle for some time.  I got lambasted for it last time.  So I'm playing nice.

[rofo]

I got lambasted for it last time.  So I'm playing nice.

I thought you were playing nice before and yes I saw that hence the It is just a matter of courtesy to oneself and others. In 6 months you will be looking for a thread and some useful information, think it must be in a logical place, but no it will be buried in some obscure place where you will never find it.

No more on the subject, and don't flame me because I am right 

[James Tanner]

I thought you were playing nice before and yes I saw that hence the It is just a matter of courtesy to oneself and others. In 6 months you will be looking for a thread and some useful information, think it must be in a logical place, but no it will be buried in some obscure place where you will never find it.

No more on the subject, and don't flame me because I am right 

Gee's I have been called a lot of things over the years but 'obscure' is a new one.   

James

[ted_b]

James,
If "obscure" is the worst, you're in good shape. 

I'll PM you about our next hirez "discussion".   

[rofo]

Gee's I have been called a lot of things over the years but 'obscure' is a new one.   

James

I most certainly did not want to offend anyone, the "I'm right" thing was tongue in cheek. I know I can be wrong (my wife reminds me of that). I am just thinking like my ipod jazz is in the jazz section, rock is in the rock section, blues is in the blues section ............. kind of like records in the record store...when there was record stores. What is a record store? oh no is there a history thread somewhere? 

Best to everyone

[James Tanner]

I most certainly did not want to offend anyone, the "I'm right" thing was tongue in cheek. I know I can be wrong (my wife reminds me of that). I am just thinking like my ipod jazz is in the jazz section, rock is in the rock section, blues is in the blues section ............. kind of like records in the record store...when there was record stores. What is a record store? oh no is there a history thread somewhere? 

Best to everyone

Hi rofo

I was just being a smart-ass

James

[GaryArthur]

Hi rofo

I was just being a smart-ass

James

A not so "obscure" one at that!

Gary

[Mag]

I want to add, that you have to convert Dolby, dts, to pcm in your dvd player. Often the pcm stereo track sounds the best but not always. Heart- Live is Seattle, the dts track sounds the best.

Being that I have an SP2, some albums sound better in 2 channel bypass and others sound better in multi-channel. So your milage may vary.

[Mag]

It's been pretty demanding listening to the increased resolution of dvds. Must have spent close to 20 hours in the last day. My ears are fatigued and need a rest.

Will spend most of the day in silence and crank up the tunes later today.

[Mag]

Picked up some more dvds while the price is still cheap. Don't know which have good recordings yet.

Electric Light Orchestra- Zoom Tour Live
Peter Gabriel- New Blood, Live in London
Nikki Yanofsky- Live in Montreal
Toto- Falling in Between, Live
Lord of the Dance
Bachman & Turner- Live at the Roseland Ballroom, NYC
Cream- Farwell Concert, 1968
The Moody Blues- Hall of Fame
Creedence Clearwater Revival- Heard it Throught the Grapevine