HiRez News

ted_b · « **on:** 14 Jul 2009, 12:56 am »

I thought I'd create a "breaking news" area where we can post new announcements about the Hirez industry, whether it be new discs, new DACs, new players, etc. I'll modify the title to show latest post news.

July 13:
For all us King Crimson fans, it's been known for quite awhile, via Robert fripps blogs, that they've been working on a complete remastering of the catalog. Well, the first three discs were announced today:
To celebrate 40 years of the Crimson Kings, DGM & Panegyric proudly announce the release of a series of CD/DVD-A editions of the original King Crimson studio albums.

Each CD/DVD-A release features the full original album plus bonus tracks on the CD. Two of the titles ? Lizard & In the Court of the Crimson King feature entirely new 2009 stereo album mixes by Steven Wilson & Robert Fripp.

The DVD-A presents each album fully remixed into stunning 5.1 Surround Sound with Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree) in the producer role and King Crimson founder member Robert Fripp as executive producer.

The 5.1 mixes are accessible in full MLP lossless audio on DVD-A players & DTS 5.1 on standard DVD players/DVD Rom drives. Additionally, High Resolution stereo is also accessible on the DVD-A (24/96 DVD-A & 24/48 DVD/DVD Rom).

Selected DVD-A titles in the series will also feature era specific, rarely seen, King Crimson video footage. Each album is presented in a double Digipack, with booklet artwork featuring new sleeve notes by Robert Fripp and King Crimson biographer Sid Smith alongside archive material and photos, enclosed in an outer card slipcase.

The first three titles are set for release this year with further titles to follow throughout 2010:

Red: September 21st 2009
In the Court of the Crimson King: October 12th 2009 (various editions)
Lizard: October 26th 2009

Here's the full press release:
https://www.dgmlive.com/news.htm?entry=2505

Always excited when new HiRez stereo and surround remasters are announced, and even more excited when they are released. Add in the fact that King Crimson is a perfect choice for surround (and Lord knows their catalog needs some updating) and we're in for treats!!

Philistine · « **Reply #1 on:** 14 Jul 2009, 02:28 am »

This is great news Ted. The first time I saw King Crimson live was in 1972, Larks Tongues and Starless & Bible Black are the two that get regular airings in my house

Can't wait for these to get released, they're very good quality recordings and hopefully will really shine with 24/96.

soundboy · « **Reply #2 on:** 15 Jul 2009, 07:20 pm »

Quote from: ted_b on 14 Jul 2009, 12:56 am

I thought I'd create a "breaking news" area where we can post new announcements about the Hirez industry, whether it be new discs, new DACs, new players, etc.

This is great!!

I think it should be pointed out that this coming September marks the 10th anniversary of SACD. While the format has never achieved mainstream success, the fact that it's still around, despite the emergence of downloads and bad economies, the format should be celebrated for its tenacity for survival in an ever-downward turning music market.

ted_b · « **Reply #3 on:** 23 Jul 2009, 03:52 pm »

Marantz finally lets us in on the details of their new universal player. It is confirmed that it does indeed support DVD-Audio (early reports said no) and will MSRP at a whopping $6,000 US. OUCH!! That's about $5500 more than the Oppo BD-83....hopefully its' worth it!!

Note: no dedicated 2 channel RCA outs, just balanced. Well, that's a deal breaker for me. Phew!!

http://us.marantz.com/Products/2936.asp

I guess there are still places on this planet where the recession hasn't affected.

silverlight · « **Reply #4 on:** 29 Jul 2009, 12:22 pm »

Not sure this qualifies as hirez "news", but I just came across a recording studio that puts out 24/96 DVD-A's (at least has one and others coming). Their first DVD-A has some great music - folk/bluegrass style. See http://www.soundkeeperrecordings.com/
Came across it as I was seeing posts by the audio engineer over on Steve Hoffman's forum re DAC's.

ted_b · « **Reply #5 on:** 29 Jul 2009, 01:19 pm »

Yeah, I've spoken and emailed with Barry a few times. He's a big HiRez fan and uses thes Metro Halo as his DAC at home too.

silverlight · « **Reply #6 on:** 29 Jul 2009, 01:34 pm »

Quote from: ted_b on 29 Jul 2009, 01:19 pm

Yeah, I've spoken and emailed with Barry a few times. He's a big HiRez fan and uses thes Metro Halo as his DAC at home too.

So Ted are you going to give the ULN-8 (or Amarra Model 4) a listen in your system? The comments on it from users over at Gearslutz and SHForums are quite impressive.

ted_b · « **Reply #7 on:** 29 Jul 2009, 01:35 pm »

Maybe someday, but currently am quite happy (very happy in fact) with the Weiss Minerva/DAC2.

bdiament · « **Reply #8 on:** 30 Aug 2009, 09:10 pm »

Hi silverlight,

Quote from: silverlight on 29 Jul 2009, 12:22 pm

Not sure this qualifies as hirez "news", but I just came across a recording studio that puts out 24/96 DVD-A's (at least has one and others coming). Their first DVD-A has some great music - folk/bluegrass style. See http://www.soundkeeperrecordings.com/
Came across it as I was seeing posts by the audio engineer over on Steve Hoffman's forum re DAC's.

To be clear, the 24/96 disks from Soundkeeper are not in DVD-A format. They are in standard DVD-V (video) format, with stereo 24/96 PCM audio tracks, which have been part of the DVD-V standard since the beginning. This means they will play in almost any DVD video player.

Those who want to use an external DAC with the DVD players, should ensure the DVD player's internal menu is set to pass 96k from its SPDIF (digital) output. Many players default to 48k and will decimate the audio on our DVD-Rs (in more than one sense of the word ;-}), unless the player's menu setting is changed to 96k.

Best regards,
Barry
www.soundkeeperrecordings.com
www.barrydiamentaudio.com

ted_b · « **Reply #9 on:** 30 Aug 2009, 09:17 pm »

Barry,
Welcome to AC, and welcome to my HiRez Circle.

Folks, Barry is a player!! He formed Barry Diament Audio 1987 when he left Atlantic Records to become an independent audio engineer. He'd been a music lover, amateur musician and audio hobbyist since childhood and a professional audio engineer since 1975. Having cut tracks, recorded overdubs, mixed tracks, edited tracks and mastered for vinyl, in 1983 Barry became one of the first engineers to master for CD. Aside from his work on location and in the studio, he enjoys writing about audio. A number of his articles have been published in The Abso!ute Sound and in MIX Magazine.

In addition to the recording, production, mastering and editing work he's done since starting BDA, Barry has worked as a consultant, designing systems and studios for recording, mixing, mastering and playback. He's also very involved in remote recording and mixing....and is a forum contributor on a number of online forums, especially Steve Hoffman's.

Barry is also a HiRez DAC enthusiast and is experienced in the Metric Halo DACs as of late (for professional and personal use).

P.S Barry's site also has a nice comparo of cd and hirez resolution differences.

http://www.soundkeeperrecordings.com/format.htm

cryoparts · « **Reply #10 on:** 30 Aug 2009, 09:54 pm »

Quote from: bdiament on 30 Aug 2009, 09:10 pm

To be clear, the 24/96 disks from Soundkeeper are not in DVD-A format. They are in standard DVD-V (video) format, with stereo 24/96 PCM audio tracks, which have been part of the DVD-V standard since the beginning. This means they will play in almost any DVD video player.

Those who want to use an external DAC with the DVD players, should ensure the DVD player's internal menu is set to pass 96k from its SPDIF (digital) output. Many players default to 48k and will decimate the audio on our DVD-Rs (in more than one sense of the word ;-}), unless the player's menu setting is changed to 96k.

Best regards,
Barry
www.soundkeeperrecordings.com
www.barrydiamentaudio.com

Hi Barry,

Any plans to offer your recordings via download in 24/96 WAV or AIFF? I would pony up a buy them that way in a heartbeat.

Peace,

Lee

BPT · « **Reply #11 on:** 30 Aug 2009, 10:12 pm »

Barry:
I 2nd Lee's suggestion. Blue Coast is having success with hi-res downloads.
Chris H.

bdiament · « **Reply #12 on:** 31 Aug 2009, 01:37 am »

Hi Ted,

Thank you for your very kind welcome.

Best regards,
Barry
www.soundkeeperrecordings.com
www.barrydiamentaudio.com

Quote from: ted_b on 30 Aug 2009, 09:17 pm

Barry,
Welcome to AC, and welcome to my HiRez Circle.

Folks, Barry is a player!! He formed Barry Diament Audio 1987 when he left Atlantic Records to become an independent audio engineer. He'd been a music lover, amateur musician and audio hobbyist since childhood and a professional audio engineer since 1975. Having cut tracks, recorded overdubs, mixed tracks, edited tracks and mastered for vinyl, in 1983 Barry became one of the first engineers to master for CD. Aside from his work on location and in the studio, he enjoys writing about audio. A number of his articles have been published in The Abso!ute Sound and in MIX Magazine.

In addition to the recording, production, mastering and editing work he's done since starting BDA, Barry has worked as a consultant, designing systems and studios for recording, mixing, mastering and playback. He's also very involved in remote recording and mixing....and is a forum contributor on a number of online forums, especially Steve Hoffman's.

Barry is also a HiRez DAC enthusiast and is experienced in the Metric Halo DACs as of late (for professional and personal use).

P.S Barry's site also has a nice comparo of cd and hirez resolution differences.
http://www.soundkeeperrecordings.com/format.htm

bdiament · « **Reply #13 on:** 31 Aug 2009, 01:40 am »

Hi Lee and Chris H.,

Quote from: cryoparts on 30 Aug 2009, 09:54 pm

Hi Barry,

Any plans to offer your recordings via download in 24/96 WAV or AIFF? I would pony up a buy them that way in a heartbeat.

Peace,

Lee

While there are no plans for downloads at this time, there are plans to add a files-on-disk format with the next release. I'm doing all my recording at 24/192 now and in addition to the CD pressing, CD-R and 24/96 DVD-R, our next release will also come out as 24/192 files on CD-R, most likely as wav files.

Best regards,
Barry
www.soundkeeperrecordings.com
www.barrydiamentaudio.com

ted_b · « **Reply #14 on:** 13 Sep 2009, 03:01 pm »

Some new news:
* Linn Records, one of the pioneers in HiRez downloads, has made their second HiRez track available free for downloading via Soundcloud, this time in either 24/96 or 24/192. They're both here:
http://soundcloud.com/linnrecords

Behki, a jazz track, wasn't a big fave of mine, but YMMV. However, the new Beethoven Piano Concerto No 5 track (24/192) is awesome!

Another "somewhat HiRez" (new genre? :) ) 24 bit recording is also free. It's a swing Sinatra style recording by Mark Moraghan. It's free. It's the title cut, pick Studio Master (FLAC or WMA).
http://www.linnrecords.com/recording-moonlight-s-back-in-style-songs-by-Nicky-Campbell.aspx

Linn produces great stuff, both in HiRez downloadable FLAC and in SACD (physical discs).

ted_b · « **Reply #15 on:** 19 Sep 2009, 02:19 am »

Adding to the King Crimson news:
I wasn't aware that Quad forum member Neil Wilkes (posts on AVS and others too) is involved in these DVD-Audio 5.1 and 2 channel Hirez releases.

His company is doing them, and Neil is overseeing it. He tells that my fave KC trilogy (Discipline, Beat, Three Of A Perfect pair) are next in line and due early 2010! Hirez Bill Bruford, Tony Levin, Andrian Belew and Mr Fripp!! WOW!

ted_b · « **Reply #16 on:** 7 Oct 2009, 02:19 pm »

Some more HiRez news:
Todd Garfinkle, the founder and head recording engineer/producer of the wonderfully uncompressed MA Recordings called me yesterday. I had inquired into some developments at MA, and we had a nice conversation. [Note: I had met Todd and his dad at the last two RMAF's (not this years) and have posted here and elsewhere about how incredible their redbook recordings are (world music)].

Well, it seems that Todd and Company have begun to enter the HiRez world too!! MA Recordings had dabbled in SACD (they have an SACD "sampler" called MAonSA, of some of there highest rez recordings; and have one artist that they feature on SACD) but they are backing off some of that and headed in a new HiRez direction. Todd just announced that they are releasing, initially, a couple of titles in DVD-R in both 88.2k and 176.4k, titles I already own in redbook (Sera Un Noche). They are following the model used by Kent Poon, Reference Recordings HRX, and others....i.e delivery via DVD-R (since 176.k files are rather large for downloading). Todd informed me today that he's sending a sampler along with my MAonSA order so I can evaluate the new HiRez files.

Nice!

Stay tuned for my impressions (I'll post on separate thread). The only downside to all this....the new DVD-R HiRez discs will cost $40, a price mimicked by RR, Chesky and Kent Poon. It's steep, so I need to make sure the product is worth it.

TomS · « **Reply #17 on:** 20 Oct 2009, 06:38 pm »

Quote from: ted_b on 14 Jul 2009, 12:56 am

I thought I'd create a "breaking news" area where we can post new announcements about the Hirez industry, whether it be new discs, new DACs, new players, etc.

July 13:
For all us King Crimson fans, it's been known for quite awhile, via Robert fripps blogs, that they've been working on a complete remastering of the catalog. Well, the first three discs were announced today:
To celebrate 40 years of the Crimson Kings, DGM & Panegyric proudly announce the release of a series of CD/DVD-A editions of the original King Crimson studio albums.

Each CD/DVD-A release features the full original album plus bonus tracks on the CD. Two of the titles ? Lizard & In the Court of the Crimson King feature entirely new 2009 stereo album mixes by Steven Wilson & Robert Fripp.

The DVD-A presents each album fully remixed into stunning 5.1 Surround Sound with Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree) in the producer role and King Crimson founder member Robert Fripp as executive producer.

The 5.1 mixes are accessible in full MLP lossless audio on DVD-A players & DTS 5.1 on standard DVD players/DVD Rom drives. Additionally, High Resolution stereo is also accessible on the DVD-A (24/96 DVD-A & 24/48 DVD/DVD Rom).

Selected DVD-A titles in the series will also feature era specific, rarely seen, King Crimson video footage. Each album is presented in a double Digipack, with booklet artwork featuring new sleeve notes by Robert Fripp and King Crimson biographer Sid Smith alongside archive material and photos, enclosed in an outer card slipcase.

The first three titles are set for release this year with further titles to follow throughout 2010:

Red: September 21st 2009
In the Court of the Crimson King: October 12th 2009 (various editions)
Lizard: October 26th 2009

Here's the full press release:
https://www.dgmlive.com/news.htm?entry=2505

Always excited when new HiRez stereo and surround remasters are announced, and even more excited when they are released. Add in the fact that King Crimson is a perfect choice for surround (and Lord knows their catalog needs some updating) and we're in for treats!!

"Red" arrived from Amazon today and is ripping now. Thanks for the heads up

Russtafarian · « **Reply #18 on:** 22 Oct 2009, 06:21 am »

Listening to Red right now in glorious MLP 5.1.

To quote the liner notes:

"Wilson's (5.1 mixer Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree) approach was to provide a three-dimensional representation of what he heard as a cooking live band."

Sounds to me like he succeeded.

Russ

Mott · « **Reply #19 on:** 4 Nov 2009, 04:03 am »

Elvis in SACD:

Analogue Productions is issuing both Elvis is Back and 24 Karat Hits on stereo SACD, mastered straight from the masters ... Not sure about the release dates, but soon ....