[Wayne1]

http://www.billboard.com/#/news/wolfgang-s-vault-opening-entire-concert-1004016989.story

The download prices will run $7.98 and $8.98 for MP3s and $11.98 and $12.98 for Flac recordings. Wolfgang's vault will also introduce a $48 annual membership which includes a $50 gift certificate, discounts on recordings and memorabilia and unlimited higher-end 192k streaming.

[MttBsh]

We "audiophiles" have become accustomed to high end sound, and - for me - finding dream-come-true concerts on Wolfgang's site became a nightmare on realizing that they could only be heard/dowloaded in the compressed MP3 format. Because some of these concerts are such personal treasures, I've paid to download a few but don't listen to them because, frankly, they sound awful. Server space being what it is, I can understand that a 750MB concert is much cheaper to store compressed to 43 MB, but it makes it barely listenable.

Is it your impression that the coming option to download concerts in the FLAC format for a little more cash means that those concert files will be uncompressed? If that's the case, I will be a happy man - There are about 50 concerts I will gladly pay to dowload the minute they're available!

[konut]

While the FLAC files will certainly be better than the MP3s, keep in mind these were feeds from the mixing boards and not mixed with recording in mind, but through a PA system. Still, though, I'm sure some of the performances are stellar and, after all, its about the music. 

[sts9fan]

exactly.  I know lots of people that are confused when a soundboard does not sound good.  Its all in the mix.  The board is mixed for the hall not for recording. 

[MttBsh]

Agreed, and the mixes I've heard from Wolfgang's Vault have generally been very good, even though they weren't mixed for recording. It's the MP3 compression of those recordings that has sucked the detail, extension and sparkle out of them . If the FLACs they'll be offering beginning Nov 3rd are non-compressed, I will be downloading lots of concerts.

[bunnyma357]

Weren't a lot of them mixed for airing on King Biscuit & other outlets - those shouldn't just be soundboard mixes, but more in line with a traditional live album type of mix.


Jim C