HD Tracks- Flaming Lips "Yoshimi" Don't friggn' bother!

Pez · « **on:** 28 Aug 2011, 05:31 pm »

Picked up Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots from HD tracks and let me save you the money. This is clearly a bad transfer from a 5.1 mix down to a 2.0. It F*cking sucks big time. The sound quality is good, but there are a lot of weird... No STUPID effects that are not present in the original redbook recording. And clearly there are vocal parts that are supposed to be mixed to the rear channels that just didn't make it at all to the 2.0 mix down.

Utter garbage. I'm going to ask for my money back on this one. I can't believe HD tracks would try to pass this off as an actual product.

F-

ted_b · « **Reply #1 on:** 28 Aug 2011, 05:42 pm »

The DVD-Audio disc's 5.1 mix is over the top great. And the 2 channel mix on the DVD-A is very good, so I'm baffled why HDtracks would use an improper downmix. Frankly, Pez, it sounds like they got l/r tracks from the 5.1 mix (i.e missing 50%+ of the music). The Elliot Scheiner surround mix won awards for its innovation. A bit aggressive for "ambience" folks but fun nonetheless. I can imagine what a mess only l/r would sound like.

Pez · « **Reply #2 on:** 28 Aug 2011, 05:45 pm »

Let me ask you this Ted, do the vocals sometimes get really quiet and sound like they're way off in the distance? Like on the title track I'll hear strong vocals center then when the chorus starts it's like "Oh Yoshimi they don't believe me, but you won't let those....." and I'm like what the hell is this?????

Tyson · « **Reply #3 on:** 28 Aug 2011, 05:50 pm »

Obviously it is just that HD is an inferior format and should be abandoned.

firedog · « **Reply #4 on:** 28 Aug 2011, 06:26 pm »

It's probably just another instance of HDTracks being given an inferior source file, and them being totally unaware that it doesn't sound like it should.

Write them and complain. In the past they've gotten the record labels to give them better quality files after complaints about SQ or other problems with their hi-res versions.

Pez · « **Reply #5 on:** 28 Aug 2011, 06:32 pm »

Already have.

Hope to hear from them soon.

ted_b · « **Reply #6 on:** 28 Aug 2011, 07:18 pm »

Quote from: Pez on 28 Aug 2011, 05:45 pm

Let me ask you this Ted, do the vocals sometimes get really quiet and sound like they're way off in the distance? Like on the title track I'll hear strong vocals center then when the chorus starts it's like "Oh Yoshimi they don't believe me, but you won't let those....." and I'm like what the hell is this?????

No, I just listened to my 24/96 DVD-A rip and the chorus on track 3 (part 1) is not down at all. Sounds like a bum mix.

I'm gonna play the 5.1 and turn off the surrounds/center and hear it...I'll report back.

Pez · « **Reply #7 on:** 28 Aug 2011, 09:22 pm »

Much appreciated! Let me know.

Jason

zacster · « **Reply #8 on:** 28 Aug 2011, 10:29 pm »

How many more potential customers are they going to turn off by their bad mixes, screwed up source files and mysterious origins? After buying a few albums I decided never again. I want hi-res but I also want to get what I pay for.

Nick77 · « **Reply #9 on:** 28 Aug 2011, 10:40 pm »

After several bad jazz downloads, i am also quite cautious. I found some of the older stuff to be disappointing.

Charles Calkins · « **Reply #10 on:** 28 Aug 2011, 10:57 pm »

Quote from: Pez on 28 Aug 2011, 05:31 pm

Picked up Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots from HD tracks and let me save you the money. This is clearly a bad transfer from a 5.1 mix down to a 2.0. It F*cking sucks big time. The sound quality is good, but there are a lot of weird... No STUPID effects that are not present in the original redbook recording. And clearly there are vocal parts that are supposed to be mixed to the rear channels that just didn't make it at all to the 2.0 mix down.

Utter garbage. I'm going to ask for my money back on this one. I can't believe HD tracks would try to pass this off as an actual product.

F-

How much did the download cost and how much would a DVD-audio disc cost? Just curious because to my ears the original CD(Not Anything else)sounds a wee bit better played on my CD player Than when I download it and listen to it through my squeeze box music server. So if the price of a download is within a $$ or so I buy the CD.

Cheers
Charlie

Pez · « **Reply #11 on:** 28 Aug 2011, 11:20 pm »

it sounds much better than the CD (which I own). MUCH better, but it doesn't matter if the mix is no good.

download costed $18 so not big bucks.

JDUBS · « **Reply #12 on:** 29 Aug 2011, 12:42 am »

I think the DVD-Audio is like $16 at Target...or something like that.

-Jim

ted_b · « **Reply #13 on:** 29 Aug 2011, 12:51 am »

As little as $13.50 for used, AND you get the amazing 5.1 surround mix too.

http://www.amazon.com/Yoshimi-Battles-Pink-Robots-Deluxe/dp/B0000B1A2O/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1314578992&sr=1-1

firedog · « **Reply #14 on:** 30 Aug 2011, 12:19 pm »

Quote from: Nick77 on 28 Aug 2011, 10:40 pm

After several bad jazz downloads, i am also quite cautious. I found some of the older stuff to be disappointing.

At computeraudiophile.com there's a thread where users report on their hi-res downloads - sound quality, if it really seems to be hi-res, etc. Might give you the feedback you need.

BTW, just downloaded Diana Krall - The Girl in the Other Room - from HDTracks. Sounds spectacular, and is 24/96 acc'd to spectrum analysis.

Nick77 · « **Reply #15 on:** 30 Aug 2011, 01:10 pm »

Quote from: firedog on 30 Aug 2011, 12:19 pm

At computeraudiophile.com there's a thread where users report on their hi-res downloads - sound quality, if it really seems to be hi-res, etc. Might give you the feedback you need.

BTW, just downloaded Diana Krall - The Girl in the Other Room - from HDTracks. Sounds spectacular, and is 24/96 acc'd to spectrum analysis.

Thanks for the heads up, HD tracks told me i need to stick to modern recording standards (newer releases). I downloaded Krall "The Look Of Love" in hi-rez and its outstanding also.

brother love · « **Reply #16 on:** 30 Aug 2011, 01:51 pm »

Not to rub salt in the wound … but I agree w/ ted_b that the 5.1 mix of Yoshimi is absolutely spectacular. I’ve since gone to a 2 ch only system, & while the stereo mix is good, the 5.1 is far & away superior. I have another CD player that I primarily use & I recently played the Yoshimi redbook CD incl. w/ the DVD-A. It sounded so inferior to the 5.1 mix that I stopped listening midway through... it was too hard to go back.

vhiner · « **Reply #17 on:** 31 Aug 2011, 10:58 pm »

Quote from: zacster on 28 Aug 2011, 10:29 pm

How many more potential customers are they going to turn off by their bad mixes, screwed up source files and mysterious origins? After buying a few albums I decided never again. I want hi-res but I also want to get what I pay for.

Amen!! That said, people need to squawk loudly to HD...maybe if they hear it enough, they'll up their quality control.

vhiner · « **Reply #18 on:** 31 Aug 2011, 10:59 pm »

Quote from: firedog on 30 Aug 2011, 12:19 pm

At computeraudiophile.com there's a thread where users report on their hi-res downloads - sound quality, if it really seems to be hi-res, etc. Might give you the feedback you need.

BTW, just downloaded Diana Krall - The Girl in the Other Room - from HDTracks. Sounds spectacular, and is 24/96 acc'd to spectrum analysis.

Thanks, Firedog. I was so wondering about that one.

wgscott · « **Reply #19 on:** 31 Aug 2011, 11:29 pm »

Quote

people need to squawk loudly to HD...maybe if they hear it enough, they'll up their quality control.

Well, don't count on it.