I've recently been updating / upgrading my portable music from mp3 to flac, now that storage is even less of a concern that it was...long overdue. The goal of the process is to eliminate the quality / resolution of the file as a limiting factor in the experience - I have decent headphones and a reasonable player.
Now, I know that this is all subjective, and I'm far from those who claim to be able to tell what metal the headphone cable is made of, so we can skip the "your ears can't tell the difference" speeches.
My question is - what is the highest resolution digital Queen release available?
Ignore vinyl, as I've yet to hear a vinyl rip free of clicks and pops.
I know that the Orb USB stick is 24 bit, 48k, and it appears that there is a set of Japanese SACDs, from which the 2.8Mhz 1 bit DSF files can be extracted.
Is there anything else that anyone knows of? Are the SACDs official?
Thanks in advance
yes, the SACDs are official.
They're also damned expensive and now out of print so hard to get hold of.
Of course, if you look around, you'll find naughty ways of acquiring them, but then you'll have the issue of extracting the files and converting the DSD to wav's.
QPL really need to release BD audios of these albums or at the very least hi-res download files.
I'm not even going to mention new surround mixes using whatever multi's they have....
If you ignore the vinyl then you step out the audiophile world with one foot.
The studio recordings i enjoy to listen are 32/192 transfers of first pressings made with a professional Tascam recorder (downloaded 3-4 years ago, maybe still available).
Yes, there are occasional clicks, but that's part of the audiophile experience. Hardware beats software always.
brians wig wrote:
yes, the SACDs are official.
They're also damned expensive and now out of print so hard to get hold of.
Of course, if you look around, you'll find naughty ways of acquiring them, but then you'll have the issue of extracting the files and converting the DSD to wav's.
QPL really need to release BD audios of these albums or at the very least hi-res download files.
I'm not even going to mention new surround mixes using whatever multi's they have....
If you find the right naughty way, extraction isn't an issue...
..and I agree about QPL, not that it will happen.
aristide1 wrote:
If you ignore the vinyl then you step out the audiophile world with one foot.
Yes, there are occasional clicks, but that's part of the audiophile experience. Hardware beats software always.
My definition of audiophile differs from yours - have you heard the SACDs?
I've been asking a similar question. Although the 2011 releases are a bit LOUDer, I do like them. Particularly Innuendo which somehow sounded flat on my original release CD.
What I do enjoy listening to is the Night at the Opera DVD 5.1 mix. How do you find this version? I feel like i hear a lot more in this release. I've been trying to find The Game DVDA which I believe is the only other DVD quality release they put out. I looked on eBay and it's a mad mad price. I keep hoping they'll just re-release the 5.1 mix of the Game.
Talking of extracting higher quality audio - does anyone have a recommendation for free/cheap software to extract the DVD audio to high-quality audio. e,g, I'd like to extract the 5.1 mixes from the Greatest Hits DVDs to FLAC audio. Thx in advance for your advice.
Update - it appears that Onkyo are going to release at least some Hi Res Queen music later in the year. However, it will likely only be in Japan, and there's no word on how these will differ from the previous SACDs.
Oh, and seagull - I like The Game's surround mix better than ANATO
The 2015 vinyl remasters are essentially the 2011 digital CD remasters on vinyl. Which defeats the point of listening to vinyl. You might as well listen to the CDs.
The SACDs are the same Bob Ludwig remastering. And although I've not heard them myself, the reviews aren't good.
Some examples...
"Just played my NEWS OF THE WORLD SHM-SACD for the first time and I've gotta admit I was not knocked out ... at all. This is the best they could get outta the tapes? "We Are The Champions" sounds like it's too hot in spots, but that may be the way it's always been and I've never noticed before. (I only have the MFSL gold CD version to compare it to ... and that disc sounds great, IMO.)"
"I just got my sheer Heart Attack and a night at the opera.
Just spinned Sheer Heart Attack, My first impressions : Well... i'm disappointed. Sound is clearly NOT wide open like usual, pretty HARSH in the treble, far away from some other rock shm-sacd released some month ago."
"I bought Queen greatest hits SHM-CD from japan some months ago. And it contains the Bob Ludwig 2011 re-mastered sound.
It was very disapointing. Compressed and mechanical/clinical sound."
I could give more examples, but you get the idea. http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/queen-releases-in-shm-sacd-for-november.264278/page-4
And they don't sound anywhere near as good as the first UK vinyl pressings.You won't find any reissue / digital remaster that sounds as good as those.
If you're after sound quality, the original vinyl UK first pressings is the way to go. You've gotta have a good nose for hunting them out. Make sure they're 'Mint' or 'Near Mint', and look at how many positive reviews the seller has got (if you buy online), and make sure to read the negative feedback (it's better if there's none). And if you take issue with the odd pop, then give the records a clean.
If you want convenience, over quality, then the Japanese mini vinyl CDs is the way to go.
Go for the 2001/2004 remasters. The way to identify them, apart from the catalogue number (they all start with TOCP), is they have a grey & white diamond design obi. Here's an example...
llink
Day dop wrote:
If you're after sound quality, the original vinyl UK first pressings is the way to go. You've gotta have a good nose for hunting them out. Make sure they're 'Mint' or 'Near Mint', and look at how many positive reviews the seller has got (if you buy online), and make sure to read the negative feedback (it's better if there's none). And if you take issue with the odd pop, then give the records a clean.
UK first pressing. I agree. German and Dutch first pressings sound nice as well.
For The Miracle & Made In Heaven I'd go with the 2011 cds or, if you want vinyl, the 2015 releases.
Innuendo: Dutch first pressing cd.