Digital or analog? Breuninger says... and asks what says you?

[Andre Marc]

Mep:

I will have to give it another listen if you are that convinced.

According to HDTracks it WAS archived from the original master tape. If this is inaccurate then
they have to answer for it. But I can tell you this is what they claim:

We are so fortunate that Ted Jensen, who originally mastered Tea for the Tillerman, for compact disc, was available to do these hi res transfers. Ted was kind enough to share some information about the process:

“The tapes are in still excellent condition, the Dolby A encoded BASF tape used has held up very well compared with other formulations used in the mid 70’s and later. The tapes sound excellent. I’ve done no limiting or compression on these files at all. Playback was done on an Ampex ATR100, and the A/D converter was a prototype MSB unit that David Chesky was good enough to loan us.” - Ted Jensen, Sterling Sound

Now it is softer in output than other release due to the total lack of compression in the mastering.

Now you know why compression is used during mastering!!!! Many classic analog tapes have low output.

I own it and it's dreadful and it sounds nothing like the analog version. It was mastered at a much lower level than 'normal' Hi-Rez downloads that I have purchased and all of the life of the real recording has beern sucked out of it. I would bet anything that the Hi-Rez 24/192 recording was not sourced from the original master tape.

 

[MrAcoustat]

Mep:

I will have to give it another listen if you are that convinced.

According to HDTracks it WAS archived from the original master tape. If this is inaccurate then
they have to answer for it. But I can tell you this is what they claim:

We are so fortunate that Ted Jensen, who originally mastered Tea for the Tillerman, for compact disc, was available to do these hi res transfers. Ted was kind enough to share some information about the process:

“The tapes are in still excellent condition, the Dolby A encoded BASF tape used has held up very well compared with other formulations used in the mid 70’s and later. The tapes sound excellent. I’ve done no limiting or compression on these files at all. Playback was done on an Ampex ATR100, and the A/D converter was a prototype MSB unit that David Chesky was good enough to loan us.” - Ted Jensen, Sterling Sound

Now it is softer in output than other release due to the total lack of compression in the mastering.

Now you know why compression is used during mastering!!!! Many classic analog tapes have low output.

All Chesky recordings are SOFTER in output BUT they all sound very good at least to me.

 

[mep]

Getting back to the main topic, I listen to both digital and analog as I'm set up for both. For me, there is much more enjoyment from the analog side of the house. Another great irony is that digital killed the music business and somebody needs to tell that story some time. The record companies had a few good years after the CD was introduced as those who threw the baby out with the bathwater re-bought their LP collection on CD and spent lots of money. As soon as computers with CD drives became as common as ants at a picnic and people started copying and sending files to each other, it's been all over but the crying for the music industry.

It's seems that the digital generation expects their music to be free or close to free. The digital generation whines and cries if they have to pay more than a few dollars for new music. Recording artists used to tour to promote the sales of their albums. Now they tour because they have to make a living and it won't come from sales of their albums anymore. Those days are long gone. Digital did them in. A classic case of the laws of unintended consequences at work.

 

[mep]

All Chesky recordings are SOFTER in output BUT they all sound very good at least to me.

Tea for the Tillerman is not a Chesky recording of course. I have bought all of my Hi Rez digital from HDTracks and I can tell you it's a real crapshoot. I would say that Tea for the Tillerman is among the worst digital files I have bought. I hear no dynamic range, it's flatter than a fritter.

 

[NorthStar]

Hi Peter:

Let me say that I prefer analog as a RECORDING medium, but as a delivery and playback medium,
digital all the way.

The absurd amount of expense and maintenance required for vinyl playback is a total deal killer.

The cost of properly producing a record is ridiculous the thought of paying $50 for a new pressing of a Doors album is absurd, since it starts to deteriorate from the very first play.

I have no patience for the "rituals" surrounding LP playback, nor the surface noise, nor the endless variables in the playback chain.

FYI, I also have Revox RTR.

-----Something's spinning fundamentally right, here, there, just above. :b

 

[NorthStar]

Keep me on ignore.

-----I am reopening my files .... :b

 

[NorthStar]

-----Truth to be told, I am much much much more Digital now; but from the Analog connections.

 

[mep]

Mep:

I will have to give it another listen if you are that convinced.

According to HDTracks it WAS archived from the original master tape. If this is inaccurate then
they have to answer for it. But I can tell you this is what they claim:

We are so fortunate that Ted Jensen, who originally mastered Tea for the Tillerman, for compact disc, was available to do these hi res transfers. Ted was kind enough to share some information about the process:

“The tapes are in still excellent condition, the Dolby A encoded BASF tape used has held up very well compared with other formulations used in the mid 70’s and later. The tapes sound excellent. I’ve done no limiting or compression on these files at all. Playback was done on an Ampex ATR100, and the A/D converter was a prototype MSB unit that David Chesky was good enough to loan us.” - Ted Jensen, Sterling Sound

Now it is softer in output than other release due to the total lack of compression in the mastering.

Now you know why compression is used during mastering!!!! Many classic analog tapes have low output.

Yeah, I just went back to their site and read all that. I also saw where the have a quote from TAS talking about how awesome the Hi-Rez file is. I guess I'm on an island and I'm the only one who thinks this transfer stinks.

 

[NorthStar]

-----Another reality check here; the time lost cleaning, adjusting, and all that Jazz your TT rig,
is tenfold gained listening to music from CDs (SACDs). :b

...And that is extremely valuable in musical discovery of the NEW artists out there.
Try to do dat nowadays with LPs. Ha! :b

* Spinning albums is like going back in time in rediscovering the old Jazz era. :b
...Some Blues & Classical too.

 

[MrAcoustat]

Yeah, I just went back to their site and read all that. I also saw where the have a quote from TAS talking about how awesome the Hi-Rez file is. I guess I'm on an island and I'm the only one who thinks this transfer stinks.

No i'm sure that you ear what you ear, just maybe your like me very fussy, i import all my cd,s in ITUNES lossless but ONLY for background music, for my serious listening it's the CDP in the living room system, yes i'm one of those that don't mind paying for the little silver discs and i also think that they belong in a jewel box so when possible i put them where they belong.

 

[mep]

No i'm sure that you ear what you ear, just maybe your like me very fussy, i import all my cd,s in ITUNES lossless but ONLY for background music, for my serious listening it's the CDP in the living room system, yes i'm one of those that don't mind paying for the little silver discs and i also think that they belong in a jewel box so when possible i put them where they belong.

How ironic is it that a piece of plastic that usually comes pre-cracked and/or pre-broken is referred to as a "jewel box?"

 

[NorthStar]

How ironic is it that a piece of plastic that usually comes pre-cracked and/or pre-broken is referred to as a "jewel box?"

-----Cardboard covers go mold over time. ...That's where LPs are stored in. :b

 

[mep]

-----Cardboard covers go mold over time. ...That's where LPs are stored in. :b

Only if you store them in a moist, damp location which means you aren't listening to them anyway. I don't own any records that have mold on them.

 

[MrAcoustat]

How ironic is it that a piece of plastic that usually comes pre-cracked and/or pre-broken is referred to as a "jewel box?"

Hi Mep, most of my cd collection come's from www.cduniverse.com in Wallingford Connecticut U.S.A. and yes you are right sometimes there are some craked ( jewel cases ) but it's not the end of the world why ????? because they are replaceable i am a well organized man i always have jewel cases in backup the 10.4 mm thick kind and they realy don't break that often BUT a carton jacket cover if something happen's that's it.

 

[garylkoh]

Yeah, I just went back to their site and read all that. I also saw where the have a quote from TAS talking about how awesome the Hi-Rez file is. I guess I'm on an island and I'm the only one who thinks this transfer stinks.

mep - did you download the rip of the various vinyl versions I did some time ago? it might be interesting to compare to the Hi-Rez file to those. I love Cat Stevens and grew up on his music, but unfortunately most of the CD's I've bought have not been good.

I won't say that I am either A or D - I am M. When I find something I like, I will try to buy both formats. Because of different mastering for analog and for digital, many times even if it is the same issue, they will sound different. I enjoy both, and will also admit to enjoying mp3, youtube and Pandora.

 

[mep]

Hi Mep, most of my cd collection come's from www.cduniverse.com in Wallingford Connecticut U.S.A. and yes you are right sometimes there are some craked ( jewel cases ) but it's not the end of the world why ????? because they are replaceable i am a well organized man i always have jewel cases in backup the 10.4 mm thick kind and they realy don't break that often BUT a carton jacket cover if something happen's that's it.

I didn't say it was the end of the world, just that it was ironic for a cheap piece of plastic to be called a "jewel box."

 

[mep]

mep - did you download the rip of the various vinyl versions I did some time ago? it might be interesting to compare to the Hi-Rez file to those. I love Cat Stevens and grew up on his music, but unfortunately most of the CD's I've bought have not been good.

I won't say that I am either A or D - I am M. When I find something I like, I will try to buy both formats. Because of different mastering for analog and for digital, many times even if it is the same issue, they will sound different. I enjoy both, and will also admit to enjoying mp3, youtube and Pandora.

No Gary I didn't. Did you record a whole song or was it just a snippet?

 

[MrAcoustat]

I didn't say it was the end of the world, just that it was ironic for a cheap piece of plastic to be called a "jewel box."

Sorry it is ironic, your right.

 

[garylkoh]

No Gary I didn't. Did you record a whole song or was it just a snippet?

To stay within "fair use", I kept the snippets to 59 seconds of a song..... but that was months ago and the files may already have expired. I was curious, but given my feelings about the QRP Tea for the Tillerman, I don't have great hopes.

 

[rockitman]

90% analog. Only time I listen to digi is live (non studio) recordings done by me and others. IME 99% of the studio stuff I have sounds best on vinyl or tape by a handsome margin over CD (digital). YMMV.