BIG Blu-Ray Audio drive from Universal Music in 2013

[cupboy]

I was in Paris this week and decided that I should go to le grand Fnac and pick up a few of the initial batch, assuming they would still be easy to find...

Well, I think it would be fair to say that they had limited stocks.

Tons of copies of Velvet Underground (is it that unpopular?), a couple of copies of, er, whatever that is on the top right there (something Clapton?) ..........

The Clapton looks a bit shady. I'd skip Breakfast and get the SHM SACD instead.

 

[Caspersozza]

Tons of copies of Velvet Underground (is it that unpopular?), a couple of copies of, er, whatever that is on the top right there (something Clapton?) and a couple of Supertramp Breakfast.

The Velvet Underground used to be inordinately popular in France, so the pile of discs may reflect how many more of that item FNAC felt it judicious to stock. I haven't bought that one, but reviews have been really good. It also boasts, should your equipment be able to handle it, 24 bit/192kHz audio. I'm not sure that this is the album in the release schedule that most requires 192khz, but hey-ho.

I have ordered Exile On Main Street direct from the Universal shop, and will report back when I've road-tested it. Has anyone got an opinion on the quality of the Amy Winehouse disc?

Some here seem to be suggesting that by holding off buying any of the 2.0 releases in this format, Universal will be pressurised into releasing more in 5.1. I rather doubt it works that way. More likely they'll just get disheartened by lack of interest. I'm not buying too many of the 2.0 releases because money is tight and I don't need them.

 

[fredblue]

I was in Paris this week and decided that I should go to le grand Fnac and pick up a few of the initial batch, assuming they would still be easy to find...

Well, I think it would be fair to say that they had limited stocks. View attachment 11698

Tons of copies of Velvet Underground (is it that unpopular?), a couple of copies of, er, whatever that is on the top right there (something Clapton?) and a couple of Supertramp Breakfast.

All stuck in amongst the music Blu-rays in a dusty corner. I was hoping to find Stevie or Bob but no such luck. Perhaps I should have got Supertramp but I wasn't sure if I'd read good or bad things about it here.

They did have a few of the French language discs though, slotted in amongst the CDs. I bought Zazie- La zizanie, because I have a few others of hers which I like a lot (she was big when I lived there), and Gainsbourg Melody Nelson as it's the only one with a 5.1 mix.

The big push seems to be over, though- no dedicated section or display.

Eek! :yikes ...bit disconcerting.. given that these BDA's have been reportedly flying out the fenetre!

someone over at sa-cd.net posted a pic of the Limoges Fnac, where they had a whole dedicated section, complete with TV playing a promo video, posters/placards, etc. either the party's over as you say or Paris just isn't fussed about these HFPA's.

I'd say the Supertramp's great, the Layla's a bit of a waste of time for us Quaddies (though I've seen a couple of positives over the stereo, most were disappointed for obv. reasons), I don't have the Velvet U but I don't see how much more they can extract out of a recording where there's sod all going on above 14k.

 

[fredblue]

The Velvet Underground used to be inordinately popular in France, so the pile of discs may reflect how many more of that item FNAC felt it judicious to stock. I haven't bought that one, but reviews have been really good. It also boasts, should your equipment be able to handle it, 24 bit/192kHz audio. I'm not sure that this is the album in the release schedule that most requires 192khz, but hey-ho.

I have ordered Exile On Main Street direct from the Universal shop, and will report back when I've road-tested it. Has anyone got an opinion on the quality of the Amy Winehouse disc?

Some here seem to be suggesting that by holding off buying any of the 2.0 releases in this format, Universal will be pressurised into releasing more in 5.1. I rather doubt it works that way. More likely they'll just get disheartened by lack of interest. I'm not buying too many of the 2.0 releases because money is tight and I don't need them.

The Amy Winehouse is alright but seems a bit pointless to me.. it sounds maybe a teeny tiny weeny bit better (possibly) than the original CD.. there's nothing wrong with it but really it needed a 5.1 remix to make it worthwhile and that was never going to happen with one of these HFPA's, so its ultimately a bit of a missed opportunity I guess and only one to bother with if you see it ultra cheap or don't have the CD.

as an added observation, there are a couple of other unique Back To Black masterings with significantly superior DR than the original CD (one LP in particular is very nice). maybe they should have used one of those masterings on the HFPA! I see a worrying trend!

 

[fredblue]

it's also worth mentioning (I can't recall exactly where but I think it was Thomas Hooper on Facebook?) that the Amy W HFPA is the only one that doesn't feature the "96khz/24bit" blurb on the back cover.. leading him to surmise it may just be an upsample from the 44.1/16.. I hadn't noticed myself until he mentioned it.. but sure enough when I checked my copy the usual 96/24 kershizzle on these HFPA's wasn't there.. hmm... @:

 

[mdmost]

BTW, it seems some of these titles are finally being listed on Amazon.com (USA) website. Simply search for blu-ray audio.

Thanks for the heads up. I bought Sea Change and the two Nirvana releases. I have a "demo" copy of Sea Change so it will be nice to A/B that. I'll take Nirvana in any format I can get. I wish they were 5.1 but I like this better than having to buy a DAC or an Oppo to run 24/96 files to my receiver. I wish they had Legend as I would've got that too but they only seem to have the other Marley disc. I'm waiting on Nick Drake as I already own Treasury on SACD. Love Amazon's prices. That's the price they should be and not the laughable $30 per disc.

 

[Bob Squires Jr]

Have:

Supertramp - Breakfast
Marley - Legend
Stones - Grrr
Stevie - Songs
D&D - Layla
Velvet Underground
Les Miserables

On Order:

Diana Krall - Look (I have the 5.1 SACD but...)
Coltrane - Love
Supertramp - Crime
Beck - Sea Change
Stones - Exile
Nirvana - Nevermind

All of the ones on order I got for between 17.00 US (Krall)
Supertramp - 19.99
the rest for 20.99

Not too bad.

 

[fredblue]

Have:

Supertramp - Breakfast
Marley - Legend
Stones - Grrr
Stevie - Songs
D&D - Layla
Velvet Underground
Les Miserables

On Order:

Diana Krall - Look (I have the 5.1 SACD but...)
Coltrane - Love
Supertramp - Crime
Beck - Sea Change
Stones - Exile
Nirvana - Nevermind

All of the ones on order I got for between 17.00 US (Krall)
Supertramp - 19.99
the rest for 20.99

Not too bad.

Good prices, all of 'em!

What do you think of the sound quality on the discs you have so far?

Where did you pre-order Supertramp/Crime Of The Century?

The Amazon Germany & Amazon UK marketplace sellers who listed Crime Of The Century as being in stock end of September (and some said they dispatched the discs weeks ago) don't appear to have come thru for anyone unfortunately, myself included.

 

[Caspersozza]

Thanks for the Amy Winehouse feedback, Fred - very useful.

What do you make of the Velvet Underground disc, Bob?

 

[fredblue]

Thanks for the Amy Winehouse feedback, Fred - very useful.

What do you make of the Velvet Underground disc, Bob?

You're welcome, Caspersozza

I've got Nina Simone and Ella & Louis on their way (what a house party that'd be!) will post w/thoughts, feelings, rumblings and musings once I've given 'em a shufty.

 

[DuncanS]

Looks like the Nick Drake is only in stereo as well.

From the SpinCDs website page http://www.spincds.com/radio-jellyfish-vinyl-lp-40805

Features:
• Blu-ray - Audio Only
• High-Fidelity Pure Audio
• Playable on Blu-Ray player or PS3 console
• Audio taken from original master tapes and delivered in 24bit/96 khz
• 2.0 DTS, Dolby TruHD and PCM Mixes
• Limited time voucher for digital download of the album in FLAC Lossless and MP3 format

 

[GabeL]

Looks like the Nick Drake is only in stereo as well.

From the SpinCDs website page http://www.spincds.com/radio-jellyfish-vinyl-lp-40805

Features:
• Blu-ray - Audio Only
• High-Fidelity Pure Audio
• Playable on Blu-Ray player or PS3 console
• Audio taken from original master tapes and delivered in 24bit/96 khz
• 2.0 DTS, Dolby TruHD and PCM Mixes
• Limited time voucher for digital download of the album in FLAC Lossless and MP3 format

This whole thing is really becoming more and more of a big joke! I mean, really, pathetic!!

 

[Owen Smith]

I bought Queen A Night At The Opera on blu ray audio but only because I'm a Queen collector. I already have the DVD-A which has a much better mastering job, and I also have rhe 30th Anniversary DVD-V which has the same brick wall mastering as the blu ray. Why does Bob Ludwig do that? It makes no sense.

 

[fredblue]

I bought Queen A Night At The Opera on blu ray audio but only because I'm a Queen collector. I already have the DVD-A which has a much better mastering job, and I also have rhe 30th Anniversary DVD-V which has the same brick wall mastering as the blu ray. Why does Bob Ludwig do that? It makes no sense.

I imagine Bob Ludwig was leant on by either the label or the band (or both) to brickwall it.. maybe not.. either way it's totally nuts, I agree.

 

[mdmost]

Looks like the Nick Drake is only in stereo as well.

From the SpinCDs website page http://www.spincds.com/radio-jellyfish-vinyl-lp-40805

Features:
• Blu-ray - Audio Only
• High-Fidelity Pure Audio
• Playable on Blu-Ray player or PS3 console
• Audio taken from original master tapes and delivered in 24bit/96 khz
• 2.0 DTS, Dolby TruHD and PCM Mixes
• Limited time voucher for digital download of the album in FLAC Lossless and MP3 format

This whole thing is really becoming more and more of a big joke! I mean, really, pathetic!!

I don't think that website is accurate. They also show Beck's Sea Change is only 2.0 as well. Music Direct, Acoustic Sounds and Elusive Disc all say these two are 5.1. I'll believe them over this other site.

 

[fredblue]

Looks like the Nick Drake is only in stereo as well.

From the SpinCDs website page http://www.spincds.com/radio-jellyfish-vinyl-lp-40805

Features:
• Blu-ray - Audio Only
• High-Fidelity Pure Audio
• Playable on Blu-Ray player or PS3 console
• Audio taken from original master tapes and delivered in 24bit/96 khz
• 2.0 DTS, Dolby TruHD and PCM Mixes
• Limited time voucher for digital download of the album in FLAC Lossless and MP3 format

oh for fuck's sake...!! @: I did wonder how there'd be a 5.1 mix when the multi's are (allegedly) missing but I figured either they'd been found or it was gonna be another upmix job like some of the Nick Drake MultiCh SACD..

 

[fredblue]

I don't think that website is accurate. They also show Beck's Sea Change is only 2.0 as well. Music Direct, Acoustic Sounds and Elusive Disc all say these two are 5.1. I'll believe them over this other site.

interesting.. I'm still getting the BDA regardless, purely cos its Nick Drake and purported Hi-Rez.

There's been as much waiting and seeing with these Blu-ray's as there has buying and playing the bloody things... meantime Blu-ray itself as a delivery format for 5.1 mixes isn't doing so bad aside from this HFPA fiasco! Moondance is amazing, roll on EC Give Me Quad, Yes' CTTE & XTC's Nonsuch..!!!!

 

[cupboy]

I imagine Bob Ludwig was leant on by either the label or the band (or both) to brickwall it.. maybe not.. either way it's totally nuts, I agree.

If I was one of these "mastering" engineers I'd go ahead and brickwall it. Pay is the same. But... I'd tell them not to put my name on it anywhere.

 

[Caspersozza]

I would caution against anyone getting too excited or disappointed until they receive the discs. The information on websites is all-too-frequently lazily copied or inaccurate.

If anyone is eagerly waiting to hear what great surround sound can do on blu-ray, I would unhesitatingly recommend this extraordinary Nordic Sound sampler on 2L.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00274NWZM/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

For just a few quid more than an HFPA disc, you get the same set on two dics, one BD-A and one Hybrid SACD. I don't really need both, but anyone wishing to compare formats will find that fun. It's classical music, but it will make your system sing like little else. What is so amazing is not just the capability of the BD-A surround format, but the spectacular quality of the recording. 2L really, really know what they're doing in the studio.

For a similar reason (attention to detail during the recording) the 2004 SACD Ultimate Mancini sounds better than almost any other SACD I have. The re-recording of his music for his 80th birthday was, to quote the sleevenotes: "transferred directly from the original master tapes into 24-channel DSD, where it was mixed for 5.1 entirely in the DSD domain. The result is a sound quality that is superior to the currently accepted multi-channel SACD standard of mixing to a 2nd generation analog tape (which degrades the fidelity), before transferring to DSD."

If that sounds like blah, the quality of the sound and the way the music breathes on that SACD validates their efforts.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ultimate-Ma...2780025&sr=1-1&keywords=ultimate+mancini+SACD

 

[Owen Smith]

It's isn't possible to mix DSD, it's a 1 bit stream. It is either present or absent. Your Mancini will have been mixed in some other format, possibly DXD (look it up if you want to know what it is).