BIG Blu-Ray Audio drive from Universal Music in 2013

[fredblue]

This may be the wrong place for this question, but have you or anyone got any views on these?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gershwin-Rh...UTF8&qid=1384895230&sr=8-9&keywords=dvd+audio
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mussorgsky-...UTF8&qid=1384895230&sr=8-4&keywords=dvd+audio

I've yet to buy any Classical on BDA I'm afraid. I will get some in time but at the min I'm focussing on rock/pop BDA.

got lots of catching up to do with Classical on SACD & DVD-A as it is (and I mean a lot! a good couple of hundred on my SACD Classical music shopping list at least).

 

[colsky]

I've yet to buy any Classical on BDA I'm afraid. I will get some in time but at the min I'm focussing on rock/pop BDA.

got lots of catching up to do with Classical on SACD & DVD-A as it is (and I mean a lot! a good couple of hundred on my SACD Classical music shopping list at least).

"Focusing on rock/pop BDA" - with the odd bit of jazz! I don't have any classical BDA either, but I've gone for the Gershwin from Amazon as its jazzy too !

 

[fredblue]

"Focusing on rock/pop BDA" - with the odd bit of jazz! I don't have any classical BDA either, but I've gone for the Gershwin from Amazon as its jazzy too !

haha! yeah! I'm always up for a bit of Jazz!

I've got the Chet Baker & Oscar Peterson HFPA's on my shopping list, if Amazon UK get them in before Xmas I might even find them in Santa's sack! (let's face it, some of the best Xmas presents are the ones we get ourselves! )

 

[Caspersozza]

Universal have confirmed that Exile is finally in the post now, but today's post delivered my long overdue Criterion Blu-Ray of Quadrophenia. I can't wait to find time to watch that - no skimming there.

If anyone who has ordered the Tommy HFPA also has the SACD deluxe version, please do tell us if there is any audible difference between the two, once you've had time to enjoy/digest it.

 

[fredblue]

Universal have confirmed that Exile is finally in the post now, but today's post delivered my long overdue Criterion Blu-Ray of Quadrophenia. I can't wait to find time to watch that - no skimming there.

If anyone who has ordered the Tommy HFPA also has the SACD deluxe version, please do tell us if there is any audible difference between the two, once you've had time to enjoy/digest it.

Thanks for the update kinda regret ordering my Exile from Fnac now

Tommy's on his way at the mo., will report back here but I thought it was already confirmed by Jon, IMachine, Sukothai Ben etc that it is a different mix from the SACD/DVDA?

 

[mattB2]

Just received Nirvana's Nevermind and Amy Winehouse's Back To Black and both are a bit too compressed for comfort (a bit like the latter half of the Stones' Grrr). They're both listenable (just) but they could have been so much better and seem to be a waste of the format - there are probably better sounding CD versions of both about somewhere. I guess it's proof that Universal can claim what they like about the fidelity of these releases but if they start from the wrong place there is nothing that the format or codecs can do to improve things. The GIBO principle in action.

 

[fredblue]

Unfortunately you've just bought (only imho) possibly two of the worst of these HFPA's by reputation. Nevermind because of the recycled brickwalled 20th Anniv mastering used and the Amy Winehouse because it seemingly recycles the original CD - both pointless "Hi-Rez" releases. I only have the Amy W. of the two and it certainly is a V.underwhelming disc (and that's being kind!).

Meantime, here on QQ and on various other forums, I've tried to be as explicit as poss but remain fair/even-handed about these discs since I first started getting them in May. They're a real mixed bag. Most of them are distinctly average, some absolutely terrible and a few are genuinely excellent - and I mean a few, at this point out of the 17 HFPA's I own I can only unreservedly recommend 3 (Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder and Beck).

 

[0tto]

Unfortunately you've just bought (only imho) possibly two of the worst of these HFPA's by reputation. Nevermind because of the recycled brickwalled 20th Anniv mastering used and the Amy Winehouse because it seemingly recycles the original CD - both pointless "Hi-Rez" releases. I only have the Amy W. of the two and it certainly is a V.underwhelming disc (and that's being kind!).

Meantime, here on QQ and on various other forums, I've tried to be as explicit as poss but remain fair/even-handed about these discs since I first started getting them in May. They're a real mixed bag. Most of them are distinctly average, some absolutely terrible and a few are genuinely excellent - and I mean a few, at this point out of the 17 HFPA's I own I can only unreservedly recommend 3 (Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder and Beck).

you're right but like was mentioned in numerous instances - UM doesn't bother to invest into remixing/remastering any of those and just
uses any available at moment master to duplicate it on BD-A.
heck, they even don't bothered themselves to include already available 5.1 mixes

 

[LedMan]

haha! yeah! I'm always up for a bit of Jazz!

I've got the Chet Baker & Oscar Peterson HFPA's on my shopping list, if Amazon UK get them in before Xmas I might even find them in Santa's sack! (let's face it, some of the best Xmas presents are the ones we get ourselves! )

This looks interesting and hopefully will eventually be available in the U.S.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/John-Coltrane-Live-Blu-Audio/dp/B00EJYGOE4/ref=zg_bs_2842769031_19


Fredblue, have you or anyone else starting creating a list of available and/or soon to be available "HFPA" releases?

 

[fredblue]

This looks interesting and hopefully will eventually be available in the U.S.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/John-Coltrane-Live-Blu-Audio/dp/B00EJYGOE4/ref=zg_bs_2842769031_19


Fredblue, have you or anyone else starting creating a list of available and/or soon to be available "HFPA" releases?

It does look very interesting! Thanks for the heads up

What strikes me as most interesting about it, is that it appears to be the first HFPA branded disc to be released by a label other than Universal and/or one of its subsidiary labels.

German label Delta Music put out a number of Surround Hybrid SACDs over the years (I have a few, varying in genre of music and quality of mix and performances. This new HFPA BDA is mixed in both 5.0 and 2.0 by the looks of it. Encouraging!?

I created a list of the first 30-something HFPA available in "Wave 1" from Fnac in France back in May. I can knock up a list of the titles I'm aware of and post it here presently, no problem.

 

[fredblue]

List of all known currently available HFPA Blu-ray titles:

Milos - Latino Gold,
Amy Winehouse - Back To Black,
Supertramp - Breakfast In America,
Beck - Sea Change (5.1),
Bob Marley - Legend,
Bob Marley - Kaya,
Stevie Wonder - Songs In The Key Of Life,
Marvin Gaye - What's Going On,
Yodelice - Tree Of Life,
Feist - Metals,
Nirvana - Nevermind,
Nirvana - In Utero,
Queen - A Night At The Opera (5.1),
Rolling Stones - Exile On Main Street,
Rolling Stones - Grr..!!
Les Miserables OST (5.1),
Chet Baker - Baker's Holiday,
Oscar Peterson - Night Train,
Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong - Ella & Louis/Ella & Louis Again,
Derek & The Dominos - Layla,
Serge Gainsbourg - Histoire de Melody Nelson (5.1),
Serge Gainsbourg - aux Armes et Caetera,
Pierre Henry - Messe Pour Le Temps Present,
Johnny Hallyday - A La Vie A La Mort,
Johnny Hallyday - Insolitude,
Johnny Hallyday - Sang Pour Sang,
Jacques Brel - Marquises,
Jacques Brel - Ne Me Quitte Pas,
Jacques Brel - Bourgeois,
Jacques Brel - Brel 67,
Lang Lang - Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No.2,
Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto - Getz/Gilberto,
Nina Simone - I Put A Spell On You,
Barbara - L'Aigle Noir,
Calegero - 3,
The Who - Tommy (5.1),
Michel Sardou - La Vieille,
Dalida - 40 sucess en or,
Mylene Farmer - Monkey Me,
Lionel Richie - Can't Slow Down,
Renaud - Morgan de toi,
Eddy Mitchell - Grand Ecran,
Eddy Mitchell - La Derniere Seance,
Leo Ferre - Ete 68,
Zazie - Cyclo,
Zazie - Zizanie,
Carla Bruni - Little French Songs,
Miles Davis - Ascenseur pour l'echafaud,
John Coltrane - A Love Supreme,
Alain Bashung - Osez Josephine,
Noir Desir - Tostaky,
Velvet Underground & Nico

 

[fredblue]

That's the best I can come up with right now (sorry for chaotic order, lack of alphabeticising! tough finding all of these, certainly no one vendor has them all for sale right now!).

Please do chip in to add titles you know of (that are out there in stores or confirmed to buy online, not vaporware)

 

[fredblue]

Just to add, I'm working on a Classical Music HFPA list now

 

[HomerJAU]

News on Nick Drake release delay: (re-post off another forum)

Dear Universal Music Customer,

This is an email with regards to your order for PUREAUDIO / Nick Drake / Five Leaves Left Pure Audio 2013.

We have been advised by the manufacturers that due to a technical error, the stock will not be available until 13/01/14. We will be looking to dispatch all orders on or just before that date.

Please accept my apologies for any inconvenience this will cause.

If you have any further queries about this, then please contact our support team at [email protected] as replies to this email may not be monitored.

Kind Regards


Universal Music

 

[Owen Smith]

I'm underwhelmed, I didn't realise how few of the HFPA discs have 5.1 on them (I'll take 4.0 also but there don't appear to be any).

 

[fredblue]

News on Nick Drake release delay: (re-post off another forum)

Dear Universal Music Customer,

This is an email with regards to your order for PUREAUDIO / Nick Drake / Five Leaves Left Pure Audio 2013.

We have been advised by the manufacturers that due to a technical error, the stock will not be available until 13/01/14. We will be looking to dispatch all orders on or just before that date.

Please accept my apologies for any inconvenience this will cause.

If you have any further queries about this, then please contact our support team at [email protected] as replies to this email may not be monitored.

Kind Regards


Universal Music

what do you reckon the "technical error" is really some chump at Universal woke up and realised the disc is actually STEREO ONLY..?!?!? @:

(not shooting the messenger! I'm grateful to you for the update/confirmation as to what the dickens is going on!).

 

[fredblue]

I'm underwhelmed, I didn't realise how few of the HFPA discs have 5.1 on them (I'll take 4.0 also but there don't appear to be any).

not half as underwhelmed as I am!

you've no idea, the disappointment with so many of these discs.. I had such high hopes earlier in the year.. many of them just aren't worth the time/trouble it takes getting some of them in from all over the shop, let alone the money I've forked out.

as for any Quad mixes, can you imagine the horror of horrors of the "disrespect to the original material" that would bring about.. 5.1's bad enough in the eyes of the schmucks behind these releases.. but Quadraphonic? Yegads, its a dirty word, its for weirdo's with four ears..!!!! I can see it now.. the huge load of horseshit as to why no Quad/surround on these discs.

I'll see thru the couple of pre-orders I've already made and will keep an eye out for what's coming (I'll still get Crime Of The Century regardless, if/when it ever emerges, as its one of my most cherished LPs) but unless it's more music I'm really into, or (alakazam!) more 5.1 mixes, I'm definitely going to cool off on these and spend my spondoolicks elsewhere - I've passed up on a few things over the last few months allocating dough on these discs instead, which I regret now.. 3 great discs out of 17 isn't a statistic the HFPA honchos should be proud of. to add insult to injury, only one of those is a 5.1 disc..!!!

 

[Owen Smith]

And one of the 5.1 discs (Queen) has brick walled 5.1 making the old DVD-A much more desirable. So that knocks out 20% of the 5.1 discs.

 

[LizardKing]

what do you reckon the "technical error" is really some chump at Universal woke up and realised the disc is actually STEREO ONLY..?!?!? @:

(not shooting the messenger! I'm grateful to you for the update/confirmation as to what the dickens is going on!).

I wouldn't get your hopes up Adam...

 

[fredblue]

And one of the 5.1 discs (Queen) has brick walled 5.1 making the old DVD-A much more desirable. So that knocks out 20% of the 5.1 discs.

too right!

I think (well, I hope) my interest/enthusiasm for 5.1/Quad/Hi-Rez is pretty apparent to regular visitors to QQ but even I can't bring myself to recommend the majority of these discs to any of you guys and girls here!

the Les Mis 5.1 is a (subjectively) shocking collection of "vocal stylings" with a pretty tame mix.. the Serge Gainsbourg 5.1 is a great mix but DR compressed to hellsville.. ditto the Queen 5.1 as you say, hello yellow brickwalled surround.. only the Beck 5.1 is worth any self-respecting Quaddie's time and trouble (and money!).

What a waste...!!!!