Dream Theater 24/96 HDtracks

I haven't seen this mentioned here:

Dream Theater | A Dramatic Turn Of Events
Audiophile 96kHz/24bit

https://www.hdtracks.com/index.php?file=catalogdetail&valbum_code=HD016861776565

DR11 (the CD is DR7)
http://www.dr.loudness-war.info/index.php?search_artist=&search_album=a+dramatic+turn+of+events

I've already downloaded it but I don't have the CD to compare to so I'll leave it to someone else to comment on whether there's an improvement in sound quality.
Really enjoying it musically so far. Only had Images and Words(which I also like) before this, never got around to check out the other albums.

 

Sounds like a Dynamic Turn of Events!

Its good that an HD-Tracks release is an improvement dynamics-wise.

 

Hope we'll see soon "specially mastered for hdtracks" albums, in stead of 24 bit versions of brickwalled cd's

Maybe they should hire a fulltime mastering engineer. Or 2. Would be interesting if they start selling modern pop- and rocktitles, because I'm not going to buy an audiophile version of a DR5 album.

On the other side ... Lately bought quite a few post 2010 albums with DR7, DR8 and even DR9.

 

Did they also include the instrumental version of the album?

 

That's rather sad when the regular old target of Hotel California is better than those numbers by quite a bit. While DR might not be the greatest quality indicator, it's better than many.

 

I was just thinking today how I still need to grab this one in quality OTHER than Mp3......perfect timing!

 

Some good signs here! Megadeth's th1rt3en also gets a similar treatment I'd estimate from mp3 samples DR of 10 instead of DR6 for cd release.

I think Roadrunner is testing the market and by the look of it (Dream Theater is #2 on hdtracks top 50 best sellers atm, Megadeth at #7) it will hopefully spur on more new releases without the brickwalling.

On the subject of The Eagles: Greatest hits DCC is DR11. Hotel California original master is very dynamic/bass heavy so its a rather harsh yardstick to compare against.
http://www.dr.loudness-war.info/index.php?search_artist=eagles&search_album=

 

That's very promising. It's a shame the regular CD can't be that dynamic, but I'm gonna check this out. Might be my first HDTracks purchase.

Where are you finding that? I see Megadeth available at HD Tracks (no info on source, mastering, etc. of course) but where do you find evidence the files are more dynamic than the CD? If this is the case, HD should be advertising this and putting it in big bold letters on their site.

 

They were advertising it. It was mentioned in the latest email newsletter alongside Dream Theater. Of course hdtracks don't give any indication of whether your getting a brickwalled master or not.

In terms of confirming mastering I downloaded a 30 second sample from hdtracks and compared with audacity. Also ran a replaygain to compare. See below screenshot. hdtracks sample on top a random track from endgame below it.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/407/megadethhdtracks.png/

 

This looks VERY promising!

 

That's good to see. But I mean there is no indication on the HD Tracks page for the Dream Theater or Megadeth downloads that it comes from a different master than the CD or has more dynamic range. I would think that would be a major selling point, so while I'm glad they alerted some people with their newsletter, I'm puzzled as to why there is nothing touting this on their web page itself.

I'd like to hear some reviews from people who have the tracks before I buy. I wish HD Tracks were open about the sources they use, but it seems they don't have any interest in doing that.

 

Yes unfortunately they don't. I suspect they are given a 'take it or leave' from the record labels with no say to get a master redone because its too hot / brickwalled. So in the interest of sales to the uneducated they don't want to educate their buyers about dynamic range etc (what I care about!) and just focus on the 24bit/96khz marketing.

 

I'm pretty sure HDTracks is just ripping SACD, DVD-A's, Hi-Rez...because I seem to always have their releases on DVD-A or SACD. I don't think they have the capacity to get original masters and create their HDTracks.

I could be wrong...

 

DT "A Dramatic Turn..." is a recent release (Sep 2011), well and truly post SACD/DVDA.

I don't think HDTracks is repurposing SACD/DVDA here with this release.

Secondly, this release looks very promising (sound wise). The CD is too loud. However, I think the music is a real return to form; the best since "Six Degrees". I think "Portnoy out", "Magini in" has improved the band; less growls and metal, more melody and prog.

Upshot, I think this will be my first HDTracks purchase (CD into the bin).

Dennis.

 

I think it would be the labels taking their existing SACD/DVD-A masters and repackaging them for hdtracks to make a quick buck. Other older releases would require spending $$$ on going back to original tapes and remastering.

On the other hand for a brand new release as long as they plan it its easy enough for a mastering engineer to back off the limiter and do a special hdtracks master at the same time as doing the cd/itunes masters.

 

+1

Dramatic Turn is the first Dream Theater album I bought, and it was good enough for me subsequently to buy every other DT album. For me, the other standouts are A Change of Seasons (1995) and Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence (2002). In some of the later albums the grunting vocals and "fashionable" thrash elements are just embarrassing. Dramatic Turn is not so much a return to form as an absolute reverse in fortune.

If you've never heard or bought DT, this album (and the availability of HD versions) is an excellent reason to do so. It's more at the mainstream/progressive end of the musical spectrum.

 

Eh, I think DT lost their soul when kicking out Portnoy. Kicking out a band leader has rarely went well for bands and I think Dream Theater is no exception. It just doesn't sound like the same band anymore.

To stay on topic, if it's the same mastering; what's the point? I can't hear a difference anyway. Give me a new mastering with some dynamics (on older DT albums, of course) and you'll have my interest.

 

+1

 

Well, I've only heard the band's version of this but: they say that Mike Portnoy wanted to put the band on hiatus and he was the only person who wanted that, so he left. I don't see that this counts as kicking him out exactly. That said, I don't have skin in the game, so I don't have strong feelings about the loss of Portnoy either way. It's impossible to draw conclusions from the new drummer since he didn't write the drum lines on Dramatic Turn.

As for whether DT sounds like the same band, I think that they sound like the same band that recorded their early albums, but not necessarily like the same band that did their later albums. Certainly the musical style of Jordan Rudess & John Petrucci is more in evidence, but mileage will vary as to whether that is a bad thing or a good thing.

 

I think this HAS to be a new master. Or at least a different one than was used for the CD/iTunes release. The dynamic range woulndn't increase just because its 24 bit vs 16 or 96khz vs. 44.1.

I imagine it was digitally recorded at 96/24 and then when creating the CD/iTunes version limiting was applied.

 

Portnoy wasn't kicked out, he left. He wanted DT to go on a 5-year break. I suspect he wanted to be the Avenged Sevenfold fulltime drummer (he says that wasn't the case, but......evidence is to the contrary). Note, back in 97/98 he also threatened to leave DT.

The other DT guys let Mike do what he wanted to do because he was the alpha-male. JP is now that guy, and I think he is doing a great job AND staying classy (by not spilling all the Portnoy dirt).

I think classic DT is "Images & Words" / "Awake" / "A Change Of Season". "Dramatic Turn" is not at that level, just a notch below (James doesn't quite have the voice anymore). But it is a big BIG step up from the last few DT albums which I have disliked intensely. I think MP turned into a full on metal-head and the music suffered because of that. DT should be a prog-metal band NOT a metal band.

Back on topic, as for the HDTracks release, 24bit 96KHz, no/very-little compression.....REJOICE!!!! All music should be like this. I think this is awesome news and a total surprise. Me will buy

Dennis.

 

20% off by entering promo code "Dream20".

See: http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/news/dream-theater-hd-audio-20120307

Not sure how long that offer lasts?

Dennis.

 

I'd buy this just to support the fact that it has, what, 4-6 dB of shaved peaks restored? Especially for a prog-metal release, that's pretty damn good

I just wish there was a way to tell them that's why I'm buying it and not because it's hi-res.

 

Post it on John Petrucci's Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/johnpetrucciFB) or his forum (http://www.petrucciforum.com/forums/).

If it passes before his eyes, it may have some influence (aka, this is what we want, high-res AND no compression).

Dennis.

 

Bought it yesterday. It sounds noticeably better than the CD. I was gonna buy the LP, but this sounds about as good as it's gonna get.

Anyone know how does it compare to the LP? Is the LP as squashed as the CD?