HDTracks Launches DSD Downloads

[bmoura]

An interesting development in the world of DSD Downloads.
HDtracks Germany is now selling 3 Stereo DSD Downloads from Sony Music Entertainment.

Will the HDTracks store in the U.S. be next?



http://www.hdtracks.de/catalogsearch/result/?q=DSD

 

[cupboy]

Only 12 euros apiece? That's like $13.22.

 

[bmoura]

Only 12 euros apiece? That's like $13.22.

That's what it looks like.
Apparently Sony Music Europe was agreeable to a lower revenue sharing deal for Germany that the one that Sony Music America has in the U.S. with Acoustic Sounds for DSD Downloads.

 

[cupboy]

Looks like there are more than just those 3.

Notes: 44khz sources mastered to DSD

 

[bmoura]

Looks like there are more than just those 3.

Notes: 44khz sources mastered to DSD

No "notes" on the first three. We will probably see more soon.

 

[fredblue]

Any Mehrkanal DSD offerings from the HD Krauts..?

 

[bmoura]

And the same 4 DSD Downloads from Sony Music now at HDTracks UK.

Gratitude also is listed as 2.8 Mhz DSD at HD Tracks in the US.
The site says "This product is not currently available due to region restrictions."

But, if you use the URL http://www.hdtracks.com/gratitude-263736?format=DSD
it does appear to be available for $17.99. Hmm....

 

[cupboy]

I was able to put it in my cart, and with a 15% discount coupon too. I've already got it on multichannel SACD though.

 

[cupboy]

These are now on the USA site for $17.99. Some are $12.99 (Weather Report). All of them I have on SACDs already though.

http://www.hdtracks.com/thriller-259841
www.hdtracks.com/heavy-weather-259813
www.hdtracks.com/blood-sweat-tears-dsd
www.hdtracks.com/the-turn-of-a-friendly-card-261019
http://www.hdtracks.com/boston-boston
http://www.hdtracks.com/blue-country-heart-jorma
http://www.hdtracks.com/gratitude-263791
http://www.hdtracks.com/mingus-ah-um
www.hdtracks.de/stardust-262984
www.hdtracks.de/texas-flood-260989
http://www.hdtracks.de/cheap-thrills-262650






Well, I just bought Thriller with a coupon. More of a test than anything else. If I like it I may sell the SACD.
$12.24 USD = €10.80 EUR
from the Germany site.

 

[bmoura]

These are now on the USA site for $17.99. All of them I have on SACDs already though.

www.hdtracks.com/blood-sweat-tears-dsd

Yes, there are over 20 Stereo DSD Downloads from Sony Music now on the HDtracks US web site - along with most of them on the HDtracks web sites in the UK and Germany.
You have Turn of a Friendly Card by Alan Parsons on SACD?

 

[cupboy]

Yes, there are over 20 Stereo DSD Downloads from Sony Music now on the HDtracks US web site - along with most of them on the HDtracks web sites in the UK and Germany.
You have Turn of a Friendly Card by Alan Parsons on SACD?

Well, HDAD dvd-audio. And of course I stupidly bought the DSD download from Acoustic Sounds, having forgotten I had the HDAD.

 

[bmoura]

HDtracks keeps posting the DSD Stereo Downloads - slowly but surely. Now at 24 titles at HDtracks US.
Almost as many at HDtracks UK and Germany.



http://positive-feedback.com/audio-discourse/hdtracks-starts-offering-dsd-stereo-downloads/
http://www.hdtracks.com/music/hires/index/?bit_rate=32

 

[cupboy]

Sort of odd how Riot Goin' On is one of them since that's an ORG release. I don't see any other ORG release though.

 

[bmoura]

Sort of odd how Riot Goin' On is one of them since that's an ORG release. I don't see any other ORG release though.

There's a Riot Goin' On is one of the 4 ORG Music SACD releases. ORG Music is clearing out the SACD versions but continuing to sell them on Vinyl LP.
The Bridge (Remastered) is also an ORG Music DSD Stereo Download on HDtracks. See the article at http://positive-feedback.com/audio-discourse/hdtracks-starts-offering-dsd-stereo-downloads/

 

[Cheezmo]

I really don't get the point of mastering 44.1kHz PCM to DSD. The whole point of DSD is the high sampling rate, which 44.1kHz negates from the start. How could it possibly be an improvement?

 

[quicksrt]

I really don't get the point of mastering 44.1kHz PCM to DSD. The whole point of DSD is the high sampling rate, which 44.1kHz negates from the start. How could it possibly be an improvement?

Yes, but I though that DSD adds some low level noise to the signal, and makes it seem more "analog" sounding because of this noise. That might be the point.

 

[bmoura]

Yes, but I though that DSD adds some low level noise to the signal, and makes it seem more "analog" sounding because of this noise. That might be the point.

Best bet is to compare an album on CD, FLAC and DSD and decide.

 

[Eclectic]

No sense in comparing CD and (44.1kHz x 16 bit) flac; both are delivering the same bits (assuming the flac is made from a correct rip of the CD).

 

[steelydave]

This thread should really be called "Sony Music Launches Initiative To Sell 15-Year-Old SACD Masters As Digital Downloads" or as they say in England, "money for old rope".

I wish Sony Music would do what King Records in Japan did with their CTI series and just sell newly-created flat transfers of their back catalog in highest resolution DSD and PCM. Sony must have hundreds or thousands of albums in their vault - imagine being able to just log on to Sony's website, peruse the catalog, and download what you wanted, in the resolution/format you wanted, and the type of mix (mono/stereo/quad/5.1) you wanted. Instead we have to wait for them to license all this stuff out to reissue labels, only one of which has shown any interest in releasing multichannel content.

Why would anyone buy that EW&F title that's an analog tape captured at 44.1kHz and then converted to DSD? It was deceptive enough to use it for the stereo layer of the SACD that had the newly created 5.1 mix, but to carry on selling it as a download for a premium price is pretty poor if you ask me. If anyone wants any of their CD's converted to DSD downloads I'll do it for half the price that Sony's charging!

 

[cupboy]

Here is a code for 20% off all DSD downloads. DSD20HD

(came from an e-mail referencing the Germany site, but may work on USA site.. haven't tried it).