Ikuyo Nakamichi: Chopin Live at Suntory Hall (Sony Music Japan)

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McCrutchy

Well-known Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2017
Messages
136
Location
East Coast, USA
So, I'm always on the lookout for any interesting Blu-rays from Japan. This week, Sony Music Japan released a disc (SIXC-18) featuring a recital from Japanese pianist Ikuyo Nakamichi. I believe this is actually the first disc in their SIXC-xx series to be domestic only, as most Sony Music Blu-rays from Japan are duplicates of New Year's concerts, or other discs that they also issue in Europe and/or the US.

I screened the disc tonight with the DTS-HD MA 5.0 track, and it is really wonderful. This was my first time really listening to any Chopin, and I can't claim to be any sort of classical expert, but it's obvious that Ms. Nakamichi is talented, to say the least. The concert is also smartly edited, so that you can actually watch and enjoy her playing. Instead of quick cuts, there are lots of close-ups from multiple angles. The video quality is excellent, with no compression artifacts, and only a hint of aliasing on some of the lines of the piano. In terms of A/V quality, the presentation is top notch.

Afterwards, I sampled the LPCM 2.0 track for comparison. I didn't expect much difference, but it's definitely more "front" oriented, from what I heard, and I would describe the 5.0 as more open. Tomorrow, I'll watch the program in full with the 2.0 track.

One of the things I like to do with my Blu-rays is run them through the BDInfo program, which reveals the bitrates of audio and video, as well as other technical data. The audio tracks are tagged as "Japanese", but the program is dialogue-free, with English credits. There are no video extras, but there is a nice booklet, which unfortunately, has mainly Japanese text, but also some pictures.

If you want to order the disc, it's available here at Amazon.co.jp, which is where I would recommend, or here at CDJapan, who have an English translation of the tracklist.

Code:
                                                                                                                Total   Video                                             
Title                                                           Codec   Length  Movie Size      Disc Size       Bitrate Bitrate Main Audio Track                          Secondary Audio Track
-----                                                           ------  ------- --------------  --------------  ------- ------- ------------------                        ---------------------
00001.MPLS                                                      AVC     1:12:16 19,575,935,040  20,149,294,845  36.11   28.36   LPCM 2.0 2304Kbps (48kHz/24-bit)          DTS-HD Master 5.0 3594Kbps (48kHz/24-bit)

Code:
DISC INFO:

Disc Title:     CHOPIN_LIVE_AT_SUNTORY_HALL
Disc Size:      20,149,294,845 bytes
Protection:     AACS
BD-Java:        No
BDInfo:         0.5.8

PLAYLIST REPORT:

Name:                   00001.MPLS
Length:                 1:12:16.365 (h:m:s.ms)
Size:                   19,575,935,040 bytes
Total Bitrate:          36.11 Mbps

VIDEO:

Codec                   Bitrate             Description     
-----                   -------             -----------     
MPEG-4 AVC Video        28356 kbps          1080i / 29.970 fps / 16:9 / High Profile 4.1

AUDIO:

Codec                           Language        Bitrate         Description     
-----                           --------        -------         -----------     
LPCM Audio                      Japanese        2304 kbps       2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit
DTS-HD Master Audio             Japanese        3594 kbps       5.0 / 48 kHz / 3594 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)

FILES:

Name            Time In         Length          Size            Total Bitrate   
----            -------         ------          ----            -------------   
00003.M2TS      0:00:00.000     1:10:50.913     19,233,118,272  36,195          
00014.M2TS      1:10:50.913     0:01:20.447     337,152,000     33,528          
00004.M2TS      1:12:11.360     0:00:05.004     5,664,768       9,055           

CHAPTERS:

Number          Time In         Length          Avg Video Rate  Max 1-Sec Rate  Max 1-Sec Time  Max 5-Sec Rate  Max 5-Sec Time  Max 10Sec Rate  Max 10Sec Time  Avg Frame Size  Max Frame Size  Max Frame Time  
------          -------         ------          --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  
1               0:00:00.000     0:00:33.633     22,674 kbps     27,591 kbps     00:00:30.630    26,050 kbps     00:00:28.628    25,368 kbps     00:00:23.623    94,474 bytes    388,722 bytes   00:00:00.000    
2               0:00:33.633     0:05:59.959     26,824 kbps     34,382 kbps     00:06:31.691    31,965 kbps     00:04:48.254    31,132 kbps     00:04:46.552    111,878 bytes   225,933 bytes   00:05:40.139    
3               0:06:33.593     0:03:29.809     28,848 kbps     36,615 kbps     00:08:39.452    34,630 kbps     00:08:35.481    34,424 kbps     00:08:30.476    120,321 bytes   226,406 bytes   00:08:40.119    
4               0:10:03.402     0:10:58.758     28,112 kbps     38,080 kbps     00:12:46.999    34,898 kbps     00:12:42.995    34,512 kbps     00:12:37.990    117,249 bytes   388,749 bytes   00:20:41.740    
5               0:21:02.160     0:00:22.856     32,491 kbps     36,659 kbps     00:21:13.639    34,450 kbps     00:21:09.701    34,079 kbps     00:21:04.696    135,513 bytes   201,340 bytes   00:21:24.216    
6               0:21:25.017     0:01:59.786     31,549 kbps     36,764 kbps     00:21:38.597    34,645 kbps     00:21:34.593    34,400 kbps     00:21:29.621    131,584 bytes   233,905 bytes   00:21:39.431    
7               0:23:24.803     0:03:57.403     29,738 kbps     36,884 kbps     00:24:32.938    34,665 kbps     00:24:28.900    34,432 kbps     00:24:23.929    124,032 bytes   232,170 bytes   00:24:33.672    
8               0:27:22.207     0:04:40.179     29,903 kbps     35,276 kbps     00:30:43.908    34,354 kbps     00:30:39.904    34,237 kbps     00:30:34.933    124,719 bytes   211,238 bytes   00:28:31.876    
9               0:32:02.387     0:09:32.338     30,824 kbps     37,630 kbps     00:39:10.581    34,868 kbps     00:39:06.577    34,557 kbps     00:39:01.572    128,563 bytes   388,749 bytes   00:41:29.520    
10              0:41:34.725     0:00:19.152     23,886 kbps     25,785 kbps     00:41:44.068    25,240 kbps     00:41:48.606    24,990 kbps     00:41:43.601    99,623 bytes    180,984 bytes   00:41:48.739    
11              0:41:53.878     0:08:33.880     28,374 kbps     36,347 kbps     00:43:32.242    34,584 kbps     00:43:28.272    34,393 kbps     00:43:23.233    118,343 bytes   232,904 bytes   00:45:04.268    
12              0:50:27.758     0:02:45.365     27,943 kbps     34,785 kbps     00:52:00.817    34,263 kbps     00:52:00.817    34,208 kbps     00:52:13.630    116,544 bytes   216,478 bytes   00:52:00.917    
13              0:53:13.123     0:08:02.482     27,245 kbps     36,751 kbps     01:00:50.647    34,693 kbps     01:00:46.643    34,437 kbps     01:00:41.638    113,635 bytes   231,480 bytes   00:56:28.017    
14              1:01:15.605     0:06:21.614     27,459 kbps     36,444 kbps     01:07:30.646    34,393 kbps     01:04:53.689    34,268 kbps     01:04:53.456    114,528 bytes   388,749 bytes   01:07:33.616    
15              1:07:37.219     0:03:13.693     25,414 kbps     36,569 kbps     01:10:15.778    34,345 kbps     01:09:34.537    34,255 kbps     01:09:29.732    105,998 bytes   388,749 bytes   01:07:37.620    
16              1:10:50.913     0:01:25.452     30,967 kbps     35,212 kbps     01:11:42.831    33,246 kbps     01:11:38.927    32,196 kbps     01:11:33.822    66,568 bytes    396,594 bytes   01:10:50.913    

STREAM DIAGNOSTICS:

File            PID             Type            Codec           Language                Seconds                 Bitrate                 Bytes           Packets         
----            ---             ----            -----           --------                --------------          --------------          -------------   -----           
00003.M2TS      4113 (0x1011)   0x1B            AVC                                     4331.227                28,001                  15,159,734,231  82,465,245      
00003.M2TS      4352 (0x1100)   0x80            LPCM            jpn (Japanese)          4331.227                2,310                   1,250,896,768   6,930,176       
00003.M2TS      4353 (0x1101)   0x86            DTS-HD MA       jpn (Japanese)          4331.227                3,597                   1,947,182,972   11,258,063      
00014.M2TS      4113 (0x1011)   0x1B            AVC                                     80.314                  26,711                  268,156,287     1,458,755       
00014.M2TS      4352 (0x1100)   0x80            LPCM            jpn (Japanese)          80.314                  2,314                   23,232,516      128,712         
00014.M2TS      4353 (0x1101)   0x86            DTS-HD MA       jpn (Japanese)          80.314                  2,807                   28,181,796      165,789         
00004.M2TS      4113 (0x1011)   0x1B            AVC                                     4.872                   4,106                   2,500,388       13,671          
00004.M2TS      4352 (0x1100)   0x80            LPCM            jpn (Japanese)          4.872                   2,390                   1,455,552       8,064           
00004.M2TS      4353 (0x1101)   0x86            DTS-HD MA       jpn (Japanese)          4.872                   1,999                   1,217,228       7,566
 
that BDinfo program looks interesting. Is it freeware? Probably not....

It is free, but you need to have software to decrpyt the copy protection, otherwise the program cannot read the contents of the disc. The person/people who created it were on AVS Forum, where they used to compare Blu-ray Discs of movies to see which was technically superior and why, but the program has not been updated for a couple of years, and while it does, for example, recognize Blu-ray 3D, it does not recognize Dolby Atmos or DTS:X--only their Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD MA cores.

I tend to find it very useful from the movie side, but it may not be all that useful from the audio Blu-ray side. LPCM has set bitrates (since it's uncompressed), and bitrates in general are probably less important with audio-only discs, unless you want to be sure of run times or there is confusion about codecs used.

As another example, here is the BDInfo scan for the DG Blu-ray Audio of Karajan's 1963 Beethoven Symphonies disc I made. I own the first box set version with the accompanying CDs, but DG later released a single-disc edition with just the Blu-ray. As you can see, the audio is LPCM 2.0, but the sampling rate is 96kHz, not 48Hz, so the size of the audio track doubles to 4608 kbps. Still, over six hours of high-res uncompressed stereo music (with a basic static menu screen) takes up only about 16 GB, which goes to show you how efficient the Blu-ray format can be, and how Decca got the entire 14-CD Solti Ring Cycle on one BD-50 (albeit apparently at 48/24).

Code:
                                                                                                                Total   Video                                             
Title                                                           Codec   Length  Movie Size      Disc Size       Bitrate Bitrate Main Audio Track                          Secondary Audio Track
-----                                                           ------  ------- --------------  --------------  ------- ------- ------------------                        ---------------------
00000.MPLS                                                      AVC     6:02:27 16,216,866,816  16,236,987,475  5.97    0.95    LPCM 2.0 4608Kbps (96kHz/24-bit)

Code:
DISC INFO:

Disc Title:     KARAJAN_BEETHOVEN
Disc Size:      16,236,987,475 bytes
Protection:     AACS
BD-Java:        Yes
BDInfo:         0.5.8

PLAYLIST REPORT:

Name:                   00000.MPLS
Length:                 6:02:27.058 (h:m:s.ms)
Size:                   16,216,866,816 bytes
Total Bitrate:          5.97 Mbps

VIDEO:

Codec                   Bitrate             Description     
-----                   -------             -----------     
MPEG-4 AVC Video        950 kbps            1080i / 29.970 fps / 16:9 / High Profile 4.1

AUDIO:

Codec                           Language        Bitrate         Description     
-----                           --------        -------         -----------     
LPCM Audio                      Miscellaneous languages4608 kbps       2.0 / 96 kHz / 4608 kbps / 24-bit

FILES:

Name            Time In         Length          Size            Total Bitrate   
----            -------         ------          ----            -------------   
00000.M2TS      0:00:00.000     1:46:45.632     4,775,884,800   5,965           
00001.M2TS      1:46:45.632     1:38:24.565     4,402,255,872   5,965           
00002.M2TS      3:25:10.197     2:07:55.300     5,725,028,352   5,967           
00003.M2TS      5:33:05.498     0:29:21.559     1,313,697,792   5,966           

CHAPTERS:

Number          Time In         Length          Avg Video Rate  Max 1-Sec Rate  Max 1-Sec Time  Max 5-Sec Rate  Max 5-Sec Time  Max 10Sec Rate  Max 10Sec Time  Avg Frame Size  Max Frame Size  Max Frame Time  
------          -------         ------          --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  
1               0:00:00.000     0:09:33.673     950 kbps        1,333 kbps      00:09:32.171    1,027 kbps      00:09:28.167    988 kbps        00:09:23.162    3,962 bytes     89,946 bytes    00:00:00.967    
2               0:09:33.673     0:05:52.985     950 kbps        1,514 kbps      00:15:24.823    1,063 kbps      00:15:20.819    1,006 kbps      00:15:15.814    3,962 bytes     89,947 bytes    00:09:34.640    
3               0:15:26.659     0:03:58.004     950 kbps        1,564 kbps      00:19:22.794    1,073 kbps      00:19:18.790    1,011 kbps      00:19:13.785    3,962 bytes     89,947 bytes    00:15:27.626    
4               0:19:24.663     0:05:51.517     950 kbps        1,353 kbps      00:25:14.613    1,031 kbps      00:25:10.609    990 kbps        00:25:05.604    3,962 bytes     89,946 bytes    00:19:25.631    
5               0:25:16.181     0:10:18.985     950 kbps        1,423 kbps      00:35:33.498    1,045 kbps      00:35:29.494    997 kbps        00:35:24.489    3,962 bytes     89,946 bytes    00:25:17.148    
6               0:35:35.166     0:10:35.001     950 kbps        1,423 kbps      00:46:08.499    1,045 kbps      00:46:04.495    997 kbps        00:45:59.490    3,962 bytes     89,946 bytes    00:35:36.134    
7               0:46:10.167     0:03:54.000     950 kbps        1,564 kbps      00:50:02.299    1,073 kbps      00:49:58.295    1,011 kbps      00:49:53.290    3,962 bytes     89,945 bytes    00:46:11.135    
8               0:50:04.167     0:06:25.985     950 kbps        1,514 kbps      00:56:28.351    1,063 kbps      00:56:24.347    1,006 kbps      00:56:19.342    3,962 bytes     89,945 bytes    00:50:05.135    
9               0:56:30.153     0:14:49.989     950 kbps        1,333 kbps      01:11:18.641    1,027 kbps      01:11:14.637    988 kbps        01:11:09.632    3,962 bytes     89,945 bytes    00:56:31.121    
10              1:11:20.142     0:17:09.962     950 kbps        1,627 kbps      01:28:28.102    1,085 kbps      01:28:24.098    1,018 kbps      01:28:19.093    3,962 bytes     89,944 bytes    01:11:21.110    
11              1:28:30.104     0:05:47.080     950 kbps        1,564 kbps      01:34:15.349    1,073 kbps      01:34:11.345    1,011 kbps      01:34:06.340    3,962 bytes     89,944 bytes    01:28:31.072    
12              1:34:17.184     0:12:28.447     950 kbps        1,443 kbps      01:46:44.631    1,049 kbps      01:46:40.627    999 kbps        01:46:35.622    3,962 bytes     89,945 bytes    01:34:18.152    
13              1:46:45.632     0:09:55.928     950 kbps        1,423 kbps      01:56:39.926    1,045 kbps      01:56:35.922    997 kbps        01:56:30.917    3,962 bytes     89,946 bytes    01:46:46.600    
14              1:56:41.561     0:09:59.198     950 kbps        1,514 kbps      02:06:38.958    1,063 kbps      02:06:34.954    1,006 kbps      02:06:29.949    3,962 bytes     89,946 bytes    01:56:42.528    
15              2:06:40.759     0:05:44.977     950 kbps        1,514 kbps      02:12:23.902    1,063 kbps      02:12:19.898    1,006 kbps      02:12:14.893    3,962 bytes     89,946 bytes    02:06:41.727    
16              2:12:25.737     0:05:30.897     950 kbps        1,494 kbps      02:17:54.866    1,059 kbps      02:17:50.862    1,004 kbps      02:17:45.857    3,962 bytes     89,946 bytes    02:12:26.705    
17              2:17:56.635     0:07:19.939     950 kbps        1,474 kbps      02:25:14.872    1,055 kbps      02:25:10.868    1,002 kbps      02:25:05.863    3,962 bytes     89,946 bytes    02:17:57.602    
18              2:25:16.574     0:10:04.003     950 kbps        1,443 kbps      02:35:18.876    1,049 kbps      02:35:14.872    999 kbps        02:35:09.867    3,962 bytes     89,946 bytes    02:25:17.542    
19              2:35:20.577     0:04:53.192     950 kbps        1,607 kbps      02:40:11.768    1,081 kbps      02:40:07.764    1,016 kbps      02:40:02.759    3,962 bytes     89,945 bytes    02:35:21.545    
20              2:40:13.770     0:09:05.411     950 kbps        1,607 kbps      02:49:17.213    1,081 kbps      02:49:13.209    1,016 kbps      02:49:08.204    3,962 bytes     89,945 bytes    02:40:14.738    
21              2:49:19.182     0:08:58.971     950 kbps        1,443 kbps      02:58:16.419    1,049 kbps      02:58:12.415    999 kbps        02:58:07.410    3,962 bytes     89,945 bytes    02:49:20.149    
22              2:58:18.154     0:11:33.993     950 kbps        1,403 kbps      03:09:50.545    1,041 kbps      03:09:46.541    995 kbps        03:09:41.536    3,962 bytes     89,944 bytes    02:58:19.121    
23              3:09:52.147     0:03:00.980     950 kbps        1,584 kbps      03:12:51.226    1,077 kbps      03:12:47.222    1,013 kbps      03:12:42.217    3,962 bytes     89,945 bytes    03:09:53.115    
24              3:12:53.128     0:03:24.938     950 kbps        1,564 kbps      03:16:16.231    1,073 kbps      03:16:12.227    1,011 kbps      03:16:07.222    3,962 bytes     89,945 bytes    03:12:54.095    
25              3:16:18.066     0:08:52.131     950 kbps        1,373 kbps      03:25:09.196    1,035 kbps      03:25:05.192    992 kbps        03:25:00.187    3,962 bytes     89,945 bytes    03:16:19.033    
26              3:25:10.197     0:11:26.652     950 kbps        1,627 kbps      03:36:34.815    1,085 kbps      03:36:30.811    1,018 kbps      03:36:25.806    3,962 bytes     89,946 bytes    03:25:11.165    
27              3:36:36.850     0:08:02.014     950 kbps        1,494 kbps      03:44:37.130    1,059 kbps      03:44:33.126    1,004 kbps      03:44:28.121    3,962 bytes     89,947 bytes    03:36:37.818    
28              3:44:38.865     0:07:48.634     950 kbps        1,353 kbps      03:52:25.931    1,031 kbps      03:52:21.927    990 kbps        03:52:16.922    3,962 bytes     89,947 bytes    03:44:39.833    
29              3:52:27.500     0:06:42.835     950 kbps        1,443 kbps      03:59:08.600    1,049 kbps      03:59:04.596    999 kbps        03:58:59.591    3,962 bytes     89,946 bytes    03:52:28.467    
30              3:59:10.335     0:09:21.827     950 kbps        1,403 kbps      04:08:30.595    1,041 kbps      04:08:26.591    995 kbps        04:08:21.586    3,962 bytes     89,946 bytes    03:59:11.303    
31              4:08:32.163     0:03:58.004     950 kbps        1,564 kbps      04:12:28.299    1,073 kbps      04:12:24.295    1,011 kbps      04:12:19.290    3,962 bytes     89,946 bytes    04:08:33.131    
32              4:12:30.168     0:05:58.991     950 kbps        1,514 kbps      04:18:27.325    1,063 kbps      04:18:23.321    1,006 kbps      04:18:18.316    3,962 bytes     89,946 bytes    04:12:31.135    
33              4:18:29.160     0:07:18.004     950 kbps        1,494 kbps      04:25:45.396    1,059 kbps      04:25:41.392    1,004 kbps      04:25:36.387    3,962 bytes     89,945 bytes    04:18:30.127    
34              4:25:47.164     0:15:30.162     950 kbps        1,373 kbps      04:41:15.692    1,035 kbps      04:41:11.688    992 kbps        04:41:06.683    3,962 bytes     89,945 bytes    04:25:48.132    
35              4:41:17.327     0:11:07.867     950 kbps        1,373 kbps      04:52:23.592    1,035 kbps      04:52:19.588    992 kbps        04:52:14.583    3,962 bytes     89,945 bytes    04:41:18.294    
36              4:52:25.194     0:16:34.993     950 kbps        960 kbps        04:52:25.227    952 kbps        04:52:25.227    951 kbps        04:52:25.227    3,962 bytes     89,945 bytes    04:52:26.161    
37              5:09:00.188     0:06:23.683     950 kbps        1,403 kbps      05:15:22.270    1,041 kbps      05:15:18.266    995 kbps        05:15:13.261    3,962 bytes     89,945 bytes    05:09:01.155    
38              5:15:23.871     0:17:41.627     950 kbps        1,345 kbps      05:33:04.464    1,029 kbps      05:33:00.460    990 kbps        05:32:55.455    3,962 bytes     89,944 bytes    05:15:24.839    
39              5:33:05.498     0:08:24.604     950 kbps        1,333 kbps      05:41:28.601    1,027 kbps      05:41:24.597    988 kbps        05:41:19.592    3,962 bytes     89,946 bytes    05:33:06.466    
40              5:41:30.102     0:09:29.535     950 kbps        1,627 kbps      05:50:57.603    1,085 kbps      05:50:53.599    1,018 kbps      05:50:48.594    3,962 bytes     89,946 bytes    05:41:31.070    
41              5:50:59.638     0:11:27.420     950 kbps        1,466 kbps      06:02:26.024    1,053 kbps      06:02:22.020    1,002 kbps      06:02:17.015    3,962 bytes     89,947 bytes    05:51:00.606    

STREAM DIAGNOSTICS:

File            PID             Type            Codec           Language                Seconds                 Bitrate                 Bytes           Packets         
----            ---             ----            -----           --------                --------------          --------------          -------------   -----           
00000.M2TS      4113 (0x1011)   0x1B            AVC                                     6405.499                950                     760,681,682     4,159,514       
00000.M2TS      4352 (0x1100)   0x80            LPCM            mis (Miscellaneous languages)6405.499                4,615                   3,695,174,028   20,500,272      
00001.M2TS      4113 (0x1011)   0x1B            AVC                                     5904.432                950                     701,178,946     3,834,145       
00001.M2TS      4352 (0x1100)   0x80            LPCM            mis (Miscellaneous languages)5904.432                4,615                   3,406,081,868   18,896,432      
00002.M2TS      4113 (0x1011)   0x1B            AVC                                     7675.168                950                     911,457,344     4,983,974       
00002.M2TS      4352 (0x1100)   0x80            LPCM            mis (Miscellaneous languages)7675.168                4,617                   4,429,930,708   24,576,592      
00003.M2TS      4113 (0x1011)   0x1B            AVC                                     1761.426                950                     209,188,753     1,143,872       
00003.M2TS      4352 (0x1100)   0x80            LPCM            mis (Miscellaneous languages)1761.426                4,617                   1,016,474,452   5,639,248
 
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