BIG Blu-Ray Audio drive from Universal Music in 2013 - PART TWO

[Failed Muso]

My Genesis disc just arrived

 

[Suffolk David]

My Genesis disc just arrived

Can't for the verdict...it's in my Amazon basket awaiting a thumbs up!

 

[Failed Muso]

Well, so far so good

Presented in PCM/DTS-MA HD 2.0 and 5.1, 24/96, it sounds really nice. I don't have this particular Genesis long player on SACD so can't compare it with that version of the 5.1 mix but I imagine it's much the same, if not identical.

I'm sure the more technically minded, and owners of the 2007 SACD/DVD-V will be better placed to provide a comparison/spectral analysis.

My only gripe, and something not exclusive to this disc, is the horrible waste of space and attendant lack of extra material. Why they can't put the same extras on here as they did the previous release is beyond me. I've only bought this because I was too slow buying the 2007 releases and missed this one (and a few others). Discs like Tears For Fears 'The Hurting' and The Sex Pistols 'Never Mind The Bollocks...' will remain unbought. I find it galling that they can charge £18.99 for 'The Hurting' but for £32, I can get the comprehensive box set with 3 discs of audio content and a concert movie. No amount of high resolution audio has that situation making any sense whatsoever.

Anyway, I massively digress! LOL

I think, sonically, this is a solid release

 

[GabeL]

I'd much rather see a 5.1 release of Listen Without Prejudice....

HFPA have today announced that the new George Michael album, "Symphonica" will have a Pure Audio Blu Ray edition on release day. First example of new material being launched on Blu Ray? I say "New Material", the "Symphonica" album consists of reworkings and covers with Georgie singing along with an orchestra (yawn), but there is no mention of tech specs anywhere.

http://store.georgemichael.com/symphonica-pure-audio-blu-ray

 

[Failed Muso]

I'd much rather see a 5.1 release of Listen Without Prejudice....

Ditto!

 

[cupboy]

....Discs like Tears For Fears 'The Hurting' and The Sex Pistols 'Never Mind The Bollocks...' will remain unbought. I find it galling that they can charge £18.99 for 'The Hurting' but for £32, I can get the comprehensive box set with 3 discs of audio content and a concert movie. No amount of high resolution audio has that situation making any sense whatsoever.

Where have you seen The Hurting for £18.99? Amazon.UK has it for around £13.79 and it was a little lower for awhile. I'll be buying that one. I'd rather have the Blu-ray than 3 CDs packaged in cardboard, or even plastic.

 

[Failed Muso]

Where have you seen The Hurting for £18.99? Amazon.UK has it for around £13.79 and it was a little lower for awhile. I'll be buying that one. I'd rather have the Blu-ray than 3 CDs packaged in cardboard, or even plastic.

Apologies, I meant £16.99. Amazon have dropped prices on a few titles recently, this now being one. Struggling to shift them?

However, The Hurting box set, gives you 36 remastered songs across three CD's equating to a comprehensive representation of the band's output at that time, and comes with a concert movie on DVD. In terms of value, I personally think that gives you more. Not quite sure I follow your "3CDs packaged in cardboard, or even plastic" vs Blu Ray argument, but the bottom line is that for the money (RRP), these HFPA discs don't really represent value for the consumer. If you want to pay £13-£17 for 10 songs that, given HFPA's previous track record, may be no better, or in some cases worse, than the CD, that's your prerogative.

Why can't they put all that additional content on to the Blu Ray? I mean, it's not like they don't have the capacity. The HFPA boss argued that it then wouldn't be "Pure Audio". Well, a listen to their 'Nevermind' or 'Layla' discs and it's hardly 'Pure Audio' without the extras. The HFPA effort is nothing more than a repackaging exercise and an attempt to sell the general public the Emperors New Clothes.

What is needed is an agreed standard for high resolution Blu Ray Audio. The music industry and the hardware manufacturers need to agree a standard via an all encompassing consortium, much like the one that agreed the DVD standard. But in today's climate, where re-monetization is such big business, and where consumers have been conditioned to buy whatever is on offer, I can't see it happening. I hope upon hope that I am proven wrong though.

I appreciate that it is relatively early days for this format, from an audio perspective, but I have seen nothing yet to convince me that this won't go the same way as every other hi-res, multi-channel format. To be honest, SACD and DVD-A, in my opinion, still offer a far better solution to most things that appear on Blu Ray, with a few obvious exceptions, namely the XTC/Yes/Wilson releases.

 

[LivingForever]

Well, so far so good

Presented in PCM/DTS-MA HD 2.0 and 5.1, 24/96, it sounds really nice. I don't have this particular Genesis long player on SACD so can't compare it with that version of the 5.1 mix but I imagine it's much the same, if not identical.

Do you have any CD versions of the album at all? I'd be interested to know how the stereo mix holds up against any of those. I assume the original mix isn't on here anywhere...

 

[fredblue]

Some of these HFPA's are selling well Rob, TFF and Imagine sold out at Amazon UK now.

In other news, it appears there's another 5.1 mix on HFPA that slipped through the net from last years' wave 1:
Johnny Hallyday's "A la via, a la mort!" (makes sense as the SACD was 5.1 but then that's been no guarantee of what will end up on the blu-ray as we all know!!).

 

[fredblue]

Well, so far so good

Presented in PCM/DTS-MA HD 2.0 and 5.1, 24/96, it sounds really nice. I don't have this particular Genesis long player on SACD so can't compare it with that version of the 5.1 mix but I imagine it's much the same, if not identical.

I'm sure the more technically minded, and owners of the 2007 SACD/DVD-V will be better placed to provide a comparison/spectral analysis.

My only gripe, and something not exclusive to this disc, is the horrible waste of space and attendant lack of extra material. Why they can't put the same extras on here as they did the previous release is beyond me. I've only bought this because I was too slow buying the 2007 releases and missed this one (and a few others). Discs like Tears For Fears 'The Hurting' and The Sex Pistols 'Never Mind The Bollocks...' will remain unbought. I find it galling that they can charge £18.99 for 'The Hurting' but for £32, I can get the comprehensive box set with 3 discs of audio content and a concert movie. No amount of high resolution audio has that situation making any sense whatsoever.

Anyway, I massively digress! LOL

I think, sonically, this is a solid release

what's the menu's like? are they like the Beck disc with option to go into either of the two mixes or does it autoplay like most of the others? what's the packaging like? booklet any good? does the booklet mention any mastering credits or info?

 

[Failed Muso]

So many questions! LOL

Do you have any CD versions of the album at all? I'd be interested to know how the stereo mix holds up against any of those. I assume the original mix isn't on here anywhere...

Whilst I have a number of Genesis SACD/DVD releases, I don't have this one, so can't compare. I do have all the Genesis albums as stereo MP3s, a result of a splurge in the long-since-closed Nokia Music Store some years ago when they were knocking them out cheap, so wouldn't want to make the comparison with them, even though they're the 2007 remasters. I'd personally like to know how this Blu Ray stacks up against the SACD version.

Some of these HFPA's are selling well Rob, TFF and Imagine sold out at Amazon UK now.

In other news, it appears there's another 5.1 mix on HFPA that slipped through the net from last years' wave 1:
Johnny Hallyday's "A la via, a la mort!" (makes sense as the SACD was 5.1 but then that's been no guarantee of what will end up on the blu-ray as we all know!!).

I imagine, and this is apropos of nothing, that Amazon didn't order much stock of these, so selling out isn't necessarily an indication of massive success

As for Johnny Hallyday, well spotted, but not my cup o' char And yes, who knows what else may have slipped through, such is the haphazard management of this project

what's the menu's like? are they like the Beck disc with option to go into either of the two mixes or does it autoplay like most of the others? what's the packaging like? booklet any good? does the booklet mention any mastering credits or info?

Menu is like Beck and the disc autoplays the 2.0 PCM 24/96 mix. Packaging is usual HFPA with a booklet featuring lyrics and credits and a download voucher. A period photo of the band is on the inner sleeve behind the disc...

 

[Quad Linda]

With all due respect, Rob, value is a word that UMG doesn't know the meaning of. If they include all the goodies in HFPA releases, then they can't sell it to us again and again and again...

 

[Failed Muso]

With all due respect, Rob, value is a word that UMG doesn't know the meaning of. If they include all the goodies in HFPA releases, then they can't sell it to us again and again and again...

Quite

 

[keenly]

HFPA have today announced that the new George Michael album, "Symphonica" will have a Pure Audio Blu Ray edition on release day. First example of new material being launched on Blu Ray? I say "New Material", the "Symphonica" album consists of reworkings and covers with Georgie singing along with an orchestra (yawn), but there is no mention of tech specs anywhere.

http://store.georgemichael.com/symphonica-pure-audio-blu-ray

This could be nice in 5.1.

 

[HomerJAU]

If the George Michael HFPA is 5.1 I'll buy it!

The Genesis Selling England... was my most recent SACD purchase (with DVDA). So won't pick that one up unless reviews show the HFPA is an upgrade (Actually I may buy it if they're similar just to support 5.1 releases)

[edit: And one more thing, why wasn't Genesis a 192kHz release? They keep plastering 192kHz on all their HFPA footer notes but its mostly fantasy. Never mind the Bollocks!)

 

[GabeL]

Anybody willing to post their thoughts on the TFF disc, assuming someone already has it

 

[mattB2]

Anybody willing to post their thoughts on the TFF disc, assuming someone already has it

I've only had a chance to give it a brief sampling but it appears to be very bright and compressed. It's been a long time since heard the original CD but I'm sure it must have sounded a bit warmer than this.

 

[Failed Muso]

I've only had a chance to give it a brief sampling but it appears to be very bright and compressed. It's been a long time since heard the original CD but I'm sure it must have sounded a bit warmer than this.

I'd heard similar reports, specifically that word, 'bright', kept popping up. I'm holding off this one, even though I'm a huge TFF fan

 

[fredblue]

I've only had a chance to give it a brief sampling but it appears to be very bright and compressed. It's been a long time since heard the original CD but I'm sure it must have sounded a bit warmer than this.

This is exactly what I've heard from the two other people (one on SHF and one on sa-cd.net) I've found so far who also have it - it's bright. Yuck.

 

[fredblue]

I'd heard similar reports, specifically that word, 'bright', kept popping up. I'm holding off this one, even though I'm a huge TFF fan

Snap! You beat me to it! the sa-cd.net feedback is from Dixie Rob too so that clinches it for me.