View Full Version : Beatles 24-bit remasters
magiccarpetride
13-10-2010, 21:43
Took a stroll to my local HMV store last night, spotted the Beatles USB green apple on sale for $149.00. Wow, jumped in and got one on the spot. What a deal/steal!
Went home, copied the FLAC folder, and started streaming to my Squeezebox. Next thing you know, I am picking my lower jaw off the floor.
I am totally skeptical -- how can an upgrade from 16-bit to 24-bit make such an audible difference? Any explanation? I have always naively thought that the real difference is to be had with the denser sampling rate (e.g. going from 44.1 Khz all the way up to 196 Khz). But the length of a word? From 16-bit to 24-bit? What gives?
Have any of you lunat... er, inmates experienced the same shockwaves upon listening to the 24-bit remasters?
Welcome back, Alex - I thought you'd been abducted by aliens! ;)
Not had the pleasure of anything other than the redbook remasters, so can't comment there, but just noticed my old colleague (and "Lexi" driver) from Radio Norwich and had to comment! :eyebrows:
magiccarpetride
13-10-2010, 21:58
Welcome back, Alex - I thought you'd been abducted by aliens! ;)
Not had the pleasure of anything other than the redbook remasters, so can't comment there, but just noticed my old colleague (and "Lexi" driver) from Radio Norwich and had to comment! :eyebrows:
No, it's the other way around -- I've abducted some aliens. After all is said and done, I wouldn't recommend doing it -- what a mess!
So, not only do we have two Alexs' (plural) on this forum, they both drive Lexi (plural). Innerestin'
:lol: - I don't have a "Lexi" actually - I was referring to Alan Partridge in your Avatar who does, though. I used to work with Radio Norfolk (which is what "Radio Norwich" is based on from the Alan Partridge shows) and pretty sure I knew the presenter very well that Steve Coogan based Partridge on (unless it was just a huge coincidence) - I did often wonder why you had him as your avatar, as I am surprised he is known in Canada? :scratch: Sorry for the off topic - at least we are wiling away the hours before someone comes along who does know the 24-bit remasters or else we just wait to get abducted... :)
magiccarpetride
13-10-2010, 22:13
:lol: - I don't have a "Lexi" actually - I was referring to Alan Partridge in your Avatar who does, though. I used to work with Radio Norfolk (which is what "Radio Norwich" is based on from the Alan Partridge shows) and pretty sure I knew the presenter very well that Steve Coogan based Partridge on (unless it was just a huge coincidence) - I did often wonder why you had him as your avatar, as I am surprised he is known in Canada? :scratch: Sorry for the off topic - at least we are wiling away the hours before someone comes along who does know the 24-bit remasters or else we just wait to get abducted... :)
Alan Partridge has a cult following in Canada. Some of us think that I'm Alan Partridge, Season 1, is the best sitcom ever made. The best as in better than Monty Python, better than Allo Allo, better than Seinfeld, better than 3rd Rock from the Sun, etc.
Btw, I don't think there is anyone who owns a Lexi; some people have a Lexus, but what would be the point in having more than one?
Having been so close to the source material I loved it (but probably cringed more than most!) but I'm still amazed you guys do too - perhaps comedy genius does really transcend cultures and continents after all.
All the best, Alexi :eyebrows:
Its probably due to the fact that your Caiman has now burnt in for three months.:rolleyes:
magiccarpetride
13-10-2010, 23:32
Its probably due to the fact that your Caiman has now burnt in for three months.:rolleyes:
No, that's not it. I'm using a different Caiman (the unburnt-in version) for the 24-bit auditioning. :stupid:
magiccarpetride
13-10-2010, 23:33
Having been so close to the source material I loved it (but probably cringed more than most!) but I'm still amazed you guys do too - perhaps comedy genius does really transcend cultures and continents after all.
All the best, Alexi :eyebrows:
Every culture has its own share of assholes and duche bags. The Alan Partridge persona is alive and well in North America.
Its probably due to the fact that your Caiman has now burnt in for three months.:rolleyes:
I thought it had burned his house down....:)
Dave Cawley
14-10-2010, 06:55
Is this a 24bit file? If so how does it play back on normal equipment?
Dave
StanleyB
14-10-2010, 08:07
Its probably due to the fact that your Caiman has now burnt in for three months.:rolleyes:
Don't you think it is getting tedious and distasteful now with your constant patronising remarks towards Alex and the Caiman DAC?
Stratmangler
14-10-2010, 08:22
Is this a 24bit file? If so how does it play back on normal equipment?
Dave
You'd need either a music PC or a streaming setup, although there is quite a lot of gear available which has a USB input, which may enable the equipment to read the files off a USB memory stick.
Audiolab have a CDP with a USB input, so that might be able read the files - it's a case of suck it and see.
PS - just had a look on your website Dave and saw the Marantz SA8003 listed - this might well be able to play the files.
Dave Cawley
14-10-2010, 11:11
Yes, but are they really 24 bit files? If so, how does the guy in the street who has just bought it play them?
Regards
Dave
Stratmangler
14-10-2010, 11:40
Yes, but are they really 24 bit files? If so, how does the guy in the street who has just bought it play them?
Regards
Dave
They are 24 bit files, and can be played on any PC, some personal media players (iPod excepted*), Sonos, Logitech, & Linn streaming devices.......
The list of devices is growing gradually.
* iPod will not play flac files in its stock form, but there are ways to get around this with 3rd party OS installation.
Dave Cawley
14-10-2010, 16:59
OK, I must have one! Can you give me a link please?
Thanks
Dave
Stratmangler
14-10-2010, 18:23
http://www.base.com/buy/product/the-beatles-the-beatles-2009-digital-remasters-usb-version-complete-studio-album-discography-music-usb/dgc-6994496.htm
Dave Cawley
14-10-2010, 19:04
176 quid! Errrr is that every track ever recorded?
I'll have to sell the cats.
Dave
Stratmangler
14-10-2010, 20:11
That's the cheapest I could find it too, Dave.
It's a collection of all 12 original album releases, along with a single/EP compilation.
magiccarpetride
14-10-2010, 20:53
176 quid! Errrr is that every track ever recorded?
I'll have to sell the cats.
Dave
Here: http://www.hmv.ca/Search.aspx?keyword=beatles+usb&filter=music
You can't go wrong with $149.00 Canadian dollars (which today sell for 92.98 pounds).
You can keep one cat.
176 quid! Errrr is that every track ever recorded?
I'll have to sell the cats.
Dave
...or 50ml of bearing oil.
dave2010
15-10-2010, 12:10
Is this just content, or is there storage as well? I found reference to a "Music USB" - and also a note that it is "apple shaped" - presumably green as well.
Is it just a flash memory with a USB interface, or a hard drive with the music and videos on? Curious!
Stratmangler
16-10-2010, 02:17
Is this just content, or is there storage as well? I found reference to a "Music USB" - and also a note that it is "apple shaped" - presumably green as well.
Is it just a flash memory with a USB interface, or a hard drive with the music and videos on? Curious!
Spot on the money.
http://www.raphaelsaadiq.com/www/blogs.sonyment.com/vhost/col/www.raphaelsaadiq.com/docs//2009/11/the-beatles-apple-usb.jpg
There be one on ebay for £130, here http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/beatles-16gb-usb-/170554408784?pt=UK_Music_Music_Memorabilia_LE&hash=item27b5d5bf50#ht_500wt_1156
Genuine?
I've got the mono and stereo box sets. Really want the USB now as i've recently purchased a Linn DS Sneaky. But it could be a bit ott plus got a little one soon so not much spare cash :(
I am totally skeptical -- how can an upgrade from 16-bit to 24-bit make such an audible difference? Any explanation? I have always naively thought that the real difference is to be had with the denser sampling rate (e.g. going from 44.1 Khz all the way up to 196 Khz). But the length of a word? From 16-bit to 24-bit? What gives?
Going back a good few years ago now, I was on a course at Pioneer when they released their rather nice 24/96 DAT recorder. This must have been, erm, 1995 or so and they went to great lengths to demonstrate the differences between higher sampling rates and greater bit-depths. After playing exactly the same recordings in different formats, no-one was left in any doubt that it was the greater bit-depths that made the most discernable differences in terms of making things sound more true to life. 24/48 sounded a good deal better than 96/16. I think these Beatles remasters being 24/44.1. Would 24/96 have brought much more benefit or are we merely getting into a numbers game with sampling frequencies?
Something for you Beatles fans.
The animation in the videos is pretty good. Don’t know what the game is like.
http://www.thebeatlesrockband.com/videos/cinematic
Hi lovejoy,
At the risk of being overly simplistic and homespun, if one were to make an analogy between sound and vision, the bit depth (i.e. 16 or 24) can be compared to the screen/image resolution (eg 720p or 1080p etc.), whereas the sampling frequency (i.e. 44.1khz, 48khz, 96 etc.) can equate to the frame rate (24, 50, 60, 100Hz etc). Hence 24/44.1 would sound better than 16/96
A lot of people maintain that the human ear can not detect the difference between 44.1, 48, 96 etc. But then again many people use the infinite sampling frequency of an analogue turntable as evidence if it's superior capabilities.
I suspect that the original 44.1 rate used on CD's is probably a product of a CD's capacity.
I also suspect that the Beatles re-masters have been released at 24/44.1 for compatibility reasons, i.e. 24 bit DACs are very common, but sampling frequencies above 48khz are less so.
I've often been confused (...about most things Father Ted) as to why playing back a 16/44.1 recording on 24 bit DAC sounds better than playing it back on a 16 bit one, given equivalent quality.
I still have an old Meridian 506 (16 bit) lying around, and when I heard the 24 bit version in comparison it killed it, all my DACs are 24bit now.
Apparently the higher order bits in the word get padded out with zeros which are later used for parity bit checking (well some error correction malarkey) which adds to the accuracy of the DAC.
I'd be interested to hear these, if only they'd do a '67 onwards version, not being a great fan of their earlier stuff (psychological scarring from my elder brother and sister playing 'Please Please Me' non stop on the bloody Dansette all those years ago).
The guy selling his on ebay's a bit cheeky, buy the software, load it on your server, then sell it on ebay. I'm sure Macca can do without the extra revenue...
Cheers
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