Just entered the world of high resolution audio

Hi @zavato. When I first purchased HD downloads, I bought a few favorite albums that I already owned in another format. It helped me understand the benefits of "high-res" and whether it was worth the additional investment. 

Bill Evans' "Waltz For Debby" is a terrific live album even though you'll hear the audience conversing during lulls in the music. 

Weather Report's "Heavy Weather" is a personal favorite I've owned in several formats. I can say, however, I'm not certain the investment in a high-res version of this album was worth it.

Everyone should own several versions of Steely Dan's "Gaucho" album. It would make me feel better about having four - no, five - versions of it. 

I subscribe to Tidal's Hifi streaming service.  So nowadays when I buy music it is usually recordings I am unable to stream because the artist is embargoed here in USA. Jan Garbarek and Pat Metheny are two artists whose recordings availability via streaming are slim for me via Tidal here in US.

Lately, being unsure of the provenance of high-res offerings and whether they are worth the extra cost, I simply order the CD via Amazon and rip it to my library. Placing a bad bet on a poorly produced CD is less painful than buying an expensive high res dud.

Once you order from HD Tracks and others, you'll get on their mailing lists that contain promo codes for discounts on certain items. (Some hifi magazines have ads that also offer discounts.) If I'm unsure whether a high-res purchase will be worthwhile, getting a 10-15% discount on it lessens the risk stress. 

Good luck.

Try to find Youn Sun Nah. Not sure if available on HD tracks, but worth paying attention on her recordings.

Here is a random list of favorites with great sounding recordings:

Oliver Nelson "The Blues and the Abstract Truth"
Sonny Rollins "Saxophone Colosus"
Shelly Manne & His Men "At the Blackhawk, Vol. 1"
Bill Evans "Quintessence"
Booker Little "Out Front"
Charles Mingus "Mingus Ah Um"

Just a few to whet your appetite...  

All of these mentioned so far are great....Also, Anything by The Incredible Jimmy Smith! and Duke Ellington "At the Alhambra" and Count Basie "88 Basie Street". Also, Anything by Johnny Hodges! These are a few of my favs.


Matt M

Norah jones & Sara K both have excellent high res albums.

Thank you for the multitude of suggestion- 

any difference what format I do downloads? A friend strongly suggested WAV. I am using a MacBook Pro into a Bricasti M1 

WAV is uncompressed but FLAC (compressed but lossless) has better metadata tagging capabilities. FLAC isnt compatible with iTunes if youre still using it. (I use it to manage adding files but play my music using Roon.) ALAC also lossless and compressed is compatible with iTunes and considered equal to FLAC. 

I rip to AIFF format uncompressed because storage space and file size became less important than compatibility and I want full metadata capabilities. 

In terms of sampling resolution, you may want to listen again to those HD Track samples to determine how your DAC handles the differing rates.  

Try using Roon software to manage and play your music. A tad expensive as it is a subscription, but man oh man what a piece of software!  Definitely worth downloading the trial and using it for a while to see how you like it.

In another era, I'd say ... buy a good turntable, arm and cartridge ... and start hitting the thrift stores, garage sales and used record stores. Oh wait ... its still appropriate for this era too.  :-)

WAV is a nightmare for metadata. FLAC or AIFF are far easier to work with regardless of using Mac, PC, NAS or a streamer/network player. Let’s hope you aren’t using iTunes, but that is at least 2 other conversations: 1) re: sound quality 2) re: album art not embedded in files
Cheers,
Spencer

Oregonpapa,

I appreciate your suggestion- I think I do have an adequate turntable/arm/cartridge setup. I do go to garage sales, used record stores and thrift shops. IMO, used record stores are the worst because they are inordinately pricey. I've done well at thrift shops and garage sales, though, and I buy new vinyl as well. So, hi rez is not in place of vinyl, which I've been buying since the mid 70's, but in addition. my available formats now are hi rez, vinyl, cd, and FM

So far I'v bought 3 hi Rez albums- 

cannonball adderly- somethin else

getg/Gilberto - a girl from ipaneta 

Nora jones- come away with me

i already have all 3 in other formats. 

Just don't know if I need kind of blue on LP, cd, and hi Rez 

Good!  Tell us what you hear.

Don't forget Billy Coham, Stanley Clarke, Miles Davis 

marktomaras281 posts06-02-2016 6:19pmNorah jones & Sara K both have excellent high res albums.

I found them very good when it's time to go to bed after dinner with hard liquor. Few tracks enough to get to sleep well.

Ha!  So you're saying they're boring?  Well different strokes...

Check out the digital only label Sound Liaison. Mostly live recordings in front of small audiences, direct to hirez. Amazing stuff. Carmen Gomes is marvy, as is Paul Berner Band. 

Added Ellington's Afro-Bossa.  Really nice 

Try the new album "Undercurrent" from Sarah Jarosz.  Wonderful musician and great sounding album.  It is on sale at ProStudioMasters right now in 96/24.  They've labeled it as "country."  It isn't so don't let that turn you off.