Lossless Alter Bridge Albums?

[The Plotblocker]

You don't buy Flac. It means FREE Lossless Audio Codec. Just get Winamp and set it to rip your CD's in Flac and presto, you have "lossloess".
HD Tracks suck. They do not get special access and just enhance the CD version. I fell for their shit once and bought the MJ Bad album from the, and it sound fucking awful compared to the original 80's standard CD and Vinyl pressings.

You absolutely can buy music in FLAC format. The format is "free" as in a license fee is not needed to use it.

The high-res retailers do not just enhance the CD version. In a way, they do get special access - the record labels give them hi-res versions of the music different from the CDs or MP3s. If music purchased from the hi-res retailers (HD Tracks, Pono, Qobuz) "sucks" from a sound quality perspective, it usually is the fault of the record label, not the retailer. If the record label provides the retailer with hi-res files that use a bad mastering or clearly contain 16/44.1 "data," there isn't much the retailer can do. (You could say the retailer shouldn't sell something as hi res that isn't objectively "better" than the CD, but this very quickly becomes a subjective argument.) If you are interested in hi-res music, you have to do your homework before purchasing. It sucks, but that's the way it is. This issue really isn't any different than the loudness wars of which AB has become a casualty - the industry doesn't place a priority on those of us who want dynamic, hi-res music. The quality depends entirely on the mixing/mastering/production and the people involved.

The 2015 Rush remasters and the 2015 Van Halen remasters (in 192, not 96) are definitely better than any of the CDs. Listen to Steven Wilson's stuff on Blu-ray and tell me the guy doesn't know how to deliver dynamic music that really *sounds* amazing. Opeth's Pale Communion on Blu-ray is a reference for sound quality. After hearing those, imagine how good AB would sound if done properly (for one thing, Flip's cymbals probably wouldn't sound like jingle bells...).

Ah right, that makes sense (the flac part), cheers for explaining.

As for the HD Tracks. With the 2 I mentioned, you are right again, it is definitely the fault of the label (in this case Sony, and probably the Michael Jackson Estate too) as for the Bad album, instead of handing over the original tapes, which they still have, they gave them the extremely compressed and ruined multitracks from the Bad 25 reissue.

[hgwy407]

Check out 7Digital. They are a legitimate site that sells lossless material. They have plenty of Alter Bridge.

[The Plotblocker]

Check out 7Digital. They are a legitimate site that sells lossless material. They have plenty of Alter Bridge.

Cheers man, checking them now

[The Plotblocker]

Ooooo, 16-bit Flac ODR aye.... Interesting

[Flet]

Too bad there is no "The Last Hero" hi res version.
On 7Digital.com, the Fortress album is available in Hi Res Flac files, however, how do we know it's a different master than the CD? That's a critical difference.

[Flet]

Hey, does anyone here have the vinyl version of The Last Hero?
And if so, is there an audible (and preferred) difference between the CD and the Vinyl?
Any insight would be very much appreciated.

[chtimixeur]

Good find.
There are short samples on 7digital.
https://www.7digital.com/artist/alter-b ... %2C16%2C17
Who knows if they are actually taken from the high-rez file, since they are lossy mpeg files...
I compared Cry of Achilles' sample with the official mp3.

7digital :


mp3 :


The mastering is pretty much the same, except it doesn't go in the red zone like the mp3. Don't expect huge dynamics, but the sound may be slightly smoother and not give you the impression that guitars are frying.

In the end, the only way to find out if these 24 bit 44.1 khz files are an improvement is for someone to buy them, knowing there is a good chance it will be a waste of money.

[Flet]

Well, they've released a 16bit version now on 7digital.com.... https://www.7digital.com/artist/alter-b ... ro-5809116
Now if we could only find out if they will release a 24bit version as they did with Fortress...then I'll spend my money.

[Crumbso]

I'm not particularly interested unless they released the full stems for remixing. Would be great to give that a go.

[chtimixeur]

@Flet : send an email to 7digital, and ask them to release the 24 bit version. Who knows, it may work, since they are in contact with the label. By the way, have you bought the 24 bit Fortress version ?

@Crumbso : I think I've already mentioned that idea for possible deluxe editions. But don't get your hopes up, and even if it happened, we'd need a dedicated fan to spend a huge amount of time remixing each song. There's a guy who's doing it for Metallica's 2008 album, and he's been working on his latest mix for the last 3 or 4 years...

[Crumbso]

@Flet : send an email to 7digital, and ask them to release the 24 bit version. Who knows, it may work, since they are in contact with the label. By the way, have you bought the 24 bit Fortress version ?

@Crumbso : I think I've already mentioned that idea for possible deluxe editions. But don't get your hopes up, and even if it happened, we'd need a dedicated fan to spend a huge amount of time remixing each song. There's a guy who's doing it for Metallica's 2008 album, and he's been working on his latest mix for the last 3 or 4 years...

It's practically a hobby of mine. I'd def give it a go. I'm not professional but I'm sure I could get some clearer results. Alas. I doubt they'll ever be released.

[Flet]

@Flet : send an email to 7digital, and ask them to release the 24 bit version. Who knows, it may work, since they are in contact with the label. By the way, have you bought the 24 bit Fortress version ?

@Crumbso : I think I've already mentioned that idea for possible deluxe editions. But don't get your hopes up, and even if it happened, we'd need a dedicated fan to spend a huge amount of time remixing each song. There's a guy who's doing it for Metallica's 2008 album, and he's been working on his latest mix for the last 3 or 4 years...

It's practically a hobby of mine. I'd def give it a go. I'm not professional but I'm sure I could get some clearer results. Alas. I doubt they'll ever be released.

Yup, I mentioned stems in a few other posts. And it is a hobby of mine as well. I have a mini studio in my basement. With the stems it would take all of about a week I'd say. Anyone who has been doing the Metallica one for 3-4 years is obviously not prioritizing. Nonetheless, it's something I would do for sure.

[Flet]

Interesting to note also that they did not release The Last Hero on iTunes as an MFiT version. Yet they did so with Fortress. And the sonics between those two albums are astounding, with Foretress being amazing. Makes you wonder.

[chtimixeur]

Does the MFiT version of Fortress sound much different from the usual one ?

[Bigus]

It makes no sense to me whatsoever that they do not release digital versions of unsquashed masters because, even if the market is smaller, there is basically no added cost to creating them and offering them digitally to those few of us who would pay for it. It could be from their website alone (so as not to confuse iTunes regular customers) or a special website.

99% of current artists want their albums to be as loud as possible. They have all forgotten about the existence of a volume knob, and consider audiophiles as snobs.
I don't see what's wrong in wanting to hear dynamics in a modern album.
And as you said, it's not like it would cost them anything.

Agreed.
Every Alter Bridge and Tremonti album and CD is red lined to the max.
It's not the publisher, or dude that ripped a CD or LP.
It's the producer.
I listen to 2 channel only. I don't care what format it is, I can tell the master recordings are recorded "hot"
No dynamics just red lined to the top end.
It's unfortunate.

Forget about FLAC, I'd like to hear a DSD version and see if I'm not wrong.

[Bigus]

Hey, does anyone here have the vinyl version of The Last Hero?
And if so, is there an audible (and preferred) difference between the CD and the Vinyl?
Any insight would be very much appreciated.

Yes,
I have both on CD and Vinyl.

Vinyl is slightly better and I prefer it. Again, the master recording tells all.
It's not "2112" or "The Wall" material but.

Still enjoying the music.........

[Flet]

Yeah, I "found" the vinyl version, and it does actually sound better (slightly), however, I can't get over the "dust" noise from the analogue transfer through the grooves and needle (it kind of interrupts the quiet sections). Although, it does remind me of the good old days in the 80's.

[The Plotblocker]

Yeah I have the vinyl too and find it to be slightly better than the CD, but not by much.