Dave
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Post by Dave on Apr 4, 2012 19:59:54 GMT
Hi Grant, Dave and All! ...So, yes, digital remastering does still use the original master but is still probably not up to the quality of the master. Confused yet? I think I am! i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gifCheers Martin Yes, Master! Remastering will certainly be different from the original master and in the case of analogue tape masters, a modern digital remaster may be of better quality than an older digital remaster of an analogue tape. This is because analogue-to-digital transfer equipment and techniques have improved since CDs were first available a few decades ago. It's what was done with the Beatles remastered albums not too long ago - and it took them years to do it and cost them a fortune. They probably made a nice profit on the deal though due to the extra millions of Beatles sales worldwide. No mention of K2HD re-mastering though! However, once it's in digital format, as the Pure masters probably were from the start, I can't see how they can ever be given a higher fidelity than the originals. What we don't know, of course, is what the exact digital format used was for Pure. If they were better than the CD 16 bit/44.1 kHz format, and down-sampled copies were used for the original CD production, it *might* now be possible to produce a higher quality re-master, at some considerable expense for the record company. But it would then have to be down-sampled again to 16 bit/44.1 kHz so the CDs produced would play on CD players and I wonder what the point would be? Why on earth Decca or anyone else would wish to do this after 7 years, in one small Country (HK) and for a very small production run at a time when the record industry was (and still is) suffering from serious sales problems (partly due to piracy, supposedly!) is beyond my imagination, I'm afraid. Which is why I remain sceptical. People must, of course, make their own choices and you can probably guess what mine is. Cheers, Dave
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Post by comet on Apr 4, 2012 21:38:41 GMT
Link to a site that distributes these K2HD discs I find it hard to believe this is an "illegal product" these items have been for sale quite openly for many years in high street retailers like HMV and Tower Records. I see they have a Cat Stevens one with Morning Has Broken on it, very tempting I would imagine these guys get a licence from the record company to make a limited edition (Looks like 1,000 is their popular choice) Looks like their specialty is high quality printing and presentation. If they start with an uncompressed recording and don't apply the normal compression that we have discussed before on this forum. Surely that alone would be enough to produce a better sounding "nearer to live" playback version. it would have lower (almost inaudible)sound level parts rising to higher crescendos.
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Post by Bamafan on Apr 4, 2012 22:42:06 GMT
Looks like 1,000 is their popular choice. Ooohhhh, so thats why they're numbered! I wondered what that number was for above the barcode! Well, as of now, I'm pretty convinced it's real. I don't think HMV AND Amazon would both be selling anything fake/illegal, much less the SAME fake/illegal product. I just don't see it happening. Well, to all of the skeptics, you have till Saturday to convince me otherwise! -Taylor
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Dave
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Post by Dave on Apr 5, 2012 0:17:53 GMT
Good work there, Paul. The evidence so far then seems to point on balance to their legality because of this, HMV HK and what Paulo said (though I haven't seen an Amazon link yet). It would be interesting to see some kind of explanation from whoever remasters and presses these CDs if they claim they are of a higher audio quality than the originals, which were already produced pretty well to the high standard of full price classical music releases. If they are aimed at audiophiles, that is the least that I would expect and I find it odd that it's so hard to find this, though I'm not saying it isn't out there somewhere. And at the end of the day, however they were remastered, the final product is... a CD. A 16 bit 44.1kHz CD to the Philips-Sony Red Book standard, like the several editions of Pure I already have. Albeit with a nicer cover and booklet, it seems. Cheers, Dave
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Post by Bamafan on Apr 5, 2012 0:35:32 GMT
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Dave
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Post by Dave on Apr 5, 2012 1:19:33 GMT
Thanks Taylor, As I said above, I am persuaded that it's not a fake, thanks Paul, Paulo and Taylor for your contributions to this. Of course, my reservations about the sound quality, compared to the original, well they remain, I guess I see the K2HD remastering thing as a technological gimmick. It's nicely packaged though! Cheers, Dave
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Post by Bamafan on Apr 5, 2012 3:11:23 GMT
YYYYYEEEEEEEAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!! That means I can get it! I guess that also means one more on Joyce's shelf, AND that brings the Pure tally marks up to a “supposed” nice even number of 20! Thank you all again for your help in finding out if my present was legal or not. i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif-Taylor
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Dave
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Post by Dave on Apr 5, 2012 12:33:27 GMT
Hi Taylor,
No guarantees obviously, that's just how I see it at the moment. If it was me, I'd be sure to order it from one of the well-known reputable dealers that have been listed.
Dave
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Post by comet on Apr 18, 2012 13:41:29 GMT
My copy of the K2HD Pure arrived from HMV Hong Kong this morning. I was disappointed to find it was not a numbered one. Here is the explanation of the mastering process. Believe it or not Use the keyboard buttons Ctrl and + a few times to magnify or zoom in. Ctrl and - (Minus) to zoom out again Master Engineer: HAKAMATA TAKESH when somebody puts their name on a piece of work, it usually means they are proud of it. Just coincidence that HAKA is part of his name It is all beautifully printed and packaged and bears the Decca and Universal logos with the CD barcode 480 411-5. Marked: Manufactured in Japan on the disc and Made in Japan on the outer book cover.
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Post by stevemacdonald on Apr 19, 2012 0:51:58 GMT
...Use the keyboard buttons Ctrl and + a few times to magnify or zoom in. Ctrl and - (Minus) to zoom out again. ... Pic is way too low-res for that to work.
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Post by Richard on Apr 19, 2012 7:38:17 GMT
Hello Paul! Just press Ctrl and 0 (zero) to reset the screen to normal after zooming in or out. Richard
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Dave
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Post by Dave on Apr 19, 2012 12:59:27 GMT
Use the keyboard buttons Ctrl and + a few times to magnify or zoom in. Ctrl and - (Minus) to zoom out again Unless you have opted to only magnify the text (e.g. in Firefox)... Cheers, Dave
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Post by ffagirl on Jan 22, 2013 8:42:32 GMT
Ok so I guess i'm a little behind the times... just saw that there were special versions of her cd's out...such as Pure UK Special Edition...went to the one website that was give to buy that cd (the link was posted back in 2005) It now say's that there is no cd there... I live in the USA and am wondering if anyone knows a website where I can find ALL her stuff? I have most of her cd's but really want ALL of them... thanks!
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Dave
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Post by Dave on Jan 22, 2013 14:25:25 GMT
Hello ffagirl and welcome to the forum! The best place to try in the US may be the obvious one, Amazon.com, I'm sure our US members will be able to mention one or two other places too. Otherwise, you may have to import the CDs and the best places to look for the International ones such as Pure will be the UK, have a look at Amazon UK here: www.amazon.co.uk/Hayley-Westenra/e/B000APUTBK/or from NZ, for example Marbecks here: www.marbecks.co.nz/cd/ (then search). Specifically, I see that the two CD Special Edition of Pure is currently available at Amazon UK: www.amazon.co.uk/Pure-Hayley-Westenra/dp/B00068V37K/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpi_6 (they call it "Enhanced"). Happy hunting, it's well worth having as many Hayley CDs as you can find. Cheers, Dave
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Post by ffagirl on Jan 22, 2013 16:58:34 GMT
Dave, Thanks! I've tried just about all the different market sites, and most recently CD Japan for her best of Japanese cd/dvd, plus I found that Paridso came with a few bonus tracks and a dvd. I think I tried the marabecks website, but i'll try it again. Maybe since it's a new day (9am here) they will have it!
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