Onhy61,
You bring up a good point that requires clarification. The uploaded file is really a 176kHz/24 bit format. The problem is that there are no difference in audio quality between it and the Santana Abraxas 1998 remastered 44kHz 16 bit CD version. I really was expecting to get a copy of the master recording of Abraxas. To me, it sounded like I purchased the CD version again, it was that bad!
I have purchased a few good 176kHz/24 bit hi-rez titles at HDT (Kenny Burrell's 'Midnigth Blue',Chesky Record 'The World's Greatest Audiophile Vocal Recordings', Milton Cardonia's 'Cambucha') that really sound fabulous.
I have also purchased hi-rez 176kHz/24 bit albums that were really disappointing like Rush 'Clockwork Angels', Bloom's 'The Hours', Deftones 'Koy No Yokan'. So my batting average is about .500 on HDT hi-rez titles.
So my whole point here is when you advertise a product on the base of improved audio quality, at that your customer segment is the audiophile community, it is truly disapointing to receive such a lame excuse that HDT is not responsible for audio quality of the product it sells, just because it does not process/manipulate in any way the product being purchased. If so, they should put a disclaimer that goes like this:
'We resell audio files purchased from recording labels for which we cannot guarranty the master recording quality they used during the hi-rez file construction. There is no implicit warranty on the audio quality of any album downloaded from HDT, but you may get lucky once in a while.'
If you are a product reseller, you have the responsibility to support the claims of your product advertising strategy. Why would you sell a 88kHz/24 bit and 176kHz/24 bit version of an album when there are NO audio improvement at all?
This brings a question of how HDT performs its quality control on data files they purchase from the major label record companies. IMHO they should verify if there is any audio quality improvements between the latest CD version of the 'classic' album available (typically a remastered version)and decide if the audio quality improvement justifies the release of a hi-rez version.
I can assure you that HDT has privileged sales/profit arguments over the quality of the product when releasing Santana Abraxas hi-rez versions. Truly disappointing. I hope they get the stick from music reviewers in audiophile magazines.
You bring up a good point that requires clarification. The uploaded file is really a 176kHz/24 bit format. The problem is that there are no difference in audio quality between it and the Santana Abraxas 1998 remastered 44kHz 16 bit CD version. I really was expecting to get a copy of the master recording of Abraxas. To me, it sounded like I purchased the CD version again, it was that bad!
I have purchased a few good 176kHz/24 bit hi-rez titles at HDT (Kenny Burrell's 'Midnigth Blue',Chesky Record 'The World's Greatest Audiophile Vocal Recordings', Milton Cardonia's 'Cambucha') that really sound fabulous.
I have also purchased hi-rez 176kHz/24 bit albums that were really disappointing like Rush 'Clockwork Angels', Bloom's 'The Hours', Deftones 'Koy No Yokan'. So my batting average is about .500 on HDT hi-rez titles.
So my whole point here is when you advertise a product on the base of improved audio quality, at that your customer segment is the audiophile community, it is truly disapointing to receive such a lame excuse that HDT is not responsible for audio quality of the product it sells, just because it does not process/manipulate in any way the product being purchased. If so, they should put a disclaimer that goes like this:
'We resell audio files purchased from recording labels for which we cannot guarranty the master recording quality they used during the hi-rez file construction. There is no implicit warranty on the audio quality of any album downloaded from HDT, but you may get lucky once in a while.'
If you are a product reseller, you have the responsibility to support the claims of your product advertising strategy. Why would you sell a 88kHz/24 bit and 176kHz/24 bit version of an album when there are NO audio improvement at all?
This brings a question of how HDT performs its quality control on data files they purchase from the major label record companies. IMHO they should verify if there is any audio quality improvements between the latest CD version of the 'classic' album available (typically a remastered version)and decide if the audio quality improvement justifies the release of a hi-rez version.
I can assure you that HDT has privileged sales/profit arguments over the quality of the product when releasing Santana Abraxas hi-rez versions. Truly disappointing. I hope they get the stick from music reviewers in audiophile magazines.