CDs re-issued in 24 bit

Posted by: Mike Stanley on 24 July 2012

There seems to be an increasing number of CDs being re-issued as remastered 24 bit. When I rip these to my NAS using my HDX SSD, they only show up as 16 bit. What is the chance that at some point, there will be a software upgrade to allow them to be ripped as 24 bit? My understanding is that the HDX can play 24bit tracks that have been downloaded so the question is around ripping in the first instance as 24bit?

Posted on: 24 July 2012 by Chris Shorter

It can't be! The mastering/mixing/editing is done at 24 bit but this is reduced to 16 bit for the CD issue.

Posted on: 24 July 2012 by Mike Stanley

Well that's what I thought, so what does this mean: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Plasti...343163727&sr=1-7

and I also have a copy of this:

It's Too Late To Stop Now: Live (2CD) [Original Recording Remastered, Extra Tracks, Live, Original Recording Reissued] which claims to be 24 bit. It's a great album anyway so I don't understand whats going on. As you say Chris, my understanding was that many good recordings were in 24bit but brought down to 16bit for CDs?


Regards


Mike

 

Posted on: 24 July 2012 by DaveBk

Marketing hype... It may well have been remastered using 24 bit digital processing, but the final CD is still 16 bit. 

Posted on: 24 July 2012 by Harry

Indeed. Lots of 24bit stuff out there and in due course it will be carefully drip fed at pumped up prices. But not on CD. Another thing to take into consideration is the original format of the recording.  24bit remastered might mean it was just upsampled from a lower resolution original. 

Posted on: 24 July 2012 by Simon-in-Suffolk

Clearly a case for Trading Standards,  a track labelled as remastered in 24 that but  is in fact  16 bit on the CD can only really deceive or mis lead as per OP. 

Posted on: 24 July 2012 by joerand
Originally Posted by Harry:

Indeed. Lots of 24bit stuff out there and in due course it will be carefully drip fed at pumped up prices. But not on CD. Another thing to take into consideration is the original format of the recording.  24bit remastered might mean it was just upsampled from a lower resolution original. 

I listen mostly to rock from the 60s, 70s and early 80s.  Provided the original master tapes are used for the 24 bit remastering (onto 16 bit CD), I find the sound quality to be excellent and superior to the originally issued CDs.