Hdtracks.com 24/192 REM Out of Time

Have done something like this, but in my case the HDX reads the 192k/24-bit FLAC files off a locally connected USB drive, then outputs them to a Naim DAC. So rather than your Network Share approach, I am using a local external drive.

I have found it works fine, and the HDX index is updated to include all the metadata, artwork etc.

If it would help you, I will try this evening to copy one of my 192k/24 bit files to my Network Share  (connected to HDX by Ethernet over the mains) and see how that plays via the NDAC.

Hi 2roomsor1 -

The Naim DAC is capable of playing a 24/192 FLAC file received through either its S/PDIF or USB inputs.

The HDX, according to its specs (I do not own one), can deliver a 24/192 FLAC file through its S/PDIF output.   So you should not have an issue playing Out of Time at full resolution.

Just FYI, the HDX does have a limitation when it comes to 24/176.4 FLAC files.  According to the specs, those downloads still play, but they are downsampled to 24/44.1.

Hook

'Out of Time' - not bad, played start to finish, this ia a good album.  Have not compared to my HDX rip, but enjoyed.  

Could not resist Carly Simon - No Secrets. Also 24/192  this is excellent, seriously good. 

Would be interested to hear your views on the comparison of the 24/192 download and the HDX rip. Also did the 24/192 play ok from a Network share?

i could....

Also very interested in the quality of the HDTracks download. I downloaded some Highres files form B&W Society of Sound and though they sounded ok I couldn't hear the difference with an ordinary CD Rip. Since the price is kind of high it should bring some improvements to the table ...

I was given a VISA giftcard that I figured I would blow on music.  So I bought a few things from HDTracks and each one was either a marked improvement over other versions I have, or simply amazing if nothing to compare to.

One the first albums I ever listened to as a kid was Return to Forever - Light As a Feather.  Dont ask me why or how my parents ended up with this record.  Sitting right between Godspell and Feel's So Good, I always remembered listening to this for the first time and being blown away.

This isn't my normal listening material....I bought that for nostalgia sake.  Sounds great.

Also got Holland, Methany, Haynes, Burton's "Like Minds".  As a bassist, I have a soft spot for anything Dave Holland has done.  Despite my leanings this album sounds like something people would use to demo kit.  Clear, detailed, live....  So good.

I couldn't help myself and got the first album I ever bought as a kid.  The Who - Tommy.  I do have an old 24/96 DVD-A rip and I instantly deleted it after comparing to the HDTracks version (still have the DVD).  Not sure if my rip years ago wasn't proper or if they are simply different masterings etc...  But I highly recommend this version if looking to dip the toe.

Have a great day!

Patrick

The B&W SoS offerings were as I recall generally sampled at 44.1kHz, some in CD-quality 16-bit depth, others in 24-bit depth.

The HDTracks.com ones one the other hand are usually sampled at 96kHz (or even 192kHz in quite a few cases now) and are all 24-bit.

That makes quite a difference; on my Naim DAC, the B&W SoS ones do not make both green lights come on ....

Gonna try it today but is states the HD Tracks is only for US residence. Does anyone know if you can put in a fake address (since i live in the Netherlands) ??? Wanna know for sure before i put in my CC data :-)

FLAC files are compressed, but not in a "lossy" way; the acronym stands for "Free Lossless Audio Codec".

See e.g.: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flac , or even http://flac.sourceforge.net/ .

Same here, Paypal. The CD has escaped my collection so the HDTracks offering seemed a good way of rectification. I'm tending to "play safe" and go for 96k after the Stone's raised questions. I've enjoyed Out Of Time very much but to the uninitiated i.e. me the mix sounds a bit odd at times. Almost out of phase - but not. I also got Homecoming, but I only really like Ventura Highway and to date my favorite for sound quality/musical enjoyment remains a dead heat between Days Of Future Passed and Moving Pictures. Probably because I liked them so much already, however the HiRes versions make a strong case for themselves. 

With the lid off Warner via HDTracks (even if they are drip feeding) and the short term possibility, medium term certainty of a higher than X level streamer, things are looking distinctly tasty. 

I'm reluctant to re-buy (so called) Hi-Res files from HD Tracks as it's been shown on numerous occasions a lot of their releases are up samples of 16/44.1.

Discussion on Computer Audiophile on this very subject.

It has been shown on a few occasions that errors were made, HD Tracks have addressed this have they not?

Days Of Future Passed has been cited as an upsample. Yet it sounds so good. More enjoyable and detailed than any of the iterations I have bought since the original vinyl release. The difficulty, as  with all sources of music, is getting a fix on the quality before you buy, or don't. Lousy recordings and brick walls abound. HiRes won't change this.

Hhhmm - so much a question of taste; I found these very acceptable:-

• Robert Plant & Alison Krauss: "Raising Sand"
• João Gilberto & Stan Getz: "Getz / Gilberto"
• Chick Corea: "Return To Forever"
• Paul Simon: "So Beautiful or So What"

Just a few suggestions ...

Ah, yes, whoops - I managed to leave that one off the list ...

• Alison Krauss & Union Station: "Paper Airplane" - right?