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Tidal Piano G3

The Tidal Piano G3 loudspeaker is each an uncommon design and a problem to most of the conventions of American high-end audio. It is a comparatively small floorstanding speaker that’s clearly supposed to supply state-of-the-art efficiency in smaller rooms, or in areas that current issues with extreme bass power, or the place there’s a want for audio system that may slot in with a variety of decors.

At the identical time, the Piano G3 is the third model of a steadily refined product from Tidal —a agency that has change into a number one a part of the German excessive finish and one that gives an progressive mixture of applied sciences. It can be costly even by the always escalating requirements of right this moment’s market. It sells for $64,000 a pair in an excellent, black, grand-piano-like lacquer end with stainless-steel trim, and $68,000 a pair in wooden veneer. That is a worth that makes it a competitor with a number of the costliest and largest audio system made within the U.S., at a time when such audio system appear to be in a little bit of a measurement and weight race.

In distinction, the Piano G3 is compact for a speaker in its worth vary. It is 45.6″ tall by 9.6″ vast by 15.5″ deep and leans again at a slight angle. Its easy rectangular form and its drivers are also modest by comparability with many U.S.-made audio system. It is clearly designed to slot in with all kinds of pricey decors slightly than dominate them.

It is an easy rectangular field with a clear black, or wood-veneer end that has well-styled, stainless-steel fittings to assist it. The enclosure is comprised of Tidal’s proprietary cupboard supplies,  TIRALIT and TIRADUR. The drivers embody a relatively small, spherical diamond tweeter and two 7″ midrange/woofers. They are mounted on a entrance panel that lacks any uncommon visible options, apart from a producer brand plate. And whereas the Piano G3 weighs 154 kilos, there isn’t a method to inform from taking a look at it what number of particular design options it has inside. The spouse of certainly one of my audiophile pals slightly bluntly described it as “a speaker you’ll wish to reside with slightly than worship.”

It is also the one speaker I’ve ever reviewed at any worth the place the instruction guide notes that it has rear connections which let you wire it to your energy amps in a means that the decrease woofer will not be related—in order that it turns into a two-way speaker to be used in small rooms. It additionally has a special set of connections to be used as a 2.5-way speaker in bigger rooms that want extra bass however not the complete vary of energy from each woofers. It is the one deliberate effort I’ve seen to design the state-of-the-art for audiophiles with main bass-response, room-size, and/or “increase” issues.

At the identical time, its visible simplicity and clear styling disguise a tremendous quantity of inside engineering. There are excellent design causes that it weighs 154 kilos, and the result’s that it is among the best-sounding audio system I’ve heard. It does make trade-offs in its efficiency that restrict its response within the deepest bass and its skill to supply sound ranges that may destroy your listening to and produce home-destroying room vibration. But these identical trade-offs present a very distinctive choice to be used in lots of real-world dwelling rooms.

At the danger of showing the punchlines within the description of its sound high quality that follows, it has an excellent soundstage and imaging, a remarkably easy frequency response from the highest of the deepest bass to the best audible frequencies, and it’s intensely musical. If you desire a speaker you could simply place in a small to regular front room, that has a visible picture that doesn’t seem like it belongs on the slopes of Easter Island, and that won’t create a divorce or the sudden departure of your accomplice, the Piano G3 represents the type of high-end choice that’s all too uncommon in U.S. speaker design.

Understanding the Tidal Piano G3’s Design

All kidding apart, I believe it’s significantly vital to know the designer’s targets. Accordingly, I requested Jörn Janczak, the CEO of Tidal—and the Piano 3G’s chief designer—to elucidate why Tidal created the G3 within the type it did.

Jörn’s English, whereas not excellent, is infinitely higher than my German, and the next excerpt from his response makes it clear that the Piano G3 did have distinctive design targets:

“The narrative for a speaker constructed like that is that it isn’t designed to supply essentially the most for a sure worth vary; neither is it too small for what it’s. We preserved the unique design temporary from the first-generation Piano from 1999; we improved it with out altering the speaker’s basic idea. It can be no drawback to construct a means greater cupboard with cheaper midrange, tweeter, and different drivers, however that’s not what Tidal is about.

“I do know there are good merchandise on the market for five or 10 grand (and even 20 or 40 grand) to have enjoyable with and revel in. All legit. But no matter else is out there may be not constructed just like the Piano, nor does it sound like this speaker. It shines to and for many who join/drive it in the way in which it was designed to shine…the place an even bigger speaker would wreck the sound in that specific area and overdrive the room. It calls for and displays the best electronics and can perpetually disguise its functionality if not utterly unleashed on this means. To discover out and expertise why, for instance, one would ever pay a lot for a speaker just like the Piano, you have to be ready to drive it correctly, and we do have such electronics as a part of the methods we provide.

“There would merely be no purpose to purchase one thing so costly and never perceive the the reason why; these are usually not the shoppers for the Tidal Piano. It stands the take a look at of rationale and emotion—once more if one is aware of and understands what it’s. If it didn’t present efficiency that allows you to neglect its worth, then it might show my level. Just connecting it with good electronics and getting one thing ‘excellent & pleasurable’ can be like having a Patek Phillipe on the wrist simply to know the time or utilizing a Carrera 911 to get backwards and forwards in a visitors jam.

“I may use some good beryllium tweeter or ribbons for a fraction of the value and have the ability to have good decision and replicate to a sure level how one is feeding the system. But reaching the final 20% above that, which permits a speaker to shine past ‘excellent sound,’ is why we do all that we do. ‘Quantity values,’ like F3 [the frequency at which the bass has rolled off by 3dB—RH] and most SPL, and many others., have been modified from the start in favor of drilling out the best sonic high quality from a comparatively modest cupboard in measurement.

“The Tidal Piano was by no means a venture focusing on a sure worth class or viewers; neither is it a diluted design, trickled down from one thing else. As our very first product, it was born from the aim of providing the best attainable speaker as a common and reflective instrument for regular rooms—not too small, not too massive.”

Jörn additionally offered an in depth image of the important thing design options that aren’t obvious merely from wanting on the speaker, however that form the Piano G3’s price. One key function is the diamond tweeter and excerpts from his reply describe its growth as follows:

“We have used diamond-tweeter know-how for 20 years. Indeed, we have been the primary to make use of it this manner. No different audio firm has manufactured extra audio system with a 1.2″/30mm diamond tweeter. Plus, issues have been always improved through the years…we’ve got been capable of lengthen the general response to fulfill our sonic targets. That being mentioned, having a diamond tweeter doesn’t itself assure it’ll do an excellent job reproducing the sign/content material/music. People like the concept of one thing sounding ‘diamond,’ and advertising guys find it irresistible, however the actuality is it has each benefits and downsides. Nothing is tougher and strikes extra like a great piston than diamond materials. Nothing. But additionally, few issues are tougher to combine. The key, as with all components, is implementation. Resolution and dispersion can actually be one thing particular if one finds a method to meld them completely into the motive force for the frequencies above and beneath its passband—in order that the ear doesn’t hear the sign created from completely different drivers, particularly off-axis. We are extraordinarily skilled on this linear integration, which permits the listener to listen to deeper into the music.

“With regard to particular components, positive, the best caps with lowest microphonic results and many others. will assist; we simply use or create one of the best components in an effort to design to the purpose of listening to no crossover factors. We did discover a method to design a easy sign transition from the tweeter to the motive force beneath with completely symmetrical loops (for good off-axis efficiency) and an excellent step response, and but defend the tweeter in opposition to low frequencies. Such an enormous diamond diaphragm additionally works as an ideal warmth sink. The crossover is hermetically and microphonically sealed in opposition to vibrations saved within the lowest chamber, immediately wired to the terminal (a decoupled 15mm block of chrome steel, from the skin polished to protect the floor one of the best ways).”

Jörn was extra cautious about explaining the improvements within the G3’s midrange/woofer drivers and the considering behind the Piano G3’s bass response. The following excerpts present how he summarized some key options:

“Both mid/woofers are downscaled variations from our flagship-project the Tidal for Bugatti “Royale.” The diaphragm is black ceramic, distinctive on this form and design. Such a tough diaphragm has each benefits and downsides. Light, laborious, near excellent pistonic motion, however like all laborious and light-weight issues, it has a resonance peak which have to be introduced beneath management—in any other case, we hear the benefits (decision) in a short time however the disadvantages (the standard harsh sound most ceramic drivers include if not correctly handled), as nicely.

“We can’t give away the recipe, however one should carry diametrical issues collectively: laborious diaphragm management versus easy blending-in/out. Classical minimal filters won’t work since they’ll’t management the diaphragms; steep-slope ones mess up the step response and timing. Flat response is not any indicator alone, but it surely is a crucial primary one. There are at the very least 20 different parameters one must take care of, however one of the vital is step response. We mix the tweeter seamlessly into the midrange/woofer.
Not calculated by way of DSP, however by all analog know-how that’s aimed on the core drawback.

“What do we’ve got on the finish of the day? A really inflexible cupboard holds the drivers in place in order that very gentle and stiff diaphragms can transfer in two instructions, completely managed by a well-designed and well-made crossover.

“The lacquer is not only some black paint. We use many, many litres of true piano-polyester lacquer (10kg per speaker) and have about 4mm thick lacquer on it. The means we apply it to the cupboard, compress it, sand it, and polish it would make it look good and glossy, but it surely additionally has an impact on the sound, since it’s the remaining layer of the cupboard itself, decreasing Fs much more and ‘closing’ the cupboard much more from each side. The Piano responds all the way down to about 38Hz, though that does range in observe with the room. We have skilled some amplifiers that may ship deep bass, whereas others don’t no matter setup.”

He explains the explanation for with the ability to join the speaker as each a two-way and three-way system as follows:

“There is one software the Piano can do that each one different 2.5-way audio system can’t: It has, ‘constructed inside,’ possibly one of many most interesting 2-way displays. So, it could possibly cowl small locations the place persons are in search of an answer from one thing with a 6-7″ mid/bass and a tweeter, with out overpowering the room. Compacts have disadvantages in opposition to the Piano taking part in in that mode: The Piano has all drivers and crossovers in separate chambers; a compact doesn’t have area sufficient for this—all are in a single chamber. The Piano additionally has the way in which extra steady and inflexible stand and but maintains the identical footprint as a compact positioned on a stand. The magnificence is {that a} consumer can unleash a fuller-range speaker for an even bigger area if he strikes to an even bigger area or needs a deeper bass extension.”

There are many different particular design options, together with the crossover, and the strategy of connecting the G3 so it could possibly change into a two-way speaker. Jörn sums up his view of the G3 as follows:

“We know the Piano will not be for everyone, and actually it could possibly’t be for everyone. A correct setup, together with correct related tools, will give a deep view into the recording. The Piano is our smallest speaker however no much less a reference speaker, since it’s constructed with the identical degree of perfection that we construct into our massive ones.”

This effort to create a state-of-the-art monitor for real-world listening rooms is clearly a design alternative, and never the results of any limits in Tidal’s manufacturing functionality. Tidal additionally produces bigger and costlier audio system, together with its top-of-the line Tidal for Bugatti collection, developed for the luxurious automotive firm—a full-out assault on the state-of-the-art. This Bugatti weighs some 480 kilos a aspect and is a part of a full system of Tidal electronics, together with a discrete digital-to-analog converter. If the Piano G3 appears too small and low cost, you’ll be able to all the time purchase the Bugatti, which sells for nicely over $400,000 a pair.

Putting the Tidal Piano G3 in Perspective

Jörn’s feedback are much more helpful than most producer literature and copywriter technobabble, however there may be an apparent bias behind them. No one is goal about one thing he’s really pleased with. A devoted high-end designer and producer goes to see the results of years of labor and two main generations of modification efforts as a serious achievement. He just about has to imagine in his personal work.

At the identical time, I discovered no goal purpose to disagree together with his feedback, and I actually loved my listening periods with the speaker, utilizing a variety of elements and supply materials. I had Pass Labs, Meitner, and PS Audio elements; a spread of interconnects and speaker cables; and a listening session the place a buddy introduced his personal single-ended tube design.

The outcomes have been spectacular with all kinds of related elements in two completely different rooms and in a number of completely different room places. The Piano G3 did a very good job of showing the colorations of the containers and wires in the remainder of my system—one of many key assessments of a very good speaker. Properly set-up and supported by top-quality musical supply materials and electronics, the Piano G3 is among the finest audio system I’ve heard.

Here, nevertheless, I ought to introduce my feedback on its musical efficiency with some vital caveats which have change into increasingly vital because the inevitable limits imposed by the colorations in front-end elements, wires, and cables, musical supply supplies, listening positions, and the sound character of the listening room change into extra dominant features of the sound of any system than the speaker.

I attempt to cope by testing audio system with completely different elements and with each analog and a spread of various kinds of streaming and digital recordings. I exploit completely different mixes of drugs, slightly than a single reference system, as a result of a high-end audio system has a big “error price range” of various colorations from every passive and lively part that impacts what you really hear.

You can by no means audition or consider a speaker by itself. Given that high-end producers have a tendency to supply elements with a considerably constant sound character (although solely “considerably,” because the nuances they like clearly evolve in numerous methods over time), mixing gear from completely different producers and/or completely different generations has a big and unpredictable influence on sound high quality. The degree of synergy between elements relies upon closely on personnel effort or vendor assist, in addition to entry to completely different elements to experiment with.

The listening room, speaker location, and listening place additionally colour a speaker’s sound. This is why I audition the audio system that I evaluate in numerous places in my fundamental listening space, and in one other listening room, to listen to how the sound modifications with room situations. This type of experimentation has change into a important a part of reviewing since you hear the speaker’s interplay with a given listening room increasingly clearly as audio system get higher and higher. Even inches of change in a speaker placement can have a serious influence on deep and midbass. The identical is true of the ensuing variations in room reflections and modifications in listening place.

More than that, I’ve heard sufficient different audiophile listening rooms to appreciate that the private style of even essentially the most refined high-end audiophiles differs considerably in evaluating and establishing a speaker. So do their decisions of music and efficiency. I additionally know from visiting numerous producers’ listening rooms and speaking to completely different producer design groups that even once they use comparable language to explain their targets, they’re in search of completely different nuances and use completely different recordings and elements to get them. I additionally understand my very own biases—and each reviewer has them. I actually take pleasure in my PS Audio FR30 speaker and the Legacy Aeris as references, however I additionally understand that their sound displays completely different private decisions by their designers that led to variations of their sound. The identical has been true of the Wilson Audio and Magico audio system I’ve used as references prior to now.

Personal style in music additionally issues in optimizing a system and significantly in selecting a speaker. My targets are to get the absolute best sound from chamber music, jazz teams, and single voice or small vocal teams. I’ve different audiophile pals who need one of the best sound from giant bands, full symphonies, or grand opera, and others who concentrate on getting one of the best sound from rock, people, and rap. I’ve one buddy who judges a system largely by its skill to loudly play the bottom organ notes, and one other that may by no means get away from the sound of the bottom digital bass.

“Quid est veritas?” a jesting Pilate mentioned. Reviewing the Tidal Piano G3 is all too good a reminder that seek for absolutely the sound—by producer, audiophile, or reviewer—has all the time been private, and the higher recordings, elements, set-up, and room adjustment get, the extra dominant private alternative turns into. In some ways, the one distinction between the human factor of high-end audio and the human factor of America’s more and more polarized politics is that the majority audiophiles would slightly take heed to music than argue.

The Sound of the Piano G3s

All that mentioned, I think that almost all of audiophiles will nonetheless respect the distinctive sound qualities of the Piano G3s. As I’ve famous from the start, they do have two limitations which can be a part of their design. They don’t present the deepest bass or play the loudest and most dynamic passages of in style or classical music with the least coloration, however these limitations are comparatively minor, even in a lot bigger and extra impartial listening rooms than they’re designed for. In the actual world, it takes a subwoofer setup to supply the bottom bass realistically, and nothing you could have in a real-world listening room goes the reproduce the reside sound of Mahler’s Eighth Symphony or the influence of the near-deafening wave of sound in a membership.

Even in a relatively giant listening room, the Piano G3s offered excellent general bass and dynamics, though you would possibly wish to transfer them a bit nearer to the rear wall than traditional, and you will have to experiment with bass take a look at tones or music to seek out one of the best location in rooms which have zones the place a speaker can expertise severe suckouts within the low finish—one thing that may be much more vital in small listening rooms than bigger ones. I’d additionally advise you to hear very rigorously to the extent of midbass power throughout setup. Doug White, Tidal’s Premium U.S. Dealer, put in the evaluate samples in my house and went by a really cautious set-up process. However, he positioned the G3s able the place there’s a slim zone of room points within the midbass.

Moving them about 12 inches confirmed that it actually was a room drawback slightly than a midbass drawback within the G3s. Even so, I discovered getting one of the best sound required a bit extra experimentation with the finer particulars of placement, toe-in, and listening place than traditional.

I additionally discovered that the Piano G3s nonetheless had barely much less obvious upper-bass/lower-midrange power than my reference audio system, though this had the impact of including a slight depth and width to the soundstage—and that soundstage bordered on the excellent in a number of listening positions in two completely different rooms.

When it involves soundstage, imaging, and general transparency, I’ve no reservations in any respect concerning the Tidal Piano G3’s sound high quality. No two speaker designs sound alike, however correctly arrange, the G3s carried out as nicely in these features as any set of audio system I’ve heard. They produced a large, open stage with glorious depth and imaging element (when the musical supply materials offered such data), they usually did so with pure and extremely detailed dynamic contrasts.

I’m now extra used to planar drivers than the diamond tweeter within the Piano G3, whose sound is marginally much less ahead than that of my references. However, that diamond tweeter in actually excellent in creating a comparatively vast listening space and was equally musically convincing. When the recording was ok and pure sufficient, the Piano G3 offered a degree of musical element that was exceptionally revealing, with no hint of hardening even at very loud volumes. From a room placement perspective, it additionally did so in each nearfield and extra regular listening positions, and in methods the place experimenting with positioning by way of the space between audio system and from the audio system to the listening place—and within the precise angle at which they level towards the listening place—paid off in offering a number of the finest sound I’ve heard.

The G3s’ compact measurement additionally paid off in permitting me to position them in positions that had a comparatively restricted influence on room decors—an element no true audiophile will ever care about, except he occurs to reside with just about anybody else.

In phrases of timbre and frequency response, the Piano G3s once more sounded barely extra distant within the higher midrange and treble that my references, however right here I need to stress the phrase “barely.” I’ve had the identical expertise with different good dynamic audio system and ribbon designs, and these are areas the place I’ve have heard equal or higher variations within the sound of reside music as I moved round inside completely different halls throughout a rehearsal.

This superior sound high quality was additionally clear once I began specializing in the sound of various devices and voices. The Piano G3s do very nicely in getting the complete vary of sound high quality out of solo, choral, and grand opera music. The sound of a spread of female and male voices, and the extent of element from even one of the best vocal recordings, was as a lot of a pleasure because the supply materials and affiliate elements permitted.

The identical was true in listening to the musical realism of various devices apart from these with the deepest bass, and even right here I’d say that the extent of pure element the G3s supplied with Bach organ music, and even oddities like Kodo drums, largely offset the shortage of deep-bass power you hear from bigger audio system. Percussion element was distinctive, even with cymbals from essentially the most advanced jazz performances. Woodwinds and brass have been equally good, with not one of the contact of dryness within the woodwinds or edge within the brass you generally discover even in in any other case excellent audio system.

As for strings and piano, the extent of element and naturalness of timbre clearly distinguished between completely different devices, and the imaging once more was as pure because the recording. As is the case with all top-quality audio system, the Piano G3s do all too good a job of showing studio-assembled music the place the soundstage by no means actually existed or was modified out of existence, however listening to music that is dependent upon extreme multimiking, mixing separate tracks, and reinventing the sound is, I suppose, a matter of style. The excellent news is you could actually respect a well-miked reside efficiency and one miked to supply true stereo.

Summing Up

No speaker is all issues to all audiophiles. The Tidal Piano G3 is, nevertheless, a very progressive method to coping with actual room and decor points in ways in which reproduce nearly all one of the best high-end efficiency of a lot bigger loudspeakers.

Specs & Pricing

Type: 2-way/2.5-way dynamic loudspeaker
Driver complement: 1x unique 1.2″ Gen 2 diamond tweeter; 2x unique 7″ Gen 2 black ceramic mid/woofers
Sensitivity: 86dB
Nominal impedance: 4 ohms (3.2 ohms minimal)
Recommended energy: 30 watts minimal
Frequency response: 38Hz–>55kHz (anechoic), -6dB; 150Hz–18kHz (anechoic), ±1.2dB
Dimensions: 9.6″ x 45.6″ x 15.5″
Weight: 154 lbs. every (delivery weight, 233 lbs. every in flight circumstances)
Price: $64,000/pr. in Midnight Gloss Black (non-compulsory veneers at additional cost)

TIDAL AUDIO GMBH
Immendorfer Strasse 1H
50354 Hürth
Germany
tidal-audio.com

The Voice That Is (Premium U.S. Dealer)
Doug White
(610) 574-2518

The put up Tidal Piano G3 appeared first on The Absolute Sound.

Peggy Lee’s Twice-GRAMMY-nominated I’m A Woman A Fun High Resolution Stream On 96/24 Qobuz Hi Res and CD-Quality Tidal MQA 


There is a enjoyable new sixtieth anniversary reissue by legendary singer and composer Peggy Lee now streaming from the oldsters at Universal Music and Capitol Records that’s actually fairly fascinating, a time capsule actually. I believed a few of you Dear Readers of AudiophileReview who prefer to stream excessive decision audio may take pleasure in it.

Some background perspective to contemplate from the official press launch for this album: “Originally launched in March 1963, I’m A Woman spent 26 weeks on the Billboard album chart. Now perennially related to Peggy Lee, the title monitor and album’s first single, “I’m A Woman,” spent 9 weeks on Billboard’s Hot 100 and garnered Lee a 1962 GRAMMY nomination for Best Solo Vocal Performance, Female. A second GRAMMY nomination adopted in 1963 for Best Vocal Performance, Female”

If you’re a comparatively new or informal fan of Peggy Lee’s music — as I’m — it actually helps to get your self within the mindset of the time and place that this music was made to completely respect it. Specifically, mid century America… that’s submit World War II…  submit Korean War… in the midst of the Cold War with Russia…  and with the Vietnam War sneaking up simply as some of us have been beginning to attempt to sit back a bit…

It is 1963…  Elvis is within the films after popping out of the military. Be Bop is lengthy over and Jazz generally is beginning to odor humorous to some (paraphrasing Frank Zappa, if you’ll). Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, Richie Valens and Eddie Cochran are gone. Rock and roll is sort of over save for Phil Spector’s productions and The Beatles haven’t actually taken off fairly but as a world phenomenon (Capitol’s Meet The Beatles was launch in January 1964). President John F. Kennedy was nonetheless alive and nicely when Peggy Lee’s I’m A Woman was initially launched. 

Picture your self for a second in an ideal suburban snapshot of the American dream… like that also gorgeous opening scene of David Lynch’s Blue Velvet, all technicolor and vivid greener-than-green lawns, redder-than-red firetrucks, whiter-than-white picket fences….blissfully glad Wonder Bread Moms and a pair of.5 children per family working across the yards.  Amidst all of the darkness underlying that blissful dream state, there was a lot want for escapism and softer themes. For the children who grew up within the 40s by the Nineteen Sixties many have been now younger mother and father and nicely on their option to turning into the older era in want of sunshine escapist leisure that wasn’t Mitch Miller and possibly a little bit headier than Lawrence Welk.

Peggy Lee’s I’m A Woman crammed not less than half-hour of the enjoyment America wanted at that second in time.  

Curiously, the Women’s’ liberation motion hadn’t fairly taken off by this level as a mass motion so the title monitor’s lyrics — written by the legendary male hit songwriting duo Leiber & Stoller (“Hound Dog,” “Kansas City,” “Yakety Yak,” and so on.) — are a double edged sword. Here, Peggy particulars in mock-bluesy splendor all of the issues a girl might do higher and quicker than a person might — however solely largely citing home tasks and residential chores as examples!  So this isn’t the fashionable twenty first century girl Peggy is championing right here — the enterprise homeowners, engineers and scientists who do way more along with simply being relegated to the position of glad home-maker placed on earth to serve men-kind. 

I imply, try the primary verse lyrics:

“I can wash out 44 pairs of socks and have ’em hangin out on the road
I can starch & iron 2 dozens shirts ‘fore you may depend from 1 to 9
I can scoop up a fantastic massive dipper stuffed with lard from the drippins can
Throw it within the skillet, exit & do my procuring, be again earlier than it melts within the pan
‘Cause I’m a girl! W-O-M-A-N, I’ll say it once more”

Nina Simone would have in all probability cringed if she heard a few of these lyrics! 

Anyhow, all that apart on I’m A Woman right here we discover Peggy in all probability backed by some nice Wrecking Crew musicians recorded in Hollywood. One of the stuff you don’t get with streaming is authentic liner notes so I needed to look on-line and discover a picture of the unique again cowl (thanks Discogs!).  There are some nice gamers on this together with drummer Stan Levey, pianist Mike Malvoin, guitarists Al Hendrickson and John Pisano in addition to the legendary Max Bennett (who seven years later performed on Zappa’s Hot Rats!). The nice Benny Carter conducts on a number of tracks together with the title opus.

She tackles Tony Bennett’s signature “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” as a form of slow-mambo for shut dancing. Here Peggy covers Ricky Nelson’s “I’m Walking” in a form of awkward quasi-rock ’n roll vibe that might enable you so sway your hips with out spilling a drop of your excellent Manhattan. There is a splendidly awkward tongue-in-cheek samba take of Kurt Weill’s “Mack The Knife” which is very shiny and sunny in marked distinction to the lyrics that are a couple of assassin. 

I’m A Woman was made again within the early 60s — in all probability Capitol Records’ then state-of-the-art studios in Hollywood — so these are little doubt very good sounding, excessive constancy recordings. The reissue’s producers have presened this music in a comparatively uncompressed method, providing streams as much as 96 kHz, 24-bits. Thehigh decision stream sounds glorious, remarkably heat and wealthy, crisp and quiet.  

These are early Stereo mixes, so go into this count on excessive separation, with at occasions drums and strings on one channel with vocals and bass on the opposite.  That is a part of the mid-century appeal of those recordings.

There can also be a CD-quality expanded version of the album which sounds fairly good for the primary twelve songs however once you get to the bonus tracks the sound will get a bit brighter at occasions (some tracks are in Mono). There you’ll hear some enjoyable outtakes just like the swinging “Close Your Eyes” and the bluesy model of “Try A Little Tenderness” (sure, this is similar tune that Otis Redding become a rock ’n soul epic some 5 years later; it was initially written in within the Thirties!)

Its fantastic listening to Ms. Lee on an unreleased duet-of-a-sort with Bobby Darin on “Jealous” who was a scorching star of the occasions who had signed to Capitol Records; I gained’t spoil it however their frivolously spirited banter earlier than the tune is enjoyable.

You can leap to I’m A Woman on Tidal in 16-bit, 44.1 kHz MQA format by clicking right here. To hear it in 96 kHz, 24-bit constancy, head over to Qobuz Hi Res (click on right here) and whereas there you may as well hear the “Expanded Edition” (CD Quality, click on right here). It can also be on Apple Music () if you happen to use that platform. 

So what are you ready for? Pour your self a martini, sit down in your sofa, put your toes up on the espresso desk and for a second take a little bit journey into one other time and place with Peggy Lee’s I’m A Woman.

Peggy Lee’s Twice-GRAMMY-nominated I’m A Woman A Fun High Resolution Stream On 96/24 Qobuz Hi Res and CD-Quality Tidal MQA 


There is a enjoyable new sixtieth anniversary reissue by legendary singer and composer Peggy Lee now streaming from the oldsters at Universal Music and Capitol Records that’s actually fairly fascinating, a time capsule actually. I believed a few of you Dear Readers of AudiophileReview who wish to stream excessive decision audio would possibly get pleasure from it.

Some background perspective to contemplate from the official press launch for this album: “Originally launched in March 1963, I’m A Woman spent 26 weeks on the Billboard album chart. Now perennially related to Peggy Lee, the title observe and album’s first single, “I’m A Woman,” spent 9 weeks on Billboard’s Hot 100 and garnered Lee a 1962 GRAMMY nomination for Best Solo Vocal Performance, Female. A second GRAMMY nomination adopted in 1963 for Best Vocal Performance, Female”

If you’re a comparatively new or informal fan of Peggy Lee’s music — as I’m — it actually helps to get your self within the mindset of the time and place that this music was made to completely recognize it. Specifically, mid century America… that’s put up World War II…  put up Korean War… in the midst of the Cold War with Russia…  and with the Vietnam War sneaking up simply as some of us had been beginning to attempt to relax a bit…

It is 1963…  Elvis is within the motion pictures after popping out of the military. Be Bop is lengthy over and Jazz typically is beginning to scent humorous to some (paraphrasing Frank Zappa, if you’ll). Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, Richie Valens and Eddie Cochran are gone. Rock and roll is sort of over save for Phil Spector’s productions and The Beatles haven’t actually taken off fairly but as a world phenomenon (Capitol’s Meet The Beatles was launch in January 1964). President John F. Kennedy was nonetheless alive and nicely when Peggy Lee’s I’m A Woman was initially launched. 

Picture your self for a second in an ideal suburban snapshot of the American dream… like that also beautiful opening scene of David Lynch’s Blue Velvet, all technicolor and vivid greener-than-green lawns, redder-than-red firetrucks, whiter-than-white picket fences….blissfully comfortable Wonder Bread Moms and a couple of.5 children per family operating across the yards.  Amidst all of the darkness underlying that blissful dream state, there was a lot want for escapism and softer themes. For the children who grew up within the 40s by the Nineteen Sixties many had been now younger dad and mom and nicely on their solution to changing into the older technology in want of sunshine escapist leisure that wasn’t Mitch Miller and possibly slightly headier than Lawrence Welk.

Peggy Lee’s I’m A Woman stuffed at the very least half-hour of the enjoyment America wanted at that second in time.  

Curiously, the Women’s’ liberation motion hadn’t fairly taken off by this level as a mass motion so the title observe’s lyrics — written by the legendary male hit songwriting duo Leiber & Stoller (“Hound Dog,” “Kansas City,” “Yakety Yak,” and so on.) — are a double edged sword. Here, Peggy particulars in mock-bluesy splendor all of the issues a lady may do higher and sooner than a person may — however solely largely citing house responsibilities and residential chores as examples!  So this isn’t the trendy twenty first century girl Peggy is championing right here — the enterprise house owners, engineers and scientists who do rather more along with simply being relegated to the function of comfortable home-maker placed on earth to serve men-kind. 

I imply, try the primary verse lyrics:

“I can wash out 44 pairs of socks and have ’em hangin out on the road
I can starch & iron 2 dozens shirts ‘fore you’ll be able to depend from 1 to 9
I can scoop up an awesome large dipper stuffed with lard from the drippins can
Throw it within the skillet, exit & do my procuring, be again earlier than it melts within the pan
‘Cause I’m a lady! W-O-M-A-N, I’ll say it once more”

Nina Simone would have most likely cringed if she heard a few of these lyrics! 

Anyhow, all that apart on I’m A Woman right here we discover Peggy most likely backed by some nice Wrecking Crew musicians recorded in Hollywood. One of the belongings you don’t get with streaming is authentic liner notes so I needed to look on-line and discover a picture of the unique again cowl (thanks Discogs!).  There are some nice gamers on this together with drummer Stan Levey, pianist Mike Malvoin, guitarists Al Hendrickson and John Pisano in addition to the legendary Max Bennett (who seven years later performed on Zappa’s Hot Rats!). The nice Benny Carter conducts on a number of tracks together with the title opus.

She tackles Tony Bennett’s signature “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” as a type of slow-mambo for shut dancing. Here Peggy covers Ricky Nelson’s “I’m Walking” in a type of awkward quasi-rock ’n roll vibe that might enable you so sway your hips with out spilling a drop of your good Manhattan. There is a splendidly awkward tongue-in-cheek samba take of Kurt Weill’s “Mack The Knife” which is particularly vibrant and sunny in marked distinction to the lyrics that are a few assassin. 

I’m A Woman was made again within the early 60s — most likely Capitol Records’ then state-of-the-art studios in Hollywood — so these are little question very good sounding, excessive constancy recordings. The reissue’s producers have presened this music in a comparatively uncompressed method, providing streams as much as 96 kHz, 24-bits. Thehigh decision stream sounds glorious, remarkably heat and wealthy, crisp and quiet.  

These are early Stereo mixes, so go into this count on excessive separation, with at occasions drums and strings on one channel with vocals and bass on the opposite.  That is a part of the mid-century appeal of those recordings.

There can be a CD-quality expanded version of the album which sounds fairly good for the primary twelve songs however whenever you get to the bonus tracks the sound will get a bit brighter at occasions (some tracks are in Mono). There you’ll hear some enjoyable outtakes just like the swinging “Close Your Eyes” and the bluesy model of “Try A Little Tenderness” (sure, this is identical tune that Otis Redding was a rock ’n soul epic some 5 years later; it was initially written in within the Thirties!)

Its great listening to Ms. Lee on an unreleased duet-of-a-sort with Bobby Darin on “Jealous” who was a sizzling star of the occasions who had signed to Capitol Records; I gained’t spoil it however their flippantly spirited banter earlier than the tune is enjoyable.

You can leap to I’m A Woman on Tidal in 16-bit, 44.1 kHz MQA format by clicking right here. To hear it in 96 kHz, 24-bit constancy, head over to Qobuz Hi Res (click on right here) and whereas there you may also hear the “Expanded Edition” (CD Quality, click on right here). It can be on Apple Music () for those who use that platform. 

So what are you ready for? Pour your self a martini, sit down in your sofa, put your toes up on the espresso desk and for a second take slightly journey into one other time and place with Peggy Lee’s I’m A Woman.

Mix Blog: Bluetooth High-Quality Streaming on the Horizon

Bluetooth High-Quality Streaming on the Horizon

By now you may be aware of the fact that a number of music streaming services are offering high-res options for those of us who still care about audio quality. Amazon Music HD, Qobuz, Tidal and Apple Music’s Lossless Tier all offer CD-quality (lossless) streaming at 16-bit/44.1 kHz, with high-res options up to 24-bit/192 kHz—the latter typically at additional cost.

Unsurprisingly, Amazon Music HD is the 800-pound gorilla in the room, boasting a high-res library of more than 75 million songs. Notably absent from this list is Spotify, which announced lossless music streaming two years ago for Spotify Premium users but has yet to deliver on the promise. Nonetheless, it looks like high-quality music streaming has finally arrived.

That’s great news for listeners who want high-res audio and are willing to go the route of adding a network streaming device to their home entertainment setup. Streaming devices such as the Bel Canto e.One Stream Network Streamer provide audio outputs (analog and/or digital) that can be connected to a hi-fi preamp, which is probably the way to go if your goal is to listen to music at the highest quality possible. Others, like the Bluesound VAULT 2i, provide hardwired audio outputs, as well as the option to stream via Bluetooth. And that’s where audio quality comes into question.

It’s tough to debate the convenience of connecting a music player to loudspeakers via Bluetooth. The concept of not having to run wires inevitably evokes a response of “sign me up!” among most users, understandably so. But the sad truth is that for many listeners, the last step in the signal chain is Bluetooth, whether it be a powered BT speaker or BT headphones. Unfortunately—while BT Classic does support audio streaming and employs codecs such as SBC, aptX or LDAC to improve audio quality—its bandwidth limitations were never intended to support high-res streaming. Bluetooth LE (Low Energy) is of no more use to audiophiles than Classic, as it too was never designed for audio streaming.

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Thankfully, help is on the way. In July 2022, the Bluetooth Special Interest Group completed a full set of specifications for LE Audio, opening the door for development of the next generation of BT audio devices, and promising increased audio quality due in large part to the implementation of two new codecs.

Developed by Fraunhofer IIS and Ericsson, the Low Complexity Communication Codec (LC3) and LC3plus codecs enable high-quality audio streaming on wireless headsets or speakers via BTLE. All reports indicate that the LC3 codec sounds much better than SBC, aptX or LDAC, while at the same time reducing power consumption and latency.

LE Audio also incorporates Auracast, a feature that enables an audio source transmitter (e.g., a smart TV) to transmit to an unlimited number of audio receivers—so now you can have a silent binge party for your favorite show.

Using LC3, audio can be streamed via BTLE at resolutions up to 96 kHz/32-bit, with relatively low (125 to 250 kbps) bit rates. The reduced bitrate required by LC3 and LC3plus will provide higher audio quality at lower power requirements, facilitating high-res music streaming, as well as allowing development of smaller, more efficient and more accurate hearing aid devices. Products incorporating the technology are already available, spearheaded by the release of the Sennheiser RS 120-W wireless headphones released last August.

Stay tuned… there’s more to come.

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Dave McNair’s Wrap-Up | Toronto Audiofest 2022

Toronto Audiofest 2022 For a long time, my day-to-day work in music production was all I needed to escape the constant turmoil of current events worldwide. Lately, those events are more than just concerning, they’re […]

Lyngdorf TDAI-1120-Update

Lyngdorf TDAI-1120-Update

Lyngdorf kündigt eine neue Software-Aktualisierung an. Das Lyngdorf TDAI-1120-Update erweitert die Funktionen für ihren bisher kleinsten Digitalverstärker um Tidal Connect sowie MQA-Unterstützung.

Lyngdorf TDAI-1120 Streaming-Verstärker

Das Update wird für alle TDAI-1120-Besitzer kostenlos erhältlich sein und erweitert die zahlreichen Musikstreaming-Funktionen um Tidal Connect. Tidal Connect ermöglicht es dem Nutzer, die verlustfreie Audioqualität der Plattform per Knopfdruck direkt über das Netzwerk auf den TDAI-1120 zu streamen.

MQA-Unterstützung ist ebenfalls dabei

Das Update umfasst darüber hinaus die Unterstützung von MQA (Master Quality Authenticated). Der in den TDAI-1120 eingebettete MQA Core Decoder entfaltet eine MQA-Datei einmal, um sie in besserer als CD-Qualität (typischerweise 96 kHz / 24 Bit) wiederzugeben.

Lyngdorf TDAI-1120 Streaming-Verstärker

Der integrierte MQA-Decoder ist eine wichtige Ergänzung zu Tidal Connect, da er die Wiedergabe von Dateien mit höherer Auflösung ermöglicht. Beispielsweise findet sich auf Tidal eine wachsende Auswahl an Masters-Alben und -Wiedergabelisten. MQA-Dateien lassen sich zudem über UPnP und Roon abspielen.

Mit diesem Update wird der integrierte Media-Player des TDAI-1120 um eine weitere Musik-Streaming-Option ergänzt, die nun folgende Funktionen umfasst: Roon Ready, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Google Chromecast, Apple AirPlay 2, DLNA-Unterstütz-ung (UPnP), lokale Dateiwiedergabe (USB), Internetradio (vTuner), Bluetooth.

Lyngdorf TDAI-1120 Streaming-Verstärker

Tidal Connect wurde bereits in Lyngdorfs Flaggschiff-Verstärker TDAI-3400 im Jahr 2020 eingeführt, gefolgt von MQA im Jahr 2021. Die gleichen Ergänzungen für den TDAI-1120 folgen nun dem Ansatz von Lyngdorf Audio, seine Verstärker und Mehrkanalprozessoren kontinuierlich mit neuen Funktionen auszustatten, um sie für bestehende und neue Kunden auf dem neuesten Stand zu halten.

Das Lyngdorf TDAI-1120-Update ist ab sofort verfügbar und kann über das App-Menü des Verstärkers oder durch einen externen Upload von einem USB-Speicher aufgerufen werden.

Lyngdorf TDAI-1120 Streaming-Verstärker

Über Tidal

Tidal ist der erste globale Musik-Streaming-Dienst mit über 90 Millionen Songs in verlustfreier Audioqualität sowie Musikvideos und kuratierten Playlisten.

Über MQA

MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) ist eine preisgekrönte britische Technologie, die den Klang der ursprünglichen Master-Aufnahme wiedergibt. Eine MQA-Masterdatei ist vollständig authentifiziert und klein genug, um gestreamt oder heruntergeladen zu werden.

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Der Beitrag Lyngdorf TDAI-1120-Update erschien zuerst auf FIDELITY online.

TIDAL Audio Launches New Digital Source

Hürth, Germany | June 2022 – Effective Immediately, TIDAL-Audio GmbH is proud to announce the TIDAL Contros, a new digital controller.

The TIDAL Contros is designed to be the perfect digital music content controller for TIDAL high-end systems. This is the first TIDAL masterpiece directly benefitting from the ultra-exclusive TIDAL for Bugatti project and its MC-1 controller as basically a synergy-scaled version. The TIDAL Contros combines core technologies from the Camira, Arkas and Prisma within one cabinet. All it needs is power, ethernet, then connection to a power amp and it’s ready to perform at TIDAL reference level, to simplify the listeners experience without compromising it.

SPECIFICATIONS
• • TIDAL Contros: level controlled digital-to-music converter with streaming unit and 4 digital inputs
• • pure discrete designed 32-bit non-oversampling 8xR2R ladder DAC without pre-ringing and post-ringing proprietary and ASRT² Analog Signal Remediation Technology
• • lossless volume control: the signal output level is directly adjusted inside the ladder DAC
• • metal remote control
• • every function-module in the TIDAL Contros has its own voltage supply, separated for each channel
• • 3 x SPDIF in: coaxial RCA, AES XLR, optical
• • 1 x proprietary TIDAL-link input interface with high-speed low voltage differential signal driver/receiver
• • fully discrete Class-A output amplifier, balanced and unbalanced output
• • music data streaming input: LAN ethernet (1000 BASE-T), USB storage/hard disk (single partition FAT32, NTFS, exFAT, EXT2/3)
• • multi clock system for utmost precision in timing, MQA decoding, DSD over PCM support
• • UPnP AV protocol with audio streaming extension, gapless playback
• • supported formats: DSF (DSD), DFF (DSD), DoP (DSD), FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF, MQA, MP3, AAC (M4A)
• • native support for Tidal music streaming, Qobuz music streaming, MQA, Apple AirPlay, TuneIn internet radio, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect music streaming
• • Dimensions: 44cm x 13cm x 39cm / 17.3″ x 5.1″ x 15.3″ (width x height x length)
• • Weight: 36 lbs. / 16,6 kg
• • US price: USD $60.000
• • More info and photos: www.tidal-audio.com/contros

The post TIDAL Audio Launches New Digital Source appeared first on The Absolute Sound.

Listening Report: David Crosby’s Solo Debut On Vinyl Vs. Plangent Processes Streams

So, you all know by now that I’m a big fan of vinyl and all things analog. But I also recognize that in some instances modern technologies outside of that realm can benefit the sound on certain recordings. 

Some of you also know by now that I am a big fan of David Crosby’s music. Most recently I reviewed the quite stunning new Plangent Processes-restored and remastered version of Crosby’s solo debut, If I Could Only Remember My Name. In case you missed my review, please click here to read it as there were quite a number of insights I found in writing this up, particularly comparing the new high resolution Plangent Processes version of the album to an earlier conventional transfer at CD quality as well as to the earlier high resolution Stereo mix on the 2006 DVD Audio edition (which still remains essential as it contains the fantastic 5.0 surround mix…) 

As much as I liked the stream, I wasn’t yet 100-percent resolved toward it as I knew there was a new vinyl edition coming out mastered off the original analog master tapes — no digital stages. So, I was curious to hear how they would compare before making a decision. I bought a stock copy of the album as soon as my favorite local store got it in so I could hear how it stacked up.

In general, the new vinyl edition sounds very good, at least as good as my original “white label” promo copy of the album and in many ways much better. But I have to admit my listening experiences with this album have been “spoiled”  (if you will) by that fantastic aforementioned 2006 DVD Audio Disc which I love for its 5.0 surround sound remix — it is one of my all time favorite demo discs!  

And now having spent quite a bit of time with the 192 kHz, 24-bit Plangent-restored version streaming on Tidal and Qobuz, it is probably going to be hard for me to go back to a plain vinyl version for a definitive listening experience (more on that in a bit). The Plangent version feels more true to the performances that were recorded.

Plangent’s technology has been used by no less than Bruce Springsteen and The Grateful Dead. It is renown for its impact in not only correcting for tape speed and other mechanical recording anomalies which can create playback irregularities — such as physical tape edits, of which there are often many in the analog realm. These sorts of challenges, especially inherent in early analog recordings, ultimately can change the flavor of a recording, sometimes dramatically, outside of the artist’s original intention. To learn more about Plangent, please click here

For this listening report I admit that in some ways I have effectively been comparing apples to oranges, so please keep that in mind — as I have — while writing this up.  My turntable is a very respectable Music Hall MMF 7.1 fitted with a Goldring cartridge running through a Bellari tube pre-amp.  For my wireless streaming I use a MacBook Pro fed into a Mytek Brooklyn DAC.  Both systems have their pluses and minuses, I acknowledge, but generally sound excellent depending on the recording. 

That said, the big difference I’m noticing between the two versions is that the vinyl feels reined in relative to what I have been hearing when playing the high resolution 192 kHz, 24-bit streams (“MQA” format on Tidal, “Hi Res” on Qobuz). 

Taken on its own, the new vinyl sounds really nice, great even. 

The Plangent-restored streaming version — newly mastered by Dave Collins — sounds especially fine, as if a layer of distance between the music and my ears has been removed. When I’m listening to it I’m hearing more dynamics, a greater sense of the recording studio and the space surrounding the instruments and singers. 

The definition on the instruments especially feels generally tighter and more realistic on the Plangent stream. This is saying something given that I generally consider If I Could Only Remember My Name to be one of the most beautifully recorded albums in music history. 

Some perspectives from my listening comparison follow which will hopefully paint a picture of the difference in the experience, mostly reflecting on the quality of the streaming version vs. the vinyl. On “Music Is Love,” the congas are especially huge and Phil Lesh’s bass omnipresent. A times you can almost feel the woody presence of the guitars and the distinctive slap of fleshy human hand claps.

The intro to “Cowboy Movie” feels tight and punchy on the streams, yet it it appears somewhat less powerful on the vinyl (both on my original pressing and new version).  The handclaps feel super natural on the stream, so one can almost make out how many people are in the room clapping, it is that much more distinct. The staging is good on the vinyl but isn’t quite as dramatic as it could be — the room depth isn’t as apparent. Ultimately, the the music doesn’t feel quite as present, feels restrained. The kick drum is strong enough on the vinyl but feels a bit subdued compared to the definition on the stream.

That kick drum on “Tamalpais High” sounds super full and round. Overall, the drum kit comes across as more realistic and the playing seems to be swinging very naturally. On the stream you can feel how tightly connected the drum and bass parts are on this session which isn’t quite as apparent in the vinyl versions. Jerry Garcia’s guitar / amplifier tone is gorgeous here. 

The tempo (and perhaps the intonation) of the music at times feels more consistent on the streaming version. This is hard to write about of course, but for one example that jumps out at me, listen at the end of “Tamalpais High” around the 3:15 mark where Phil’s bass comes in with those final notes. On the vinyl they seem to veer a bit off the mark somehow and it isn’t quite that way on the stream (I suspect this might be due to tape speed variances which were rectified via Plangent).

“Traction In The Rain” is an acoustic guitar showcase. Close your eyes and it sounds like Croz is vocalizing right in front of you. Take note of the moment of extended acoustic guitar resonance on the right channel on the chorus/bridge sections, which almost sounds like low level feedback. It is a really cool detail that I’d not noticed on the other versions.  The impact of the picks on the guitar strings come through super clear now. Its easy to miss that sort of detailing on the vinyl version. 

“Laughing” is a particularly good test track. Listen for those those long held notes when there are musical breaks in the song, it really put the vinyl to a test and frankly the high resolution streaming version sounds more definitive. Joni Mitchell’s vocals are also more vivid at the end there … 

Flipping between these two versions is a bit idyllic, I admit. It is kind of the difference between a listening experience that is simply beautiful vs. another that is utterly drop-dead gorgeous. 

So what comes next for David Crosby’s If I Could Only Remember My Name? Well, I’m no soothsayer but I can tell you what I would like to hear. 

I think it would be smart for Rhino Records to issue a comprehensive Blu-ray Disc edition of the album including the new 192 kHz, 24-bit Plangent Processes-restored version of the album as well as the 2006 5.0 surround sound remix (96 kHz, 24-Bit).  In a perfect world there would be a new Plangent-restored 192 kHz, 24-bit surround sound remix from the multi-tracks, particularly in the new Dolby Atmos format — don’t worry, I’m not holding my breath for that!

I would like to see them also include the original analog tape version in a so-called “flat transfer” also at 192 kHz, 24-bit.  Steven Wilson has done this on many of his fantastic remix projects for King Crimson, Yes and many other great audiophile-friendly bands/artists.  Having all these different versions on one disc is very handy as it lets you switch back and forth between versions of the album in as close to an apples-to-apples scenario as possible. 

It would be great if they included all the bonus tracks from the new CD version in high resolution (as they are on the Qobuz and Tidal streams). 

The other thing that would make sense is to include a vinyl pressing made off the Plangent-restored version of the album — this would give vinyl fans a best of all possible worlds scenario I’d suspect (akin to Springsteen and some of The Grateful Dead’s vinyl reissues). 

I would also want them to include Steve Silberman’s fine new liner notes (which are oddly absent from the new vinyl edition). 

Combining all those elements would make for a mighty fine super deluxe edition boxed set, don’t you think?

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