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HDTracks directly in to Kaleidescape

iansilv

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 5, 2007
Messages
712
OK, I am starting a new thread for this idea to see if anyone has input and to hopefully get some thoughts or commentary from K.

HDTracks.com has been selling high resolution audio for a while now, and they recently started offering the Rolling Stones. They seem to really be getting traction as a source for high quality recordings from main stream artists. I would think it would be easy to get the maximum quality audio files to play back from K's hardware...

Does anyone have thoughts on K working with HDTracks to add an official way to download directly or copy easily the HDTracks high resolution audio files to a K server so they can be played in their high resolution native format?
 
Wasn't there something about how a lot of those were really just standard resolution audio that has been upscaled? Maybe it was a different provider, but I recall a little bit of hubbub going on with that recently...
 
It would be nice to have for sure. But this would require a bit accurate method of getting the data out. How would it be stored? If the original source file is high res PCM could the players we currently have work with that? I would think yes because I think they can pass along the high res PCM on BR discs like Kingdom of Heaven. However I wouldn't want to assume anything and I can tell you for a fact that for CDs the PCM data is resampled when you go over HDMI. To get it bit accurate you have to go out via the SPDIF (coax or toshlink). The thing is PCM I dont think can handle more than the 2 channels of 44.1/16khz PCM you get with CD. So HDMI would be the interface for transmitting it, thus giving me a little concern.
 
I'm a novice at the high-res audio, but my understanding is that you would get the song file in FLAC format from HD Tracks and the only way to get that to burn (at the 96/24 or 192/24 resolution) would be to a DVD-Audio or DVD-Video disc. I know that you cannot import a DVD-Audio disc into K, but you should be able to import a DVD-Video disc in? I have done that for home videos, but do you need special burning software to burn a DVD-video disc at that full/high resolution. I don't think iDVD for Mac (for example) will go higher than the CD sampling rate?

not sure, this is just what I have gathered from my research as I was looking to get some of the new offerings from HD Tracks now that they have apparently expanded their licensing agreements to get more commercial offerings. The early Abcko Stones albums that they released were the first, and they seem to be offering more each week. Originally, there was minimal pop/rock and mainly just Jazz/classical/vocal.
 
Youre right but I think the idea here would be to download directly to the K system. Thereby skipping the physical disc step. If its in FLAC you would need to decode the FLAC somewhere.
 
Yes- exactly- download directly in to the Kaleidescape system. Maybe it's something where you could initiate the purchase at your home through their website, and then K's servers send the audio files down to your system, like a system update...
 
If I could import HD tracks directly into my Kaleidescape system is something I would be interested in. I hope K can facilitate a collaboration here with the HDTracks download service.
 
One thing to consider is when someone does something, in this case, like offer HD tracks, there are always the "haters" who will spread rumors. I don't know if its true or not, I trust Rbienstock is correct, but the point is to be skeptical both of the claim and the criticism.
 
I remember seeing something about it somewhere but I cannot find the link to the story. I don't know if it was legit or has been debunked but I would like to read it in detail. What I saw wasn't a posting in an internet forum or a blog but some AV webzine type thing. I just am bummed I cannot find it now.

At any rate, it is good to have high res audio available for download and hope consumers embrace it because it seems like in the quality vs convenience and/or cost battle, quality rarely wins out.
 
I would very much like to keep High Resolution music on my K server. At present there are numerous suppliers of High Resolution music. High End HiFi manufacturers are becoming increasingly active in this area. I would not like to be restricted to music available from just one supplier.

It is still early days in the world of downloadable High Resolution music. There are many variables associated with playing and getting the best listening experience from such music. Ultimately a lot of these choices are personal to the listener. Many High End Hifi manufacturers have yet to fully embrace the highest resolutions available. Additionally, the original source needs to be of sufficient quality to make the extra cost of purchase worthwhile, this not always the case at the moment.

If a K system is to be made capable of importing, storing and playing High Resolution music I expect it will take a significant investment in hardware and software. I suspect there would be little return for that investment at present. However, I do expect High Resolution music will be compatible with a K system at some point in the future.

Imagine a Music Store closely related to K dedicated to providing high quality High Resolution music along with rich Metadata, that would be of interest to me.
 
The person behind HD Tracks is David Chesky who has run an audiophile record label for many years now. He has a real commitment to audio quality and wouldn't tolerate the kind of phony high-resolution trickery described in this thread. Also, if you check, the only 24 bit content available on HD Tracks is stuff that is also available in 24 bit from other sources, either DVD-Audio, SACD or download.
 
Perhaps it was a different service that was doing that. Certainly Chesky's reputation speaks for itself. I feel bad having brought it up now but I do recall seeing that article somewhere - I just cannot find it now and I would like to know the specific claims they were making and who it was about.
 
Wow- very recently the latest software update for the Meridian Sooloos system handles 192/24 files... so I guess the best quality audio that you can buy through hdtracks can now be imported in to the Meridian Sooloos as is, and played back without quality loss...
 
Great news thanks for sharing. Kudos to Meridian they are doing a great job with Sooloos.
 
Wow- very recently the latest software update for the Meridian Sooloos system handles 192/24 files... so I guess the best quality audio that you can buy through hdtracks can now be imported in to the Meridian Sooloos as is, and played back without quality loss...

Indeed. I think before Kscape can start worrying about importing high-rez music, they need to catch up to what others have been doing for several years: exporting music to Apple computers, exporting uncompressed music, and importing music of ANY resolution or file format at all, let alone 192/24. And that's without touching on internet music sources. +1 for Sooloos here.
 
Next to hd resolution, it would be a huge leap forward, if Kscape would support streaming to other HighEnd MediaClients like the LINN or Naim Series. I would appreciate that very much, because I could then dump the unstable Twonky media stuff with really shitty control programs on the IPad/IPhone.
 
I would appreciate that very much, because I could then dump the unstable Twonky media stuff with really shitty control programs on the IPad/IPhone.

Me too. I have all my music on Twonky and on Kaleidscape (with Kscape feeding iTunes with 1 playlist per user account, and 1 user account per member of my family). I run Linn DS stuff for music in two rooms, and kscape (via linn knekt) for multiroom audio.

I'd love it if the Kscape could serve the music to the Linn - but I'd also can come up with a long list of why Kaleidescape shouldn't do this (i.e risk decreasing the quality of the whole system). I'd pay a licence fee I think to make the kscape serve multiple uPnP streams.

Richard
 
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