Two weeks ago I toured world famous Abbey Road Studios in London, England. I was fortunate to be lead around by a gentleman who has been with Abbey Road since 1965. I don't believe there is anyone on the planet with more knowledge of this Studio and what's taken place over decades at the Studio than this person (who shall remain nameless unfortunately). During the personal tour I was introduced to someone who'd won a Grammy for his work on Beatles 2009 remastered albums. After a brief introduction I had to ask about the sample rate(s) used for the 2009 releases and if we'd soon hear The Beatles in high resolution.
It's not often that rumors make the front page of Computer Audiophile, but this one is too big to ignore. I awoke this morning to an inbox full of links to articles talking about improved sound quality from the iTunes Store. Disbelief was my first reaction. After reading a couple of the articles I believe this is going to happen and I couldn't be more excited. It looks like Apple will offer 24 bit downloads through the iTunes Store for a premium price. There is no speculation as to the sample rate (44.1, 48, 88.2, 96 kHz) of the future downloads. In the articles discussing the new developments are a couple quotes from Dr. Dre. One quote that I really like has Dr. Dre saying people should hear the music the way he does. CA Readers who watched the Grammy Awards will recognize this phrase from the HP tablet commercials with Alicia Keys echoing the same "Hear it like I do" phrase. Better sound quality and hearing music like the artists hear it is a wonderful thing.
One of my daily routines is listening to The Adam Carolla Show podcast while reading and responding to email each morning. Last Friday Adam interviewed well known recording engineer of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon and artist Alan Parsons. Alan discussed his work for EMI during The Beatles recording sessions at Abbey Road and his disdain for the original release of Let It Be. The whole podcast is pretty interesting but the gem mentioned by Alan Parsons is his new video series called The Art & Science Of Sound Recording. At first blush this may appear irrelevant to audiophiles but upon further investigation most Computer Audiophile readers will find many nuggets of information that enhance the listening experience. From Edison to iPod to file formats, sample rates, and training oneself to how to listen. This video series has value for those in the music industry and those of us who consume the products of the industry. After the introduction a twenty-six minute Digital Audio & Computers video is recommended. Alan and very respected engineers discuss using the best Analog to Digital (ADC) and Digital to Analog Converters (DAC) when the budget allows and how acute Sheryl Crow's hearing is while recording.
Computer Audiophile readers familiar with Bill Schnee and Bravura Records have likely stopped reading this already and clicked over to the Bravura website. Yes, that's how good the music and sound quality are from this label. Bill, the generous person he is, has recorded five Christmas singles and made them available for absolutely no cost. That's correct, free downloads just in time for the holiday season. These 24 bit / 44.1 kHz singles are a taste of what's to come from Bravura Records' future 24 bit / 192 kHz releases. I encourage all readers to browse the Bravura site and get a feel for what Bravura is all about. In addition both parts of my interview with Bill Schnee are available here on Computer Audiophile. Read more for links to everything important.
During Rocky Mountain Audio Fest 2010 I was fortunate enough to spend time with Grammy winning producer and Engineer Bill Schnee. Bill has been involved in projects from Steely Dan's Gaucho and Aja to Sheffield Labs Direct To Disc releases. His newest project is Bravura Records. Bill plans to release live to two-track recordings of great music performed by great musicians, hence the company's tagline, ‘Real Talent in Real Time.’ The final delivery mechanism, be it disc, download, or both, will deliver some of the best 24-bit /192 kHz albums many audiophiles have ever heard.
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