Submitted by wgscott on Thu, 07/08/2010 - 12:17
I just downloaded Beethoven 6th/2nd from the B&W site (24-bit/48 kHz) and it definitely sounds better than my CD-quality stuff I have currently.
I looked on the deutschegrammophon.com site and it appears most of their downloads are redbook quality, but no better. (I bought two and one glitched and they said they would refund my credit card which they of course did not).
Is there a good source for 24-bit classical music?
Both HDTracks (https://www.hdtracks.com/)and HD Tape Transfers (http://www.highdeftapetransfers.com/storefront.php) offer very high quality 24-bit classical content at high sample rates. The offerings from HDTracks are generally newer releases while those from HDTT are remastered tapes (as the name implies).
Apart from HD tracks which is limited to the USA, there are among others 2L, Dacapo, Linn ,The Classical Shop.net to mention some with good material at full hi res!
What B&W offer as hi res is actually not always the true master file quality they claim!!!
The LSO Live titles where recorded in either DSD or at higher sampling rates than 48khz.
So what you are getting from them is often downsampled from the master!
In other words they are not telling you the whole truth!
I am sure the Beethoven sounds better than any RBCD would.
But it can in fact not be as good as the DSD version on SACD!
Channel Classics also records in DSD and sell some of their titles online via LINN at 24/96 downsampled, or 24/192!
Later this summer there will be at least one, maybe even two, more download sites for classical music at hi res quality.
Linn music and Naim music both have some recordings (classical and other) at 24/96 and higher.
Boston Symphony Orchestra have a years subscription which included 24/88.2 recordings at a reasonable cost. Can't remember the details.
Chrille:
"What B&W offer as hi res is actually not always the true master file quality they claim!!!
The LSO Live titles where recorded in either DSD or at higher sampling rates than 48khz.
So what you are getting from them is often downsampled from the master!
In other words they are not telling you the whole truth!"
That I recall, Bowers and Wilkins SoS / LSO don't claim they are master file quality - just higher than CD quality. They do say they never upsample - though there have been some cases where the downloads have had an upsampled track but this is clearly detailed in the file.
Eloise
Mac OSX 10.5 with iTunes (mostly ALAC) --USB--> Musical Fidelity A1008 --> B&W CDM 7NT (iPhone remote)