Dream Theater: The Astonishing (now with moment of betrayal!)

[nikatapi]

Can't wait to see comparisons between HDtracks and the retail album. I might double dip if it's worth it.

[thosava]

The HDtracks download is unquestionably the best version even if the difference is very small. It will definatly sound better than an mp3 download.

Isn't this the same thing as the FLACs we are supposed to get (have access to download) via the box set purchase?

The Astonishing Digital FLAC Album     
1 x The Astonishing Digital FLAC Album 016861748951   N/A

No they are a tiny bit better. They use a higher sampling frequency and bit depth. They are also usually more dynamic, maybe because of a different master?

[rumborak]

DT12's HDTracks were the same master, just the volume pulled down so not that many samples hard-clipped as in the CD version.

[Enigmachine]

New video review from MetalSucks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCzjcQ3HvB4

The guy was completely sold on it (giving it a 4.5/5) despite not being into the band much. I'd say that's a good sign.

[rumborak]

RYM so far is not too kind to it. Currently same rating as SC.

[MarkFitDT]

RYM so far is not too kind to it. Currently same rating as SC.

That's it for me then, I'm not going to bother listening to it.

[jakepriest]

RYM so far is not too kind to it. Currently same rating as SC.

That's it for me then, I'm not going to bother listening to it.

Can't tell if this is serious or not.

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

I'm not sure if it's my daltonism but I see a lot of green in that text.

[Crow]

rym is a piss-poor measuring stick for any kind of prog metal 

[Kotowboy]

What is RYM ?

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

Rate Your Music.

[Crow]

circlejerking hipster music site 
it's good for gauging general consensus within an artists catalog and good as a reference for genres (usually) but the reviews themselves usually suck balls and the review scores are always pitifully low compared to basically everywhere else on the internet

[IdoSC]

Yeah, some of these reviews have great gems like 'Their egos are too big for them to see how bad this is', 'Mangini will never be as good as Portnoy', 'It's always sad to see ageing musicians try to reinvent themselves' etc. Doesn't seem like anything to base an impression on.

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

'It's always sad to see ageing musicians try to reinvent themselves' etc.

Ok they lost me there

[Crow]

for what it's worth review site scores are basically worthless for recent releases anyways, don't ever trust them until several months after the fact

[ariich]

RYM is great for cataloguing and so on, but fairly meaningless when it comes to ratings. Especially when an album has just, or is just about to come out, as it always elicits strong reactions at that point. Scores tend to settle upwards or downwards after a while.

[emtee]

People in charge of taking songs down at the label need to get busy ASAP. *snip!*

[bosk1]

People in charge of taking songs down at the label need to get busy ASAP. *snip!*

Dude, REALLY?  We have been letting what appear to be "innocent slips" go.  But it's really not that hard to understand--posting ANY hints about where leaks can be found is NOT ALLOWED.  Any from this point forward will earn a 2-week ban, minimum.

[emtee]

Mega apologies. Just trying to do what I thought was the right thing by letting this team know.

[bosk1]

Send a PM next time, please.

[MarkFitDT]

RYM so far is not too kind to it. Currently same rating as SC.

That's it for me then, I'm not going to bother listening to it.

Can't tell if this is serious or not.

not serious mate, long day at work and tired lol and sometimes people who almost continually post with a negative slant wind me up especially as the day after next a new DT album is released . Personally, I cant wait. If it deserves constructive criticism from that point I'm fine with that.

[IdoSC]

Mega apologies. Just trying to do what I thought was the right thing by letting this team know.

This is not an official DT site anyways, there's no "team" here. You could send an email to RoadRunner with the links if you really want, though I'm sure they're on top of everything the general public can easily find already - it's just that there are lots of legalities to taking down content from sites you don't own, sometimes in different countries.

[Kyo]

DT12's HDTracks were the same master, just the volume pulled down so not that many samples hard-clipped as in the CD version.

You keep saying that, and yet it's at the very least misleading and in my opinion plain wrong. They used the same source audio, but since the step that affects the volume that you're talking about is obviously still part of the mastering process, they most definitely did NOT use the same master. Call it pre-master, call it mix or whatever, but the "original" (usually called the "master"!) used as a reference for duplication of the discs or files was FAR from the same.

And "just the volume pulled down" is also misleading, as to a less knowledgeable reader it might suggest that anyone could just to the same with the CD - and we know the problem of the CD sound is the very fact that they can't. The CD was pushed to the max in such a way that audio information and fidelity was lost.

[rumborak]

Yes, the final output volume is part of the mastering process, but it's like the last 1%. Saying it's a new master because they pulled down the final output volume is far more misleading IMO.

[hefdaddy42]

Mega apologies. Just trying to do what I thought was the right thing by letting this team know.

This is not an official DT site anyways, there's no "team" here.

We are technically not official, but there is certainly a team here, and our team has DT's team on speed dial.  We are as connected to them as could possibly be, both to their management and to members of the band.

[Kyo]

Yes, the final output volume is part of the mastering process, but it's like the last 1%. Saying it's a new master because they pulled down the final output volume is far more misleading IMO.

It would be if the end result was just 1% different. We both know it's wildly different because it affects every song to a substantial degree. Significantly different end result = different master. You're right that it probably took next to no effort, but why would anyone care about such technical details? It's the music that counts and it sounds much better, whether the guy spent a minute on fixing it or a week.

[rumborak]

Nah ,sorry, but the majority of the perceived effect is placebo. People know it's the HDTracks beforehand, so they are convinced it's better.

[bosk1]

Mega apologies. Just trying to do what I thought was the right thing by letting this team know.

This is not an official DT site anyways, there's no "team" here.

We are technically not official, but there is certainly a team here, and our team has DT's team on speed dial.  We are as connected to them as could possibly be, both to their management and to members of the band.

Well, technically, I think people stopped actually using "speed dial" a decade or so ago.    But otherwise...YEAH, WHAT HEF SAID.

[TAC]

Bosk is pressing JP right now!

[hefdaddy42]

Mega apologies. Just trying to do what I thought was the right thing by letting this team know.

This is not an official DT site anyways, there's no "team" here.

We are technically not official, but there is certainly a team here, and our team has DT's team on speed dial.  We are as connected to them as could possibly be, both to their management and to members of the band.

Well, technically, I think people stopped actually using "speed dial" a decade or so ago.    But otherwise...YEAH, WHAT HEF SAID.

I still use "speed dial."

Therefore, people still use "speed dial."

[bosk1]

Yes, but you live in the South.  Where people still use Confederate money. 

[YtseJohn]

Bosk is pressing JP right now!

...or Suze

 "I'm Susie. She's me."

[pcs90]

Nah ,sorry, but the majority of the perceived effect is placebo. People know it's the HDTracks beforehand, so they are convinced it's better.

I completely disagree. The first time I heard samples of the HD version of DT12, I did not know it was the HD version, and it sounded much better...not just because the volume is turned down.

[FracturedMirror]

Mega apologies. Just trying to do what I thought was the right thing by letting this team know.

This is not an official DT site anyways, there's no "team" here.

We are technically not official, but there is certainly a team here, and our team has DT's team on speed dial.  We are as connected to them as could possibly be, both to their management and to members of the band.

Well, technically, I think people stopped actually using "speed dial" a decade or so ago.    But otherwise...YEAH, WHAT HEF SAID.

Speed dial...I'll bet you guys have a direct line to them on a fancy email phone like this! 

[bosk1]

No, I usually just text, actually.