SACD / DSD

Various Artists – 8 Ensembles in 1 Bit (2015)
DSF Stereo DSD256, 1 bit/11,2 MHz | Time – 39:07 minutes | 6,2 GB | Genre: Classical, Jazz, Folk, Demo
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download – Source: nativeDSDmusic | Booklet, Front Cover | © Native DSD Music | Just Listen
Recorded in DSD 256fs, March 4th and 5th 2015 at The Dutch Music Center for Broadcast (MCO) Studio 2 in Hilversum

‘Recording in DSD’ is not a term musicians are generally familiar with. As a matter of fact, none of the musicians we asked to participate had the slightest idea what it was at first! Surprisingly, without exception, all immediately said yes and were very keen to learn about it. Especially on the recording days, March 4th and 5th 2015, they soon learned what it’s like to record acoustically in DSD: “Hey you, cellist, a little closer to the mics please” and “Could the saxophone player take two steps back and one to the right?”. With the microphones spread around above their heads and the prospect of no post recording mixing at all, the sound balancing had to be made right there and then at the recording session.
   Once the musicians and engineers were happy with the balance, the recording began. Not only audio, but also visual! Jonas Sacks filmed each take of each ensemble, dancing fluidly around the musicians. This way, when the best take was chosen, we would always have a ‘1 take’ video to go with the ‘1 take’ DSD audio!
   Seeing the expression on the faces of the musicians when they listened to themselves in DSD for the first time in the studio proved that Native DSD had organized something quite special. Most of them immediately shouted out in excitement: “We are playing right here in this room for ourselves to listen to!” A few others closed their eyes, made no sound and sat totally still apart from the occasional jaw drop.
   Well, that brings us to the point of why we did this. We are spreading the message of what the incredible DSD recording technique can deliver. At the same time, we are enriching the libraries of music fans with the music of some of the most promising Dutch musicians who would otherwise not have been recorded in DSD.
   We intent to flabbergast the musicians as well as our Native DSD customers by facilitating a one-off chance to record – and listen to them – in DSD. And who knows, perhaps the next step will be to record a complete album with the most popular ensemble? Or we can go to other places and do the same? One thing is for sure: Native DSD will keep exploring the ‘beyond’ part of our “DSD and Beyond” mission!
   We hope you will enjoy the repertoire, interpretations & audio quality of “8 Ensembles in 1 Bit” as an attempt of a holy musical trinity provided by the musicians, recording technique and your playback equipment. –The Native DSD Team

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Audio Masterpiece Collection: Contemporary Records Vol.1 (2016)
DSF Stereo DSD64/2.82MHz  | Time – 03:37:01 minutes | 8,57 GB | Genre: Jazz
Source: ISO SACD | © Stereo Sound/Contemporary Records/Concord Music Group | Front Cover, Booklet

5人のオーディオ評論家が選んだウェストコースト・ジャズの名盤を、スティーヴ・ホフマンのリマスタリングでSACD化
　ノー・ブレイナー(no brainer)という英語の言い回しがある。あまりに明白過ぎて選択や決断に頭を使う必要のないことをいう。ステレオサウンドが創立50周年を記念して企画した「オーディオ名盤コレクション」は、名演奏・名録音のマスターテープを独自に音楽ソフト化するプロジェクトだが、その劈頭を飾る『コンテンポラリー・レコーズ』SACDボックスほど、ノー・ブレイナーという言葉が似合うものもそうはない。
　コンテンポラリーとは、もちろん、優秀録音でも名高いウェストコースト・ジャズの名門レーベルのことである。そのカタログから今回ハイブリッドSACDとしてリリースされるのは全部で10タイトル。5タイトルずつを収めたボックス・セット( Vol.1 と Vol.2 )が、4月と5月に発売された。タイトルの選択には5人のオーディオ評論家があたり、1人2タイトルを推薦した。10タイトルは、それぞれオリジナルの形態のままで発売される。分売はない。
　このセットの最大の特徴であり、その価値を限りなく高めているのが、スティーヴ・ホフマンによるリマスタリングである。ホフマンの名前が最初にわれわれの視界に入ってきたのは、1990年代の初めにDCC(ダンヒル・コンパクト・クラシックス )というレーベルから発売された24金ゴールドCDとLPのマスタリング・エンジニアとしてであった。DCCのゴールドCDは、2000年までにディラン、ドアーズ、イーグルス、ポール・マッカートニーといったロックや、マイルス、コルトレーン、ビル・エヴァンスといったジャズの名盤を合わせて116タイトルが出た。今日ではそのすべてがコレクターズ・アイテムとされ、世界中のコレクターが追い求めている。
　DCCはその後経営陣が少し変り、社名がオーディオ・フィデリティ(Audio Fidelity)へと変ったが、現在に至るもホフマンのマスタリングを中心に続々とリリースを続けている。オーディオ・フィデリティは当初数枚のジャズCDを出したが、その後はフュージョンやポピュラー・ヴォーカルが少しあるだけで、ストレートアヘッドなジャズは一つもない。その理由は単純にジャズのCDを出しても高額なライセンス・フィーに見合う採算がとれたことはただの一度もなかったからだ。
　DCCのジャズ・タイトルは、当時からその優れた音質で高く評価されていたが、それでも商業的にはまったく報われなかった。ステレオサウンドが今日「オーディオ名盤コレクション」を始める意義もまさにそこにあるのではないだろうか。CDバブル期と呼ばれた1990年代でさえ難しかったハイクォリティ音楽ソフト出版の企画と運営は、もはやほとんど不可能なことである。それでも、その嚆矢が、ホフマンのマスタリングするジャズであったことは、図らずも、伝説のDCCジャズの衣鉢を継ぐ格好になった。そこに筆者はこれ以上ない吉兆を見る。しかも、そのプロダクツは、ホフマン自身の成熟と、デジタル機器の性能向上のおかげで、DCCよりも優れた結果を出す環境が得られたのである。

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Various Artists – 15 DSD Tracks Of J.S. Bach (2018)
DSD64 (.dsf) 1 bit/2,8 MHz | Time – 83:23 minutes | 3,29 GB
FLAC (tracks) 24-bit/96 kHz | Time – 83:23 minutes | 1,83 GB
Studio Master, Official Digital Download | Artwork: Front cover

Japanese DSD collection of recordings by Johann Sebastian Bach’s works, mostly recorded in the 60s by Munich Bach Orchestra under conducting by Karl Richter. From the archives of Archiv Produktion (German record label, originated in 1949 as a classical label for the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft – DGG).

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Various Artists – O Brother, Where Art Thou? Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2000/2014)
DSF Stereo DSD64, 1 bit/2,82 MHz | Time – 60:32 minutes | 2,38 GB | Genre: Soundtrack
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download – Source: AcousticSounds | Front Cover | © Lost Highway

The eight million selling, triple Grammy-winning number one soundtrack for the hit Coen brothers movie represents some of the best talent from Americana and country music, assembled by musician and producer T Bone Burnett.

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Various Artists – Happy Valley, Volume 1 (2013)
DSD64 (.dff) 1 bit/2,8 MHz | Time – 49:20 minutes | 2,04 GB
Official Digital Download – Blue Coast Records | Front cover

In May 2013, the Blue Coast Crew traveled to Happy Valley, Santa Cruz, California to record a special group of musicians. Hand chosen by Keith Greeninger, these artists came from various parts of Northern California to record a few songs in a magical place in the middle of a redwood forest. Surrounded by trees, birds and wildflowers, the Blue Coast Crew recorded direct to DSD using the Extended Sound Environment technique. All the musicians were incredible. We became instant fans. Occasionally, you’ll hear Keith singing in the background. Sometimes, you’ll hear the birds in the background. The day ended too soon.

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Various Artists – Hit Parade Story: Il Leggendario Suono Wurlitzer (1999)
DSD64 (.dsf) 1 bit/2,82 MHz | Time – 00:57:16 minutes | 2,15 GB
FLAC (tracks) 24-bit/96 kHz | Time – 00:57:16 minutes | 820 MB
Studio Master, Official Digital Download | Artwork: Digital booklet | Genre: Jazz | © Fone Gold

Hit Parade Story: The Legendary Wurlitzer Sound is a collection of 17 music classics from 1938 to 1949 that were originally released on 78 rpm records and played on the Wurlitzer Juke Box of that era. The songs have been recorded from the Jukebox with the legendary Neumann U47 microphones to enable their transfer to Analog Tape and DSD by Fone’s Giulio Cesare Ricci. The musicians featured on this album include Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong along with the Big Band Orchestras conducted by Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey and Woody Herman, among others.

The inspiration for this album came during a meeting at the Turin Salone della Musica, where Giulio Cesare Ricci met Elisabetta and Paolo De Angelis, owners of the Turin company Old. They spent a pleasant evening together listening to music on juke boxes, and then Giulio Cesare Ricci said: “Why don’t we try recording directly from the juke box with the legendary Neumann U47 microphones?”

Everyone loved the idea and it led to the creation of this album. Fone wants to pass on the feeling which sparked their enthusiasm for the juke box. Their hope is to infect many with our enthusiasm for this musical tradition, not only collectors and connoisseurs, so that even those who don’t possess a Wurlitzer Juke Box can feel the infinite pleasure of putting a nickel in a slot and listening to a recording of days gone by…

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Various Artists – For Healing – Waves (2021)
DSD256 (.dsf) 1 bit/11,28 MHz MHz | Time – 00:54:13 minutes | 7,36 GB
or FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 00:54:13 minutes | 664 MB
Official Digital Download | Digital Booklet, Front Cover | Genre: Classical, Chamber Music | © Meister Music

The album begins with ” Prelude from Cello Suite”, follows a series of “loose and relaxing” classical sketches, and then quietly ends with the natural sound of the waves, aiming to provide people with spiritual healing. The album contains many classic melodies that have been widely circulated.

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