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24-bit Remastered CDs??

Printed From: Graham Slee Hifi System Components
Category: Digital Audio
Forum Name: Music for digital repro
Forum Description: Your kind of music in digital format
URL: https://www.hifisystemcomponents.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2521
Printed Date: 28 Mar 2024 at 8:54am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com


Topic: 24-bit Remastered CDs??
Posted By: miT
Subject: 24-bit Remastered CDs??
Date Posted: 17 Apr 2015 at 10:14pm
Hi all,

It's my turn to have a rant...

As part of my music collection overhaul I've decided to buy Stevie Wonder's back catalogue on CD so I can rip it all to my PC, but some of them are being advertised as remastered 24-bit editions. Remastered is always a good thing but can someone please explain to me how a 16-bit CD can house a 24-bit recording??

I don't claim to understand the mysteries behind music creation but is it hocus pocus advertising rubbish again or genuinely possible?



Replies:
Posted By: Ash
Date Posted: 17 Apr 2015 at 10:21pm
Well, if the disc medium doesn't adhere to the Red Book specification (which stipulates 16-bit, 44.1 kHz) then I see no reason why 24-bit audio couldn't be put on a disc medium. Not sure what equipment would be required to play it though...

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We do not see things as they are. We see things as we are.


Posted By: Ash
Date Posted: 17 Apr 2015 at 10:23pm
Originally posted by miT miT wrote:

Remastered is always a good thing 

Actually... no, not always. Thumbs Up


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We do not see things as they are. We see things as we are.


Posted By: miT
Date Posted: 17 Apr 2015 at 10:27pm
Thanks Ash. That's what I don't get though, they are just normal CDs that work on any standard player!

Interesting, please expand Ash. Do you mean that it's bad if they messed up in remastering the original? I was naturally making a generalisation about the good quality ones...


Posted By: Ash
Date Posted: 17 Apr 2015 at 10:52pm
Not sure then. Maybe it's just marketing BS...

Basically, what I'm saying is that if the original was already mastered very well then "remastering" it won't provide any audible benefit or may even bring detriment to the sound. I know you were only making a light-hearted generalization but some "remastering" is only marketing BS in order to get into the consumer's head and make them think that the work was inferior in quality before, all to encourage them to buy it again. 

Whether 16-bit or 24-bit, it is the mastering (how well everything is mixed) that primarily does the business. I would not be too quick to attribute a better sounding 24-bit recording (over the 16-bit version) to the higher bit-rate. It may simply be that the mastering of the mix has been improved over a poorer original mixing. 24-bit is only four additional bits over 16, as the remaining four are not used for the reproduction qualities. How much benefit a larger dynamic range provides depends on the dynamic/amplitude transitions of the listening material, typically genre dependent. Material with a small dynamic range would be given no benefit by the increased dynamic allowance. 

I feel that if the original mastering was poor, the "hi res" version won't be any better...


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We do not see things as they are. We see things as we are.


Posted By: miT
Date Posted: 17 Apr 2015 at 11:08pm
That's what I feared. The few I have come across have had less hiss and generally sounded cleaner but I haven't listened to enough to compare. I have more experience with 24-bit blu-ray "remastered" films but that's off topic (although probably follows similar principles).

Thanks Ash, that's what I meant.


Posted By: Ash
Date Posted: 17 Apr 2015 at 11:18pm
With 24-bit, the noise floor can be lowered due to the increased dynamic allowance, which may help with reducing hiss/noise in the recording, I presume. So there are circumstances where the 24-bit constraints may provide advantages over the 16-bit, but depends on how well the work is mastered within the format constraints, I think.

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We do not see things as they are. We see things as we are.


Posted By: miT
Date Posted: 17 Apr 2015 at 11:25pm
Too right as I can think of many 320kbps MP3s in my collection (please don't stone me) that have a lower noise floor than some CDs!

Hopefully these "remastered" CDs will fall into the good side of mastering...


Posted By: Ash
Date Posted: 17 Apr 2015 at 11:41pm
In the past, I have been unable to distinguish 320kbps mp3 CD rips from WAV CD rips. You'd need the highest resolution playback equipment to hear the high frequency differences for well mastered work, in my experience. I often find subtle phase infidelity easier to hear than subtle frequency infidelity, because phase really matters too.

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We do not see things as they are. We see things as we are.


Posted By: miT
Date Posted: 17 Apr 2015 at 11:54pm
Yes the equipment is really important if you want to hear the difference, not just the actual recording. I have been struggling with my current Novo because my old Solo opened my ears. I cannot wait for the powered Bitzie so that I can also get the Proprius' pair and new headphones! It would make the CDs sound even more amazing.


Posted By: Ash
Date Posted: 18 Apr 2015 at 12:06am
I'm at the end of this hobby now; well, the equipment side of it anyway. I have nothing logical left to upgrade to. Not yet sure if I'll find speaker technology to beat my K1000; that is the only way forward that I can foresee but I'd need a suitable listening environment for that progression to take place. That's just more expense though and my ~£5000 signature line is crazy enough.

I'm thinking learning to play instruments and learning how to compose music is of more importance to me now. Money doesn't buy creativity. I have to look within to find that.


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We do not see things as they are. We see things as we are.


Posted By: miT
Date Posted: 18 Apr 2015 at 12:18am
With upgraditis cured you can now get on with the most important part, listening to music!

I hope that works out for you. I gave up playing the guitar as I had too many other hobbies!



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