Sigil 04_: Welcome oblivion

[baudolino]

Haha, did anyone else already notice that the artwork in the mp3 version is kind of animating? Every track's artwork is different.

To me it appears that they are showing the mp3 embedded artwork of randomly selected tracks from my whole library. pretty weird...

[witte]

downloaded apple lossles: dropped it in iTunes, not getting it on my iPhone
downloaded flac; converted it to apple lossless: dropped it in iTunes, not getting it on my iPhone

wth is going on?

[poinoup]

Just grabbed the CD from HMV. They only ordered one copy and held it back for me behind the till. Guess that is what happens when you're known as the NIN guy in my town.

[NIN64]

downloaded apple lossles: dropped it in iTunes, not getting it on my iPhone
downloaded flac; converted it to apple lossless: dropped it in iTunes, not getting it on my iPhone

wth is going on?

iDevices only play up to 24/48

Already answered on last page.

[konkelo]

None of the flac files are actually 24/96. A spectral analysis clearly shows that they're transcodes from a much lower quality file. That has to be a mistake. It's a ton of wasted space.

Can you do the same with the Apple lossless files?

[NoneOfThisIsReal]

Umm...Year Zero 2 anyone?

Don't get me wrong, great album...really enjoyed it the first time through...seeing them in April.

To me, though, the music, lyrics, production are eerily similar to Year Zero.

[unheard78]

As I understand it, the unusual spectrum in Too Late, All Gone is actually the result of some effects by Tom Baker & Alan Moulder. They liked how the song sounded after this particular effect was applied, so they kept it. Rather than being a mastering mistake, or being MP3 sourced, it's actually quite intentional.

It's also something you'd never even notice if you listed with headphones instead of computer monitors.

That's rather interesting about the effect. Thanks.

By the way, just found it funny you mentioned the computer monitor speakers. Honestly, I almost exclusively listen to music on an older stereo system I have or with headphones. My car system is good too, though I generally don't trust manufacturer sound systems for heavy detail. I use a 160gb iPod Classic for most playback but I play the CDs or burnt copies of vinyl rips at home and sometimes in my car as the difference is noticeable on higher-fidelity recordings. Just saying.

[unheard78]

None of the flac files are actually 24/96. A spectral analysis clearly shows that they're transcodes from a much lower quality file. That has to be a mistake. It's a ton of wasted space.

They're not transcodes, they're just 24/48 files mastered at 24/96. I agree, it's a ton of wasted space, but that doesn't make them lower quality transcodes.

[unheard78]

No, it's still flac, so it's still good quality. I'm absolutely fine with the quality, just not selling it as higher than it is. It takes up more disc space as well, and that's my primary concern.

Didn't see this post. You've got the idea.

[Leviathant]

By the way, just found it funny you mentioned the computer monitor speakers. Honestly, I almost exclusively listen to music on an older stereo system I have or with headphones. My car system is good too, though I generally don't trust manufacturer sound systems for heavy detail. I use a 160gb iPod Classic for most playback but I play the CDs or burnt copies of vinyl rips at home and sometimes in my car as the difference is noticeable on higher-fidelity recordings. Just saying.

Sorry, by computer monitors, I meant LCD panels.

[wizfan]

If they really are 24/48 to 24/96 transcodes, there should be a lot of bitching over at Hydrogenaudio. Remember the error with the Slip hi-fi files? They fixed it immediately. If the HTDA files are bad, you'd think they would notice immediately.

Aside from that, goddamn, WO is compressed as fuck, even in 24-bit.

[thelastdisciple]

Just grabbed the CD from HMV. They only ordered one copy and held it back for me behind the till. Guess that is what happens when you're known as the NIN guy in my town.

I saw three other copies at the location closest to me here in Calgary, thankfully grabbed mine this morning and it sounds fucking amazing. Very crispy on my boom box.

[blassster]

If they really are 24/48 to 24/96 transcodes, there should be a lot of bitching over at Hydrogenaudio. Remember the error with the Slip hi-fi files? They fixed it immediately. If the HTDA files are bad, you'd think they would notice immediately.

Aside from that, goddamn, WO is compressed as fuck, even in 24-bit.

I believe the 48 source --> 96 mastered happened with the GDT soundtrack, too.

[danzo_rezno]

Perhaps the store reflects TR's new tech sensibilities and thinks that optical is a dead medium.

Actually I think I read the opposite, Trent loves physical releases which reflect in the effort Rob and himself but to each release,
I actually remember in the same article that he'd love to release CD's (the popular media at the time) but in a Vinyl sleeve,
so the, say album, you buy will look like a Vinyl back to front but just contain the CD in the sleeve instead.

Guess he's kinda done it now with the Vinyl/CD release of WO

[DigitalChaos]

My source would be Tom Baker, via Rob Sheridan. I'm sure someone will ask the question during the upcoming Reddit AMA, maybe the answer will get reiterated there.
@zecho when you say "much lower quality" you sound as though the FLACs are from 22khz 8-bit files. Is this the kind of thing you'd notice if you didn't run a spectral analysis?

ROFL
Did he just shit all over the super high end audiophile people?

[DigitalChaos]

Also, I guess I was close with guessing that it was the source samples and/or instruments used that created the weird frequency shelf.

[Camille]

Anyone know if there are any banners for the album?

[jhulud]

Does Apple Lossless generally take FOREVER to download even when in a zip file?!?!

This is my first time ever downloading that format. Always went w/ MP3 zip before.

[gorast]

Does Apple Lossless generally take FOREVER to download even when in a zip file?!?!

This is my first time ever downloading that format. Always went w/ MP3 zip before.

Yeah, it's about 1.25 GB for the audio. The rest is all the visuals and shit that were thrown in there.

[jhulud]

I ended up 86'ing the Apple Lossless download. My PC is bursting at the seams as it is. Went with MP3 zip. Just wanted to hear the damn thing.

[danzo_rezno]

This is how it all begins.

I like that (reference)

[butter_hole]

I believe the 48 source --> 96 mastered happened with the GDT soundtrack, too.

TR records and mixes at 48. He's been pretty clear about that..

[eversonpoe]

TR records and mixes at 48. He's been pretty clear about that..

seeing as most humans can't hear anything above 20kHz, i don't understand why people are so eager for anything above 48kHz (in case you don't know, the sample rate should be at least twice what you're trying to reproduce...thus 48kHz allows you to reproduce sounds up to 24kHz). i, personally, record at 44.1kHz because i don't like trans-coding from 48 down to 44.1

[butter_hole]

yeah yeah pitchfork sucks i get it go fuck yourself, but this is several points well made:

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/...come-oblivion/

[thefragile_jake]

Pretty accurate review of the record I'd say.

...and ow, HTDA wasn't even the "worst" reviewed record today....they panned that new Suuns albums kind of.

[laci]

Made a FB note of the questions and answers, hope this helps if you don't like the reddit site: https://www.facebook.com/notes/ninhu...51361139838867

[unheard78]

Don't care what Pitchfork says. They'll give mediocre reviews to good records but review a Lil B album like it's a serious work of art. They suck.

[kenthebear]

I don't mind Pitchfork but Grayson Currin is a fucking hack. He has several reviews were he meanders on about different bands, or more often, nothing, for half the review and others, such as his review for Exai, which miss the point more than Stevie Wonder doing archery. Not surprised to see the HDTA review is no different.

[eversonpoe]

yeah yeah pitchfork sucks i get it go fuck yourself, but this is several points well made:

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/...come-oblivion/

i'm really sick of people thinking that the sustained-note reverb effect that they've employed a couple of times (a la the space in between) keeps being mistaken for auto-tune. trent has stated that they don't auto-tune vocals, and it really doesn't even sound that much like auto-tune.

[Canuckle]

Posted this in the spotting thread as well...

Minor point... but doing their jobs correctly should also entail being accurate in their facts.

"Nine Inch Nails' Year Zero made its way into the world as part of a massive multimedia campaign that included a dystopian storyline, a video game, a remix album, an as-yet-unmade film and, famously, USB devices containing parts of the record left in European bathroom stalls."

The 'a video game' links to this... http://pitchfork.com/news/48417-trent-reznors-call-of-duty-black-ops-ii-video-game-music-gets-commercial-release/

It's typical of Pitchfork to try and sound smarter than they are and the review is no different. While I accept the critique and some good points are made, the author appears to have a preconceived idea of what should be on the album and appears disappointed when the album splays in various directions. Also, the apparent TR complex is embedded throughout (e.g., the first 2 paragraphs are dedicated to TR's doings over the past number of years). I would love to see what half these reviews would say given that TR wasn't attached by name. I bet we would see some change, both good and bad.