CD vs Blu-ray sound quality?
Feb 17, 2017 at 6:30 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 5

rambomhtri

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Hi,
 
there are several live performances that get recorded and released in both CD and Blu-ray, such as New Year's Concert. I wanna know what kind of audio quality they use in Blu-ray.
 
Is the Blu-ray audio track the exactly same audio track as the one in the CD?
In other words, which one has better audio quality, CD or Blu-ray?
 
I know Blu-rays hace the capacity to hold better audio quality, but that doesn't mean they take advantage of that.
 
I suspect that normally, Blu-rays have the same audio track as the CD's, but I prefer to ask here to see if someone knows better all of this stuff.
 
My final goal is to rip it into FLAC and listen to the audio, so I want to buy the best audio quality available.
 
Thanks!
 
Feb 18, 2017 at 9:49 AM Post #2 of 5
Redbook audio CDs are 44.1KHz, 16 bit, stereo, while Blu-rays (or DVDs) can contain many different formats. I have some which are 96KHz, 24 bit, 5.1 surround. So technically Blu-rays can hold higher quality audio. Certainly if you have surround speakers the Blu-ray will have a clear advantage, but in stereo the higher bit depth and sample rate doesn't really add anything.
 
The biggest difference is often due to the different mix and master that may be used on the different formats. That is totally subjective as to which is better. You have to evaluate each CD and Blu-ray on a case by case basis. They may use a mix/master on the Blu-ray that you think sounds better than the CD, they may not. There's nothing stopping them from using the same master for the Blu-ray and CD. Of all the albums I have in CD and DVD, I prefer the DVD mix, but that doesn't mean you would think the same, or that it applies to every CD and DVD or Blu-ray.
 
Feb 18, 2017 at 2:33 PM Post #3 of 5
  Redbook audio CDs are 44.1KHz, 16 bit, stereo, while Blu-rays (or DVDs) can contain many different formats. I have some which are 96KHz, 24 bit, 5.1 surround. So technically Blu-rays can hold higher quality audio. Certainly if you have surround speakers the Blu-ray will have a clear advantage, but in stereo the higher bit depth and sample rate doesn't really add anything.
 
The biggest difference is often due to the different mix and master that may be used on the different formats. That is totally subjective as to which is better. You have to evaluate each CD and Blu-ray on a case by case basis. They may use a mix/master on the Blu-ray that you think sounds better than the CD, they may not. There's nothing stopping them from using the same master for the Blu-ray and CD. Of all the albums I have in CD and DVD, I prefer the DVD mix, but that doesn't mean you would think the same, or that it applies to every CD and DVD or Blu-ray.

Aha... But talking in general terms, when a live concert or rock show is recorded and released in both CD and Blu-ray:
 
Do they use the same audio track and audio quality in both of them? Normally?
 
If it depends on each album, cause some will have the exact same audio track as the CD, but others will put in the Blu-ray a better audio track, how would you know it?
 
I get the re-mastered thing, yeah, it's subjective to each individual which one sounds better.
 
What would you do before buying a CD/DVD?
 
Do they put in the covers if the DVD/Blu-ray has a different better audio track than the CD?
 
Mar 7, 2018 at 2:19 PM Post #4 of 5
Redbook audio CDs are 44.1KHz, 16 bit, stereo, while Blu-rays (or DVDs) can contain many different formats. I have some which are 96KHz, 24 bit, 5.1 surround. So technically Blu-rays can hold higher quality audio. Certainly if you have surround speakers the Blu-ray will have a clear advantage, but in stereo the higher bit depth and sample rate doesn't really add anything.

The biggest difference is often due to the different mix and master that may be used on the different formats. That is totally subjective as to which is better. You have to evaluate each CD and Blu-ray on a case by case basis. They may use a mix/master on the Blu-ray that you think sounds better than the CD, they may not. There's nothing stopping them from using the same master for the Blu-ray and CD. Of all the albums I have in CD and DVD, I prefer the DVD mix, but that doesn't mean you would think the same, or that it applies to every CD and DVD or Blu-ray.

So use FooBar to extract the blu-ray audio files and then convert to FLAC (etc) from there?

Also, is it possible to extract the individual tracks, or MUST you extract the songs as one file and then separately divide them up? Please let me know.

Oh and also, if the Pure Audio Blu-Ray contains Hi-Res 5.1 tracks, how do those sound on headphones? Awesome or no??

Thanks!!
 
Jan 19, 2024 at 2:57 PM Post #5 of 5
While I have never gotten my hands on the same song both in bluray and CD format to make a direct comparison, all the 2 channel Bluray audio I have ever heard, both music and soundtracks, absolutely blow away any flacc, wav or CD sounds I have ever heard in terms of warmth, detail and bass on my 2 channel stereo. I use a preamp and amplifier. Just the sheer volume alone is nuts.I barely crank the knob to get an extremely loud, pristine, uncompressed signal from bluray audio. Stuff like Tidal might compare, but I have never streamed such a service before.
 
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