[turbomustang84]

Audible digital artifacts that come up in many of the tracks, especially during busier sections.

It's discussed with some timestamps referenced here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/tool-on-hdtracks.912261/page-5#post-15160151

I love the album, but can't truly enjoy it because of the distortion. Each to their own, but it's a huge issue for me, mostly because every single other aspect of the recording is fantastic. I'd actually be hesitant to listen to it on a better set up than I have already... surely on something like the Stelia, Utopia or LCD4 it would be even more evident.

Still, my speaker set up is less resolving, so it's an overall more enjoyable listen for me with those.

The only Headphones I have that really made the artifacts even noticeable were my Hifiman planar Headphones

but the Stellia's actually made the listening experience much better and even vinyl I have from the punk era like the Dead Kennedy's Plastic Surgery Disaster that really was not recorded all that well sounded fantastic.

I am completely sold on the Stellia's being the best audio experience I've ever had including some of the great speakers I've owned from Maggie's to Klipsch.

Not to the level of the Legacy Whispers I had a lot of time with in the late 90s but for a Headphone the Stellia's are in a league of their own.

The French finally beat my German go to's
LoL
I still love my Sennheiser's but just not as much unfortunately.

So Alegia here I come my desire to own the HD-800s is over but I have yet to hear the 820s so maybe they will surprise me if I ever get a chance to listen to them

 

[John2e]

Audible digital artifacts that come up in many of the tracks, especially during busier sections.

It's discussed with some timestamps referenced here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/tool-on-hdtracks.912261/page-5#post-15160151

I love the album, but can't truly enjoy it because of the distortion. Each to their own, but it's a huge issue for me, mostly because every single other aspect of the recording is fantastic. I'd actually be hesitant to listen to it on a better set up than I have already... surely on something like the Stelia, Utopia or LCD4 it would be even more evident.

Still, my speaker set up is less resolving, so it's an overall more enjoyable listen for me with those.

Glad I replied with the IMHO

I don't want to read that thread than it could be a problem......ignorance is bliss

What do you think of the reissued catalog ?

 

[ralong]

I'm a little disappointed in this album, for the 100 years waiting i hoped it would have been better.

 

[lantian]

Audible digital artifacts that come up in many of the tracks, especially during busier sections.

It's discussed with some timestamps referenced here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/tool-on-hdtracks.912261/page-5#post-15160151

I love the album, but can't truly enjoy it because of the distortion. Each to their own, but it's a huge issue for me, mostly because every single other aspect of the recording is fantastic. I'd actually be hesitant to listen to it on a better set up than I have already... surely on something like the Stelia, Utopia or LCD4 it would be even more evident.

Still, my speaker set up is less resolving, so it's an overall more enjoyable listen for me with those.

Hear absoluteley no distortion in it(qobuz hi res). The cleanest tool recording so far. Id try it on something else. Pretty sure that distortion you hear is not there in the actual recording but originates from systems used. Heard it on my brothers system and on mine. Including speakers. Doubt tool would release anything with actual distortion. Though if its cd's then compression could be at fault.

 

[adeseaso]

Hear absoluteley no distortion in it(qobuz hi res). The cleanest tool recording so far. Id try it on something else. Pretty sure that distortion you hear is not there in the actual recording but originates from systems used. Heard it on my brothers system and on mine. Including speakers. Doubt tool would release anything with actual distortion. Though if its cd's then compression could be at fault.

The problem is the compression in the mixing stage and has nothing to do with reproduction.

I only heard it in some guitar parts at first and figured it was Adam's gear, but then it appeared in a million other places. Using the hi-res file, not that it matters.

The only way it could be fixed would be if they started over from scratch with the raw recordings, but it'll obviously never happen as the intention clearly was to make this record very hot.

 

[thebkt]

Glad I replied with the IMHO

I don't want to read that thread than it could be a problem......ignorance is bliss

What do you think of the reissued catalog ?

Lateralus is amazing. 10,000 Days however, not so much. Vicarious especially is crackly and awful. Not sure where in the process it goes wrong, but some engineer or technician has completely botched what I imagine are 100% pristine masters from the band.

Also, I had a listen to a FLAC rip of the CD and the distortion mentioned above is identical to the compressed streaming versions. I haven't got Fear from HD Tracks because one guy who did said the distortion is the same there too... huge shame.

 

[Headphones and Coffee]

Honestly think it sounds spectacular on the KZ ZSX IEM streaming from Spotify premium but I'll go with my Dekoni Blues running of my Aune X1S.

 

[John2e]

Now is a good time to try this album.

HDAbbey20 for 20% off at Hd tracks until 9/30

Everything

 

[Ninth Wave]

Hear absolutely no distortion in it(qobuz hi res). The cleanest tool recording so far. Id try it on something else. Pretty sure that distortion you hear is not there in the actual recording but originates from systems used. Heard it on my brothers system and on mine. Including speakers. Doubt tool would release anything with actual distortion. Though if its cd's then compression could be at fault.

It's a fairly idiotic claim to make that the cause of the distortion experienced by a large number of listeners is the product of dodgy systems or gear. Remember that most of the complaints (both here and on other forums) are being made by gear nerd people who care about the sonic presentation of music. Therefore, they're more likely to have decent gear - the type of which might reveal certain flaws in recordings - wouldn't you think?

So it's a fairly baseless claim, if ever there was one. It's kind of like me saying all Tool fans are intolerable because of their somewhat unhealthy and unbalanced cult-like worship of the band and everything they do. I dare say I'd have an easier time finding evidence to support my claim though.

Full what it's worth, I like a lot of the band's music but I haven't partaken from the Kool...Tool-aid. I have never been super impressed with Tool's recordings, so I thought they were an ideal candidate to have their back catalogue polished, so to speak. The HD versions are an improvement but FI has been screwed up, somehow (oddly, not for all listeners). I was lucky enough to be offered a refund by HD Tracks for the issues I experienced and I was told the problem could potentially be rectified by copying the FLAC files again! I have no idea of the science behind this technique but the suggestion was to merely copy the files and create new ones. I tried this shortly after they gave me the idea and I noticed slight differences. I haven't bothered copying the copies though. I don't get how this process might even be a solution but there you go, I'm putting it out there. Maybe someone else might have some clues.

 

[lantian]

It's a fairly idiotic claim to make that the cause of the distortion experienced by a large number of listeners is the product of dodgy systems or gear. Remember that most of the complaints (both here and on other forums) are being made by gear nerd people who care about the sonic presentation of music. Therefore, they're more likely to have decent gear - the type of which might reveal certain flaws in recordings - wouldn't you think?

So it's a fairly baseless claim, if ever there was one. It's kind of like me saying all Tool fans are intolerable because of their somewhat unhealthy and unbalanced cult-like worship of the band and everything they do. I dare say I'd have an easier time finding evidence to support my claim though.

Full what it's worth, I like a lot of the band's music but I haven't partaken from the Kool...Tool-aid. I have never been super impressed with Tool's recordings, so I thought they were an ideal candidate to have their back catalogue polished, so to speak. The HD versions are an improvement but FI has been screwed up, somehow (oddly, not for all listeners). I was lucky enough to be offered a refund by HD Tracks for the issues I experienced and I was told the problem could potentially be rectified by copying the FLAC files again! I have no idea of the science behind this technique but the suggestion was to merely copy the files and create new ones. I tried this shortly after they gave me the idea and I noticed slight differences. I haven't bothered copying the copies though. I don't get how this process might even be a solution but there you go, I'm putting it out there. Maybe someone else might have some clues.

If you are not and obviously not doing what this music is for,so all your claims about its sound quality can be dismissed immediately. This is where your ego has to leave untill then you will always hear distortion in Tool. This music is for the moment and untill you know what that is and how it sounds then you should not ever talk about this musics sound quality. Cause untill then you have heard nothing from how is is intended to sound. That is just the truth about this type of music. If you ever get the chance to hear it the way it is intended then let me know your experience afterwards tell me your impressions, untill then all your points are non valid. Only cause you and most here don't seem to even know what Tool is for...

 

[miguelfcp]

Hi guys.

In the Christmas my girlfriend offered me the Expanded Book edition. It is so awesome watching the artwork. It is indeed an incredible piece of art and one my beloved albums from my collection.

But there is a strange problem.

First of all my amplifier is a NAD C328 and I'm using the CD player Pioneer PD-107 which is a very old model. To improve digital quality play I'm connecting the CD player by the digital out to the amplifier in order to use the amplifier's integrated DAC that should be way better than the old CD player.

It happens that on a particular song (Descending) in the first two minutes of the song I ear crackling like there is on vinyl. I thought it could be of the CD but I've tried in another players (computer and in car) and there was no crackle. Ripped the CD to flac and there is no problem. Tried with Bluetooth connected to the amp no problem too. If I connect the CD player by analog cable to use the internal dac no problem too. Only when using the digital out of the CD player.

Anyone has an idea of what is the problem? Someone told me that was jitter due to the CD player. How can I fix it? I want to use the digital out in order to improve sound quality since the CD player is nothing extraordinary. NAD C328 DAC gives better results.

 

[Mightygrey]

Hi guys.

In the Christmas my girlfriend offered me the Expanded Book edition. It is so awesome watching the artwork. It is indeed an incredible piece of art and one my beloved albums from my collection.

But there is a strange problem.

First of all my amplifier is a NAD C328 and I'm using the CD player Pioneer PD-107 which is a very old model. To improve digital quality play I'm connecting the CD player by the digital out to the amplifier in order to use the amplifier's integrated DAC that should be way better than the old CD player.

It happens that on a particular song (Descending) in the first two minutes of the song I ear crackling like there is on vinyl. I thought it could be of the CD but I've tried in another players (computer and in car) and there was no crackle. Ripped the CD to flac and there is no problem. Tried with Bluetooth connected to the amp no problem too. If I connect the CD player by analog cable to use the internal dac no problem too. Only when using the digital out of the CD player.

Anyone has an idea of what is the problem? Someone told me that was jitter due to the CD player. How can I fix it? I want to use the digital out in order to improve sound quality since the CD player is nothing extraordinary. NAD C328 DAC gives better results.

It's not just you - it's the actual recording. I had the HD Tracks version, and there's audible clipping right across the entire album.

 

[miguelfcp]

It's not just you - it's the actual recording. I had the HD Tracks version, and there's audible clipping right across the entire album.

The thing I mentioned is kinda different.

In the beginning of Descending there is no loud volumes so clipping is improbable. Despite that I still listen (it is very noticeable) the crackle noise. And I only got it when playing in the CD player I mentioned and when it is output to the digital out. If I use the RCA output does not happen.

 

[CoryGillmore]

The thing I mentioned is kinda different.

In the beginning of Descending there is no loud volumes so clipping is improbable. Despite that I still listen (it is very noticeable) the crackle noise. And I only got it when playing in the CD player I mentioned and when it is output to the digital out. If I use the RCA output does not happen.

I notice the crackling most in Pnuema, within the first two minutes, but mainly when the bass guitar kicks in. But yes this is in all the versions, from streaming services to CD to HDtracks.

EDIT: Oh wait you're saying you don't notice it if you use RCAs out? But do you get the crackling in Pnuema on both outputs? I haven't noticed anything in Descending.

 

[miguelfcp]

I notice the crackling most in Pnuema, within the first two minutes, but mainly when the bass guitar kicks in. But yes this is in all the versions, from streaming services to CD to HDtracks.

EDIT: Oh wait you're saying you don't notice it if you use RCAs out? But do you get the crackling in Pnuema on both outputs? I haven't noticed anything in Descending.

The one you mentioned in Pneuma is always present. Since this album was recorded in analogue tapes maybe it is crackling due to it.

What I'm mentioning is really different. I guess I need to record the sound so you can understand it better.