HDTracks + ABKCO Release Hi-Rez Downloads of The Rolling Stones

Courtesy of ABKCO Music & Records, Inc.

The tides of the digital audio industry are turning as hi-rez audio downloads are pushed further into the mainstream. On March 2, 2011, HDTracks welcome ABKCO's Remastered Series of the Rolling Stones to their catalog, available at 176kHz/24-bit and 88kHz/24-bit. Now available for download are FLAC files for The Rolling Stones, The Rolling Stones No. 2, 12 X 5, and Through the Past Darkly.

Teri Landi, archivist and engineer at ABKCO Music & Records details, "Many years of research went into locating the original mono and stereo analog tapes that would be used in ABKCO's Rolling Stones Remastered Series...true stereo masters from The Stones' 1964 Chess Studios sessions including the unedited version of '2120 South Michigan Avenue,' Beggar's Banquet at its correct speed and Let It Bleed." Landi describes the remastering process: "For the analog to digital transfers, vintage reel-to-reel tape machines were utilized—a modified Ampex 351 with original tube electronics (full track mono and two track stereo) and an Ampex ATR-102 modified with Aria Discrete Class-A Electronics (full track mono and two track stereo). A Sonoma DSD digital audio workstation was the chosen high resolution format and Meitner Design ADC8 and DAC8 MKlV converters were used for the conversion process." And who mastered these tracks? None other than mastering master, Bob Ludwig.

While HDTracks offers downloads in both AIFF and MP3 formats, the company recommends FLAC files to customers interested in the best possible sound quality. They emphasize the 176.4kHz/24-bit FLACs are "virtual clones of the original master recordings, delivering the experience of sitting in the control room of the recording studio." This should be exciting news for the audiophile community, where previously, fears that the ease and convenience of MP3 compression would taint the expectations and ears of future audiophiles and music lovers. Coming in Spring/Summer 2011, HDTracks and ABKCO will continue to release remasters from the Stones’ catalog including milestone records Let It Bleed, Hot Rocks, and Their Satanic Majesties Request.

Use Promo code STONES10 to get 10% off your purchase. Offer expires 3/8/11.

For more info, visit HDTracks.

COMMENTS
tzed's picture

Looks like somebody is finally getting it. Arguments about Abkco's relationship with the Stones aside, this is pretty cool.
Personally I'm waiting for the next round of albums though.

bilguana's picture

HDTracks promotional e-mail stated "Expires 3/11/11", but they said they would no honor that.

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