bluecoastrecords.com/blue-coast-collection
"We originally recorded the tracks on analog tape as well as DSD for SACD (Super Audio CD). After numerous requests from adventurous audiophiles for DSD, we have figured out a relatively easy way to deliver them electronically through the internet. We had always intended to do this once the broadband and delivery mechanism was in place. Now it is," says Cookie Marenco, founder and producer of Blue Coast Records. "Gus Skinas, from Super Audio Center and one of the original members of the DSD development team for Sony, was a great supporter and activist for our releasing DSD."
In August 2010, Skinas joined Marenco at the California Audio Show where they put on live recording demonstrations and burning DSD to Disc for playback in Sony’s Playstation PS3. The room was packed with eager audiophiles who wanted to hear and learn more. With free DSD downloads of the live recordings available from Blue Coast Records, the incredible success of the program led to the decision to release the full length Collection.
In 2008, Blue Coast Records partnered with Downloads NOW! to release CD Quality downloads. In 2009, the label released the Collection as 96kHz 24bit audio downloads. "The demand was so great for 96 24 downloads, we started recording live Special Events as the Artists came into town. We use our E.S.E. recording technique and have been able to post live recording events for fans within 3 hours of the performance and available worldwide," Marenco continues, "Our 96 24 high resolution audio outsells the CD Quality by 20 to 1. It plays easily using iTunes, Windows Media and other players. DSD will be more of a challenge for the audiophile. It requires new players and new thinking, but the end result is worth it!"
DSD is the format created for music released on SACD. With the slowdown of manufacturing physical discs, Marenco and many other producers felt it was important to keep sound quality at the highest level possible for future generations to hear these artists. "Speed of the broadband has always been a delivery barrier. These are huge files. With broadband and storage more accessible, we are looking into the music recorded and mixed on DSD to be released in that format. It's a tragedy to give the consumers mp3s. And more a tragedy, for these artists whose legacy will be lost in mp3 sound. Future generations will thank us later."
There are some complications with DSD playback. For consumers without a DSD setup, like the Sonoma System, Blue Coast Records is making DSF files available as an ISO disc image in the DSD Disc Format, which can be burned to DVD for playback on Sony’s Playstation PS3 and other devices that support the DSD Disc Format, including Korg's Audiogate software. Single song downloads will be in the DFF format for computer-based playback using the DFF Decoder plugin for the popular free music player software Foobar.
Conspicuously, Blue Coast Records has not released the Collection on mp3. "Mp3 has a purpose. It's convenient, accepted by the masses and we use it to stream full length previews at a higher rate than they will allow us to sell. At best, the mp3 services are a great solution for personalized radio. We're not ruling out distribution in the future, just like we're not ruling out releasing the Collection on vinyl."
More information on how to listen to DSD data files is available at the Blue Coast Records website.
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support(a)bluecoastrecords.com
If you're interested in having your music available in a high resolution format, please visit
downloadsnow.net
for information.
