Hyperion

[Scroobius]

Just been to the Hyperion web site for the first time in a long time. For those that have not come across Hyperion they are one of the best labels excellent recording quality and excellent music. Some of my best records and CD's are Hyperion.

Well now you can download FLAC files for the same price as MP3 and significantly cheaper than the CD's.

At last - the industry have been very slow at providing quality downloads but maybe now it is starting to come. And Hyperion do not have the stupid pricing policy of charging more for "full fat" downloads versus low resolution. It would be nice to think that other sites like LINN will see the light one day.

[Robert]

Case in point why are these flac files not 24/96. I see from there web site CD quality stated, so one can assume 16/44.

[Scroobius]

Good point but I suppose it could be the case that the majority of the Hyperion market (i.e. Gramophone readers) still use CD players so downloading the 16 44 FLAC then burning a CD is what most customers would do (?). Also I just wonder if Hyperion's catalogue is all mastered at 16 44 certainly that would be the way to get the best sound quality when creating CD's - mastering at 24 96 and then downsampling requires the use of the dreaded brick wall filter to create 16 44 for CD's a bad idea for sound quality but it seems to be what many or even most "record" companies do.

If all the Hyperion masters were indeed created at 16 44 the only way they could offer 24 96 would be to upsample and that would be a bad thing for sound quality - but that is just what many suppliers have done hence all the bad press lately.

So perhaps Hyperion are just being honest and practical. Who knows but it is interesting that they do not think it necessary to offer higher sample rates.