HD Tracks Review – High Definition Audio / Music Downloads
Update on HD Tracks 2013 (January 7): I’m no longer recommending HD Tracks as a resource for downloading your high def music. Why? Because they’re unresponsive to any requests for tech support, billing and customer service. This appears to be another one of the many faceless internet companies who work hard at taking your money efficiently yet are unwilling to respond to requests for technical assistance.
I recently switched to downloading my music on a 2006 Macbook Pro with OSX 10.5.7
After paying for an album ($17.85) I was told that the download manager would open automatically and the download would begin. It didn’t. After a frustrating 30 minutes I found a link to manually download the DM, which I did. But it wouldn’t install on my computer, basically a message told me the DM wasn’t compatible with 10.5.7. I can’t upgrade without cost and without some risks to data, so I’m not willing to do that. So I emailed tech support and asked for help and a possible link to an older DM. Nothing – no response in over 4 days. On the 3rd day I contacted billing for a refund – nothing, no response. There isn’t a customer service phone number on their site, which is always a red flag.
So basically they suck, in my honest opinion.
So use the information below at your own risk. I’ve removed the links to their website but I’m sure you can find it on your own. When I find another viable alternative for HD Tracks I’ll review it here.
HD Tracks is an online download website for Hi-Res music files. Their benefits include:
High Definition Music – Universal Compatibility – No DRM – Liner Notes and Album Art
| The HD Tracks website offers fast access to many of the leading artists, all formatted in high quality Audiophile grade 96khz / 24 bit files. The service is affordable with albums starting at under $10 and single tracks available from 99 cents. Unlike other popular download sites like iTunes, the music is formatted for high resolution playback with impeccable sound quality. Here are a few samples taken from their Hot 100 choices – 100 of the most sought after audiophile recordings all delivered in sweet high resolution sound! | |||
 Audiophile 96kHz/24bit Title: 4 |  Audiophile 96kHz/24bit Title: HD00731453182127″>461 Ocean Boulevard | ||
HD760997002929″>  Audiophile 88kHz/24bit Title: HD760997002929″>A Meeting by the River NEWAS Admin’s Personal Favorite!! | HD00602527882246″>  Audiophile 44.1kHz/24bit Title: HD00602527882246″>Achtung Baby (Deluxe Edition) | ||
HD00018771953920″>  Audiophile 88kHz/24bit Title: HD00018771953920″>BEGGARS BANQUET | HD093624955689″>  Audiophile 48kHz/24bit Title: HD093624955689″>Best 1991 – 2004 | ||
HD075597964516″>  Audiophile 96kHz/24bit Title: HD075597964516″>Buena Vista Social Club | HD7391959177626″>  Audiophile 88kHz/24bit Title: HD7391959177626″>CANTATE DOMINO | ||
HD603497940806″>  Audiophile 96kHz/24bit Title: HD603497940806″>Chicago II | HD00042283564626″>  Audiophile 96kHz/24bit Title: HD00042283564626″>Clap Hands Here Comes Charlie! | ||
HD093624955788″>  Audiophile 96kHz/24bit Title: HD093624955788″>Cry | HD00602527486345″>  Audiophile 96kHz/24bit Title: HD00602527486345″>Damn The Torpedoes (Deluxe Edition) | ||
HD603497941735″>  Audiophile 96kHz/24bit Title: HD603497941735″>Fragile | HD00731454093026″>  Audiophile 48kHz/24bit Title: HD00731454093026″>Frampton Comes Alive! | ||
HD00602517679221″>  Audiophile 96kHz/24bit Title: HD00602517679221″>Getz/Gilberto | HD00731452815927″>  Audiophile 96kHz/24bit Title: HD00731452815927″>Goodbye Yellow Brick Road | ||
Most of what you listen to these days, particularly if you’ve downloaded it from the web, doesn’t sound very good. Let’s face it, sites like iTunes and Spotify are not primarily concerned with sounds quality. Whether or not the lower grade quality detracts from the music will largely depend on the listener and the equipment that s/he uses for playback. In most cases, people use MP3 players, iPods etc and there isn’t the requirement or appreciation of hi-res sound quality.
In fact, the bands themselves are largely responsible for low sound quality expectations from their followers. Many of today’s bands simply make awful-sounding recordings. They use studio techniques, the results of which are super-compressed and to my ears, very unpleasant-sounding. It’s the old garbage in garbage out situation, you can’t ‘rescue’ a poor quality recording with a high res playback device or format. At least that’s mostly true. The exceptions of course are with music recorded at a time when more sophisticated techniques and equipment were unavailable. In this case, you might want to obtain a high resolution 96-kHz/24-bit version of the track so that your system can extract all of the available sound potential.
Unfortunately when recordings are saved as a FLAC file the high-res playback isn’t going to make it any better – once the master is compressed you can’t decompress it and restore the dynamics.
The real punchline comes when so-called audiophiles listen to poorly recorded, low resolution music on “revealing” high-end stereo systems. That really doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. So the company HD Tracks have basically filled a gap in the audiophile market. Many people want the speed, versatility and convenience of instant downloads, but they also want good quality playback from 96-kHz/24-bit audio tracks. (or higher).
So I would highly recommend this website and similar websites offering hi-res audio downloads at an affordable price. Take a tour today and let me know what you think. They even have a free high-res track of your choice to get you started.
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