Hello,

Hi-Fi and High End audio shows are a great opportunity to discover new equipment, but also to listen to music in outstanding listening conditions. It was at one of these shows that I discovered Nameless, Dominique Fils-Aimé’s debut album, and more specifically the track Birds.
Released in 2018, Nameless already lays the foundations of the artist’s distinctive sound. The album showcases the meticulous work on vocals, soundstage, and overall sonic precision, qualities that are also found on her latest album, My World Is The Sun (review : High Res 24 96 vs Dolby Atmos vs pureaudiostreaming in 7.1.4 vs Vinyl record) .

This signature sound is the result of the work of recording and mixing engineer Jacques Roy. You can also read our interview with him to discover the artistic and technical choices that shaped the sound and mixing of Dominique Fils-Aimé’s albums.

The graph here compares the spectrum of the Blue vinyl record 45rpm – 2020 (white curve) with the spectrum of the Apple Music – 2018 (blue curve).

A comparison of the two spectrum curves reveals two points that will have a significant impact on the sound quality of the two versions. Above 10 kHz (yellow zone), the vinyl record s level is higher, with an additional 3 dB at 15 kHz and 6 dB at 20 kHz for the vinyl record. As for the bass (green zone), below 200 Hz, there is an attenuation of between 1 and 3 dB in the vinyl record s level.

These two differences will influence the vinyl record s sound, resulting in less pronounced bass and more precise treble; the listening test described below will confirm this point.

The recording and mixing quality of the digital album (Apple 24/96) is noteworthy. It features a very wide soundstage; you even get the sensation that sound is coming from the sides as well (as if you had side speakers in Dolby Atmos). The vocals and instruments are perfectly positioned, with exemplary precision and clarity.
Jacques Roy has created a benchmark album here, particularly the track Birds, which is ideal for testing your audio system. It allows you to evaluate your system’s tonal balance: the bass should be present without being overpowering, the vocals should remain clear and precise, and, finally, the soundstage should extend beyond the speakers.

Given the quality of the digital version, I have to admit I didn’t expect to be blown away while listening by the vinyl version. The bass is less pronounced, but it’s still very present and highly detailed, and the treble are more precise, adding extra nuances to the listening experience compared to the digital version.
The sound quality is therefore exceptional.
I admit I listened to it on different systems to confirm this impression. It’s a reference album that I highly recommend, you’ll feel like you re listening to a studio master.
This is especially evident on the track Birds. Give it a listen to fully appreciate all the nuances and the openness of Jacques Roy’s mix.

You can also find the full analysis (including all graphs and measurements) and samples HERE (link).

Enjoy the listening.
Jean-François

Hello,

During a party at Ana Mighty Sound, François Saint-Gérand had invited Frédéric d'Oria-Nicolas, the director of The Lost Recordings, to explain how his albums are produced and restored.
It was also an opportunity to listen to a press copy of the Dave Bruquet Quartet's album Live At Kurhaus 1967, which I invite you to discover in this review.
Frédéric d'Oria-Nicolas explained that the first step in the process is to track down original tapes by searching through various tape storage and archival centers around the world to unearth nearly forgotten recordings. Once the tapes are discovered, an initial sorting process is conducted to ensure that the complete set of tapes from a concert is available and meets a minimum quality standard.
From this point on, the tapes from a recording are digitized, with careful attention paid to optimizing playback to extract as much information as possible from the tape. Based on this digital version, the restoration process begins, this can take varying amounts of time depending on the quality of the tape and the recording itself.

So today I'm going to introduce you to the Sapphire Edition of the album, comparing it to the high-resolution digital version available for download and the CD-quality version available for download, which comes with a coupon included with the vinyl record.

The graph (here) compares the spectrum of the Vinyle Sapphire Edition - 2026 (white curve) with the spectrum of the Stereo Hi-Res - 2026 (blue curve). The near-perfect alignment of the spectral curves for these two editions demonstrates the skill and quality of Kevin Gray's lacquer cutting, Kevin Gray is now considered one of the masters of vinyl record cutting. Note that the vinyl edition exhibits a slight attenuation above 10 kHz (yellow zone), approximately 2 dB, compared to the digital version.

Spectrum Ed 3 Vinyle Sapphire Edition - 2026 (white) vs Ed 2 Stereo Hi-Res - 2026 (blue) (Three to Get Ready.)

The Sapphire Edition vinyl release is available in a deluxe box set with a high-end finish, it even includes a magnetic closure; nothing has been left to chance. We'd love to see this level of high-quality packaging in other competing high-end releases.
The album is pressed on two 200g transparent LPs, using a material that underwent extensive testing by Frédéric d'Oria-Nicolas to select the one that minimizes surface noise as quickly as possible.

The goal of The Lost Recordings is to introduce us to old recordings under the best possible conditions. It is the artistic and historical value of the performances that leads Frédéric d'Oria-Nicolas to restore a concert and turn it into an album, as is the case with this album, Live at the Kurhaus 1967, which features a beautiful rendition of Take Five.
The technical quality of this Sapphire Edition vinyl record is among the very best available, deserving a 5/5 for its production quality. This allows listeners to fully appreciate the restoration work done on this album. When listening, the vinyl version offers a more natural sound than the digital edition; this is certainly due to the smoother high frequencies (see the spectrum comparison) and also to the vinyl record itself, which, with its unique characteristics in terms of sound reproduction and distortion, creates a listening experience that enhances the restoration of this 1967 live recording, originally recorded in mono.
Above all, these restorations highlight the quality of the performances and the historical significance of these recordings.

Find all the analyses and measurements of each versions here (link).

Enjoy listening,
Jean-François

Hello,

Number Ones is a compilation of Michael Jackson s greatest hits, originally released in 2003 and featuring major tracks from Billie Jean to Smooth Criminal. For the first time, this selection is available as a double LP vinyl edition since January 30, 2026, with 18 iconic tracks from his career.

This pressing offers an analog overview of the highlights of the King of Pop, covering his disco, pop, and funk eras. The release comes in different vinyl variants (black, red, or white, depending on the retailer) for fans and collectors.

But does this vinyl edition live up to expectations?

Link to the waveforme picture.

The vinyl version is not spared from this dynamic compression either. The waveform clearly shows the use of a limiter that completely flattens the dynamics. The effect is slightly less pronounced than on the digital version, due to the cutting process, which artificially restores some apparent dynamics in reality, this is a deformation introduced during cutting, essentially a form of signal distortion, as explained in article “Does analog media force a dynamic on music?“.
It appears that little effort is now being made with vinyl releases, and the analog format is no longer being respected. It is also worth noting that more than 50% of vinyl records are never actually played. Overall, this is an edition to avoid, unless you are a collector or simply want the large artwork.
Too bad, since the vinyl features a careful pressing and low surface noise.

Link to the comparison picture between original vinyl record, Digital Hires "Number One"s and vinyl record "Number Ones".

Compared to the original album version, the zoom on the Beat It sample clearly shows a loss of dynamics, both on the digital edition and on the vinyl edition of the compilation.

Find the full analysis, along with audio samples to listen to here (link).

Enjoy listening!

Jean-François

Other albums reviewed:

Michael Jackson – Thriller – Full Review (vinyl, CD, Cassette, SACD, MOFI releases, Qobuz, Tidal, Amazon Music, Sony 360 RA, from 1982 to 2022)

Michael Jackson – Off The Wall – Has the remastering lost the original spirit of the album?- Review and comparison between vinyl records, SACD, CD, cassette and streaming (US, MOFI one step, MFSL, Japan, Qobuz, Tidal, Amazon Music)

Michael Jackson- Dangerous – Review (LPs, CDs, Streaming, DAT, MOFI, 1991 to 2025)

Wonderful and great sounding album from 2026.

Hello,

Modern tools like AI may be controversial, but in the case of this album Rubber Soul, it’s a production tool that will simply make it possible to separate the instruments and vocals, it has the ability to perfectly separate the vocals and instruments to provide separate audio tracks, allowing the sound engineer to remix as if he had multitrack tapes with each vocal and instrument on a dedicated track. This is a technique that has already been used for other Beatles songs.
Based on these elements, two mixes were created: a stereo version and a Dolby Atmos version.

The graph (link) compares the spectrum of the Mix – 2026 (white curve) with the spectrum of the Remastered – 2009 (blue curve).The curves of the two spectra are very similar from 300 Hz to 20 kHz. Between 150 Hz and 400 Hz (white area), the 2006 remastered version has a higher level (up to 5 dB). Below 100 Hz, the 2026 remixed version has a higher bass level, with a difference of up to 10 dB.
These changes below 400 Hz will alter the perception of the bass between the two versions, with the 2026 mix offering a more modern low frequency balance.

The stereo 2026 mix

Using AI that allows us to separate vocals and instruments. We use AI as a demixing tool, not to generate new sounds. It s possible to remix a track as if we had a multitrack recording with the vocals and instruments separated (a technique that wasn’t available when the album was made).
The new mix follows current mixing conventions for this type of music. Consequently, the vocals are centered rather than on the right, with the backing vocals behind the lead vocals and positioned on the left.
However, the placement of certain instruments has been retained to stay true to the spirit of the original mix.
It s a resounding success that allows listeners to rediscover the album with a cleaner, more detailed sound, a realistic soundstage that perfectly highlights the vocals, and a boosted bass level to provide better bass balance while preserving the Beatles signature sound.

The Dolby Atmos 2026 mix

The first thing that struck me when listening to the Dolby Atmos version was the precision and detail of the vocals and instruments.
In fact, I listened to the original mix, then the new stereo mix, which offers an improvement in terms of the coherence of the soundstage.
And when I switched to Atmos, I wondered how it would sound. The Atmos mix expands the soundstage, but it wasn’t the spatialization that impressed me the most, because, although it s more pronounced than in stereo, it’s still relatively restrained for Atmos, it was above all the precision of the instruments and vocals, that ability to distinguish everything as if the instruments and singers were right in front of us. There are also occasional instruments placed in the surround channels or overhead, but fortunately, this is only sporadic, and I don’t think it was necessary on this album.
Following U2 (link)’s use of Dolby Atmos mixing to immerse us differently in a track depending on its sections, the mix on this album perfectly highlights all the instruments and vocals, resulting in a sound that’s even more precise and detailed than the new stereo mix.
These two albums clearly demonstrate the evolution of Dolby Atmos mixing, whether to enhance the musical experience or to bring out every detail of an album.

Find all the analyses and measurements of each versions here (link).

And the video of the 3D immersive sound on Youtube.

Enjoy listening,
Jean-François

Other reviews of The Beatles :

The Beatles – Now and Then – The last Beatles song, finalized using AI – Review (Test: maxi vinyl record, blue single vinyl record, Tidal MAX Flac, Amazon UltraHD Stereo 24/96, Dolby Atmos)

THE BEATLES: the 1962-1966 (The Red Album) – Review – (Test: CD 1993, CD 2010, Tidal MAX FLAC 24/96 2023 and Tidal Dolby Atmos 2023)

The Beatles: 1967-1970 (The Blue Album) – Review – (Test: CD 1993, CD 2010, Tidal MAX FLAC 24/96 2023 and Tidal Dolby Atmos 2023)

Hello,
With The Night Watch (Live at the Rijksmuseum), Sting delivers an intimate live album recorded in the heart of Amsterdam’s famous Rijksmuseum as part of the Sounds Like Art project. Accompanied by guitarist Dominic Miller, he revisits a selection of iconic tracks from his career, blending classics from The Police with solo hits.
The recording highlights the museum s exceptional acoustics, whose natural reverberation fully contributes to the listening experience. Far from a spectacular production, this performance favors closeness to the artist and the authenticity of the interpretation.

Available in both stereo and Dolby Atmos, this recording is a particularly interesting reference for assessing the ability of an immersive mix to reproduce the unique atmosphere of a truly singular venue.
The concert is available on ARTE s YouTube channel.

For this review, you will find 2 versions tested:

• Ed 1: Tidal MAX – 2026
• Ed 2: Tidal Dolby Atmos – 2026

This intimate Sting album is beautifully showcased by the recording quality. However, the limited dynamic range of the stereo version compromises the naturalness of the presentation compared to the Dolby Atmos version downmixed to stereo. Given that this performance was recorded in a museum, it deserved to preserve the full authenticity of both the recording and Sting’s outstanding performance.

Link to the waveform graphs.

This Dolby Atmos mix does not employ any moving sound effects on the music. Instead, its goal is to faithfully recreate the acoustic environment by using the surround channels to reproduce the venue’s natural reverberation and the audience’s applause. To fully appreciate the benefits of this Atmos mix, it should be compared directly with the stereo version. The added sense of the room’s acoustic space becomes immediately apparent, while the intimate front soundstage is preserved. This approach enhances the realism of the presentation, creating the impression that Sting is performing right in front of the listener. Although the dynamic range is well preserved, the overall presentation lacks a touch of refinement due to the lossy Dolby Digital Plus encoding (with 7.1.4 channel).

Link to the immersive 3D video on youtube

This album offers the opportunity to discover Sting in an exceptional setting, presented in an intimate atmosphere with historical instruments. The recording reveals strong sonic potential, unfortunately not fully realized in the stereo version due to dynamic limitations that also reduce the natural feel of this intimate performance. It is the Dolby Atmos version that best conveys the realism and immersion within the Rijksmuseum, thanks to a mix that faithfully preserves the concert’s atmosphere. However, the absence of a lossless Dolby TrueHD Atmos edition is regrettable, as it would have allowed for an even higher level of fidelity to the original recording.

You can find all of the measurements and graphics here (link).

Enjoy listening,
Jean-François

Hello,

TOKUNBO is a leading artist in the Black Folk scene, with three solo albums and an international career marked by numerous awards, media appearances, and extensive touring. Notably, she collaborated with the NDR Radio Philharmonic Orchestra in 2019 on the project "TOKUNBO and her Great American Songbook".

Her career has been recognized with several awards, including the Grand Prize at the 2023 John Lennon Songwriting Contest and a silver medal at the 2021 Global Music Awards. Building on this recognition, she also served as a jury member for the German Jazz Prize in 2022 and for the Eurovision Song Contest.

Lost & Found is her fourth solo album, set for release on September 25. Her fourth solo album, Lost & Found, is an intimate blend of jazz, folk-pop, and Folk Noir.

To gain a full understanding of the making of this album, I invite you to read the interview with Marc Ebermann, the sound engineer who mixed and mastered TOKUNBO's new album at Music Factory.

In this interview, Marc explains all the steps involved in mixing, including the various production choices, as well as mastering, in a completely transparent manner.

The graph (here) compares the spectrum of the Vinyl record - 2026 (white curve) with the spectrum of the Master Digital - 2026 (blue curve).The curves of the two spectra overlap almost perfectly from 30 Hz to 8 kHz. Above 8 kHz (yellow zone), the vinyl record shows a slightly higher level than the digital version, with a difference of up to 3 dB. This demonstrates the excellent cutting quality of the vinyl record.

A beautiful vinyl edition of the album with a high-quality pressing. As Marc Ebermann explains, this features a master specifically created for vinyl, capturing the full dynamic range of the recording to render TOKUNBO's vocals and the instruments more naturally, perfectly conveying that intimate feel on tracks like Cocoon, Stop Motion Movie, and To Be Alive , which also brings the guitar recording closer to the listener. In a different style, the tracks Empty Nest and True DNA open up the soundscape, placing TOKUNBO and the musicians right in front of you.

We particularly appreciate the effort put into creating two distinct masters, one for digital and one for vinyl, as this allows for a master calibrated to sound powerful in line with current trends, and a vinyl record that retains the dynamics of the original mix along with all its subtle nuances, resulting in a beautiful rendition of TOKUNBO's voice.

Find the full review with all measurements, samples and analysis HERE (link).

Enjoy listening,
Jean-François

Hello,
with Céline Dion having just kicked off her concert series in Paris, this is the perfect opportunity to rediscover Live à Paris, recorded in 1996 with Jean-Jacques Goldman as Guest. To celebrate its 30th anniversary, the album is being released for the first time on vinyl.

In this review, we ll compare this new vinyl edition with the digital versions that include the concert DVD and streaming. But the comparison promises to be more complex, as the track list varies significantly depending on the edition and format, ranging from 15 to 19 songs across different versions.

• J'attendais [Vinyle, DVD, Streaming]
• Destin [Vinyle, DVD, Streaming]
• The Power Of Love [Vinyle, DVD, Streaming]
• L'amour existe encore [Vinyle, DVD]
• Regarde-moi [Vinyle, DVD, Streaming]
• River Deep, Mountain High [Vinyle, Streaming]
• Un garçon pas comme les autres (Ziggy) [Vinyle, DVD, Streaming]
• Misled [DVD]
• Love Can Move Mountains [Vinyle, DVD]
• Calling You [Vinyle, DVD]
• Les derniers seront les premiers [Vinyle, DVD, Streaming]
• J'irai où tu iras [Vinyle, DVD, Streaming]
• Je sais pas [Vinyle, DVD, Streaming]
• Le ballet [Vinyle, DVD, Streaming]
• Quand on n'a que l'amour [Vinyle, DVD, Streaming]
• Le blues du businessman [Vinyle, DVD]
• Priére paèenne [Vinyle, DVD, Streaming]
• Pour que tu m'aimes encore [Vinyle, DVD, Streaming]
• Vole [Vinyle, DVD, Streaming]
• Paris [Vinyle]
• To Love You More [Streaming]

The graph (here) compares the spectrum of the Gold Vinyl - 2026 (white curve) with the spectrum of the DVD - 1996 (blue curve).There is a significant difference between these two versions. Below 700 Hz, the DVD s level is higher, with differences reaching up to 4 dB. Above 4 kHz (yellow zone), and particularly in the range between 6 and 10 kHz, the DVD shows a 12 dB attenuation at 8 kHz. The sound balance will therefore be very different from that of the vinyl record, which will sound less clear and detailed a finding confirmed by listening tests.
However, the same attenuation is observed above 15 kHz for both media.

This 30th anniversary edition released on vinyl for the first time offers the chance to own all the tracks featured on the DVD (except Misled ) and to enjoy a sound quality that far surpasses the DVD version (with Dolby Digital stereo track). Indeed, the sound here is balanced and detailed, with a beautiful soundstage that s even slightly wider than the streaming version (with just 15 tracks). This makes this edition the most comprehensive in terms of track selection, with superb sound quality.

Find the full review with all measurements and analysis HERE (link).

Enjoy listening,
Jean-François

This album is just mind blowing musically and sonically. The London Symphony Orchestra sounds spectacular. And her voice…

Thundercat is one of my favorite musicians so I’m probably a lil biased but his newest album Distractions is amazing! Excellent production throughout and of course the musicianship is top notch. It’s got that perfect Thundercat vibe that’s hard to explain. Ended up picking up the CD version just for the sound quality but will probably grab the red vinyl variant as well. Been on repeat since release.

A few of my favorites: I Wish I Didn’t Waste Your Time, She Knows Too Much, Anakin Learns His Fate, and ADD Through the Roof. But the whole album is great. My only complaint is he didn’t add the single Children of the Baked Potato… at least not that version.

Hello,

Released in June 2026, Night Blooms is the latest collaboration between Jeff Goldblum and the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra. A follow-up to Still Blooming (2025), this album continues the actor and pianist s exploration of the Great American Songbook, blending elegant jazz arrangements with a relaxed and intimate atmosphere. Featuring Melody Gardot, Charlie Puth, Cynthia Erivo, dodie, Haley Reinhart, Ariana Grande, Maiya Sykes, and Scarlett Johansson, Night Blooms alternates between newly recorded standards and Late Night Sessions that revisit tracks from the previous album with fresh interpretations.

I must admit that I was genuinely surprised from the very first listen of the Dolby Atmos version. I was expecting a soundstage that was primarily front-focused, as is often the case with jazz recordings, but this mix takes a very different approach. It creates a wide 180-degree soundstage, taking full advantage of the surround channels to naturally position the instruments around the listener rather than simply extending the front stage. This well-thought-out spatial arrangement gives the performance remarkable openness and realism, allowing each instrument to breathe while preserving the cohesion of the ensemble. The 3D video on YouTube demonstrating spatialization clearly shows the distribution of sound in space according to the instruments.

This immersive presentation enhances the feeling of being in the presence of the musicians, revealing subtle instrumental details that are less noticeable in traditional stereo.This spatialization is accompanied by a beautiful dynamic range.

Unfortunately, the stereo version follows the trend of limiting dynamic range in jazz recordings and therefore does not entirely escape the effects of the loudness war, as shown by the comparison of the waveforms (link).

For those who prefer a stereo listening experience, the vinyl edition remains a very appealing option, offering a more open and lively sound than the digital stereo version.

Find the full review with all measurements and analysis HERE (link), as well as a demonstration of the 3D spatialization of the Dolby Atmos version on YouTube.

Enjoy listening,
Jean-François

Hello,

Foreign Tongues marks the return of The Rolling Stones with their 25th studio album, following the success of Hackney Diamonds released in 2023.

This review compares the Blu-ray Dolby Atmos, 5.1 surround, stereo, streaming, and vinyl editions to determine which version delivers the most faithful and engaging listening experience.
For this review, you will find 6 versions tested:

• Ed 1: Tidal MAX – 2026
• Ed 2: Tidal Dolby Atmos – 2026
• Ed 3: Bluray Dolby ATMOS TrueHD – 2026
• Ed 4: Bluray DTS HDMA 5.1 – 2026
• Ed 5: Bluray PCM stereo – 2026
• Ed 6: Yellow vinyl record – 2026

The PCM stereo 24 bits 96 kHz track of the bluray included in the The limited Collector’s Edition of Foreign Tongues presented as a premium box set.
The PCM stereo shows a very low dynamic range with DR6.

The graph here compares the spectrum of the Tidal MAX – 2026 (white curve) with the spectrum of the Yellow vinyl record – 2026 (blue curve).The spectral curves of the two versions overlap almost perfectly between 300 Hz and 7 kHz. Below 300 Hz (green area), the digital version exhibits a slightly higher level, reaching up to 2 dB more at 50 Hz. Above 7 kHz (yellow area), the vinyl shows a slight treble boost between 10 and 15 kHz, peaking at approximately 2 dB, followed by a roll-off beyond 15 kHz that reaches more than 5 dB at 18 kHz before rising again at 20 kHz and above. These differences in the spectre are expected to give the vinyl edition a more detailed and airy sonic presentation.

The Dolby Atmos mix of this album is highly successful, delivering an immersive sound experience in which instruments and vocals are carefully distributed throughout the three-dimensional soundstage. The mix places a strong emphasis on the 180-degree sound field, making extensive use of the wide and side surround channels to create a broad and enveloping presentation.

3D immersive video of the Dolby Atmos on Youtube.

For this new Rolling Stones album, if you want to experience both the best stereo presentation and an immersive Dolby Atmos mix, this collector’s edition combining the double LP and Blu-ray is the definitive choice. The vinyl edition delivers the most engaging stereo experience, offering a more dynamic and lively presentation. Meanwhile, the Blu-ray provides a lossless Dolby Atmos version that reveals the full finesse, detail, and precision of the album s spatial mix.
The standard digital stereo version, whether on Blu-ray or streaming platforms, remains far behind these editions, mainly due to its reduced dynamics and less engaging sonic presentation.

Find all the analyses and measurements of each versions here (link).

Enjoy listening,
Jean-François

Hello,

Boys and Girls is Bryan Ferry’s sixth solo album, released in 1985 after the breakup of Roxy Music. It achieved great commercial success, reaching number one in the UK and earning multiple certifications. Key singles include Slave to Love, Don t Stop the Dance, and Windswept, featuring contributions from renowned musicians such as David Gilmour and Mark Knopfler.

For its 40th anniversary, a special Blu-ray edition (Special Deluxe Edition) was released, is this blu-ray the best edition?

For this review, you will find 9 versions tested:

• Ed 1: Bluray – 2025
• Ed 2: Bluray Dolby Atmos – 2025
• Ed 3: Bluray DTS HDMA 5.1 – 2025
• Ed 4: CD – 1985
• Ed 5: SACD – 2005
• Ed 6: SACD 5.1 – 2005
• Ed 7: Tidal – 2025
• Ed 8: Tidal Dolby Atmos – 2025
• Ed 9: Vinyl record – 1985

The remastered stereo versions available on streaming platforms, SACD, and Blu-ray are dynamically compressed, unlike the original CD and vinyl releases, as well as the Dolby Atmos version.

The graph (link) compares the spectrum of the CD – 1985 (white curve) with the spectrum of the SACD – 2005 (blue curve).The two curves are very similar up to 22 kHz (yellow arrow), which corresponds to the maximum frequency of the CD format. However, a slightly higher level can be observed for the SACD below 100 Hz (green zone), with a boost of approximately 2 to 4 dB between 40 Hz and 100 Hz. Between 3 and 10 kHz (yellow zone), the SACD version shows a slight attenuation of about 1 to 2 dB. The white arrow indicates the rise in noise on the SACD, caused by the use of DSD64, which generates an increase in noise above 30 kHz.

The spatialization of Bluray Dolby Atmos – 2025 version varies from track to track, with values between 5.9 and 8.9.

If you are looking for a dynamic stereo version that remains completely faithful to the original album, the obvious choice is the 1985 CD (or the 1985 vinyl record if you prefer that format).
The remastered SACD, Blu-ray, and streaming stereo editions, while benefiting from mastering that provides a more contemporary tonal balance, unfortunately suffer from noticeable dynamic compression, which reduces the impact and liveliness of the original recording.
The real highlight, however, is the Blu-ray Dolby Atmos mix: it preserves all the qualities of the original version while delivering a modern, immersive, and enveloping experience. Each instrument is precisely positioned in space, the soundstage is perfectly constructed, and the mix benefits from the subtlety and clarity of Dolby TrueHD encoding, making this edition a reference for immersive Dolby Atmos mixing.

Find all the samples in high resolution to listen to and compare the different versions, as well as all the analyses and measurements of each versions here (link).

Enjoy listening,
Jean-François

Hello,

8-Track is a new compilation dedicated to Pink Floyd, focusing on their most iconic era.
Curated with care by Steven Wilson, it offers a concise selection of the band s essential tracks.
The album stands out for its smooth sequencing, designed to create a coherent listening experience.

It notably includes the full version of Pigs on the Wing (previously available on the 1977 Animals 8-track cartridge release.), a rare and highly appreciated addition for fans.
This compilation highlights timeless classics in a refreshed and thoughtfully assembled presentation.

This album exemplifies what every release should strive for: outstanding dynamics across all tested formats, from CD and vinyl to high-resolution streaming.
Dynamic range has been fully preserved, with no signs of loudness-driven compression.

The graph here (link) compares the spectrum of the Blue Vinyl Record – 2026 (white curve) with the spectrum of the vinyl of Dark Side Of The Moon released in 2023 for the anniversary (blue curve). The spectrum of the 8-Tracks vinyl largely overlaps with that of the 2023 anniversary edition of Dark Side of the Moon up to approximately 10 kHz. However, in the red-highlighted region, clear spectral anomalies can be observed, with a rise of around 10 dB at 14 kHz followed by a drop of nearly 30 dB extending to 17 kHz.
These irregularities are characteristic of a cutting issue that is sometimes encountered vinyls cuts produced at Bernie Grundman. By contrast, the 8-Tracks vinyl edition exhibits the spectral behavior expected from a properly executed cut.

When listening, these anomalies can result in less natural extreme high frequencies and a harsher, more aggressive presentation of certain instruments, such as guitars. In this respect, the 8-Tracks edition should serve as a benchmark for future Pink Floyd anniversary vinyl releases.

We hope that future anniversary editions, such as The Wall, will maintain this same level of quality.

You can also find the full analysis (all graphs and measurements) HERE (link).

Enjoy listening,
Jean-François

Hello,

At Baker’s Keyboard Lounge is a live album by the Oscar Peterson Trio, released in 2026 by Verve Records. It brings together previously unreleased recordings made in August 1960 at Detroit’s legendary Baker’s Keyboard Lounge. The trio Oscar Peterson on piano, Ray Brown on bass, and Ed Thigpen on drums delivers performances of remarkable intensity throughout the recording. Originally intended for a commercial release, these concerts remained unreleased for more than sixty years.

Are the editions released worthy of the exceptional musical quality of this Oscar Peterson Trio album?

For this review, you will find 3 versions tested:
Ed 1: SHM-CD JAPAN – 2026

• Ed 2: Tidal MAX – 2026
• Ed 3: Vinyl record – 2026

The waveform of the SHM-CD JAPAN – 2026 version shows an average dynamic range that seems acceptable with the DR10. However, it is noted that many tracks exhibit a DR of 8 or 9, indicating the use of a dynamic limiter, as confirmed by waveform analysis (red zones). Such processing is regrettable for a jazz album.

This vinyl edition, The Complete Recordings, includes three LPs and features the complete set of 27 tracks from the album. A single-LP version is also available, containing only nine tracks.

The graph here (link) compares the spectrum of the Vinyl record – 2026 (white curve) with the spectrum of the Tidal MAX – 2026 (blue curve). The two spectra overlap almost perfectly between 150 Hz and 5 kHz. Below 150 Hz, the vinyl’s level is up to 4 dB higher in the 60 150 Hz range, whereas it drops a few dB below 60 Hz. Above 5 kHz, both curves follow a similar general trend, though the vinyl exhibits a boost in the high frequencies between 12 and 20 kHz, peaking at 4 or 5 dB. The high-resolution spectrum shows parasitic frequency peaks around 30 kHz and 50 kHz, which have no impact on the perceived sound.

Listening to the vinyl, one immediately notices increased presence in the low end, the double bass is more prominent, providing a more pleasant listening experience while maintaining detail in the high frequencies. This aligns perfectly with the spectral analysis, suggesting that this 3LP edition is likely the best sonic representation of the album.
The album beautifully captures the atmosphere of the concert hall, immersing us right in the heart of the action alongside the musicians. You can even hear Oscar Peterson’s whisper.
However, despite the higher DR, it remains difficult to discern whether we are hearing a truly dynamic master or simply a less compressed version of the digital masters. This phenomenon regarding dynamic shifts is explained in the article: Does analog media force a dynamic on music? or Does Analog Media increase the dynamics?.

I cannot hide my disappointment. After receiving the Japanese SHM-CD edition and comparing the album across various formats, the conclusion is bitter: this jazz album has fallen victim to the Loudness War.
This is a concerning warning sign for the genre, and it is not an isolated case; we see the same trend in more recent recordings, such as Stacey Kent’s latest album, A Time for Love. All we ask for is sonic fidelity.
A jazz album is not a rock record that needs to sound ‘loud’ for marketing purposes. Jazz productions seem to be succumbing to this race for volume, and Oscar Peterson would undoubtedly be horrified by the treatment inflicted upon this recording.

Enjoy listening,
Jean-François

Hello,

The Marbled Gold vinyl edition is a wonderful surprise that I invite you to discover alongside the digital stereo, high-resolution, and Dolby Atmos versions. This edition consists of three Marbled Gold LPs, and the color reproduction on the records is truly outstanding. It’s a high-quality vinyl edition that makes the most of the medium’s characteristics.

This vinyl edition is very well done, both in terms of aesthetics, with its three beautifully marbled gold LPs, and in terms of sound quality. It features a beautiful soundstage with dynamic rendering. The bass is less pronounced and deep than on the digital version (partly due to dynamic compression), but the midrange and high frequencies are rendered with greater detail. The pressing quality is good for a colored record, but during the quietest passages, it doesn't achieve the same level of silence as the digital versions.

Find all the analyses and measurements of each versions here (link).

Enjoy listening,
Jean-François

Hello,
Muse The Wow! Signal is the tenth studio album by the British rock band Muse. Conceived as a concept album, it revolves around the themes of cosmic mystery, extraterrestrial intelligence, and human connections, drawing inspiration from the famous 1977 radio astronomy event known as the Wow! Signal.

The album continues in Muse s signature style, blending epic rock with electronic and orchestral elements, while venturing further into science-fiction storytelling. Through its tracks, it explores the idea of potential contact with something beyond Earth, using space and extraterrestrial communication as metaphors for emotional and existential questions.

Unsurprisingly, this album suffers from extremely heavy dynamic range compression, just as we already observed when the first single was released. Some will argue that this is simply a characteristic of this style of music, which is expected to sound loud and powerful. However, with an average DR value of 4 (ranging from DR3 to DR5 depending on the track), the processing is clearly excessive, resulting in a completely squashed sound.
A comparison with the Dolby Atmos version shows that it is perfectly possible to preserve Muse’s signature sound while allowing for significantly greater dynamic range.

The graph here compares the spectrum of the Tidal MAX – 2026 (white curve) with the spectrum of the Colored vinyl record – 2026 (blue curve).The two spectral curves almost perfectly overlap across the entire frequency range, with only a slight boost in the vinyl above 10 kHz, varying between 1 and 3 dB.

With its dynamic and lively mix, the Dolby Atmos version makes full use of all available channels, as illustrated by the spatialization visualization video.

With The Wow! Signal, the immersive Dolby Atmos version stands out as the best way to fully experience the album, delivering a more dynamic and enveloping sound. For stereo listening, the vinyl edition offers a more enjoyable experience than the digital version, it’s a bit more “dynamic” with a sound that’s slightly less muffled.

The full review with all graphics and analyses is available here (link).

Enjoy listening

Jean-François

Hello,
Twenty years after the huge success of Confessions on a Dance Floor, Madonna makes her long-awaited return with Confessions II, her fifteenth studio album. Released on July 3, 2026, this new record reunites her with producer Stuart Price, the architect behind the electro-dance sound that helped make the original album a worldwide success.
Blending house, disco, and contemporary pop, Madonna delivers an energetic project designed as a true celebration of the dance floor. The album also features collaborations with Sabrina Carpenter, Lourdes Leon, and Feid. Beneath its infectious rhythms, Confessions II explores more personal themes, touching on family, life’s challenges, and resilience.

With Confessions II, the Queen of Pop once again proves that she remains one of the most influential figures in international music.

For this review, you will find 2 versions tested:

• Ed 1: Tidal MAX – 2026
• Ed 2: Clear pink vinyl record – 2026

The waveform of the Tidal MAX – 2026 version shows a extremely low dynamic range confirmed with DR5 (link to the wavefoms Tidal vs vinyl record). As is often the case today, the master used for the vinyl pressing was most likely derived from the same heavily compressed source as the digital version. The perceived increase in dynamic range is therefore not the result of a dedicated vinyl mastering, but rather a consequence of the characteristics of the analog format, which naturally mitigates the effects of brickwall digital compression, as explained in the following article: “Does analog media force a dynamic on music? or Does Analog Media increase the dynamics?“.

The digital version of Madonna's new album unfortunately does not escape the loudness war, a trend that continues to shape many modern productions. On listening, the vinyl record proves to be the most enjoyable, thanks to a less compressed presentation and a more natural dynamic range.
However, the absence of a Dolby Atmos version is somewhat surprising. It is hard to imagine this being a budget issue for an artist of Madonna s stature. There remains the hope that a future deluxe edition could offer a Dolby Atmos mix, possibly alongside a Blu-ray Audio release in the coming weeks or months.

You can find all of the measurements, graphics and explanations for these two versions here (link).

Enjoy listening,
Jean-François

Hello,

Released in may 2026, "In Times of Dragons" is Tori Amos's eighteenth studio album and one of her most ambitious concept albums to date. Built around an allegorical narrative exploring the struggle between democracy and tyranny, the album blends mythological imagery with deeply personal and political themes. Across seventeen tracks, Amos combines her signature piano-driven songwriting style with rich orchestration and contemporary production, creating a cinematic and emotionally charged listening experience. Standout tracks include Shush, Provincetown, Blue Lotus, and the epic closing track 23 Peaks.

With its complex arrangements and grandiose soundscape, "In Times of Dragons" should lend itself well to an immersive listening experience in Dolby Atmos which is exactly what we ll explore in this review.

The waveform of the Bluray stereo - 2026 version shows a low dynamic range confirmed with DR7 compared to the vinyl and the Dolby Atmos (DR12 for the downmixed 2.0 version).

The graph of spectrums compares the spectrum of the Vinyl Record - 2026 (white curve) with the spectrum of the Bluray stereo - 2026 (blue curve).The spectral curves of the digital version and the vinyl record show excellent overlap, demonstrating the high quality of the vinyl mastering and cutting process. The vinyl clearly uses the same master as the digital release. Above 24 kHz, which is the upper frequency limit of the digital version, the vinyl maintains a higher signal level due to the inherent distortion and surface noise associated with the vinyl playback process.
(Spectrum Ed 6 Vinyl Record - 2026 (white) vs Ed 3 Bluray stereo - 2026 (blue) (Angelshark.))

The Dolby Atmos mix makes excellent use of spatial audio, particularly during the choruses, where backing vocals and instruments are effectively distributed across the surround channels on tracks such as In Times of Dragons and Provincetown. Some songs, including Ode to Minnesota, feature an even wider, nearly 180-degree soundfield that further enhances the immersive experience. The low end is powerful and well controlled, providing the album with a solid foundation. While the lead vocals remain primarily anchored to the front soundstage, the Dolby Atmos mix adds a new dimension to the listening experience.
3D immersive sound video on Youtube.

For this new Tori Amos album, the Blu-ray edition offers the best available versions, featuring Dolby TrueHD Atmos and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks that deliver a highly successful immersive mix. Listening to the Atmos track through a stereo downmix provides the best possible result on a traditional stereo system. Indeed, the Blu-ray stereo track and the streaming versions remain inferior due to dynamic compression, which reduces the precision, impact, and energy of the sound reproduction. Even the vinyl edition, while offering a more open presentation than the digital stereo version, still falls short of the stereo downmix of the Dolby Atmos mix.

Find all the analyses and measurements of each versions here (link).

Enjoy listening,
Jean-François

Hello,

Making Movies is the third studio album by Dire Straits, released in 1980, and marks a major turning point in the band’s career.

For this review, you will find 10 versions tested:

• Ed 1: Japanese vinyl record – 1980
• Ed 2: MOFI vinyl record – 2019
• Ed 3: MOFI SACD – 2019
• Ed 4: MOFI CD layer from SACD – 2019
• Ed 5: CD – 1984
• Ed 6: CD – 1996
• Ed 7: Japanese SACD – 2012
• Ed 8: Vinyl Abbey Road – 2024
• Ed 9: Tidal – 2024
• Ed 10: Amazon Dolby Atmos – 2024

The waveform of the 1996 CD reveals a restricted dynamic range for this album, confirmed by a DR10 measurement, unlike the 1984 edition or the MOFI SACD.

The graph here (link) compares the spectrum of the MOFI vinyl record – 2019 (white curve) with the spectrum of the Japanese vinyl record – 1980 (blue curve). MOFI’s mastering highlights the lower end of the spectrum (green zone) with up to 3 dB more below 400 Hz, and above 3 kHz (yellow zone), there’s an increase in treble of up to 20dB more at 15 kHz.

The graph here (link) compares the spectrum of the MOFI vinyl record – 2019 (white curve) with the spectrum of the MOFI SACD – 2019 (blue curve). MOFI vinyl mastering differs from SACD above 3 kHz (yellow zone), with an increase in treble of up to 10 dB at 16 kHz. So there’s a difference between the MOFI vinyl and SACD versions.

For this Dolby Atmos version on Amazon Music, only two tracks, Tunnel Of Love and Romeo And Juliet, are available in this format, both taken from the Dire Straits compilation Money for Nothing. The soundstage is preserved, with a reproduction that emphasizes an expanded frontal image up to 180 degrees by incorporating the side speakers.

To rediscover the original sound, preserving the tonal balance and dynamics of the time, the 1980s vinyl editions remain the most faithful reference, followed by the 1984 CD, the first digital release and the most respectful of the original master.

In high-resolution digital format, the 2012 SACD is the closest to the original master tape.

For a remastered version that preserves dynamics, the Abbey Road Studios vinyl is a solid option. The MOFI editions, on the other hand, offer a reworked tonal balance: the SACD features more prominent bass, while the MOFI vinyl version presents a very pronounced emphasis in the upper frequencies, resulting in a highly detailed listening experience, sometimes even slightly excessive depending on the cartridge used.

You can also find the full analysis (including all graphs and measurements) and samples HERE (link).

Enjoy the listening.
Jean-François

Other reviews of Dire Straits:
Money For Nothing – Review (Tidal Dolby Atmos, LP, CD, Qobuz, 1988, 1996 remastered 2022)

Dire Straits – Brothers In Arms (Vinyl japanese, remastered, Mofi, Abbey Road Studio, CD, SACD, Streaming, Tidal Dolby Atmos…)

Dire Straits – Encores – Review (Vinyl , Download, CD)

Dire Straits – On Every Street – Review – (Test: MOFI vinyl record 45 rpm SACD and CD 1991 1996 2000, Tidal Music HD and vinyl record from Back To Black ). What’s wrong with the MOFI and Back To Black vinyl records?