Emblematic band The Cure presents us with their new album entitled “Songs of A Lost World”, after a 16-year hiatus without new music. This album contains 8 songs available on all media including streming (Stereo and Dolby Atmos), vinyl disc including a high-quality vinyl edition (Abbey Road half-speed master on double-layer 180 g black organic vinyl), CD, blu-ray (stereo and Dolby Atmos TrueHD).
For this review, you will find 6 versions tested: Streaming stereo and Dolby Atmos, Vinyl Half Speed, CD, Blu-ray stereo and Dolby Atmos TrueHD.
Below you will find the description of the different editions, as well as the measurements of each edition in the following chapters.
The album is composed of 8 tracks:
- Alone
- And Nothing Is Forever
- A Fragile Thing
- Warsong
- Drone:Nodrone
- I Can Never Say Goodbye
- All I Ever Am
- Endsong
Summary, scoring and Samples
Ed 1: Tidal MAX – 2024
Presentation
This is the Tidal Max presented in FLAC 24 bits 96 kHz.
Waveform and Spectrum: DR5
The waveform of TIDAL max 24 bits 96 kHz shows a low dynamic range confirmed with DR5.
The spectrogram shows that the signal rises above 20 kHz (yellow arrow) with some signal above 30 kHz (white arrow) .
Synthesis and listening
The Tidal Max version presented in 24-bit 96 kHz makes good use of the full spectrum offered by high definition, but unfortunately there’s a limited dynamic range (loudness war DR6) due to dynamic compression, which limits the energy of the music at high listening levels, and brings less finesse to the rendering of vocals and instruments.
Rating:
- Dynamic: ●oooo (1)
- Bandwidth: ●●●●● (5)
- Restitution: ●●ooo (2.5)
Sample : “”Alone” 24 bits 96 kHz:
Ed 2: Tidal Dolby Atmos – 2024
Presentation
This is the Tidal Dolby Atmos presented in Dolby Digital Plus or AC-4 (link).
Spatialization:
The spatialization of Tidal Dolby Atmos – 2024 version varies from track to track, with values between 6.8 and 8.
Spatialization : ●●●●●●●ooo (7.6)
Below the spatialization for all tracks. Click on the images to zoom in.
Waveform and Spectrum: DR14
The waveform of Tidal Dolby Atmos shows a good dynamic range confirmed with DR14.
The spectrogram of the Tidal Dolby Atmos track downmixed in 7.1 is limited to 20kHz (yellow arrow) with no signal above (white arrow). This limitation is due to Dolby Digital Plus encoding, which is a lossy encoder that limits bandwidth to optimize data size for a bit rate of 768 kbits/s. The LFE channel is used with 120 Hz cut-off frequency (green arrow)
Synthesis and listening
Dolby Atmos spatialization expands the front soundstage, creating a sound bubble at 180 degrees for the most part, with more dynamic sound rendering and better-defined vocals than in stereo.
Rating:
- Dynamic: ●●●●o (4.5)
- Bandwidth: ●●●●o (4)
- Spatialization: ●●●●●●●ooo (7.6)
- Restitution: ●●●oo (3.5)
Sample : “”Alone” 7.1 Dolby Atmos (Downmixed in 7.1) :
The sample is in 7.1 wav format, if you can not play the sample in your navigator, you can save it, right button menu and “Save Audio As…” and play it with an external player.
Sample : “”Alone” Dolby Atmos (Downmixed 2.0) :
Ed 3: Vinyl Record Abbey Road – 2024
Presentation
The Half Speed vinyl record contains 2 LP 33 1/3 rpm in bioplastic, and includes a poster (ref:602475036821).
Waveform and Spectrum: DR12
The waveform of vinyl record from Abbey Road shows a good dynamic range confirmed with DR12.
The spectrogram shows that the signal rises above 20 kHz (yellow arrow) with signal above this frequency (white arrow) containing musical information and distortion due to the vinyl record’s operating principle.
Synthesis and listening
This vinyl edition is pressed on 2 LPs at 33 1/3 rpm. We find here the “warmer” sound of the vinyl record, with a good bass presence due to the lower sound balance than the stereo version, as confirmed by the analysis of the spectra. However, this version remains less open and precise than the Dolby Atmos TrueHD version.
Rating:
- Dynamic: ●●●oo (3.5)
- Bandwidth: ●●●●● (5)
- Surface noise: ●●●●o (4)
- Restitution: ●●●oo (3)
Sample : “”Alone” 24 bits 96 kHz:
Ed 4: CD – 2024
Presentation
The CD is part of a Deluxe Edition box containing the CD, the CD with music versions and the blu-ray with stereo and Dolby Digital TrueHD Atmos versions (ref:7503679).
Waveform and Spectrum: DR5
The waveform of the CD shows a low dynamic range confirmed with DR5.
The spectrogram shows that the signal rises to 22 kHz (yellow arrow), with no signal above this frequency (white arrow) due to the CD sampling frequency of 44.1 kHz.
Synthesis and listening
The CD rendering is similar to the stereo version of the bluray, with a sound that lacks the dynamic range and openness of the Dolby Atmos version.
Rating:
- Dynamic: ●oooo (1)
- Bandwidth: ●●●●o (4)
- Restitution: ●●ooo (2.5)
Sample : “”Alone” 16 bits 44.1 kHz:
Ed 5: Blu-ray stereo – 2024
Presentation
The Bluray is part of a Deluxe Edition boxcontaining the CD, the CD with music versions and the blu-ray with stereo and Dolby Digital TrueHD Atmos versions (ref:7503679).
Waveform and Spectrum: DR5
The waveform of blu-ray stereo track in 24 bits 96 kHz shows a low dynamic range confirmed with DR5.
The spectrogram shows that the signal rises above 20 kHz (yellow arrow) with some signal above 30 kHz (white arrow) .
Synthesis and listening
The rendering is similar to that of the Tidal Max version, with a sound lacking in dynamics and openness compared to the Dolby Atmos version or the vinyl record.
Rating:
- Dynamic: ●oooo (1)
- Bandwidth: ●●●●o (4)
- Restitution: ●●ooo (2.5)
Sample : “”Alone” 24 bits 96 kHz:
Ed 6: Blu-ray Dolby Atmos – 2024
Presentation
The Bluray is part of a Deluxe Edition boxcontaining the CD, the CD with music versions and the blu-ray with stereo and Dolby Digital TrueHD Atmos versions (ref:7503679).
Spatialization:
The spatialization of Blu-ray Dolby Atmos – 2024 version varies from track to track, with values between 7.1 and 8.3.
Spatialization : ●●●●●●●●oo (7.7)
Below the spatialization for all tracks. Click on the images to zoom in.
Waveform and Spectrum: DR13
The waveform of blu-ray Dolby Atmos shows a good dynamic range confirmed with DR13.
The spectrogram of the Atmos downmixed in 7.1 version of blu-ray shows that the signal goes down to 24 kHz (yellow arrow) and that there is no signal above this frequency (white arrow), due to the 48 kHz sampling frequency used. The LFE channel is used with a cutoff frequency of 120 Hz (green arrow)
Synthesis and listening
The Dolby Atmos TrueHD version widens the gap with the Tidal Dolby Atmos version in terms of detail, sonic and spatial precision. It’s the best version for fully discovering this album without having to suffer the loudness war.
Rating:
- Dynamic: ●●●●o (4)
- Bandwidth: ●●●●o (4)
- Spatialization: ●●●●●●●●oo (7.7)
- Restitution: ●●●●o (4)
Sample : “”Alone” 7.1 Dolby Atmos (Downmixed in 7.1) :
The sample is in 7.1 wav format, if you can not play the sample in your navigator, you can save it, right button menu and “Save Audio As…” and play it with an external player.
Sample : “”Alone” Dolby Atmos (Downmixed 2.0) :
After 16 years, The Cure is back with a new album that is particularly enjoyable to listen to thanks to the Dolby Atmos TrueHD version of the blu-ray (as you can see by listening to the samples). This version, in addition to spatialization, brings finesse and dynamics not present in other digital stereo versions affected by loudness war. The vinyl brings its sound, but with a rendering that seems a little restrained.
Dynamic Range measurements and spectra are shown below.
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Measurements
Dynamic Range comparaisons
Dynamic represents the ability to reproduce a wide range of sounds from the softest to the loudest. The target is to compare the dynamics of the music and not of the media (CD, digital files or vinyl).
For our 6 editions reviewed have obtained the following Dynamic Range (DR) :
| Tidal MAX – 2024 | Tidal Dolby Atmos – 2024 | Vinyl Record Abbey Road – 2024 | CD – 2024 | Blu-ray stereo – 2024 | Blu-ray Dolby Atmos – 2024 | |
| Global | DR5 | DR14 | DR12 | DR5 | DR5 | DR13 |
| Min | DR4 | DR12 | DR11 | DR4 | DR4 | DR12 |
| Max | DR6 | DR15 | DR12 | DR6 | DR6 | DR15 |
| Alone | DR6 | DR15 | DR12 | DR5 | DR6 | DR14 |
| And Nothing Is Forever | DR6 | DR12 | DR12 | DR6 | DR6 | DR14 |
| A Fragile Thing | DR6 | DR12 | DR12 | DR6 | DR6 | DR12 |
| Warsong | DR5 | DR14 | DR12 | DR5 | DR5 | DR13 |
| Drone:Nodrone | DR6 | DR15 | DR11 | DR6 | DR6 | DR15 |
| I Can Never Say Goodbye | DR5 | DR13 | DR12 | DR5 | DR5 | DR12 |
| All I Ever Am | DR4 | DR13 | DR11 | DR4 | DR4 | DR13 |
| Endsong | DR5 | DR15 | DR12 | DR5 | DR5 | DR14 |
As a reminder, the scale goes from 0 to more 20, but the dynamics are considered good from 12, quite good between 10 and 11, and deteriorate below 10.
Spectrum comparisons
The graph below compares the spectrum of the Tidal MAX – 2024 (white curve) with the spectrum of the Blu-ray stereo – 2024 (blue curve).The two spectra overlap completely up to 24 kHz. This is the frequency at which the signal drops for the bluray edition. It looks as if the bluray was made from a master with a 48 kHz sampling frequency upscaled to 96 kHz, unlike the Tidal MAX version.
The graph below represents the spectrum of the Tidal Dolby Atmos – 2024.
The spectrum of Tidal’s Dolby Atmos version decoded in 7.1 shows that all channels are used except the center channel (purple arrow). The LFE channel is used with a cutoff frequency of 120 Hz (green arrow). The yellow arrow indicates the high-frequency limit at 20 kHz due to Dolby Digital Plus encoding. The white arrow indicates the high-frequency limit at 24 kHz due to encoding at the 48 kHz sampling frequency used.
The graph below compares the spectrum of the Vinyl Record Abbey Road – 2024 (white curve) with the spectrum of the Blu-ray stereo – 2024 (blue curve).The two spectra overlap perfectly from 200 Hz to 4 kHz. There are small variations between the two spectra below 200 Hz (green zone). Above 4 kHz, there is an attenuation of the spectrum for the vnyle disk (yellow zone) up to 5 dB at 10 kHz.
The graph below compares the spectrum of the CD – 2024 (white curve) with the spectrum of the Blu-ray stereo – 2024 (blue curve).The two spectra are perfectly superimposed up to 22 kHz, the limiting frequency of CDs due to the 44.1 kHz sampling frequency.
The graph below represents the spectrum of the Blu-ray Dolby Atmos – 2024.
The spectrum of Blu-ray Dolby Atmos TrueHD version decoded in 7.1 shows that all channels are used.The LFE channel is used with a cutoff frequency of 120 Hz (green arrow). The yellow arrow indicates the high-frequency limit at 24 kHz due to the 48 kHz sampling frequency used.
Detail of the ratings :
- Dynamic :
- Significant dynamic compression, DR less than 7
- Compression of the present dynamics, DR between 7 and 9.
- Correct piece DR >=10
- No dynamic compression (DR >12), dynamic rendering
- No dynamic compression, high DR and very dynamic sound rendering
- Spectrum :
- Spectrum cut and less than 15 khz
- Spectrum cut at 15 khz
- Spectrum not conforming to the original and cut (not HD) or original but limited bandwidth (but less than 20 kHz)
- Spectrum conforming to the original (but not HD)
- Spectrum conforming to the original with HD resolution (higher than 24kHz)
- Surface noise (only for vinyl):
- Continuous audible noise
- Audible surface noise except on passages with a high level of noise
- Reduced surface noise, barely audible on low level crossings
- Low surface noise, very good quality
- Very low surface noise, no defects, almost inaudible on the quiet passages (exceptional disc)
- Spatialization :
- Between 0 and 5 for 5.1 or 7.1 channels configuration
- Between 0 and 10 for Atmos configuration (7.1.4)
- For more information on spatialization, you can read the article describing this parameter here.
- Restitution :
- Low quality of the restitution mixing dynamics, clarity, separation of voices and instruments.
- Average quality of the restitution mixing dynamics, clarity, separation of voices and instruments.
- Quality of the restitution mixing dynamics, clarity, separation of voices and instruments. Good record.
- High quality of the restitution mixing dynamics, clarity, separation of voices and instruments. Very high level disc.
- Maximum quality of the restitution mixing dynamics, clarity, separation of voices and instruments. Exceptional disc.
Extremely disappointing DR rate for this new release. I have Tidal and a 24/96 download. It now seems musicians are dominated by some music company so called experts. David Gilmour’s new album also low DR and he had complete control of the recording process in his own studio. I now wonder how low DR will go. Some electronic dance music is at 3 to 4.
Peter Gabriel has also complete control but chose to release I/O with shocking DR – His Vinyl half speed re-releases in recent years have also suffered awful playback / quality control.
CD brickwalling is getting silly. I had hoped artists would improve on this – but no, its getting worse.
DR values and waveforms from vinyl are 100% worthless for comparison against digital sources. When will people start realizing that fact?
Hello
That’s not quite the problem.
You can measure the DR of a vinyl, but you can’t systematically deduce the DR of the master.
That’s the real problem, all the more so when you send compressed digital sound to be burned, hence this false belief.
The problem is not the measurement, but the interpretation of the measurement.
To understand the phenomenon, take a look at this test https://magicvinyldigital.net/2023/02/19/do-analog-media-force-a-dynamic-on-music-or-does-analog-media-increase-the-dynamics/
Surprisingly, listening to the samples, the DR12 2LP sounds more compressed than the DR5 digital version. I guess it’s caused by the 2LP’s lack of sparkle/air in the top end.
Vinyl records have treble attenuated by 5 db above 4 kHz.
This gives the impression of less dynamic range, which is a pity.
I’ll be testing a tape recording of the digital version soon, to compare the DR and find out whether the vinyl has been cut from a dynamically compressed master.
Looking forward to that. Many thanks
What is the algorithm used for the Blu-ray Atmos Downmix to get a DR13 in stereo? Using ffmpeg to convert to 7.1 (getting rid/mixing out of the Atmos height channels), I get DR8 for the front channels which contains the main content for this album. The side and back channels are down -7.86 dB@DR12 and -21dB@DR16 RMS. Most downmixes from 7.1 to stereo put at least a -3dB adjustments to surround channels (side/rear) so their effect should be even less. DR10 seems to be the consensus number for a downmix that I have seen. The above downmix spectrograms seems to agree with this as, for example, the LSR/RSR channel peak level is very small.
Thank you for your comment.
The DR is calculated on the basis of the original format, in stereo for stereo, in multichannel depending on the format available, which may be 3.0 or 4.0 or 5.1 or 7.1, for Dolby Atmos on version 7.1.4.
This corresponds more closely to the listening experience. Downmixing Dolby Atmos to 2.0 can actually reduce the DR value.
In the case of the album “Songs Of A Lost World”, in 7.1.4 we have a DR13 and in 2.0 we get a DR9 for the blu-ray Dolby Atmos version. There are examples where the DR is identical in stereo and 7.1.4, as with Ultravox “Lament” (DR14).
I’ll add the precision for the DR measurement in Atmos, and I’ll look into adding the DR in downmix 2.0 as well.
In this interview (Link below), Robert adresses the “muffled” sound and poor dynamic range of the album. Timecode 05:02 – 06:06 minutes.