Producer's Choice, Vol. 2. Cobra Records 2025 (Pure DSD256-Direct Mixed, Stereo) Edit Master Sourced (To be released December 12 at NativeDSD)
Cobra Records' 25th Anniversary celebration continues with the release of Producer's Choice, Volume 2. And it is phenomenal.
Earlier this year, I wrote with enthusiasm about the release of Volume 1 which included selected tracks recorded in DSD64, all from albums released before the introduction of DSD256, HERE, and with an early preview and free sample download HERE
For Volume 2, Tom Peeters has selected from later albums, all of which were recorded in DSD256. Tom made the change to DSD256 when he switched to using a Merging Technologies' Hapi A/D converter following the release of DSD256. But, it was not possible to mix DSD256 tracks at the time, so the originally released albums were mixed in DXD (PCM 352.8kHz/24-bit) and then converted to DSD256 after mixing. Now it is possible to mix purely in the DSD domain. And that is what we have here.
As in in Volume 1, Tom has pulled from his archives the original tracks, this time DSD256 tracks, and collaborated with Tom Caulfield at NativeDSD to re-mix them in Pure DSD256-Direct Mixed using HQ Player Pro, per instructions from Tom Peters.
And the results? Oh, the results are just immensely gratifying. Across the board there is a greater transparency, greater clarity, and more natural sound in these new Pure DSD256-Direct Mixed remastered tracks. Do the originals still sound good to my ears? Yes, they do. And, depending on your audio system's resolution and transparency, you may or may not hear a difference—I can't guarantee you will. But in our household, in both our primary system and in Ann's office system, the sound quality improvement just makes us want to stand up and cheer! This is what recordings of acoustic instruments played in a natural acoustic environment can and should sound like.
I asked an astute audio listening friend of mine to listen to a track from the new Producer's Choice album and compare it to the original release (the same tracks provided in the free sample download below). He listens over speakers and I wanted to get his assessment of the sound stage he heard in the new Pure DSD256 re-master. His comment:
"The differences to me are plainly evident. The sound stage seems suspended in front of me with the Pure DSD256 mastering. And the castanets in the right channel are right there. The sound is very fluid. The DSD256 file converted from the DXD edit master sounds more two dimensional and less natural in comparison."
But don't take our word for it. Listen for yourself.
Tom Peeters has graciously given us permission to share a sample track so you can hear in your own audio system the difference between the same track mixed and mastered in Pure DSD256-Direct Mixed versus mixed and mastered in DXD and then output to DSD256:
Click here to download the sample files.
The track Tom selected for this comparison is Track 5, "Fuentes si naceis" from the album Muy hermosa es María, by Música Temprana (COBRA0068). Of this track, Tom commented: "It's a very interesting setting of instruments (guitar, harp, violone, dulcian, organ), double choir, and soloists all over the ensemble. Musica Temprana demonstrates again the flexibility between complete blend of voices/instruments and the distinguished solos. It’s a very rich colorful palette of sounds, but always transparent."
Of course for more samples, consider adding the Producer's Choice, Vol. 2 album to your music library. You will then be able to hear Pure DSD256 samples from over a dozen Cobra Records albums. Hopefully Tom will start working his way through the extensive Cobra Records catalog remastering and re-releasing the full albums.
The Cobra Records catalog contains many recordings that are favorites in our household. Tom works with some terrific musicians. We are always excited by the albums released by Cuarteto Quiroga, The Hague String Trio, Música Temprana, Nuala McKenna, Lisa Jacobs, Pauline Oostenrijk, and Enno Voorhorst, among others. These are superb musicians performing varied, and sometimes seldom performed, works of distinction. The albums produced typically have a story to tell, and the artists are always passionate about the music they've selected to perform. Cobra Records is a label well worth your time to explore, just take a look here. I think you'll find your adventures most rewarding—Ann and I certainly do.
Can you tell that I am excited about the possibilities this Producer's Choice album opens? Yes, indeed. I have visions in my head of Tom re-mixing some of his full albums in Pure DSD256-Direct Mixed and re-releasing them. It also opens hopes that some other producers who have original DSD256 tracks in their archives may follow Cobra's lead in similarly remixing and re-releasing some of their albums in Pure DSD256-Direct Mixed. Several labels come immediately to mind.
Importantly, I am excited by this Producer's Choice release because it portends the greater possibility that other producers will begin choosing to release albums in Pure DSD256, whether direct mixed or analog mixed. Positive Feedback's Editor-in-Chief, Dr. David Robinson, has often opined that we live today in the golden age of audio. I believe that is true, and ever more so with the advent of releases like the Producer's Choice, Vol. 1 and 2 albums Tom Peeters has given us.
Thank you, Tom. And congratulations once again on your 25th Anniversary of giving us exceptional recordings of excellent artists and music. I am very grateful for the listening enjoyment you've given me over the years.
