Listen to Audio Samples in SURROUND-SOUND!
Again a word of caution: these samples are compressed versions of the original 6-channel surround-sound recording taken with uncompressed 24bit resolution and 96kHz sampling frequency. They cannot demonstrate the breathtaking realism and superb quality of the DVD-Audio recording! Hovever they give a very good impression of the "real thing"!
New audio formats have recently been created to multiplex and compress multichannel sound files in an effective way. You can now listen to Surround Sound in the Internet, either by downloading or by streaming. However, there are still not many good net sources for classical music in surround sound. So I decided to add some recording highlights to this site. You need a high-definition multichannel sound-card (either an internal or external device will do) and suitable "home-cinema" or high-fidelity hardware. There is no dominant universal standard format (again the same old problem), but fortunately you just need to adapt your player software. Apart from DVD-Audio (MLP-Format: Meridian Lossless Packaging 6-Channels at 24Bit 96kHz), I have encoded in the following formats:
- Windows Media Audio 9 Professional (WMA9 Audio Codec used in *.wma files): these files can be played by the newer versions of the WINDOWS-MEDIA PLAYER and in the highly recommended free WINAMP PLAYER (or the Platinum Version). With a suitable component from Microsoft you can even use the QUICKTIME PLAYER.
There is even a "lossless" 6-channel multiplex wave format (Wav-Extensible). As these files tend to be quite large - comparable to DVD-Audio - they are less suitable for the Internet.
- MP3-Suround (new *.mp3 files): use either the free WINAMP or the free MP3-SURROUND PLAYER (for Windows, Mac OS X or Linux).
- aacProfessional (aacPlus) (*.aac files): use WINAMP or REAL PLAYER 10.
All of these Codecs come in different "flavors", i.e. the producer can - to some extent - choose the compression factors or bitrates to find a good compromise between size and quality.
Listen to my recordings in SURROUND-SOUND:
Click the symbols below. If you are using WINAMP, just drag-and-drop a symbol to the WINAMP main window or several symbols to the WINAMP playlist to arrange your personal concert. No need to download the big files before listening. Lay back, close your eyes and relax. If you are not using a multichannel soundsystem, the samples will play in stereo.
Composer | Work + Link to DVD-A | WMA SURROUND | AAC SURROUND | MP3 SURROUND |
H. Berlioz | *160kbps 48kHz 4.8MB |
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L. Bernstein | 192kbps 24Bit/96kHz 7.4MB | 160kbps 48kHz 4.6MB | ||
L. Bernstein | 192kbps 24Bit/96kHz 7.0MB | *160kbps 48kHz 5.0MB | ||
G. Bizet | 192kbps 24Bit/96kHz 8.5MB | *160kbps 48kHz 4.8MB | ||
A. Borodin | 192kbps 24Bit/96kHz 12.3MB | *160kbps 48kHz 4.8MB | ||
J. Brahms | 192kbps 24Bit/96kHz 6.0MB | *160kbps 48kHz 4.6MB | ||
J. Brahms | 192kbps 24Bit/96kHz 5.5MB | 160kbps 48kHz 4.5MB | ||
J. Brahms | 192kbps 24Bit/96kHz 1.9MB | 160kbps 48kHz 1.6MB | ||
C. Debussy | 192kbps 24Bit/96kHz 13.5MB | *160kbps 48kHz 5.2MB | ||
G. Gershwin | 192kbps 24Bit/96kHz 8.5MB | *160kbps 48kHz 4.6MB | ||
M. Glinka | 192kbps 24Bit/96kHz 6.8MB | *160kbps 48kHz 5.2MB | ||
A. Guilmant | ||||
W. A. Mozart | ||||
Z. Kodály | Dances from Galanta (part) - Orchestra | 192kbps 24Bit/96kHz 11.8MB | *160kbps 48kHz 4.8MB | |
H. C. Lumbye | 192kbps 24Bit/96kHz 3.7MB | 160kbps 48kHz 3.1MB | ||
A. Petrov | 192kbps 24Bit/96kHz 6.8MB | 160kbps 48kHz 5.7MB | ||
S. Prokofiev | 160kbps 48kHz 2.3MB | |||
S. Rachmaninov | 192kbps 24Bit/96kHz 20.6MB | *160kbps 48kHz 4.7MB | ||
M. Ravel | 192kbps 24Bit/96kHz 16.4MB | *192kbps 24Bit/96kHz 4.6MB | ||
D. Scarlatti | 192kbps 24Bit/96kHz 3.0MB | 160kbps 48kHz 2.5MB | ||
D. Scarlatti | 192kbps 24Bit/96kHz 6.3MB | 160kbps 48kHz 4.5MB | ||
D. Scarlatti | 192kbps 24Bit/96kHz 6.0MB | 160kbps 48kHz 4.8MB | ||
P. Tchaikovsky | 192kbps 24Bit/96kHz 6.0MB | 160kbps 48kHz 5.0MB | 192kbps 44.1kHz 6.0MB | |
P. Tchaikovsky | 192kbps 24Bit/96kHz 13.3MB | *160kbps 48kHz 4.7MB | ||
C.-M. Widor | ||||
* these samples don't play to the end |