Brothers in Arms in 2025, 40 th anniversary : Which Format Delivers the Best Sound? CD, LP, Streaming, Blu-ray, SACD, Stereo to Atmos

[goat76]

I found my "old" CD on the DR database...DR measures as good or better than the BR. No wonder it sounds so dynamic
As long as I'm good with only a stereo mix at 16/44.1

“As good or better” is not the right term when it comes to DR measurements. You should instead say “equal or higher”, as a higher DR is not always an indication of “better”.

The thing is that a less bassy version of a song usually end up with a higher DR number. So without making a listening comparison, its a chance that the version with a little lower DR numbers can as likely be the version that sounds better balanced of the two, or the other way around, you never know.

Just wanted to point that out, so that no one thinks that a higher DR number always means it's better.

 

[Chrispy]

Generally it's a very good recording as a base and all releases to me are very good. Particular mixing/mastering hasn't made a huge difference to me (have copies in several formats). Multich would simply be different, whether you like it, who knows; I only have the SACD multich, no bluray. Upmixing from 2.0 to Atmos, more a preference thing. I don't think I've streamed it, tho. DR on DR database only means so much.

 

[dlaloum]

Generally it's a very good recording as a base and all releases to me are very good. Particular mixing/mastering hasn't made a huge difference to me (have copies in several formats). Multich would simply be different, whether you like it, who knows; I only have the SACD multich, no bluray. Upmixing from 2.0 to Atmos, more a preference thing. I don't think I've streamed it, tho. DR on DR database only means so much.

There is a kick drum that marks the switch from the Intro to the main section of Money for Nothing (at 1:14 from memory) - on the original mastering as first released - that has a distinct chest thump to it (on capable systems obviously) - whereas all the later re-masterings I have listened to, have that chest thump kick drum toned down (no chest thump left!).

This is evident both on the initial release CD and LP... but not on the later releases (at least any of the ones I have heard)

 

[Chrispy]

There is a kick drum that marks the switch from the Intro to the main section of Money for Nothing (at 1:14 from memory) - on the original mastering as first released - that has a distinct chest thump to it (on capable systems obviously) - whereas all the later re-masterings I have listened to, have that chest thump kick drum toned down (no chest thump left!).

This is evident both on the initial release CD and LP... but not on the later releases (at least any of the ones I have heard)

LOL now I'll have to go set that up....but what vinyl release particularly?

 

[Descartes]

Brothers in Arms blu ray was released and sold by the SDE shop aka superdeluxeedition.com. These are licensed from streaming versions or versions that were incorporated originally into elaborate (meaning, expensive) box sets, although they sometimes have exclusive features (e.g. in the case of Brothers, an instrumental version.) The market for blu ray media sadly is quite small, notwithstanding the superior audio quality, and sales are limited by the licensing agreements.

Apparently it is a combination of the labels and consumer interest that limit the sales and production of physical media. Streaming, that is, temporary rentals, of music is apparently more popular.

There is a good article profiling the proprietor of the SDE shop currently in the Financial Times here:

Sorry the link I provided won't work, it is paywall blocked, I believe. Try an internet search. The article is current as of 12/18/25

What is the title of the article?

 

[dlaloum]

LOL now I'll have to go set that up....but what vinyl release particularly?

The original 1st release - that was I believe what Pioneer handed out to dealers... I was working in a HiFi shop at the time, and we received CD's and LP's to demo with from Pioneer circa 1985

 

[dlaloum]

LOL now I'll have to go set that up....but what vinyl release particularly?

For a while I wondered whether I had imagined it, (or whether it was a side effect of a particular system), then I helped out a fellow audiophile, and mentioned it - he had an extensive collection of vinyl... and we fished out several versions of BIA... as soon as we played that track on the earlier pressing - bang - there it was that kick drum thump... and it wasn't on the other couple of later pressings he had.

Sadly, none of the versions of BIA I have, are the that earlier mastering.

 

[BJL]

What is the title of the article?

"On a mission to keep music physical" I found it doing an internet search and was able to read it from the search result, but now when I tried it kicked to the paywall page.

 

[beagleman]

Generally it's a very good recording as a base and all releases to me are very good. Particular mixing/mastering hasn't made a huge difference to me (have copies in several formats). Multich would simply be different, whether you like it, who knows; I only have the SACD multich, no bluray. Upmixing from 2.0 to Atmos, more a preference thing. I don't think I've streamed it, tho. DR on DR database only means so much.

I have always thought a few very well known "Good" recordings all share one thing. A somewhat over abundance of middle to upper treble.

1. Supertramp "Breakfast in America

2. Steely Dan "Gaucho" and "Aja"

3. Dire straits "Brothers in arms"

 

[Chrispy]

I have always thought a few very well known "Good" recordings all share one thing. A somewhat over abundance of middle to upper treble.

1. Supertramp "Breakfast in America

2. Steely Dan "Gaucho" and "Aja"

3. Dire straits "Brothers in arms"

Not something I've particularly noticed (but don't really think of recordings that way particularly either). Those others are generally good examples of good recordings.

 

[Descartes]

Love these along with those

1. Supertramp "Breakfast in America
2. Tears for Fears “ Songs from the Big Chair”
3. Dire straits "Brothers in arms"
4. Norah Jones “Come Away With Me”
5. Queen “A Kind of Magic”
6. The Beatles “Abbey Road”
7. Roxy Music “Avalon”

On SACD and some on BluRay pure audio

 

[Greg Chick]

The best version is the one Mark Knopfler feels best portrays his artistic vision.

Knopfler, being an audio nut is going to prefer whatever release is a perfect copy of the master that he likes most. That’s quite likely going to be the latest high resolution digital release.

I’d be very interested in knowing what he thinks. I have no interest in anyone else’s opinion on the subject.

Lists like this are an idiotic waste of time.

But your comment is not? But I do value your point about it is Mark's choice. So, get him to waste his time here to post his choice! . My interest is if SACD is capable of being best?

 

[krabapple]

I'd keep in mind that a musician of Knopfler's vintage likely has some serious hf hearing loss.

 

[dumbsuck]

Please stop promoting the audiophoolish "dynamic range" measurement nonsense. Loudly mastered albums with a low "DR" number do not sound worse than quiet masterings. Mastering engineers understand this topic better than 99.99% of the people who are obsessed with this DR number lunacy and they know how to make a record sound loud without degrading the sound in any audible way. The limiters used are very advanced and 100% audibly transparent. These comparisons of records' quality should be done in a 100% blind fashion, with normalized volume, to have any merit at all. I am absolutely sure that in a 100% blind test where the listener would not know the DR number of a record they are listening to, they would often prefer the records with a lower DR number. Records with audible clipping have in 99% of the cases been destroyed during production/mixing, not by the mastering engineer and I have heard plenty very loudly mastered albums that sound great (DR of less than 5) and I have heard albums with ugly audible clipping that have DR8.

 

[krabapple]

The common "DR numbers' thrown around are problematic, and audio nervosa sufferers (e.g., the Steve Hoffman fanboys) do imagine catastrophic damage when it isn't objectively likely, e.g. based on small differences in those DR numbers. ME Ian Shepherd had done lots of videos on this and things that affect perception of loudness and quality

But I can't agree that loudness mastering of mixes that aren't already crushed -- i.e., mastering involving extreme DR reduction -- never makes a real difference to perceived quality, and I don't think Shepherd does either.

When an engineer makes the (originally) quiet parts as 'loud' as the loud parts, that is audible....especially when level matched.
And if they introduce a lot of clipping *during mastering* that could be audible too. (Whether it is, could be difficult to demonstrate scientifically because it requires comparing blind a DR-reduced + clipping sample to a DR-reduced but no clipping sample, with level matching)

There are plenty of pro mastering engineers who have lamented the loudness wars; they aren't infallible and they are hardly ever doing blind comps, but I wouldn't discount them on this.

 

[Descartes]

"On a mission to keep music physical" I found it doing an internet search and was able to read it from the search result, but now when I tried it kicked to the paywall page.

Thank you interesting read! Hope SDE continues to grow and flourish as I absolutely love their ATMOS Blu Ray releases!

My collection of Blu Ray ATMOS recordings so far:

- Brian Ferry: Boys & Girls

- Dire Straits: Brothers in Arms

- Fleetwood Mac: Fleetwood Mac

- Fleetwood Mac: Rumors

- Frankie Goes to Hollywood: Welcome to Pleasuredoome

- George Michael: Faith (awaiting shipping)

- Keane: Hopes & Fears

- Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon

- Pink Floyd Live at Pompéi (awaiting shipping)

- Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here

- Prince: Purple Rain

- Roxy Music: Avalon

- Tears for Fears: Songs From the Big Chair

- Tears for Fears: The Hurting

- Tears for Fears: The Tipping Point

- WHAM: Make it Big

 

[Descartes]

The SDE Blu Ray with the 2022 Atmos mix (and also includes an Atmos instrumental version, two stereo versions and a 5.1 dts MA HD version). You can find copies on the secondary markets, if you see one at an acceptable price, get it right away, you won't regret the purchase….

The Atmos mix is exquisite, brings out details you might miss in the stereo mix (or that were buried). Spatialization is precise. It will take advantage of all of your speakers….

I can tell you that if you get the blu ray it will blow you away, but I can't say anything about the other media because I have not heard them.

I was fortunate enough to acquire this from SDE and completely agree with you the Blu Ray ATMOS is phenomenal!

 

[BJL]

But your comment is not? But I do value your point about it is Mark's choice. So, get him to waste his time here to post his choice! . My interest is if SACD is capable of being best?

The SACD could be capable in theory, but in this case it is not, because SACD is limited to 5.1 channels, whereas the Atmos mix supports up to 15 object positions and (incorporated) 7.1 channels. The SACD will never be able to match that.

Mark doesn't need to take time to post here. The blu ray credits the Atmos mix to Mark Knopfler and Guy Fletcher as co-producers. For anyone unaware, Guy plays keyboards and contributed vocals on the album and has been collaborating with Mark for decades.

 

[MrPotatoHead]

Currently streaming on Qobuz at my desk with my little system with Elac Debut 2.0s. I don't know what the bitrate is or any other technical details but I couldn't be enjoying this more. I haven't sat with this album in a long time and it's the first with the 40th Anniversary edition.

 

[dumbsuck]

I tried comparing 3 versions of the song "Walk of Life" that are available to me:
1 - 2020 "remaster" off the "The Studio Albums 1978 - 1991" CD
2 - Tidal - 40th anniversary version of the album, High quality
3 - Tidal - 1996 remaster of the album

1 and 3 sounded very similar, and I preferred 1 above all others, it had the warmest sound with the most coherent spatial qualities in the recording
2 sounded the worst, being kinda bright and slightly "shouty", having an unpleasant "sheen" in the sound - sounds like upper midrange is too hot

That was just a quick listen with my HD 660S2 with the volume set to the same level on my L30 for all 3 versions, so it might just be volume differences that my brain perceived as something else. The 40th anniversary version sounded the loudest.

Edit: read somewhere that the 2020 "remaster" is the same as the 1996 remaster, so 1 and 3 should probably be the same. It might be that my preference towards 1 was due to my strong bias against music streaming and strong preference towards listening to FLAC in Foobar, so I subconsciously preferred listening to 1...Or they do differ and 1 sounds better to me. Don't have time to dig deeper and I don't really like the album, only "Walk of Life", so I don't really care that much