Jean.Francois
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- May 31, 2022
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Hello,
A clear CD immediately caught my attention when it was announced—especially due to reports of playback issues. I decided to purchase it and run a few tests, which I present below.
Lorde, the New Zealand artist who rose to fame with Pure Heroine, returns with Virgin, a bold and introspective fourth album. She explores deeply personal themes through experimental pop, marked by minimalist electronic textures. The album stands out thanks to its raw production and disarming sincerity.
The CD edition of Virgin is just as striking visually as it is sonically. It features an almost entirely clear disc made from recycled plastics—an aesthetic and innovative choice that echoes the current trend of colored or translucent vinyl. While this design is sure to appeal to collectors, several users have reported playback issues on certain CD players. The transparency of the disc can sometimes interfere with disc recognition or lead to reading errors.
Reading test results:
On recent devices (less than 10 years old) (PC, Blu-ray/SACD/CD players, car CD players), I’ve encountered no reading problems whatsoever.
This transparent CD is therefore an original and visually appealing concept, despite the limitations that some people have pointed out on older equipment.
We will now take a closer look at the album’s content and compare it to the streaming version and the Dolby Atmos mix.
Waveform of the sample : Clear CD vs Tidal Dolby Atmos downmixed in 2.0:
The sound is powerful even downright overwhelming with dynamics often limited to DR3 or DR4, giving the whole album a sense of constant saturation. One might reasonably wonder whether this is part of a loudness arms race, competing for the title of the loudest album, whether on CD or streaming platforms.
The Dolby Atmos version breathes new life into this album, restoring all of its original dynamic range while delivering an impressively clear and precise listening experience. The electronic textures and deep basses that define the album are not only preserved but enhanced by the immersive mix. Spatialization is handled with great finesse.
![7.1.4 - synthese.txt [Atmos] -- 8.1 ( 6.6 -- 9.1 ) -- small.jpg](https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?attachments/7-1-4-synthese-txt-atmos-8-1-6-6-9-1-small-jpg.463238/ "7.1.4 - synthese.txt [Atmos] -- 8.1 ( 6.6 -- 9.1 ) -- small.jpg")
Find all the extracts, measurements and analysis of the versions tested here (link).
Enjoy listening,
Jean-François
A clear CD immediately caught my attention when it was announced—especially due to reports of playback issues. I decided to purchase it and run a few tests, which I present below.
Lorde, the New Zealand artist who rose to fame with Pure Heroine, returns with Virgin, a bold and introspective fourth album. She explores deeply personal themes through experimental pop, marked by minimalist electronic textures. The album stands out thanks to its raw production and disarming sincerity.
The CD edition of Virgin is just as striking visually as it is sonically. It features an almost entirely clear disc made from recycled plastics—an aesthetic and innovative choice that echoes the current trend of colored or translucent vinyl. While this design is sure to appeal to collectors, several users have reported playback issues on certain CD players. The transparency of the disc can sometimes interfere with disc recognition or lead to reading errors.
Reading test results:
On recent devices (less than 10 years old) (PC, Blu-ray/SACD/CD players, car CD players), I’ve encountered no reading problems whatsoever.
This transparent CD is therefore an original and visually appealing concept, despite the limitations that some people have pointed out on older equipment.
We will now take a closer look at the album’s content and compare it to the streaming version and the Dolby Atmos mix.
Waveform of the sample : Clear CD vs Tidal Dolby Atmos downmixed in 2.0:
The sound is powerful even downright overwhelming with dynamics often limited to DR3 or DR4, giving the whole album a sense of constant saturation. One might reasonably wonder whether this is part of a loudness arms race, competing for the title of the loudest album, whether on CD or streaming platforms.
The Dolby Atmos version breathes new life into this album, restoring all of its original dynamic range while delivering an impressively clear and precise listening experience. The electronic textures and deep basses that define the album are not only preserved but enhanced by the immersive mix. Spatialization is handled with great finesse.
Find all the extracts, measurements and analysis of the versions tested here (link).
Enjoy listening,
Jean-François
