Norah Jones – Visions – first single – Running. Will it be a reference like "Come Away With Me"? (Stereo vs Dolby Atmos)

[Jean.Francois]

Hello,
After her Christmas album “I Dream of Christmas”, released in 2021, Norah Jones is back with a new album, “Visions”, due for release on March 8. It will feature 12 tracks, including “Running”, which is already available for streaming. We can’t forget her debut album “Come Away With Me“, but will this new album have the same quality of production as “Come Away With Me”? That’s what we’re going to find out with the first single “Running”.

For this review, you will find 2 versions tested: Tidal MAX Flac and Amazon Dolby Atmos.
The waveform of Tidal Max Flac clearly shows the use of a dynamic limiter, as confirmed by the dynamic range measurement with a DR5, compared to the Dolby Atmos 2.0 version with a DR14.

Waveform Tidal MAX Flac

Waveform Amazon Dolby Atmos downmixed in 2.0

The graph below represents the spectrum of the Tidal Max Flac – 2024.
The spectrum is spread over all frequencies, but stops at 24 kHz (yellow arrow), whereas it could be higher with a 96 kHz sampling frequency.

SpectrumTidal MAX Flac

The spatialization of the Amazon Atmos version is mainly frontal and lateral, without using the rear surround channels in 7.1.4. It’s also interesting to look at the 9.1.6 distribution, which shows that the top and rear surround channels are not used. In these conditions, it is preferable to listen in 7.1.4 to get the most out of the Dolby Atmos mix.

Spatialization

From a technical point of view, this first track is a surprise, but not a pleasant one. I wasn't expecting to discover a dynamically compressed stereo track, with bandwidth cutting off at 24 kHz. It's a far cry from the quality of "Come away With Me". The Dolby Atmos version brings back dynamics and a mix favoring frontal space. We'll have to wait for the album's release to find out if all the tracks are treated in the same way!

Find samples and measurements here.

Enjoy listening,
Jean-François

 

[bachatero]

I'm surprised that music is still getting heavily compressed to downright deleterious levels like this. Why?

 

[Ron Texas]

Snora...

 

[restorer-john]

It's a far cry from the quality of "Come away With Me".

Are you holding up that track's recording quality as something special?

 

[holdingpants01]

it's obviously a stylised production, with monophonic reverbs, lofi elements and vintage vibe (or at least how the producer thinks vintage sounded like) so judging by how the waveform looks is rather pointless. Regardless, it sounds bad to me, vocal is harsh and disconnected from the music and atmos version doesn't change any of it

 

[mhardy6647]

Are you holding up that track's recording quality as something special?

It was an audiophile touchstone when it was new.
I have a copy of the CD that I found on the swap pile at the Harvard (MA) town dump some years back.
One may draw one's own conclusions.

My conclusion -- it's better than listening to Diana Krall.

(In full disclosure: I actually like Jones' song Nightingale on her first album)

 

[restorer-john]

It was an audiophile touchstone when it was new.

Was it really? I'm glad I missed that short period. The album was a technical disappointment to me.

Breathy, close miked female voices seem to get a lot of audiophiles hot under the collar don't they?

I've picked up plenty of Krall's CDs for a few cents, but never really got into her. She just seems to be playing/singing standards like painting by numbers to me.

 

[jeffbook]

Was it really? I'm glad I missed that short period. The album was a technical disappointment to me.

Breathy, close miked female voices seem to get a lot of audiophiles hot under the collar don't they?

I've picked up plenty of Krall's CDs for a few cents, but never really got into her. She just seems to be playing/singing standards like painting by numbers to me.

"Come Away With Me"........ There is a reason I nicknamed her "Nasal Norah" after that CD.

 

[StigErik]

The CD version of the "Come away with me" album sounds quite dreadful, and is by no means a reference imho.

There is a 5.1 mix however that is far better, but still no reference.

 

[mhardy6647]

Breathy, close miked female voices seem to get a lot of audiophiles hot under the collar don't they?

Traditionally, yes.
I'll take my close-miked, breathy vocals from Margo Timmins, thank you very much.
I have oft opined that I'd pay money to listen to her read the Toronto phone book. But I digress.

So, in the matter of Ms Krall (Mrs. Costello? Mrs. McManus?)... she's an OK pianist, but, to my taste, a terrible, and terribly mannered, singer.
She sings like someone who is pretending they can sing (again, my take, and I do have a wee amount minor-league choral singing experience, so I am not quite out of my depth). In fact, I'll go as far as to opine (!) that she's the Mario Lanza of Lite Jazz.

Adolph "Harpo" Marx wrote the music!
Can't make this stuff up!

 

[Godataloss]

I'm sure the vinyl version is better

 

[mhardy6647]

I'm sure the vinyl version is better

That's a negative, Houston.

 

[Propheticus]

I'm sure the vinyl version is better

The "cd" version (listened via streaming) already sounds like lofi vinyl...perhaps gramaphone is more fittting. It sounds awful imho.

 

[Godataloss]

Might be worth picking one up anyway. Those Tidal subscriptions don't hold their value nearly as well.

 

[Zapper]

I wasn't expecting to discover a dynamically compressed stereo track, with bandwidth cutting off at 24 kHz.

My dog asked me to tell you that he feels your disappointment. The bats in the attic also sympathize.

 

[Propheticus]

There's a remaster from 1998, but I didn't think it captured the warmth of the original performance.

I was referring to the new single mentioned by the OP "Running". (And I thought so was @Godataloss, sorry if I misunderstood and interjected into a side discussion)

 

[mhardy6647]

I was referring to the new single mentioned by the OP "Running". (And I thought so was @Godataloss, sorry if I misunderstood and interjected into a side discussion)

sorry. I'll delete my previous post.

 

[Bobo77]

Hello,
After her Christmas album “I Dream of Christmas”, released in 2021, Norah Jones is back with a new album, “Visions”, due for release on March 8. It will feature 12 tracks, including “Running”, which is already available for streaming. We can’t forget her debut album “Come Away With Me“, but will this new album have the same quality of production as “Come Away With Me”? That’s what we’re going to find out with the first single “Running”.

View attachment 345734
For this review, you will find 2 versions tested: Tidal MAX Flac and Amazon Dolby Atmos.
The waveform of Tidal Max Flac clearly shows the use of a dynamic limiter, as confirmed by the dynamic range measurement with a DR5, compared to the Dolby Atmos 2.0 version with a DR14.

View attachment 345736
Waveform Tidal MAX Flac

View attachment 345737
Waveform Amazon Dolby Atmos downmixed in 2.0

The graph below represents the spectrum of the Tidal Max Flac – 2024.
The spectrum is spread over all frequencies, but stops at 24 kHz (yellow arrow), whereas it could be higher with a 96 kHz sampling frequency.
View attachment 345738
SpectrumTidal MAX Flac

The spatialization of the Amazon Atmos version is mainly frontal and lateral, without using the rear surround channels in 7.1.4. It’s also interesting to look at the 9.1.6 distribution, which shows that the top and rear surround channels are not used. In these conditions, it is preferable to listen in 7.1.4 to get the most out of the Dolby Atmos mix.
View attachment 345739
Spatialization

From a technical point of view, this first track is a surprise, but not a pleasant one. I wasn't expecting to discover a dynamically compressed stereo track, with bandwidth cutting off at 24 kHz. It's a far cry from the quality of "Come away With Me". The Dolby Atmos version brings back dynamics and a mix favoring frontal space. We'll have to wait for the album's release to find out if all the tracks are treated in the same way!

Find samples and measurements here.

Enjoy listening,
Jean-François

This post is after release of the full album.
I am so glad that you are posting this reference info.. I am a fan of Norah Jones. Famished for some new music. I have very decent headphone and speaker set-ups. I stream Qobuz thru Volumio & Roon. I am not getting into the compositions here…just the sound quality of the recording.
My perception of recording/sound quality on both of my set-ups was soooooo disappointing. I am very glad that you are confirming that here. It preserves my audio sanity! The new recordings sound horrible. ‍‍…very very compressed. No depth, fullness or dynamic range.
THANKS for this…but how sad that for whatever the reasons are that a recording this poor can arrive from an artist of this caliber.

 

[Thomas_A]

Hello,
After her Christmas album “I Dream of Christmas”, released in 2021, Norah Jones is back with a new album, “Visions”, due for release on March 8. It will feature 12 tracks, including “Running”, which is already available for streaming. We can’t forget her debut album “Come Away With Me“, but will this new album have the same quality of production as “Come Away With Me”? That’s what we’re going to find out with the first single “Running”.

View attachment 345734
For this review, you will find 2 versions tested: Tidal MAX Flac and Amazon Dolby Atmos.
The waveform of Tidal Max Flac clearly shows the use of a dynamic limiter, as confirmed by the dynamic range measurement with a DR5, compared to the Dolby Atmos 2.0 version with a DR14.

View attachment 345736
Waveform Tidal MAX Flac

View attachment 345737
Waveform Amazon Dolby Atmos downmixed in 2.0

The graph below represents the spectrum of the Tidal Max Flac – 2024.
The spectrum is spread over all frequencies, but stops at 24 kHz (yellow arrow), whereas it could be higher with a 96 kHz sampling frequency.
View attachment 345738
SpectrumTidal MAX Flac

The spatialization of the Amazon Atmos version is mainly frontal and lateral, without using the rear surround channels in 7.1.4. It’s also interesting to look at the 9.1.6 distribution, which shows that the top and rear surround channels are not used. In these conditions, it is preferable to listen in 7.1.4 to get the most out of the Dolby Atmos mix.
View attachment 345739
Spatialization

From a technical point of view, this first track is a surprise, but not a pleasant one. I wasn't expecting to discover a dynamically compressed stereo track, with bandwidth cutting off at 24 kHz. It's a far cry from the quality of "Come away With Me". The Dolby Atmos version brings back dynamics and a mix favoring frontal space. We'll have to wait for the album's release to find out if all the tracks are treated in the same way!

Find samples and measurements here.

Enjoy listening,
Jean-François

Can you publish results of the Tidal and the Atmos 2.0 downmix files using MasVis?

MasVis online

andreasarvidsson.github.io

 

[Descartes]

Snora...

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