56 replies to this topic

[CelineDionForeverNY]

The Blu-Spec CDs aren't available for pre-order anymore at Amazon JP. Have they been cancelled because of Celine's break?

[ehild]

CelineDionForeverNY, on 21 August 2014 - 10:27 AM, said:

The Blu-Spec CDs aren't available for pre-order anymore at Amazon JP. Have they been cancelled because of Celine's break?

I would like to know this too

[Davey84]

Oh that really sucks! I feared this was going to happen! I really hope these releases will happen in a later moment in time

[smash]

dj4celine, on 28 July 2014 - 04:00 PM, said:

Maybe not the full recording session but yes, the DVD will be the recording sessions as per a little birdy.

But please, take it with a pinch of salt unless confirmed completely.

Oh ok, so the little birdy is sticking his nose out a little bit again, i like that. Lets hope.

Sharon

[ehild]

"Unfortunately the previously announced Japanese Blue-Spec CD2 are cancelled at this moment, probably due to Celine putting her career on hold to be with René and her family and thus the cancellation of the Asia tour 2014. Hopefully these albums will be released in the future."

https://www.facebook.com/Celine.Music

[Timster]

I'll be really annoyed if other Sony departments continue to re-release crap when the Japanese were actually planning something exciting!

[Davey84]

It will be interesting to see with the upcoming Live 2018 Asia tour, if Sony Music Entertainment Japan will release these Céline Dion albums in Blu-spec CD2 format! The Blu-spec CD2's were supposed to be released on September 24, 2014, but were cancelled after the 2014 tour was cancelled. These albums were to be released:

Unison
Celine Dion
The Colour Of My Love
Falling Into You
Let's Talk About Love
These Are Special Times
A New Day Has Come
One Heart
Taking Chances

Especially Unison and Let's Talk About Love need a good remastered release!

www.facebook.com%2FCeline.Music%2Fposts%2F1493407510756986

Edited by Davey84, 18 January 2018 - 02:54 AM.

[Javito]

Yeah, they were cancelled? I was curious about them, but, do they really offer any noticeable improvement on audio? I guess it should be noticeable on Unison for sure, but from ANDHC and on, I don't think they can do much better!

[Peppercorn1991]

I was wondering about this the other day...

Kev x

[Davey84]

Javito, on 18 January 2018 - 03:20 AM, said:

Yeah, they were cancelled? I was curious about them, but, do they really offer any noticeable improvement on audio? I guess it should be noticeable on Unison for sure, but from ANDHC and on, I don't think they can do much better!

We'll you'd expect a better, fuller sound, kinda like a SACD. If anyone know Japanese...

http://www.blu-speccd2.jp/

LOL

But I wouldn't be surprised if this kind of format also dying a silent death! But who knows, they are still being released (and planned for jan/feb this year) http://www.hmv.co.jp...esc/target_ALL/

[Celine Fan 77]

By the way, wasn't Live in Memphis supposed to be released on DVD in Japan back in 2008? Random thought that just crossed my mind

[Black Kitten]

I already posted this on the collectors' thread, but thought about posting it here, too. Did anyone of you buy these as well? Shame it looks like they won't be reissuing the other English albums on BSCD2 format like the original plan in 2014.

[CSCfan]

Celine Fan 77, on 18 January 2018 - 04:00 AM, said:

By the way, wasn't Live in Memphis supposed to be released on DVD in Japan back in 2008? Random thought that just crossed my mind

I believe it was supposed to be released worldwide... I think the official site even posted a news item on it back then.

[Javito]

You know, I'm a big collector and some fans know that, but I don't feel the least interest in these "Blue-spec" releases, honestly. What's the novelty? That supposed sound "improvement" with the blue-spec technology? But to what extent is that real, for a CD that already has a great sound quality? What's the point in releasing albums that have already a more than decent quality sound? Is that feature even audible to the human ear so that it justifies the money spent?

Say these 4 CDs include some unreleased new tracks or bonus contents, and I see a reason for buying. Or say they released these albums in Super Audio CD (SACD) with multichannel layer to play in surround sound equipment, and now we're talking about a reason to buy. Other than that, it's just stupid to me, sorry I'm very disappointed with Sony Music Japan this year. They did GREAT things 10 years ago with her.

Black Kitten, on 17 June 2018 - 02:16 AM, said:

I already posted this on the collectors' thread, but thought about posting it here, too. Did anyone of you buy these as well? Shame it looks like they won't be reissuing the other English albums on BSCD2 format like the original plan in 2014.

Edited by Javito, 17 June 2018 - 04:12 AM.

[Celine Fan 77]

I was about to say that Jav, I'm quite not sure that it's worth to buy these.

For what I have heard, they are the "audio version" of Blu-Ray discs, but Black Kitten, can you tell us if the difference is really noticeable?

[celinefanonline]

Celine Fan 77, on 17 June 2018 - 04:32 AM, said:

I was about to say that Jav, I'm quite not sure that it's worth to buy these.

For what I have heard, they are the "audio version" of Blu-Ray discs, but Black Kitten, can you tell us if the difference is really noticeable?

u have to listen to them in high quality head phone in order to hear the detailed sound / music!

[Black Kitten]

^ You guys, I really wish I can tell if there really is a difference in its sound quality compared to the original masters, but I won't be opening these (sorry). I bought these only because I collect sealed Japan-pressed CD's from Celine. They're just for safe keeping. So yeah I'm one of those crazy collectors.

But I've read different reviews/feedback from those who actually experienced listening to this new format, and most of them say the same thing. The sound quality is just the same as the original pressings. They still used the same original masters. The only difference is that the manufacturing process to create these Blu Spec CD's is similar to Blu Ray discs. And these Blu Spec CD's are playable in any CD players, so that alone gives you an idea that it's basically no different from the original. So if you're good with the sound quality of the original pressings, no need to buy these.

[MTJ]

I hope a fan will buy them and use the different channels to isolate the vocals and instrumentals... we could have some decent karaoke tracks!

[brandon_vincent]

I got the new tour album as well as Falling Into You My friend is in Japan and she got me Falling Into You   They're both blue spec cd's too!!!!

[Taking Chances]

This is cool, but is the audio actually different? Does anyone own a blu-rau album to confirm what the difference is?

[brendanhirt]

I really hope that they remaster the live albums too. I want to hear the live piano tracks from the A New Day Live and Une Seule Fois albums for more songs than My Heart Will Go On.

[rfkavanagh]

Anyone own/heard and have any opinions on the Japanese Blu-Spec 2 CD releases of CD, TCOML, FIY and LTAL?  Blu-Spec is primarily a marketing gimmick, but I was wondering if anyone knew which masters were used for these releases and if the quality is noticeably better than the standard domestic versions.  Japan tends to be much better at preserving some dynamic range, too.

I certainly don't need a ~97th version of each album, but I so often can't help myself.  It's a sickness.  

[Davey84]

rfkavanagh, on 24 March 2020 - 10:54 PM, said:

Anyone own/heard and have any opinions on the Japanese Blu-Spec 2 CD releases of CD, TCOML, FIY and LTAL?  Blu-Spec is primarily a marketing gimmick, but I was wondering if anyone knew which masters were used for these releases and if the quality is noticeably better than the standard domestic versions.  Japan tends to be much better at preserving some dynamic range, too.

I certainly don't need a ~97th version of each album, but I so often can't help myself.  It's a sickness.  

I merged your post with the topic about Blu-Spec!

Personally I don't hear the difference that much.

[rfkavanagh]

Davey84, on 25 March 2020 - 02:58 AM, said:

I merged your post with the topic about Blu-Spec!

Personally I don't hear the difference that much.

Ah, thanks!  My bad for not searching for an existing topic first.     From the previous discussion, doesn't sound like the masters were any better for these releases, so my bank account can breathe a sigh of relief.  For the moment.  One bad thing about being isolated at home is having too much time to find other things to buy...

[Alex_Incognito]

The masters themselves aren't remastered, they're just recorded onto a different kind of compact disc.

[rfkavanagh]

Alex_Incognito, on 25 March 2020 - 05:51 PM, said:

The masters themselves aren't remastered, they're just recorded onto a different kind of compact disc.

That's just it, though - it's not even a different kind of CD!  

The consumer product derived from the Blu-Spec process is no different to any other CD you can buy and conforms to the same Red Book standards. It's the use of the more accurate blue laser (also used for pressing blu-ray discs - hence the Blu-Spec name) to record the pits on the initial CD master that is supposed to improve reading and playback quality with fewer errors. Then that blue-laser master is used to replicate the CDs destined for the consumer market, but that replication process is no different to the process used for any other regular CD. At the end of the day, today's CD players and error correction are strong enough that it's not likely to make much of a difference at all (and if you rip a blu-spec CD to digital files, there's literally no difference).  The thing that makes them of interest to me is simply that sometimes they use a better master to begin with, and in other cases Japan has released albums unavailable anywhere else on blu-spec CDs (I'm talking about other artists, not Céline, sadly).  But if the master's no different to the regular CD, the sound quality won't be, either.

Oh well, I never really had a problem with the mastering on the earlier albums anyway.  None of them are super-dynamic, but it's the later releases that got brickwalled to hell.  

[Alex_Incognito]

To me D’ELLES has the worst mastering. You almost have to turn the volume all the way up.  The remastering in ONCP for the Incognito tracks is miles ahead of the original release. I wish they’d release it in whole.