This is a new initiative launched by Steven Wilson. There are some interesting options here, including specific mixes for headphones. I’m going to try one of the MKV formats that I should be able to download to my iMac and then access through my Blu-Ray players and HDMI de-embedder for hi-res output to the ND555. I do like this concept of buying direct from the artist and knowing the files are the best digital versions available. From the announcement:
I am thrilled to announce the launch of Headphone Dust, a new online platform dedicated to studio-quality immersive sound.
For some time, I’ve wanted a permanent home for my work where listeners can hear the music exactly as I envisage it, without compression or compromise and in every audio format available.
While I remain committed to the Blu-ray format, I know they are not practical for everyone, and physical releases often go out of print. Headphone Dust solves this with ‘Definitive Digital Editions’ which establish the MKV format as a “virtual Blu-ray,” making high-res, 5.1, and Dolby Atmos mixes as easily accessible as possible.
To celebrate the launch, an exclusive live album: Impossible Tightrope: Live in Madrid is now available. This captures the final night of the European leg of The Overview tour and includes the full two-hour show mixed in Stereo, 5.1, and Atmos. There are no plans for a physical release of this recording; it is exclusive to Headphone Dust.
Also available today is a brand new Dolby Atmos mix of The Raven That Refused to Sing, alongside high-res editions of The Overview, The Harmony Codex, and more. A new Atmos mix of Hand. Cannot. Erase. will follow soon.
