Gimell launches Surround Sound Downloads

24 April 2008

The website for Gimell Records, www.gimell.com, the specialist recording label for The Tallis Scholars, now offers Surround Sound Downloads in both the FLAC and WMA 24-bit Lossless formats. The Gimell website has enjoyed considerable success since launching a 'better-than-CD' Download service for Stereo recordings in 2007. Steve Smith, the label's co-founder and producer for the Tallis Scholars' award-winning recordings says:

Having proved our ability to deliver High Definition Studio Master Downloads in Stereo we are now delighted to offer Surround Sound Downloads in the popular 5.1 format. Gimell is the first commercial store to offer Surround Sound Downloads in the increasingly popular FLAC format.

There are already a number of ways to listen to Surround Sound Downloads. The new breed of network-connected Hi-fi units, such as Denon's AVR-3808 Receiver, will stream these Downloads from your PC. If you own a DVD-Audio player and have a DVD Burner on your computer then you can use these Downloads to burn your own DVD-Audio discs. Many computers have a 5.1 Soundcard and will play Gimell's Surround Sound WMA Downloads using Windows Media Player.

The first Download available in this format is Gimell's stunning 2007 release of Allegri's Miserere and Palestrina's Missa Papae Marcelli. Steve Smith says:

We recorded Allegri's Miserere in the superb natural acoustic of Oxford's Merton College Chapel using two separate choirs, one to the front and the other set behind and at some distance from the listener. It makes an ideal showcase for the 5.1 Surround Sound format.

The Gimell website offers a set of free test files in the FLAC 5.1 and WMA 5.1 Surround Sound formats so that customers can check compatibility with their equipment before making a purchase.