| Store | Highest Quality | DRM-Free | Notes | |-------|----------------|----------|-------| | HDtracks | 96 kHz / 24-bit FLAC | Yes | Mastered from original tapes; includes PDF booklet | | Qobuz | 96 kHz / 24-bit FLAC | Yes | Sublime streaming + download option | | Prostudiomasters | 44.1 kHz / 16-bit FLAC | Yes | CD-quality, perfect for archiving | | Bandcamp (Dream Theater’s page) | 44.1 kHz / 16-bit FLAC | Yes | Artist-friendly; includes bonus tracks | | 7digital | 44.1 kHz / 16-bit FLAC | Yes | Affordable and reliable |
If you encounter a file labeled Dream Theater - Distance Over Time (2019) [FLAC] [PATCHED], here’s how to check its integrity:
| Tool | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| mediainfo | Confirm FLAC, bit depth, sample rate, encoding library (should not show “LAME” or lossy source) |
| spek or Audacity (spectrogram) | Look for sharp cutoff at 22 kHz (CD) or higher (24-bit). Lossy transcodes show brickwall filtering. |
| CUETools (with CTDB) | Compare against known accurate rips in the AccurateRip database |
| flac -t | Test for internal data errors |
| ffmpeg -i file.flac -f null - | Check for CRC mismatches | dream theater distance over time 2019 flac patched
A true patched FLAC should:
Distance Over Time was produced by guitarist John Petrucci and engineered by James "Jimmy T" Meslin. It was recorded at Yonderbarn Studios in upstate New York, a rustic barn converted into a state-of-the-art studio. The tracklist includes: | Store | Highest Quality | DRM-Free |
The album is notable for its dynamic range, tight musicianship, and Mangini’s drumming prowess. From an audiophile perspective, the mix by Ben Grosse and mastering by Tom Baker offers a punchy low-end and crisp highs—perfect for lossless playback.
Beyond legality, there are compelling audio and archiving reasons to avoid unofficial “patched” FLACs: Distance Over Time was produced by guitarist John
The word “patched” is the key here. It is not an official term from Dream Theater or record labels. In file-sharing and audio restoration communities, “patched” indicates that the original FLAC rip had a known flaw that was later corrected.
If you own the Distance Over Time CD, you can create a superior "patched" rip using Exact Audio Copy (EAC) or CUERipper. Steps: