Queen - Greatest Hits II: A High-Fidelity Retrospective Greatest Hits II
, originally released in October 1991, serves as the definitive chronicle of the band's global dominance from 1981 to 1991. For audiophiles seeking the highest possible quality, obtaining this collection in
(Waveform Audio File Format) ensures a bit-for-bit accurate, uncompressed representation of the original studio recordings or their subsequent remasters. The Uncompressed Experience: Why WAV?
WAV is the gold standard for CD-quality or high-resolution audio because it does not lose any data during compression. Under Pressure
Queen - Greatest Hits II is a massive compilation album originally released on October 28, 1991, documenting the band's biggest European hits from 1981 to 1991 . The WAV format typically refers to high-fidelity, uncompressed digital versions of the album often found on high-end music stores or ripped from the CD . Album Background
Historical Significance: It was the final Queen album released during Freddie Mercury's lifetime .
Commercial Success: It hit #1 on the UK Albums Chart and sold over 25 million copies worldwide .
Cover Art: Designed by Freddie Mercury, the cover features the astrological signs of all four band members . Key Tracks
This 17-track compilation covers hits from 1981 to 1991, including "Under Pressure," "I Want to Break Free," "Who Wants to Live Forever," and "The Show Must Go On" .
Queen: Greatest Hits II - The Definitive WAV Audio Experience
Released on October 28, 1991, Greatest Hits II serves as the second pillar of Queen's legacy, chronicling their global chart dominance from 1981 to 1991. Released just weeks before Freddie Mercury's passing, it remains one of the best-selling albums in UK history, with over 20 million copies sold worldwide. For audiophiles, the WAV (Waveform Audio File Format) version represents the pinnacle of digital fidelity, preserving the intricate production of Queen's later era without the data loss found in MP3s. Why Choose WAV for Queen’s Greatest Hits II? Queen - Greatest Hits II -WAV-
The WAV format is a lossless audio standard that provides a 1:1 reproduction of the original studio master's digital signal. This is particularly crucial for Greatest Hits II, as it covers Queen’s most technologically advanced period.
Preserving Dynamic Range: WAV files avoid the "brickwalling" and compression artifacts often found in lower-quality digital streams.
Depth of Soundstage: High-fidelity formats allow listeners to hear the precise placement of Brian May's multi-tracked guitars and Roger Taylor's crisp percussion.
The "Liveness" of Later Hits: Tracks like "Innuendo" and "The Show Must Go On" feature complex orchestrations and synthetic layers that can sound "murky" in compressed formats but shine in lossless quality. Essential Tracklist (1981–1991)
The album captures 17 hits that defined the band's second decade. In a lossless WAV format, these tracks offer an immersive experience: Go to product viewer dialog for this item. Queen Greatest Hits II Vinyl Record
A key feature of the Queen - Greatest Hits II album, especially when sourced as a WAV or high-fidelity file, is the 2011 Digital Remastering by Bob Ludwig
. This process significantly enhanced the audio quality of Queen's 1981–1991 era hits, such as "Under Pressure" and "The Show Must Go On". Key Album Features
Comprehensive Hit Collection: The album compiles 17 iconic tracks released between 1981 and 1991, capturing the band's transition into stadium rock and synth-pop.
Original Cover Art Design: The crest on the album cover was originally designed by Freddie Mercury himself, incorporating the astrological signs of all four band members.
Single Mixes & Edits: Several tracks feature unique single versions or radio edits (like "Hammer to Fall" and "I Want It All") rather than the full-length album versions, making them specific to this compilation. Queen - Greatest Hits II: A High-Fidelity Retrospective
High-Fidelity Audio: While originally released on CD and Vinyl, digital versions in WAV format offer uncompressed, CD-quality audio that preserves the "symphonic grandeur" of tracks like "Innuendo".
Historical Significance: It was the final Queen album released during Freddie Mercury's lifetime, debuting less than a month before his passing in 1991. Greatest Hits 2: Queen - Music - Amazon.in
Originally released on October 28, 1991, Queen Greatest Hits II
serves as the definitive chronicle of the band's second decade, transitioning from the hard-rock anthems of the '70s into the theatrical, experimental pop-rock of the 1980s. Released just weeks before Freddie Mercury's passing, it became a poignant milestone in the band's history and remains one of the ten best-selling albums of all time in the UK High-Fidelity Experience: The WAV Benefit Listening to this compilation in WAV (Waveform Audio File Format)
ensures a lossless, uncompressed experience that preserves the "multi-tracked studio perfectionism" for which Queen was known. Zero Compression
: Unlike MP3s, WAV files retain all the original audio data from the masters, capturing the full dynamic range of complex tracks like "Innuendo". Depth and Clarity
: Enthusiasts often note that high-resolution formats benefit from higher volumes, revealing a broader soundstage
and "deep, warm, and luxuriant" tones that define the Queen sound. A Decade of Evolution (1981–1991)
The tracklist covers the band's most far-reaching creative period, moving through diverse musical landscapes.
Here’s a concise guide for locating, verifying, and using Queen – Greatest Hits II in WAV format. Original 1991 compilation masters
Most stores sell lossless FLAC or ALAC, not WAV directly – but you can convert.
| Source | Native Format | WAV available? |
|--------|--------------|----------------|
| Qobuz | FLAC (lossless) | No (but convert) |
| HDtracks | FLAC | No |
| 7digital | FLAC / WAV | Yes (sometimes) |
| Juno Download | WAV | Yes |
| Bandcamp | FLAC/WAV | Yes (if artist enables) |
Best option: Buy FLAC from Qobuz or HDtracks, then convert to WAV using XLD (Mac) or foobar2000 (Windows).
Qobuz is the premier store for lossless audio. They sell Greatest Hits II in multiple formats, including WAV. Their downloads come with a certificate of authenticity regarding the master source. You can purchase the album outright for roughly $15-$18.
Searching for this keyword online brings you into a gray area. Many torrent sites and file-sharing forums promise "Queen - Greatest Hits II -WAV" but often deliver upscaled MP3s (fake lossless) or low-quality rips.
To get the authentic experience, you need legitimate sources:
If you own the original 1991 CD pressing (or the 2011 remaster), you can create your own perfect WAV files using software like Exact Audio Copy (EAC) or dBpoweramp. Ripping to WAV ensures zero compression and gives you archival-quality backups.
Warning: Avoid YouTube converters and "free WAV" blogs. They frequently use transcodes—MP3s converted back to WAV, which creates a file that is large but sounds no better than a radio stream.
Greatest Hits II has appeared in multiple pressings and remasters:
For WAV collectors: check release metadata (bit depth/sample rate), mastering credits, and catalogue/label identifiers to confirm which master and remastering were used.
Similar to Qobuz, HDtracks offers the album in FLAC and WAV. They often include high-resolution versions (24-bit/96kHz) which exceed CD quality, though a standard 16-bit/44.1kHz WAV is already flawless.