SACD recommendations

[Erik Tracy]

The Doobie Brothers - What Were Once Vices.....

This is REALLY good sounding on SACD from MFSL.

Track 11 is a demo track...heck the whole album is.

 

[jstewa77]

Received the Animals today. Not multichannel, but better than the redbook. My wife thought most of these songs were the Stones or Doors.

I found the Animals disc with a picture showing the SACD emblem, i will post my impressions when it shows up. Thank you.

 

[Deacon Jubal]

OK- two of my most recent 5.1 mix purchases. Jethro Tull Thick As A Brick 40th Anniversary Edition and Anathema - Weather Systems. Neither are SACD
Both include DTS and AC3 5.1 mixes.
The Jethro Tull mix is done by Steven Wilson. The initial DVDs that were sent are defective. They have several time glitches. The most obvious defect is the very end gets cut off early.
I ordered from Burning Shed, who sent out an email notifying all purchasers of the defective discs, and promising the corrected ones will be shipped ASAP.
The notice also stated there would be a second UPC.
The disc arrived at my home about 2 weeks later. The UPC was the same as the original.
I went ahead and listened to it. The glitches were all absent.
The one major issue fans of this great album should be aware of is the fact that the original LP mastering had a speed issue. The initial speed is correct, but the final speed is slightly 2% slower than it should be. Compared to the LP, most of side 2 will seem slightly fast. It is at the correct speed. Overall, I would rate the mix at A to A-.

The Anathema album was a first listen for me. It is a very dark and very emotional album primarily about tornadoes. It has an ethereal beauty throughout. It is well served by the 5.1 mix. The dynamic range and bass is incredibly powerful on several tracks. As a complete work, it is a bit much to "samey". I can only stand so much darkness over the course of 50 minutes. The album writing lacks contrast.
I do give the 5.1 mix an A.

 

[Sanc]

OK- two of my most recent 5.1 mix purchases. Jethro Tull Thick As A Brick 40th Anniversary Edition and Anathema - Weather Systems. Neither are SACD
Both include DTS and AC3 5.1 mixes.
The Jethro Tull mix is done by Steven Wilson. The initial DVDs that were sent are defective. They have several time glitches. The most obvious defect is the very end gets cut off early.
I ordered from Burning Shed, who sent out an email notifying all purchasers of the defective discs, and promising the corrected ones will be shipped ASAP.
The notice also stated there would be a second UPC.
The disc arrived at my home about 2 weeks later. The UPC was the same as the original.
I went ahead and listened to it. The glitches were all absent.
The one major issue fans of this great album should be aware of is the fact that the original LP mastering had a speed issue. The initial speed is correct, but the final speed is slightly 2% slower than it should be. Compared to the LP, most of side 2 will seem slightly fast. It is at the correct speed. Overall, I would rate the mix at A to A-.

Is your rating for the stereo or multichannel mix? Very anxious to get the new TAAB 40th but I want to wait to make sure all the defected copies are out of the picture.

 

[Deacon Jubal]

I believe EMI has pulled all of the defective copies. If you order one, there IS a way to tell by looking at the physical disc whether or not it is a replacement. On the right side of the DVD, the last line is "Album duration 43:30". The corrected version ahs a dashed line under the word "duration".

 

[PAGS]

Listening to Dark Side of the Moon right now. It sounds darn good.

If you have a SACD play, you've really got to add this to your collection (if you don't have it already). It can be had for a relative song (pun), between $12 and $15.

Who knows, a couple years from now is might be going for over $50, like SD's Asia.

 

[jblnut]

Just listening to Wish You Were Here on SACD now. I'm very happy with it - they did a great job here.

Also picked up Herbie Hancock's "Gershwin's World" for 10 bucks at music direct. It is easily one of the best sounding discs I have and the music is very diverse. Highly recommend for jazz fans.

Jblnut

 

[mr_fred]

OK, here we go -- my first post to this recommendation thread:

I sourced this here; it is part of their new Prestige series, although I am not really thinking of becoming a series subscriber.

This is a mono hybrid SACD. (I ripped the CD layer into iTunes without any difficulty at all.*)

The sonics are extremely good, and as my wife said, it sounds like there's a band in the room with you. The band misses a step or beat or cue, here and there -- I don't think they were fully used to playing with one another. The recording quality is absolutely wonderful, and it is way cool to think that it is mono. This is some wonderful (occasionally rough) straight-ahead jazz. Very real sounding, both in terms of the excellent SACD pressing and the musicians!

Bottom line?

Recommended.

System:
Sansui 6060 receiver**
Cambridge Audio 651BD universal disc player
Audioquest Sidewinder interconnects btw. the player and receiver
Cambridge Audio S30 speakers w/ nice big fat speaker wire
(sometimes: Focal Spirit One headphones)


*p.s. and I've already listened to it on my Philips Clock Dock at work -- sounds just fine, just fine.

**p.p.s. this wonderful vintage unit is next in line for replacement, after my budget recoups from the 651BD. The 6060 is destined to go elsewhere in the house. I really want a remote for the amp on my main listening system.

 

[Dennie]

OK, here we go -- my first post to this recommendation thread:

I sourced this here; it is part of their new Prestige series, although I am not really thinking of becoming a series subscriber.

This is a mono hybrid SACD. (I ripped the CD layer into iTunes without any difficulty at all.*)

The sonics are extremely good, and as my wife said, it sounds like there's a band in the room with you. The band misses a step or beat or cue, here and there -- I don't think they were fully used to playing with one another. The recording quality is absolutely wonderful, and it is way cool to think that it is mono. This is some wonderful (occasionally rough) straight-ahead jazz. Very real sounding, both in terms of the excellent SACD pressing and the musicians!

Bottom line?

Recommended.

System:
Sansui 6060 receiver**
Cambridge Audio 651BD universal disc player
Audioquest Sidewinder interconnects btw. the player and receiver
Cambridge Audio S30 speakers w/ nice big fat speaker wire
(sometimes: Focal Spirit One headphones)


*p.s. and I've already listened to it on my Philips Clock Dock at work -- sounds just fine, just fine.

**p.p.s. this wonderful vintage unit is next in line for replacement, after my budget recoups from the 651BD. The 6060 is destined to go elsewhere in the house. I really want a remote for the amp on my main listening system.

Great review Fred! :thmbsp:

I've found the "mono" recordings to sound very good, sometimes preferable to the "Stereo" counterpart. :yes:


Dennie

PS I find a "remote" for the volume to me a must!

 

[mr_fred]

Thanks, Dennie. :thmbsp:

 

[John C.]

3 recently purchased SACD's I'd like to add to the highly recommended pile:

1. Elvis Presley -24 Karat Hits! (Analogue Productions)
2. The Allman Brothers Band - (S/T) (Mo-Fi)
3. Bob Dylan - Blood On The Tracks (Mo-Fi)

 

[Sanc]

All The Allman Brothers Mofi SACDs are great. Highly recommended.

 

[jstewa77]

Ray Charles:Genius Loves Company on 'Monster Music' limited edition.

This album choked me up, and thats hard to do. I will never admit that 'Sinner’s Prayer' with B.B. King brought me to tears.

Because that just doesn't happen.

It is much cheaper direct from Monster than on Amazon or ebay.

The mix is excellent, It is as if Ray is sitting to my left, his company is to front and the instruments surround me.

http://www.monstercable.com/productdisplay.asp?pin=3493

 

[PAGS]

Ray Charles:Genius Loves Company on 'Monster Music' limited edition.

This album choked me up, and thats hard to do. I will never admit that 'Sinner’s Prayer' with B.B. King brought me to tears.

Because that just doesn't happen.

It is much cheaper direct from Monster than on Amazon or ebay.

The mix is excellent, It is as if Ray is sitting to my left, his company is to front and the instruments surround me.

http://www.monstercable.com/productdisplay.asp?pin=3493

I'm not sure this is an SACD. I'm not familiar with the term "high definition stereo." Anyone up to speed on this?

 

[jstewa77]

It is apparently a dvd, but not a dvd audio. It is also TWO discs, the stereo version is on a second disc.

The 5.1 mix is spectacular , i have yet to play the 2 channel disc.

 

[PAGS]

I have this disk on standard CD. The 5.1 it tempting.

 

[stoutblock]

Analogue Productions released two Billie Holiday albums last year, Body and Soul and Songs for Distingue Lovers. They are not cheap but I was finally able to save up my music budget and buy them both.

These are done very, very well! Both DSD and CD tracks sound great. Certainly the best digital recordings of her that I've heard. The few redbook CDs I have bought in the past are not worthy. If anyone knows of any let me know.

Granted, both of these are from late in her career but the original recording quality comes across in all of its full stereo glory. Her voice and all the instruments come across solid with plenty of depth in the stage. On both these albums Ben Webster sax work is given great justice, and Harry Edison superb trumpet work is captured very nicely.

Highly recommended for her fans out there.

 

[aabottom]

Ray Charles:Genius Loves Company on 'Monster Music' limited edition.

This album choked me up, and thats hard to do. I will never admit that 'Sinner’s Prayer' with B.B. King brought me to tears.

Because that just doesn't happen.

It is much cheaper direct from Monster than on Amazon or ebay.

The mix is excellent, It is as if Ray is sitting to my left, his company is to front and the instruments surround me.

http://www.monstercable.com/productdisplay.asp?pin=3493

Yep, one the best sounding sources that I own.

 

[DJ G-Man]

Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture - on Telarc

Watch out for the cannons, or Ka-BOOM goes your system!

 

[jstewa77]

my first sacd disapointment

Not that it is horrible, but the 2-channel regular cd is probably better considering the cost difference. Queen the game. Apparently 2 channel.