Yes, Amazon has now changed my ship status to "Coming Soon"....looking forward to hearing your opinions on how this remaster sounds.
Why do they HAVE TO print the bar-coding right on the artwork? Why not just sticker it on the plastic outer wrap?
For starters the bar code identifies each specific release. No bar code no associating ID. Still I agree there has got to be a better way aesthetically speaking.
matrix/runouts and SID codes can do that much more subtly. Also, in some cases there are different releases/pressings that share the same barcode, although that won't be an issue here.
Are matrix/runouts and SID codes small enough to place on the CD jacket spine? That would be my preference.
I think I can authoritatively say...nobody ever wants to be the first to give their opinion on a new release around here. Look at any number of threads where new discs arrive to people who ordered, pre-ordered and stole the first of the batch...and then you see posts and posts of dancing around ("not going to open it here at work..." "want to wait until I procure that bottle of Dom Periogn first; now, where'd I put my wine cellar..." "umm, my dog ate it...") witholding opinions until somebody else goes first.
Yeah, but...I don't have one. I bet I don't even buy one. I never had either of those two essential albums.
Hey, I have that same 5-disc player! Sony DVP-NC650V, yes? While we're waiting for reviews of the sound, I'd like to ask this poster a question about the player, if that's all right. Sorry to tread jump or whatever, but I've been scratching my head about this issue for a year now, and so here we go: I have my 650 in my front room now and only use it for 2 CH since my Marantz doesn't have analog 5.1 inputs, But when I had it in my back room I ran the analog inputs into a Yamaha and kept having trouble with the bass management. I could increase the subwoofer by 10dB but to get the proper balance you need to lower the volume on the 5 speakers by -5dB and then hike the volume accordingly on the receiver's MCH input. Once I did all of that, it sounded amazing in 5.1. But as soon as I turned off the unit, or put it in standby, the surround speakers would revert to 0dB, which wiped out half the bottom end. I could reset the speakers each time I played a MCH disc, but eventually I traded it out with a Sony SCD-CE585 I had lying around, which I run through an Outlaw ICBM that I refurbished. No problems with reading SACDs yet on either machine, by the way! Yet, I should say. In any case, have you had similar problems with your DVP-NC650?
Years ago I sold my outdated CD collection (to help subsidize remasters) to a second hand music shop who scanned the jacket bar codes whereby his computer informed him what each CD version was worth. Is that possible to do with matrix/runouts and SID codes?
It is quite amazing and seems to happen with many new release threads. Pages and pages of where to order from, who is the cheapest, who delayed shipment, etc. Then when the product is actually released not much discussion about the quality of it.
Alright everybody, please stop this avalanche of reviews on the sound quality of the Todd Rundgren SACD. I'm getting a massive headache.
Okay I'll be the first to step-up to the plate. The three sources are: LP purchased in the first several weeks of release Bearsville BR 2133 31554-1C Sterling RL both sides VG+ little surface noise CD Rhino/Bearsville RNCO 70864 AAD Rhino Bill Inglot and Ken Perry at K-Disc New one My LP has been played to death over several decades but always took pretty good care of my albums. Have always preferred the LP to the Rhino CD. Rhino CD isn't terrible but not great. On the new SACD, it is a little more forward in presentation. The soundstage is a little wider than the LP. There seems to be more clarity and a bit brighter but not in a boosted bad way. I sense a lot of air around the instruments. I really like it but I don't find it to be a huge revelation compared to my other two sources. As you can see from my profile, I don't have the most revealing system so YMWV based on what equipment you have. I think Kevin Gray did a great job and it is enjoyable.
I don't have an SACD player, but I can talk about the Red Book layer. My favorite digital version of AWATS I downloaded from a Todd fan site. The source is a commercial reel-to-reel tape. It sounds better to me than any of the official CD releases. I've only listened once, and only compared a few songs, but this CD sounds as good to me as the RTR version. That makes it, for me, the best available version on CD.
