Rolling Stones- Goats Head Soup SHM-SACD Reviews

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Shawn, Sep 29, 2011.

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  1. Shawn

    Shawn Senior Member Thread Starter

    As the SHM-SACD of GOATS HEAD SOUP was released yesterday (September 28), I thought I'd start a thread where it can be discussed.

    I've placed an order for it but the disc hasn't yet arrived. Anyone already have it? If so, please post your thoughts.

    From the product description @ CD Japan:

    Features the 2011 DSD mastering based on the UK master.
     
  2. tkl7

    tkl7 Agent Provocateur

    Location:
    Lewis Center, OH
    I had this pre-ordered, but it didn't ship until last night, because of a delay with Emotional Rescue. I'm looking forward to hearing this, as I think it has some of the same issues as IORR, and I was pleased with the work on that title.
     
  3. lennonology

    lennonology Formerly pas10003

    Location:
    St. Louis, MO
    I was able to give this a listen last night, but did not take the time to compare it to anything. In general, it has a patchwork sound to it, which is not surprising considering the number of different studios that were used.

    As it's one of my least favorite Stones albums, it hasn't been played much, so I wouldn't recognize longer fades, etc. and I didn't compare running times. Not much of a review I'm afraid, but I can say with authority that the uncensored version of 'Star Star' was used.

    Chip Madinger
    www.lennonology.com
     
  4. tkl7

    tkl7 Agent Provocateur

    Location:
    Lewis Center, OH
    Thanks. I was hoping this would be the case.
     
  5. Vivaldinization

    Vivaldinization Active Member

    The greater mystery is why UMG reverted to a censored version in the first place.
     
  6. Shawn

    Shawn Senior Member Thread Starter

    They probably used the US LP master as their source.
     
  7. Vivaldinization

    Vivaldinization Active Member

    Odd, after the Virgin disc used something different...
     
  8. tkl7

    tkl7 Agent Provocateur

    Location:
    Lewis Center, OH
    OK, so I listened to this briefly last night. Overall, I think they did a good job with it, but it is not as much of an improvement as the IORR disk. Will comment more later.
     
  9. simon-wagstaff

    simon-wagstaff Forum Resident

    I have mine on order and will post when I get it. I have to say I am in the minority perhaps, this is one of my favorite "later" Stones albums!
     
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  10. tkl7

    tkl7 Agent Provocateur

    Location:
    Lewis Center, OH
    I agree, although I would tend to put it in with the "middle period" rather than the later period, which in my mind starts with Black and Blue. I think that it probably disappointed some at the time, due to it being a fairly quiet album.
     
  11. Shawn

    Shawn Senior Member Thread Starter

    My SACD of GOATS HEAD SOUP arrived today (along with the SACD of EMOTIONAL RESCUE). I played it a couple times in the background this afternoon and then did an A/B comparison to the original CBS and the Virgin CDs this evening. The SACD sounds the best of all three IMO... in 2nd place is the CBS followed distantly by the Virgin.

    Most notable is the increased dynamics on the SACD, particularly on 'Winter' and 'Hide Your Love'. In comparison, the Virgin seems to have added compression. The instruments - particularly acoustic guitar and piano - sound more 'real' on the SACD than on the other two releases. The decay in, say, single piano notes is also more noticable on the new release.

    That said, the new disc is a bit louder than the other two, but not in a bad way (I couldn't hear any clipping, etc.). It just sounds fuller, probably as the bass is louder in the mix. I'm uncertain what sources were used for any of the CDs but if the SACD is based on the UK master as advertised, they must have dialed the bass back quite a bit on the CBS.

    What surprised me was how bad the Virgin sounded in comparison to the other two. I first compared the SACD to the CBS and thought that the CBS sounded distant/noisy... (source tape problems? bad a/d converters?) and as I was loading the Virgin I thought to myself it will probably be closer to the SACD. I was definitely wrong - the Virgin really sounds bad in comparison.

    I listened via my Oppo BDP-93/Denon AVR 3808 CI/JBL L-7's. It was a casual A/B session (not blind, or anything of the sort) so take this all with a grain of salt. But I do hope it helps - I love this album and have listened to it regularly for over 30 years via US LP, UK LP, Japan LP and various CDs. The SACD is IMO the best digital version.
     
    dee and oopap like this.
  12. joethomas1

    joethomas1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    West Yorkshire, UK
    I think GHS is a good album, just very muddy production. Its like a lesser and shorter version of Exile, and I think appreciation of it has grown with time....
     
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  13. RiRiIII

    RiRiIII Forum Resident

    Location:
    Athens, Greece
    I played this morning this SHM-SACD before going to work and after everybody had left the house, in a very loud volume and enjoyed it a lot. No A-B whatsoever though.
     
  14. bonjo

    bonjo Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    The SACD sounds excellent. I always liked the Virgin remaster, but it sounds thin and pinched in comparison.

    The SACD is wider, fuller with more low end and depth. This is a great sounding disc.
    ...well ok, Goats Head Soup will never sound great, but you get what I mean.
     
    dee and oopap like this.
  15. Alexandre

    Alexandre Senior Member

    Location:
    Porto, Portugal
    Have you bought it from an european seller?
     
  16. RiRiIII

    RiRiIII Forum Resident

    Location:
    Athens, Greece
    No. As always I got it from cdjapan.co.jp + shipping registered air-mail , and limiting my orders to 3-4 items, so as to avoid extra customs/VAT surcharge (judging of course from my country's customs policies) :righton:
     
  17. Alexandre

    Alexandre Senior Member

    Location:
    Porto, Portugal
    Thanks.
     
  18. drbryant

    drbryant Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    I find myself listening to the softer tracks; the same ones that made the album a disappointment to me when I was 12 years old - Winter, Angie, Coming Down Again.
     
  19. Espen R

    Espen R Senior Member

    Location:
    Norway
    Well...I have to pay extra customs/VAT from my second disc. That's why my country is the richest in the world, and your's not...he he ;-))

    I have ordered one GHS disc for myself :)
     
  20. RiRiIII

    RiRiIII Forum Resident

    Location:
    Athens, Greece
    I cannot deny this, and I may add that Norwegian prosperity + Greek sun/seas/islands/cuisine (+the Shm-Sacds we both have acquired so far) would be paradise on earth! :righton:
     
  21. Espen R

    Espen R Senior Member

    Location:
    Norway
    Oh yeah! I love your islands...a paradise :)
    Hope the best for you and your country!

    Espen
     
  22. tkl7

    tkl7 Agent Provocateur

    Location:
    Lewis Center, OH
    I did notice that Can You Hear The Music sounds clearer as well. I thought the tape speed might have been different, but I didn't do an A/B with previous releases.
     
    dee likes this.
  23. ChrisBWFC

    ChrisBWFC Forum Resident

    Location:
    United Kingdom
    I got my copy along with Love You Live and gave it a good listening to last night. Without doing a detailed review, I would like to agree with the comments about the bass being more prominent than I remember hearing on either the Virgin or Polydor Cd's. Dancing Mr Mr D had my woofers running out of low frequency, the first time I've noticed them doing that.
     
  24. Larry Mc

    Larry Mc Forum Dude

    Are you compairing the SACD with the SHM- SACD?
     
  25. ChrisBWFC

    ChrisBWFC Forum Resident

    Location:
    United Kingdom
    I'm sure the Japanese SHM-SACD is the only SACD of this album.
     
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