Black Sabbath "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" & "Heaven And Hell" SHM-SACD

Some of the SHM-SACD threads can get a bit long and finding detailed info on a specific release can be difficult, so I figured that these two classic albums deserve their own thread. Once everyone starts to receive and listen to these two SACDs, let's get down to the technical nitty gritty.

 

Bump

 

Mine are on their way from CD Japan

 

Really looking forward to SBS but doubt it will sound as good as MoR or Paranoid.

 

I thought Paranoid on SHM-SACD was really bright and quite a poor mastering.

MoR was amazing. I hope these are more in that style.

Just waiting on mine.

 

Shhhhh Don't say that, there are certain forum members here who will get all worked up about any shipping updates for SHM SACDs. I had one member curse at me on another thread. It's pretty sad...

 

Got both SBS and HnH today.

Gave SBS a spin.

Initial thoughts - Ozzy's vocal tracks are as clear as can be. Toni's guitar tracks are crystal clean and I can hear some tonal detail that I haven't heard before.

The bad....Bill's drums seemed pushed back in the mix, the cymbals are there up top. And Geezer's bass is....missing....

I compared the SHM-SACD to my 1986 Castle CD (NELCD 6017) and 2004 Sanctuary (SMRCD035) - both of which have more low end detail and oomph for Geezer's bass.

Of the three, the Castle is the most integrated and balanced mix.

 

Glad I passed on it.

 

Thanks for the comments. That's disappointing. Were the problems you noted there for the entire album? I always find when listening to SBS, that the sound of the opening track is a bit jarring and never sounds right. The rest of the album always sounds better.

 

My observations were for the album as a whole.

There are some variations track to track, but I think it is more indicative of the original recordings - for instance National Acrobat always sounds like someone snuck up and turned the volume down while I wasn't looking - regardless of the CD or vinyl (I have 3 different LP copies of SBS as well).

 

The Sanctuary you mention has way too much bass for me. They raised it to absurd levels on that Castle remaster. It is just ridiculously overpumped so I wouldn't want the bottom end to sound like that.

I do love the old Castle you mention though.

Hoping to have mine this week. Both of these were autobuys for me because I rank them as two of the greatest albums ever recorded. If I don't like these SACD versions I'll just sell them.

 

Hmmm....I must be the only one to have ordered these....

 

Mine are on their way!

 

I think you mean the only one to receive these?

 

Yeah same, on the way still. Will report !

 

I think it's encouraging that you found the guitars to sound right, as that was my biggest complaint of the sound. I frankly thought it was a recording/mixing issue of trying to integrate too many layers of Iommi tracks, eg, the acoustic and electric guitars on Searching for Today. But the report of good midrange seems encouraging.

 

Man, if I "passed" on everything with one lukewarm review turned in, I'd probably have more money!

And we still don't even have a review of H&H!

Too early for most of us. Hope mine arrive this week!

 

I did a very very quick sampling of the SHM-SACD of HnH, compared it to the SHM-CD version I have.

The SACD is also 'lite' on the bass, imo, compared to the SHM-CD.

For me, the SHM-CD balance is a tad better - as if the low freq extremes 'anchor' the overall mix better for both Geezer's bass and Bill's drums.

Otherwise the SACD sounds very good.

Could just be my preference for the level of bass track.

As noted - this is just one guys opinion.

I really could not crank up the volume yesterday (was starting to annoy both my wife and the kids ), so a proper comparison is still on my to do list.

 

By "SHM-CD" you mean the one that used the Deluxe (Pearce) mastering?

 

Unless you are sending free copies to all of us, please explain what value these add to the conversation. Or did Fakebook by the forum? How about a movement [heh heh movement] to save DB space on this forum

P.S. a shout out to the first that states this post also adds nothing. But since nothing=nothing then this post is just as important as the quoted ones.

 

There is nothing wrong with Forum members posting that their copies have shipped. You are being ridiculous.

 

Only asking what value it adds. If someone is taking the trouble to post "Mine is On The Way" then it seems to me they have reasoning behind it, I'd like to understand what that is. I'll chalk up your response as "Mine is On The Way" adds no value but your see nothing wrong with it, however that sheds zero light as to the thought process behind it.


P.S. Your comment "You are being ridiculous" was unwarranted.

 

For me, there's a value :
A lot of people are wondering if those sacd worth the money, and want to see some reviews, to discuss, between friends/forumers.
So i posted that mine was still on the way to show that some reviews will be available soon. The others forumers did the same. That means that 3 more reviews/impressions will be available soon. So i come to this thread more frequently to have the pleasure to read some good or bad thing about those new sacds ( and i can know that other members bought it before any review too )

That s the value i see and it s the value i use every day on this forum. We re not talking about : mine shipped yesterday/mine didn t shipped/mine is lost ? / my postman did nt gave me the parcel etc

Happy listenings

Eric

 

OK so your intent was to keep the thread active in effect. Now that is an actual reason even if I do not agree this thread needed it - Thank You. I'm curious as to why others do even if if is just the fakebook effect.

 

So you're telling me that every post you have written on this forum has some sort of value to it? I doubt that.

I'm tired of listening to the same complaints, by certain forum members on this board, when anyone posts that their item has shipped. It's almost to the point where it's a form of internet bullying. There are plenty of posts on this forum that add no value to the subject being discussed but those posts are not being pointed out so why get all worked up about forum members posting a shipping update?