The best SHM-SACDs (part3)

The MoFi is more smooth sounding cause they did something in the mastering. And that "something" is a bit strange, most obvious heard on "one world".

 

Red Garland Trio Groovy is great...

 

The MFSL is good, but partly with bad eq choices.

 

We could have a situation where some simply prefer a darker sound. There could be many reasons for this. One that comes to mind is that it doesn't seem easy for an audio system to resolve the highest frequencies. The resulting harshness or edginess can sometimes be blamed on the speakers, amplification or front end.

 

Not to forget all kinds of high frequency noise! People do not know about this noise before it's gone from the system. But it has a huge impact on how we experience sound and recorded music, Imo.

In Norway there is guy with really deep knowledge in HiFi. He buildt most everything by himself, cause what can be bought is not good enough. And he has a great focus on power supplies. Just the power section for his RIAA is a metal box that has a size like the largest Krell power amplifier, filled with state-of-the-art components that costs 10-12000 US dollars, only in parts. And this only for the power section for the RIAA circuit. All this just to minimize noise from music.

 

I'll try track 8. I couldn't get that far before I turned it off. I don't have the original CD or LP.

 

I can't agree with you. The Shm is bright and a bit on the harsh side. Really, unlistenable when compared to the MOFI. How does using a tape eq'd for vinyl sound better? The tape is a copy from the digital mix converted to analog. Then the analog converted to DSD. How could this be better especially with the brighter eq?

 

Yeah Right. My audio sytem is to blame, give me a break. I have more than one system here with SACD players. The results are the same.

 

Try matching the volume levels from your listening position and then try the MOFI.

 

It is a possibility.

 

Claus, the bad eq choices are the shm-sacd. IMO

 

Really? Come over and we'll have a demonstration.

 

I disagree with you.
I have both the original Lp and the original CD. I can't hear that the Lp is brighter than the CD. And they have not added high frequency EQ for the SHM-SACD.
There is not more harsh sound on the SHM-SACD, but because of the slight "soft filter" over the MoFi, it maybe feels less harsh. But the slight harshness in sound caused by early digital recording/mix and several A/D and D/A converters in the chain can not be filtret out by MoFi in the mastering using digital sources.

The SHM-SACD has most dynamic slam of all versions I have.
It also has the most natural top end, very similar as the Lp.

Imo

 

Not a fan of New England, but appreciated!

How old are the speakers in your best stereo system? Have the tweeters been improved upon in more current models? How old is the SACD player in that system? Amplification? Cables? Then I ask how good is my stuff, generally, compared to others (Claus in this case). In a shootout, his SACD player will beat mine into oblivion, for one thing. These are some of the things I consider for myself.

I also ask myself if my ears are actually bothered and, if not, then I consider that I just don't like the production. Some recordings captured on tape, even when well transferred, simply aren't going to sound appealing relative to others. It is also a challenge for audio systems to do everything well.

 

Different systems, rooms, ears, brains.............

 

Yes.

 

Tullman, I hear one disadvatage for the SHM-SACD:
Because of the Lp master tape used, there is a bit of background noise.

 

Listen to the druns at the beginning of Money for Nothing.... compressed on the Mofi. Sounds like a jukebox now. The Mofi isn't bad..... but it's not better than the original CD overall.

 

I'm definitely not a fan of Pittsburgh in more ways than one . New England has it all over Pittsburgh for natural beauty, sports teams and history IMO. No offense but just about every post you imply that ones system (cables, DACs, source and preamp) is the reason why some are hearing what they hear. If one is comparing the Brothers In Arms MOFI SACD to the SHM-SACD with the same system and find they like one over the other how is that system/gear dependent?

Bill

 

It's maybe worth pointing out that the SHM-SACD of Brothers In Arms isn't from an original master tape - it's from a tape that has had EQ applied, and in fact it has the exact same EQ as the original LP (if you take out the EQ of your cartridge). So technically, it's from an EQ dub. Wasn't there something weird about this album whereby no one who reissued it was ever allowed to have access to the original master tape and could only ever have access to the EQ dub? That would explain why the SHM is a flat transfer of an EQ dub. The mystery however is how MFSL gained access to the original master tape for its own, brand new remaster, when no one else has ever been able to.

Anyway, as Tullman says, the SHM is brighter than the MFSL and I think the MFSL is dead right so you know which one I'll be playing, though that's just my personal preference.

 

I almost bought the Brothers In Arms SHM-SACD but decided I have enough versions of it. Seeing a few reviews posted commenting that they feel the SHM-SACD is on the bright side I'm glad I didn't buy it. I haven't listened to the MOFI SACD lately but I'll give it a spin real soon .

Bill

 

What original master tape did MoFi get in their hands?
Analog master tape?
16/44.1 digital master tape?
A secret never before used mastertape?

Please, I want to know!

 

Bill- just ignore my posts. We aren't after the same thing in this hobby- choosing quantity over quality tells us all we need to know.

Pittsburgh is doing pretty good these days, great even (read the news), with or without you.

 

Your assumption that we aren't both after the same thing in this hobby is totally wrong and extremely rude on your part. I have tried to be respectful to your posts in the past but your constant "looking down upon" fellow members is getting old IMO.

You can have Pittsburgh and how great it is doing . Over the past few days I have seen the beauty of New England from Gloucester, MA (Wingaersheek Beach), Ipswhich, MA (Cranes Beach) and York, ME (York River) all from the close up view of a paddle board . Won't see anything like any of these places in good 'ole Pittsburgh. If you haven't actually experienced these places ignorance really is bliss. Feel free to ignore my posts as well .

Bill

 

I was thinking the snare sounded to bright on the shm, like it was made from brass. I'll listen again later.