Any recent MFSL, AP or AF, etc. hybrid SACD's that you do NOT recommend?*

just my personal experiences (online) with SB and RLV......

P.S. I never had problems with the customer service.

 

Just teasing you, itts all good

 

Actually I have had several rather pleasant and informative one-on-one conversations with SB over the years. I have always found him to be open and honest.

 

At least AP and MoFi are, for the most part, transparent about their sources.

 

Has anyone been able to compare this MFSL to the 24/96 download?

 

Patsy Cline SACD is an abomination! The 2003 red book release is leaps and bounds ahead of the SACD. More than anything, the SACD makes Patsy's velvety, honey-filled voice sound thin and reedy, for the lack of better words. An absolute disgrace to Patsy Cline.

 

Yep, they Only Come Out at Night is a sonic disaster. All TREBLE!! One of the worst mastering jobs of all time.

 

They were very polite when replying to my email's

 

If it's not recorded properly in the first place, there's only so much a good mastering job can do. Not quick to lay blame from here.

 

No-one else seems to have mentioned it, but I was unimpressed with AP's SACD of Tea for the Tillerman - the EQ choices seemed wrong. Did George Marino really complete this, or did someone less talented take over the reins? Doesn't seem up to his previous standards.

 

Wow, really? I thought that one got great reviews. Was going to grab it at some point.

Is the 45 rpm lp set sucky too?

 

Sorry, but I have no idea about the 45.

To my ears, the 2003 redbook is the clear winner between the digital versions.

 

That one never sounded right to my ears. I think its poor reception killed any chance we'd see more Cat Stevens on SACD.

I liked the Patsy Cline SACD.

 

The SACD that has disappointed me most is the Mo-Fi Marshall Crenshaw.

Very thin sounding, no bass, not much midrange, just tinny treble.

 

I think your criticism of this disc is way too harsh. The website's description reads...

Mastered at Sterling Sound direct from the 1/4-inch master tape. This was a straight transfer, bypassing the console altogether. There was no EQ of any kind. A true direct transfer. You're hearing the master tape!

 

I gotta say that the Audio Fidelity gold CD of The Cars - Heartbeat City is a true sonic masterpiece... ear candy for sure. 'Great tonal and frequency balance and solidity in the subterranean regions. It's delivers a big dose of reality, just like as if the Cars are playing in your living room (warm, tubey, lifelike.) 'And the Black Sabbath - Paranoid on SHM SACD is not bad at all... it's actually quite nice. It's just that it was mastered from the best Japanese tape copy instead of the UK master. But it is still a good listen! Yes, the SHM CD that was mastered from the original UK master tape does sound marginally better in some ways (I have them both,) but the SHM SACD is very good, very much like the original Japan LP. I do not think it is a good idea to place something in the sh_t pile just because you have found a version that you like better. In real life, most things are not simply hot or cold, black or white, good or bad. I sure would not want to be that judgemental.

 

A lot of people dislike the Paranoid SHM-SACD, including myself. The problem is not with the tape source, but with the mastering.

 

Would anyone place Dusty in Memphis in this category?

 

I have the original vinyl and CD the difference in sound between the SACD and vinyl is night and day. The vinyl has nice full balance, the SACD is tinny. I don't think it is the recording, in this case. I grew up with this title and I was appalled when hearing the MFSL SACD. I have other titles by the same mastering engineer at MFSL that I think are brilliant. I don't know what happened with the Edgar Winter SACD.

 

'
Pretty much the same sound as the Edgar Winter title.

 

The problem might be the HDCD encoding with Heartbeat City. I Think it sounds good on my HDCD players.

 

Surely not, it's the best I've heard it sound. Kevin Gray never disappoints.

 

Interesting. I have a "private" DTS conversion from a quadraphonic source of They Only Come Out At Night. The sound balance isn't perfect, but it's a helluva lot better than the Marshall Crenshaw.

 

You aren't owed anything by the likes of Sterling or Mofi or AP. Just buy from them and pay full SRP. No questions asked.

(sarcasm)

 

This view is unfair or otherwise harmful to those who might be interested in some of the Verve titles. In fact, I avoided them for some time based on this sort of feedback. I have my doubts that Marino was actually involved. In any event, I'd be willing to wager that you can find a few of the Verve to be fantastic.