Asia Alpha and Styx Pieces of Eight Audio Fidelity SACDs

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by KeithH, Jun 17, 2017.

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  1. jriems

    jriems Audio Ojiisan

    Yeah... But how does it sound?
     
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  2. PTgraphics

    PTgraphics Senior Member

    Put on the song Pieces of Eight and it will all be good again.
     
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  3. jriems

    jriems Audio Ojiisan

    The only thing I disagree with you about here is the original vinyl being mixed really bright. I just listened to mine in the comparison I did, and it's anything but bright. It's smooth with great bass, and non-harsh cymbals/synths.
     
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  4. bru87tr

    bru87tr 80’s rule

    Location:
    MA
    I can't seem to find my original CD. I do remember how it sounds though.

    This AF disc sounds really good!!!
     
  5. bru87tr

    bru87tr 80’s rule

    Location:
    MA
    What's been great is between Amazon points and gift cards, my last 8 music purchases feel free. :)
     
  6. bru87tr

    bru87tr 80’s rule

    Location:
    MA
    I realized I had direct mode engaged on my stereo. Regular CDs sound good this way. Realized it was on, turned it off and relistened to the SACD layer of Asia. Switched between off and on, when off have tones set flat. Engaged, the SACD layer sounds muffled. Off it sounds open and detailed.

    Strange but the SACD layer doesn't sound as bad as I thought.
     
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  7. bru87tr

    bru87tr 80’s rule

    Location:
    MA
    PO8 SACD layer is laid back, smooth.

    Redbook is more aggressive but in a good way. Both sound really smooth, detailed with nice bottom end.

    AF does such a nice job on the Redbook layers.

    Even though the Asia SACD layer sounds better with direct mode off. It still didn't benefit from DSD.
     
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  8. Say It Right

    Say It Right Not for the Hearing Impaired

    Location:
    Niagara Falls
    These should've had separate threads.
     
  9. NorthNY Mark

    NorthNY Mark Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canton, NY, USA
    OK, my copy of the Alpha SACD arrived yesterday, and I listened to the redbook layer today, comparing it to my target CD and my original US pressing (the first full-length album I ever bought, back in the day). As expected, the results were pretty much exactly the same as with the Asia debut. In this case, the greater presence of lower midrange in the SACD redbook layer compared to the target mastering is very obvious and makes most things sound far more natural. However, as was the case with the debut, this comes with an added "bonus" in the form of a kind of exaggerated sibilance that I find particularly unpleasant--not entirely unlike the sound of a mis-tracking cartridge on vinyl.

    Speaking of vinyl, my old copy made for a very interesting comparison. It basically had a LOT more deep bass "thump" and high treble "ting" than either CD mastering (definitely not a characteristic I would attribute to differences between my vinyl and digital set-ups), with a comparatively hollowed out, almost ghostly midrange. It's a weird and completely unnatural sound, but I actually think it works for this album better than either CD version. I think it helped me understand the problem I was having with Kevin's new mastering. On the vinyl, the cymbals and sibilants have a very sharp treble attack, accompanied by a lot of reverb. I get the sense that Kevin's mastering dramatically cuts back on the treble attack, but leaves all the reverb in place. The target CD mastering does that as well, but seems to be balanced in favor of midrange frequencies relatively close to those of the reverb, so it all blends together in a kind of thin, slightly tinny sound. By filling out more of the lower mids, Kevin's mastering creates more of a contrast that leaves those echoes sounding somewhat spotlit. The vinyl mastering, on the other hand, has this strange contrast between solid tactility and echoey disembodiment that works slightly better for me, though I can imagine others hating it. None of the three sounds natural or "good," though Kevin's would if there were some way to rid the mix of that pesky reverb.
     
  10. reapers

    reapers Forum Resident

    Location:
    Michigander
    Excellent summary, Mark. This is, in a nutshell, what I heard from the start. Rather than the reverb being tamed, it was filling my room like a sonic shower. The spotlight on the reverb dominated so much, it took me a couple of songs to pick up on the presence of the lower midrange.

    I think I should have stuck to my original instincts and skipped this one. It’s sonically different, but still ultimately unsatisfying. Luckily, I can still enjoy the songs regardless of all the sonic weirdness around them...
     
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  11. ShallowMemory

    ShallowMemory Classical Princess

    Location:
    GB
    Its more agreeable to my ears than the "gray painted japanese disc" and with more depth than the Anthologia double (or the later "Gold") but there's no getting away from this being a bad mix and yes it reminds me of 2o10's Self Title on 24kt in that when it comes in focus it's magical and frustratingly drifts back out. Still no regrets about buying this it just what it is.
     
  12. :laugh:
     
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  13. MikeJedi

    MikeJedi Forum Resident

    Location:
    Las Vegas
    Got PO8! Love it! Very warm and detailed .. Reminds me all the LP ... I also have a Nautilus LP version and a German Import that both sound nice too.. Hard to say which one is better .. Like them all for diff reasons.. This is the best I have ever heard PO8 sound on digital, period! Great job Marshall and Kevin..well worth 25 bucks ! Now I am debating if I should get Asia .. seems to be a mixed bag but seems it's probably the best it will probably ever sound ... I think I need to complete my AF Asia collection as I have the debut gold cd ! ;)
     
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  14. Rockstar2112

    Rockstar2112 Forum Resident

    I finally received the Asia Alpha sacd yesterday & played the sacd layer last night. My first impression was overwhelmingly positive. The soundstage is excellent, nice separation of instruments. There were new musical details revealed that make several tracks seem more complex. The guitar is definitely clearer & there was actually some bass!! The AF version blows the SHM sacd out of the water IMHO. This is about as nice sounding as this album is ever going to be. Nice job Kevin Gray. We can only hope that maybe one day there will be an AF sacd release of Asia & Astra.
     
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  15. Rockstar2112

    Rockstar2112 Forum Resident

    Get The Alpha AF Sacd if you like this album!!!
     
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  16. MikeT

    MikeT Prior Forum Cretin and Current Impatient Creep

    Location:
    New Jersey, USA
    Asia (first album) was already released by AF, albeit on 24ct Gold CD. I know it is currently retired so it may be hard to come by. I'm not sure AF would go back and do this title again even on SACD.
     
  17. Rockstar2112

    Rockstar2112 Forum Resident

    Y
    Yes I know, I have it lol, but I would have much preferred an sacd!!
     
  18. izgoblin

    izgoblin Forum Resident

    Thank you very much for your detailed comparison. This is PRECISELY what I was waiting for. I've already got a couple of copies on vinyl, so you basically helped me figure out that the only reason to go for this one is if I want to avoid the vinyl noise/wear which may exist on my used copies. Of course I wish someone was going to tell me that this disc is even miles better than the vinyl, but it is what it is -- I may give it a go anyway.
     
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  19. eelkiller

    eelkiller One of the great unwashed

    Location:
    Northern Ontario
    Because some/most new style jewel cases are cheap pieces of excrement, it is not your fault. :)
     
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  20. bruce2

    bruce2 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Connecticut, USA
    Yes and Audio Fidelity seems to use the cheapest ones available.
     
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  21. bru87tr

    bru87tr 80’s rule

    Location:
    MA
    I would gladly pay extra for a list lock case.

    I put all my AF gold and sacd in lift lock cases. They deserve it!
     
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  22. eelkiller

    eelkiller One of the great unwashed

    Location:
    Northern Ontario
    SACD's from APO come in the Super Jewel boxes, they provide the proper protection as well.
     
  23. jriems

    jriems Audio Ojiisan

    You're very welcome. I'm interested to see if others' thoughts jibe with mine where the comparison is concerned.
     
  24. c-eling

    c-eling They're made of light,We never would have guessed

    Was just listening to my old US Ted cut. Think i'm going to pass, I really enjoy it. Not saying the AF wouldn't be better, but I have such a huge buy list right now. I'll probably regret it down the line when it's OOP :laugh:
     
  25. squonkduke

    squonkduke Forum Resident

    Location:
    Roma, Italy
    I compared 3 cd editions of Alpha: Geffen GFLD 19053 (the one with Daylight unlisted), 2014 SHM-SACD and the cd layer of this new AF.
    Reluctantly, as i generally find no more than very marginal improvements (if any) with AF titles, i have to say that the new AF edition wins.
    It sounds 'fatter' than the Geffen GFLD 19053 which has a very 'thin' sound anyway, but also fatter than the 2014 flac files i extracted from the SHM-SACD.
    On the Geffen GFLD 19053 the drums are almost absent and the bass barely audible. The SHM-SACD bettered only slightly those problems, but it remains very high-end oriented. On the new AF cd layer you can hear drums and bass, even if they aren't prominent at all, but at least they are there!
    I've still to extract the SACD layer into flac, but i understand from other reviews that we have a case of 2 different masterings on this disc. The cd layer is really good in my opinion.
    This album is very dear to me, so in the end i'm happy to have purchased the AF SACD.
     
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