Best sounding Weather Report CD's

I searched through about nine pages to no avail, so I'm forced to post a thread. What are generally accepted as the best sounding Weather Report CD's? Up to Heavy Weather I guess, so including:

Weather Report (self titled)
Live In Tokyo
Sweetnighter
Mysterious Traveler
Black Market
Heavy Weather

Thanks, honestly I don't even know where to start with these.

 

Anybody at all? This forum moves fast!

 

My preferences are the M-ch SACD for Mysterious Traveller, the Japanese-only 2-ch SACD for Black Market and the 2-ch SACD for Heavy Weather. These are all single-layer SACD titles, so if you are NOT set up for SACD (your profile is not filled in) then I imagine that the best versions will be the Japanese DSD-mastered CDs, though I have to admit that I haven't heard them. I believe most, if not all, of the Weather Report catalogue has been released on DSD-mastered CDs in Japan.

 

No SACD for me, just cd. Cool, I'll look for those I guess, thanks!

 

By the DSD-mastered CD's from Japan you mean the mastersound right?

Heavy Weather doesn't go over too well here

 

No, not the 1980s gold SBM-mastered CDs you linked to. These are newer re-masters made in the last few years. Unfortunately, they keep re-using the name Master Sound in Japan, and these new CDs also carry a Master Sound logo, but it will be a small black square with gold concentric circles (viewed at an angle) and the words Master Sound at the bottom of the square. The 1980s discs were all in white covers (either as long boxes or regular-sized slip cases). Maybe someone here has some copies and can post cat. nos. for you.

This would be an example:

http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/AS...618/sr=1-18/ref=sr_1_0_18/702-6607863-6856065

Notice the black square on the OBI strip? That's the Master Sound logo, but this is the new DSD-remastered disc.

 

While the new remasters sound really good, the SACDs, mostly dried up, are the best sources for:

1. Heavy Weather
2. Black Market (Japan)
3. Mysterious Traveler.

While you may or may not be on a ramen noodle budget, the vinlys of the 1st two I can vouch sound amazing. Most of these can be had for $3 or less sometimes.

 

I just found the SACD of Heavy Weather at Best Buy for $11.99. What a steal. I still like the multi-channel SACD of Mysterious Traveler the best though. I also have Weather Report Live on CD, which is a HDCD, and that sounds good too.

 

I love the SACDs of Mysterious Traveller and Heavy Weather. They are excellent.

A CD that really surprised me awhile back were the original Japanese CBS/Sony and U.S. DADC pressings of Heavy Weather. They are identical and are both very good. However, I would like to compare this mastering to the current remastered CD and the SACD.

 

The entire Weather Report catalog was reissued in the Japanese Mastersound series in about 1997/98, initially in mini-LP covers. As mentioned, these had nothing to do with the gold audiophile series in longboxes - although the Japanese series were audiophile quality. Some are still available, eg. HMV lists Domino Theory, Procession, Sweetnighter, WR (1982), Mr Gone...

A few years later, Sony Japan re-released a few other assorted ones as DSD remasters, eg. 8.30, the first album, Heavy Weather. I haven't heard these, but I dare say they'd sound very good, because the non-DSD Mastersounds are terrific (and far superior to any earlier CD versions). This year they reissued I Sing the Body Electric - I assume it's a DSD version.

Of course I concur about the SACDs - they are the ultimate Weather Report listening experience - but the Mastersounds are not far behind. The more recent US remasters (eg. Black Market, Tale Spinnin) aren't bad, although I think I prefer the Mastersounds, which are a little smoother.