Demonstration Quality SACDs

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Khorn, Aug 11, 2002.

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  1. Khorn

    Khorn Dynagrunt Obversarian Thread Starter

    If you were to pick sacds to demonstrate its attributes to someone, which one(s) would you choose?

    Of the ones that I have so far:

    Voice & Instrumentals: Alison Krauss & Union Station: 'New Favorite'

    Instrumental: Joe Weed: 'Vultures'

    The danger of this thread is potential credit card damage!
     
  2. Metralla

    Metralla Joined Jan 13, 2002

    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    One of the things that SACD seems to get right and which demonstrates its significant advance over CD sound quality is in the reproduction of the piano. If you like classical, Lang Lang's Rach 3 on Telarc is a treat. If you prefer jazz, maybe Monk's "Straight, No Chaser" on Sony.

    Piano is so realistic on SACD it is shocking. Even on a cheap system. I recall an incident about 4 months ago when I was in Tower Records. They have one of those Sony SACD demo booths there, with a 775, 5 tiny speakers and a subwoofer. I was minding my own business, deep in thought, browsing the racks. Suddenly my reverie was broken by the sound of someone playing a piano, and it was so realistic I first thought there was a piano in the DVD section - I'd never been in there. Then I looked over at the SACD demo system and saw someone fiddling with the controls. But honestly, for 30 seconds or so I was completely deceived - very exciting.

    Regards,
    Geoff
     
  3. vex

    vex New Member

    Location:
    Seattle, WA
    I highly recommend Chesky's "Introduction To SACD". It contains a great selection of music and all tracks are superb recordings. There is a lot of variety to show off SACD performance in many areas. My favorite cut, and the one I use to show off SACD is Rebecca Pidgeon - "Spanish Harlem".
     
  4. syogusr

    syogusr New Member

    The new issue of Sound & Vision highly recommends 'Tubular Bells'. I do not have that, but can someone please comment on this? Also, James Taylor's 'Hourglass'.
    I wish the new JT was released simultaneously on SACD, too. I hear it is a killer!
     
  5. sgb

    sgb Senior Member

    Location:
    Baton Rouge
    Khorn, here's my short list:

    Red Rose Sampler, probably one of the two best SACDs to demonstrate all of the qualities that make SACD the closest thing to analog in the digital world yet. There are "snorts" on Chico Freeman's sax solo on "Goin' Back to Louisiana" that, I'll have to admit even the finest phono playback system money can buy would have difficulty reproducing with the air and ambiance you'll find here. Pure DSD.

    Opus 3 Showcase is the other one. This is truly an awesome display of how one transfers analog to DSD. If "Vaquero" or "Where The Green Grass Grows" don't have you on the floor then there's something wrong with your audio system. This one should be a primmer for all would-be analog to DSD recording engineers.

    Although the music is a little heavy for most tastes, the Michael Tilson Thomas Mahler 6th is far and away the most natural sounding classical SACD I've heard so far. The micro-dynamics on this one are stunning, but you'll need at least one hundred PURE watts to pull this off completely. Anything less will have your system buckling at the knees (compressing dynamics). Since you use Khorns, you might be able to get away with an SET that can muster up about 50 clean watts though.

    Jazz is a tough one. I don't like the close miking on the Groove Note, Telarc and Chesky SACDs I've bought, so I have to turn again to Opus 3 and Lars Erstrand's Complete Songs. This one doesn't have quite as wide or deep a sound stage as Showcase does, but I suspect that the properties of the room in which the recording was made have a lot to do with the way this one sounds.

    Pop. You mean you've found a good-sounding pop SACD?
     
  6. vex

    vex New Member

    Location:
    Seattle, WA
    Pop...

    Well, I'm certainly no Michael Jackson fan, but the "Thriller" SACD really knocked my socks off. I've actually listened to it a few time and continue to be amazed at how incredible it sounds.
     
  7. GoldenBoy

    GoldenBoy Purple People Eater

    Location:
    US
    I agree with Metralla about the Piano on SACD, it is amazing. I have the Sony Classical recording by Midori doing the Mozart Concerto in D major for Violin and Piano, and although the overall sound of the recording is horrible, IMO, the piano sounds very natural and real on that piece.

    Now, as far as demonstration quality SACD's, I would have to choose these:

    Classical/Instrumental:

    Music of Hovahness Hybrid/Stereo on Telarc;

    Dedicated to the Victims of War and Terror, Composers: Alfred Schnittke and Dmitri Shostakovich, Moscow Chamber Orchestra - Constantine Orbelian Pianist/Conductor. Most especially the Shostakovich piece on there Chamber Symphony, Op. 110a; Hybrid/Stereo-Mch. on Delos;

    How Slow the Wind, w/ several pieces by Toru Takemitsu, Kioi sinfonietta Tokyo, Tadaaki Otaka - Conductor. Hybrid/Stereo on Bis;

    Sacred Feast, Gaudeamus. Hybrid/Stereo-Mch. on DMP.

    Jazz:

    Kind of Blue - Miles Davis. Single/Stereo-Mch. on Sony;

    Straight, No Chaser - Thelonious Monk. Single/Stereo on Sony.

    Pop/Rock:

    Become You - Indigo Girls. Single/Stereo-Mch. on Sony;

    Stardust - Willie Nelson. Single/Stereo on Sony;

    Open - Cowboy Junkies. Hybrid/Stereo on Rounder/Zoe;

    Blonde on Blonde - Bob Dylan. Single/Stereo on Sony.
     
  8. MagicAlex

    MagicAlex Gort Emeritus

    Location:
    Atlanta, GA
    Patricia Barber - Cafe Blue (MFSL)!
     
  9. Lance Hall

    Lance Hall Senior Member

    Location:
    Fort Worth, Texas
    Are there any downloadable MP3s that can demostrate the difference between CD and SACD assuming of course an MP3 can be used to demonstrate the differences?

    Lance Hall
     
  10. vex

    vex New Member

    Location:
    Seattle, WA
    Uh... that's like test driving a Yugo to determine the difference between a Chevrolet and a Ferrari.
     
  11. sgb

    sgb Senior Member

    Location:
    Baton Rouge
    I think what vex means to say, Lance, is "no."
     
  12. bmoura

    bmoura Senior Member

    Location:
    Redwood City, CA
    I don't have all of the SACDs mentioned in this thread. But I would agree with most of those mentioned including:
    * The Vultures - Joe Weed
    * New Favorite - Alison Krauss
    * Straight, No Chaser - Thelonious Monk
    * Spanish Harlem - Rebecca Pidgeon (cut from 2 Chesky SACDs)
    * Hourglass - James Taylor
    * Tubular Bells - Mike Oldfield
    * Red Rose Sampler Volume 1
    * Stardust - Willie Nelson

    To that list, I would add these five:
    * Pride and Joy - Kevin Mahogany
    * Triangulo - Michel Camilo
    * The Life - Ginuwine
    * Birdland - M. Sasaki & LA All Stars (SACD from Japan)
    * Blood, Sweat & Tears
     
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