Goodbye Yellow Brick Road: SACD or Blu-ray Audio?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by bluerondo, Mar 28, 2015.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. hazard

    hazard Forum Resident

    Is the 2003 version the double disc with bonus tracks? Heck you need this, just for the bonus tracks!
     
  2. bmoregnr

    bmoregnr Forum Rezident

    Location:
    1060 W. Addison
    Yes these things always extend beyond the album proper, but I was mostly commenting on the sq of the album which I felt was a bit of a bleeder. But no doubt other toys on it so far be it from me to stop anyone from enjoying!
     
  3. Hymie the Robot

    Hymie the Robot Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    You seem to be totally disregarding the fact that there is an extra conversion on the SACD, from pcm to dsd. I put out all the facts, plus my opinion of the two discs on the same player. The people here have all the information. I trust the people here to make their own decision. I am not missing any point.
     
  4. Mooserfan

    Mooserfan Forum Resident

    Location:
    Eastern PA
    I guess one consideration for me would be: are those bonus tracks also in 5.1? That could make the sale right there!

    Although I must say, Fred, I am hugely curious how "Social Disease" sounds just coming in straight. I bet it's terrific.
     
  5. Hymie the Robot

    Hymie the Robot Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Yes, get the SACD if you are interested in the bonus tracks, yes they are 5.1. I wouldn't make your decision based on SQ unless your bluray or SACD player is inferior to the other. The mixes are the same and they both sound pretty good, not reference material, but good.
     
    Mooserfan likes this.
  6. Chris C

    Chris C Music was my first love and it will be my last!

    Location:
    Ohio
    Chip, I agree that it's a crime about those and what's even more head scratching to me is, why with all of the latest revival in reissuing 5.1 mixes, has no one done these, but instead we get something silly like Mannheim Steamroller instead?
     
  7. cdash99

    cdash99 Senior Member

    Location:
    Mass
    I think that the DVD-A is relatively easy to obtain, and may be a viable option to the OP than the SACD. IIRC the DVD-A got better sound reviews.
     
    Hymie the Robot and fredblue like this.
  8. fredblue

    fredblue Surrounded by Music

    Location:
    London, England
    Yes the bonuses (CITW Acoustic, Jack Rabbit, Scr3w You; Young Man's Blues and Whenever You're Ready We'll Go Steady Again) are all in 5.1 and they are wonderful!

    Without 'spoiling' it, the acoustic Candle in the Wind with its stripped down arrangement (gave me chills the first time I heard it) is a totally gorgeous and inspired remix of a song we've all heard a gazillion times that in surround in particular really gives it a new lease on life and beautifully showcases Davey, Dee & Nigel's unique vocal blend.. and Scr3w You (Young Man's Blues) is a surround hootenanny! Elton hollers "SCREEEEWWWWW YOU!" from each of the 4 corners/speakers in turn, it really is pure unadulterated fun!

    The intro thing to Social Disease is probably incidental small fry to many but personally it's worth hearing for curiosity's sake at least, I nearly fell off my chair when I first heard it on the Blu-ray Audio, it was such a shock.. you know how you're almost pre-programmed in your brain with the edits, the fades and the segues in an album you've played start to finish so so many times.. and after a lifetime hearing it fade up and then along comes the BD-A in 2014 and its wham bam straight in with gusto, well my jaw hit the floor (almost followed by the rest of me! :D )
     
  9. fredblue

    fredblue Surrounded by Music

    Location:
    London, England
    From what I've been told (and told not to repeat) the situation is maddeningly, agonizingly bonkers on the part of the record company.
     
    Jarleboy and Chris C like this.
  10. fredblue

    fredblue Surrounded by Music

    Location:
    London, England
    I always found the DVD-A to sound kinda brighter than the Hybrid SACDs.. I don't know as I'm not technical enough to have the foggiest about that kinda stuff but maybe that's less about the potential PCM DVD-A vs PCM to SACD DSD thing and more about how my Pioneer handled the different formats back then? Tbh, I don't think it was that great a machine really but it got me into Surround SACD (for which I am immensely grateful!) after years of being a Dolby/DTS/DVD-A/V man for years.. so I can't be too scathing about it!

    More recently I found when comparing the 5.1 on the DVD-A with the 5.1 on the BD-A (couldn't do a 3-way with the Hybrid SACDs as I've no way of getting them onto the Mac) I preferred the BD-A, it just seemed less bright and more balanced somehow... it may all be placebo effect and I'm very open to there being no difference at all, it's all good I'm not here to start a debate it's just what I've heard on my rig with my lugholes.

    Ultimately, I'm still so happy with the 5.1 EJ we did get.. they uniformly have superb surround mixes and in the main the 5.1 on them all sounds great.. just, as has been said here and elsewhere (and by me!) umpteen times over the years, it's just such a shame we never got those Don't Shoot Me.., Caribou, Westies, Blue Moves Surround SACDs that Greg Penny and Gus Skinas completed over a decade ago.. ah, well, you really can't always get what you want, I guess..! :biglaugh:
     
  11. Mooserfan

    Mooserfan Forum Resident

    Location:
    Eastern PA
    Since I'm still assembling my 5.1, this comment and Fred's are really exciting. Though I do have trouble imagining Madman in that format, most of the tracks are basic rhythm section plus strings. GYBR on the other hand...(salivates):)
     
    fredblue likes this.
  12. fredblue

    fredblue Surrounded by Music

    Location:
    London, England
    Madman is incredible too (all the 5.1 EJs are, I enjoy Peachtree Rd the least but it's still not bad surround, just less exciting than Greg Penny's work, to me, I guess).. the jam at the end of Razor Face goes on longer than the Stereo, it's wild!

    For real Madman surround gymnastics, the Ronson alternate version bonus on the Tumbleweed SACD in 5.1 is absolutely astounding! You will be in multichannel heaven and in no doubt all your speakers are hooked up correctly, it's a surround workout! :D
     
    Hymie the Robot likes this.
  13. Ephi82

    Ephi82 Still have two ears working

    Location:
    S FL
    You have never heard strings in a rock format like you do onMMATW
     
    soundQman, fredblue and Mooserfan like this.
  14. joelee

    joelee Hyperactive!

    Location:
    Houston
    DVD-A sounds very good.
     
  15. Brother_Rael

    Brother_Rael Senior Member

    I'd go along with this, but I'll caveat that by saying I've only heard about ten minutes of the blu-ray that arrived today.

    That said, the ten minutes I heard were very impressive. Looking forward to a compare and contrast with the MFSL and the 2003 SACD but think the blu-ray is my new go-go for this album.
     
  16. marcb

    marcb Senior Member

    Location:
    DC area
    They're the same mastering. Any difference you hear is due to conversion from PCM to DSD (very unlikely) or the way your system handles PCM vs DSD (very likely). Or placebo effect.

    And the stereo mastering of the DVD-A & the SACD is awful.
     
  17. cdash99

    cdash99 Senior Member

    Location:
    Mass
    I've only listened to the surround layer of the DVD and focused more on the mix rather than the mastering. Any comments I've seen on the SACD, which I don't own, concern brightness of the surround layer.
     
  18. marcb

    marcb Senior Member

    Location:
    DC area
    The stereo and surround layers of the DVD-A and the SACD are the same mastering. Any perceived differences are as I wrote earlier.

    The surround mix is very good, IMO. I recall the surround mastering being easier on the ears than the stereo, but it's been awhile since I've listened to either.
     
    cdash99 likes this.
  19. rstamberg

    rstamberg Senior Member

    Location:
    Riverside, CT
    They're all good editions, for sure ... but the Blu-ray Audio Disc probably sounds best to me. Today, that is. :)
     
  20. Lucidae

    Lucidae AAD

    Location:
    Australia
    The SHM-SACD is nicely mastered, but it doesn't have a surround layer. :doh:
     
  21. onlyconnect

    onlyconnect The prose and the passion

    Location:
    Winchester, UK
    The old DJM fatboy sounds great :)

    Tim
     
    Brother_Rael likes this.
  22. Brother_Rael

    Brother_Rael Senior Member

    It does, but I gave that one away. Reckoned five copies was enough to be getting on with...!
     
    onlyconnect likes this.
  23. Chooke

    Chooke Forum Resident

    Location:
    Perth, Australia
    Unless you are into multi-channel mixes I'd suggest sticking to the MFSL CD.

    Having said that, I haven't heard the SHM version.
     
  24. sound chaser

    sound chaser Senior Member

    Location:
    North East UK.
    I like the fatboy WG DJM, but how does the DVD-A 24/96 compare (is it a flat transfer)?.
     
  25. marcb

    marcb Senior Member

    Location:
    DC area
    I believe the DVD-A is the same mastering as the old 2003 SACD - which is definitely not a flat transfer. There are much better stereo options.
     
    Plan9 and sound chaser like this.
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine