Not sure how we get from Stealers Wheel to Portishead but if we're going to suggest them for a SACD release then we might as well have some Massive Attack and Tricky as well.
Do the Intervention Records SACDs have audiophile mastering that MOFI, Audio Fidelity and Analogue Production SACDs have?
I didn't mean particularly you, but rather hundreds of therockmen including you. As for the rest, you did mention. I'll provide an additional info very soon and you'd understand why there is no insert and fabric inner sleeve inside.
You are on a right track. In my post #9 What to expect? I provided link to short article from Stereophile. "Buettner expects that IRS will span eras and genres, with rock and pop the main focus. Think especially new wave, alt rock, and music from the 1980s to today. While IR's first titles are from Universal Music Group (UMG), other titles are anticipated from Warner, Sony, and smaller indie labels. So far, classical has not entered the picture, but several jazz titles are currently under consideration." Read more at http://www.stereophile.com/content/welcome-intervention-records#6h6fgkJdX77tzJma.99 Shane launched IR (Lost) '90s Series dedicated to Alternative Rock of '90s While two Stealers Wheel albums belong to another series: IR (Re)Discover Series
The simple answer is yes. What Shane is doing with Intervention is going the extra mile in whatever way possible to make each release the best version yet available. Does he succeed? That will always be a matter of opinion, but I think so. One thing I think you can bank on with each Intervention release is that no corners were cut. No one did what was easiest to put out product. I have every LP they've done and haven't been disappointed yet. This is the first label that I buy the release because of the label regardless of what it is. Next up, Erasure. This is a band I might never own anything from otherwise. Because Intervention did them, I simply have to check them out. There's no way they'd do it if they didn't think it was worthy and they'll do it in the best way possible because that's their MO.
Thanks! I didn't realize that Kevin Gray and Ryan Smith were mastering titles for Intervention Records. I just checked out the Intervention Records Stealers Wheel SACD listing. I should have checked that out before posting my earlier question ! Intervention Records | Albums »
To get more SACDs w/ Kevin mastering we have to dig in two directions: 1. Alt Rock of 90's 2. Rock from the past Under only one condition: both supposed to be profitable.
Interesting Shane comments from the vinyl thread: [on the using of Original Master Tapes] -Kevin [Gray] does everything I can get to the west coast. If tapes won't be released from the east coast, as is the case with Sony, I'll cut with Ryan Smith at Sterling. I wouldn't rule out in the future that I might even travel abroad to cut titles if they won't send tapes to the States. - Shane, are you just sticking with original analog recordings? - Not at all. I love the 80s and 90s and I want very much to do a lot titles from that era, and a lot of them will either be digital all the way through or at least assembled only as digital. t've told the story a few times, including on my website, but even with Everclear there were no analog masters assembled, ever. So we cut from digital. I would also cut from digital any time that's the master recording format. - Just out of curiosity, what was the digital master format of the Everclear? If it was DAT or open reel, would you first transfer that into a DAW and actually do the cut from hard drive? Thanks. - From my website: Mastering Notes Everclear’s Sparkle and Fade was captured on analog master tapes, but never fully assembled in the analog domain. That means choosing the final mixes, sequencing, crossfades, etc. was performed only in the digital domain, which in a real sense means no analog master exists of the final album. Universal archived the original tapes in high-resolution digital and supplied IR with flat 24-bit/96kHz files for compatibility with Cohearent Audio’s 24-bit capable Pacific Microsonics D-A conversion system and what notes were available regarding which files contained final mixes, sound effects, crossfades, etc. Cohearent’s Kevin Gray and IR’s Shane Buettner then spent painstaking hours running down the title comparing the files to the original Capitol LP to ensure final mixes and sequencing, crossfades, sound effects and properly space the time between tracks.
(from the vinyl thread) - So, the Original Master tapes for BAD are in the US, not in England? - The US cutting copy we cut from is the best existing analog tape they have on that I'm told.
OK, I finally pushed the button to buy this disc. I hope mine arrives unscratched because after reading some comments about the packaging, I am worried. If it is scratched, then I will just contact Intervention Records and I hope that they will make it right.
On SACD I've recently acquired Ella Fitzgerald Signgs the Cole Porter Songbook. The sonics are wonderful, the gatefold mini LP is perfectly done, and the discs are housed in cloth sleeves just like MoFi. I also have their three Joe Jackson titles on vinyl, all are excellent in sound quality and packaging. I'd love to hear the Ella LP on vinyl, but space is a real problem these days, and yet another 3 LP box set would take up some space. Ella lost out to the new Kate Bush Live 4 LP box. That one is a lovely package but the sound is nice, not spectacular. I could probably have gone with the CD on that one (and there wasn't a download card included with the vinyl, not cool!)
DigMyGroove, thank you for your comment; please visit another thread: Analog Spark Hybrid SACDs - New Releases Analog Spark Hybrid SACDs - New Releases » to read review on Ella's SACD and our boss comment.
My copy arrived scratched too. Shane, you must drop that plastic inner sleeve, on future SACD releases. I hope there will be more SACD releases from intervention records, in the near future. The Stealers Wheel SACD is wonderful (apart from the scratches issue).
The discs are scratched due to the plastic inner sleeves? That seems odd in that it would seem the plastic inner sleeves would prevent scratches opposed to being in paper or worse cardboard sleeves. SHM SACDs come in plastic inner sleeves and I've never received one with scratches.
The Steelers Wheel's inner sleeve is made with a thick plastic (abrasive?) much different from the SHM SACDs soft plastic inner sleeves. Maybe the scratches have nothing to do with the plastic inner sleeve but are due to some mishandling during packaging, I don't know.
After your post, I inspected mine under the electric light. There are some surface marks on one side. I took those thick plastic sleeve and some other insignificant CD and tried it (in and out) several times... no marks. So it seems to me bad handling. But please try this experiment too.
I would bet the majority of the discs will have light scratches, the inner sleeve is basically useless for protection and in all likelihood the reason for the light marks IMO. I tossed the plastic sleeve to prevent further damage and replaced it with a Japan mini LP style inner sleeve.
Mine was horribly scratched too. I have never seen a SACD look like that in 18 years of purchasing SACD's, not even used. I returned it and had to cover the cost for return shipping to exchange for another copy thinking it was a one off defective disc. Now I read others are experiencing the same issue. Not a good way to launch a audiophile label, by cutting corners using a rough plastic inner sleeve that has the effect of using sandpaper. And if it isn't the inner sleeve, that make matters worse.
I did not bother Music Direct for a replacement, the disc sounds great and there are no issues with playability. I will wait for reports on further releases to see if QA improves.
