Just bought a SACD player, need disc recommendations please.

I now have a SACD player(Philips 963-SA) so I'd like to buy a few titles. I only have 2 channel capability at the moment.

I would like to get a couple of each in these genres to start with.
Rock/Pop, Classical, and Jazz.

I'd like to obtain discs of the highest sonic quality first since I don't know what to expect from the SACD medium. Thanks for your input.

 

Well, even in 2 channel, you can't go wrong with Beck, Sea Change.

I'll let the rest of the guys fill you in on other 2 channel stuff. Call me when you get 3.1 more!

 

Thanks Dave, when I bought the player on Saturday I had to have something to listen to so I bought Roger Waters-In the Flesh & Santana-Abraxas. I was'nt blown away with either disc, CD playback was quite impressive though.

 

I think the SONY Miles Davis stuff sounds great. Actually, I like their other jazz titles too, its just that there isn't as much selection with other artists yet. I have "In A Silent Way", "Round About Midnight", "Kind of Blue", as well as "Mingus Ah Um", "Time Out", and "Headhunters" and they all sound great. "Love Supreme" sounds great when compared to previous releases, and MFSL's releases of "Soultrane" and Rollins' "Plus 4" are nice as well. Art Pepper SACDs are being given the royal treatment by Analogue Productions, but I haven't heard any of them yet.

 

Any of the SH mastered CCR's, or any SACD Steve has done for that matter.

 

Bob Dylan!
Stones!
Sam Cooke!

 

SACD wasn't that impressive out of the box on my 963 either. About 50 hours later (endless repeat while my preamp was off) it got better--smoother, bit better better definition on instruments--but still not the "wow" factor I expected compared to the very nice CD playback. I have seen the same assessment from others. I bought mine with the intention of having it exstensively modded. After it was, SACD is an obvious improvement over CD.

Dave beat me to the Beck recommendation.

Steve's Zombies compilation has made me appreciate the group all over again. Keb Mo's "Just Like You". Oh, and "Blood on the Tracks" of course.

John K.

 

If I was to buy only 1 Stones SACD, which 1 should it be? I own many of their LP's, original 60's UK and domestic pressings. Which SACD improves most upon its vinyl couterpart?

 

Beggers Banquet should be the first you buy.

Also try the James Taylor SACD's, all good.

 

Must get Beggars Banquet and Let it Bleed if you're looking for two proper albums, not hits packages.

 

Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells was my first SACD. I bought it as an "import" half a year before I had my player. It is just beautiful, asuming you like the music, of course.

 

Rock Pop Category
Bob Dylan - Blood On The Tracks
Rolling Stones - Beggars Banquet, Let It Bleed
Roxy Music - Avalon
Santana - Abraxas

Jazz - Most any jazz title on Sony has NOT dissapointed... Miles, Brubeck, Mingus.

A lot of other recc's are spot-on. Luckilly there aren't many SACDs that suck. Yet.

 

Do you know if B. Banquet and Let it Bleed best the original UK vinyl since I already own them?
IS Brubeck, Time out good on SACD?
I'll look for Roxy Music-Avalon, great album.

One question I forgot to mention. Since I am only using the SACD player in a 2 channel system, should I look for 2 channel only or Multi/Stereo layer discs. The player downmixes multichannel discs but I don't know if they will sound very good when downmixed through the player.

 

Alison Krauss & Union Station's "New Favorite" is a full DSD recording and sounds great.

 

The player should have 2 channel outputs so you can listen to the SACD 2 channel stereo mix without any "downmixing."

 

I really like my Peter Gabriel SACDs. Up (the newest) is nice to hear w/o CD's typical compression. But I'm just as fond of his first album. The Police SACDs I've also been really fond of, really smooth and analog sounding. Don't expect miracles with their older recordings, but even on Reggatta de Blanc I was hearing some new detail on the SACD I'd never heard before. Steely Dan's Gaucho seems to have gotten a good SACD treatment as well.

 

The manual says you must connect to the multichannel analog outputs to achieve the best sound, IOW Front L & Front R. It does have a 2 channel audio out connection but the manual says to use it onlyto connect to the TV audio inputs.

 

I stand corrected. However, there should be a way to set the player to play either the 2 channel stereo SACD mix or the multichannel SACD mix. Since EVERY SACD must contain a "stereo" information section your player should have a way to play it. My Sony has a front panel button for stereo/multichannel.

 

For SACD, you cannot use a link, optical or otherwise. It comes out 2 RCA stereo, L&R, period. You don't have a choice with the exception maybe of the way it's mixed out through the player. My 775 Sony lets you choose if you rather mix things out in strereo with or without a separate .1 "mux".

Only connect it to the TV? Something's wrong there.

Brubeck's Time Out is absolutely killer. Most anything Miles you cannot go wrong with. The SACD for Silent Way and Spain cannot be missed, same with KOB. I thought Avalon was really exceptional, but is a Virgin/UK import, so it might be $25. Worth it!

Also have to add the Zombies SACD along with the Creedence is phenom.

I don't own original UK pressings of the Stones, but the sound is worth checking out for the price. Just try Beggars and see how you feel?

One SACD I listen to a LOT lately, while not entirely DSD pure supposedly, is the ST to O Brother Where Art Thou. I can't stop listening to that disc.

Norah Jones was great.... So were the Concord Jazz Blakey and Getz.

Some Universal Jazz Cds are hit or miss. I'm still on the fence with the xfer of Ella and Louis. But again, Sony does a great job with Satch Does Fats.

There's a lot of CD-level cost SACDs that compete well with high-end titles that go for $18-30.

My first recc would be to start with some of the common stuff like the Beggars and a Miles.

It really depends on your interests, and what's in the top of your list....

 

I'd vote for Beck, Bowie's Heathen, Beggar's Banquet and...

Muddy Waters' Folk Singer - this was a real hidden treasure for me. I'd never thought of buying this - but if this is worth to be released by Universal at such an early stage of SACD there must be something about it. And I'm always blown away how good acoustic Blues (40 years old) can sound...

Tubular Bells, Avalon and Machine Head and maybe Dark Side of the Moon are only my favorites for a surround setup...

Martin

 

It is a universal DVD/SACD player.(Philips 963-SA)

I'll definitely pick up Beggars Banquet, Time Out, and a CCR title among others. Thanks for all the recs. , what about some Classical titles?

 

I agree with that. I have both titles and they sound terrific. Hot Rocks 1 and 2 do not sound as good as Let it Bleed or Beggars Banquet.

 

There is nothing wrong with this statement as the 1000 works the same way. For whatever reason the 2ch only outputs are of a lower quality then the L &R outputs from the multichannel set. Just use the L&R outputs from the multi channel set and you will be fine. Just be sure to choose the 2 channel SACD track on the SACD's your listening too and not the 5.1/surround track.

 

You can go here and search for sacd
http://www.shopsfsymphony.org



They produce/record the sacd in house. I have the Mahler Symphony No. 6 and it is an excellent performance with just great sound quality. You wont be disappointed, assuming you like Mahler.

 

Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 7, Carlos Kleiber. A classic. I had the LP for a few years, but the SACD really brings new life to this gorgeous DG.



I agree with the Mahler as well.