Just picked up the audio fidelity "Young Mystic" Marley Compilation last week ($10 new - included shipping). I would just like to say that I haven't been able to stop listening to it since. Amazing! Now if I only had a SACD player...
Glad you like it. The CD layer and SACD layer are exactly the same tonality wise; I made sure of that. The SACD has that extra resolution but the CD layer ain't no slouch either.
Steve, I don't want to be a prick on that issue but... - I want to ask that question ever since I got the SACD. What was the point of doin' it - was it personal (you are a big fan)? The material is fine but it always was and even after your intervention will still stay bootleg quality at best. Even if you remaster it on some megaton nuclear amp it will still sound like ****. Now don't get me wrong - the music is really important historically as the roots of the great artist to emerge and of course it's great to hear it the best way it will ever sound, but still - when people think of Steve Hoffman they think of audiophile quality sonics and they expect 'em. You don't ride Bentley's to the nearest McDonalds to get yourself a Big Mac and you don't call Steve Hoffman to master some DIY recorded bootleg-quality stuff. Once again, no offence, Steve, I'm sure you did you job great as usual but...what was the point of you doin' this SACD when there are tons of professionaly recorded classic albums which can blow people away? I mean if you did Exodus or Rastaman Vibration...
I'm sorry, Steve that my question was that upleasant to you. I never meant to offend you in any way - I was simply surprised by your choice of material and wanted to know the reasons you did that particular project.
Must be the language barrier. That was just humor, Steve style. You did have a "Threadcrap 101" post though. Had to chuckle a bit. --------------------- Seriously though, I think you are confusing me with a record company. Here is how it really went: I got a call. (Ring, ring sound effect). Me: "Hello?" Them: (Phone effect) "Can you master this Bob Marley material for us?" Me: "Sure, if you pay me my usual fee". Them: (Phone effect) "Of course, you have a month only, though". Me: "That won't be a problem". Them: (Phone effect) "Great, we will put you in touch with the English licensor tomorrow". Me: "Okie Dokie; bye." And that was how I got involved. ------------------------------- How YOU probably thought I got involved: (Steve wakes up in the middle of the night): "I've got it! I want to do Bob Marley for SACD. Wait, I have a great idea, I'll skip over EXODUS and CATCH A FIRE and do some really obscure Marley. They'll love it!"
LOL No, Steve, that's NOT what I thought! I work in music biz myself and know quite well how the things happen. But because you don't do 100 albums a year and you are quite a name that matters and you have a serious rep to keep I thought that you always think it over seriosly before accepting the job! For example - I've been doing PR for a few very well known russian artists over the last 10 years. I have a good name in the industry and when somebody approaches me to do a PR campaign I always consider all possible consequences - regarding my own image. That's not to say your's suffered in any way because of this particular SACD - it's just you surprised a few folks (like me)
I think it's a very valid question. As a Bob Marley fan I am constantly surprised by the various reissues of old pre Island songs, and not so famous songs. I'd been put off a few due to the sound quality. Now hearing that Steve has done one is great news. BUT I don't have an SACD player ( and never will until the Linn Unidisk get's rid of all it's bugs) and these disks are really hard to get in the UK What I would KILL for is a Prince Buster compilation done by Steve, again lousy sound quality but could certainly be better. Tim
Tim, these discs are only too easy to get hold of in the UK! Mail order from CD Universe is very practical - I've bought dozens of discs from them, and even allowing for postage it's almost invariably cheaper than buying as an import from a UK outlet. Now, the Unidisk. I've been saving up for one. What be the problems with it?
http://lists.topica.com/lists/linn/read .....have a read - the Unidisk ,whilst an incredibly good sounding machine, has had problems since day one - along with the Kisto. It reminds me of Bill Gates releasing beta copies of Windows so we can test them for him (shock, horror!!) - I'd wait another six months - then speak to a Linn dealer. I like buying CD's from shops - call me weird or old fashioned tim
The "Young Mystic" hybrid SACD is historically important music presented in as good or better sound quality than any previous commericial release of that music. Playing it alongside the many inferior presentations, and even the pretty good ones, would help rather than hinder Steve's rep in the eyes (and ears) of audiophiles. It would be like the Criterion Collection refusing to release Kurosawa's "Ikiru" on DVD because the best available source elements don't look as good as the elements for "Rhapsody in August", and it might hurt their reputation if their DVD of "Ikiru" doesn't look and sound as good as MGM's DVD of "Rhapsody in August". Regards,
Agreed, and might I add that this SACD is in my opinion far from bootleg quality as suggested earlier in the thread.
Thank you for the link about the Unidisk. It is a pity - I hope that Linn do get the problems sorted out - I'll continue to save up - I fancy the 1.1, but it will mean getting some decent amplification as well. The price of multi-channel is astronomical! You are lucky being in London. In Kendal we just have MVC - a short train journey down to Lancaster and there's an HMV shop - neither stock anything remotely attractive to me! Very occasionally I am lucky enough to find an interesting disc in ASDA - I think that the last time was the Rolling Stones Hot Rocks SACD going cheap. Does the HMV shop in Oxford Street still stock all the import CDs? I remember when I went to Hamburg and bought something like 25 CDs and an LP from a visit to World Of Music - American and Scandinavian imports galore! It was magic seeing them in the flesh in the racks...
last time was the Rolling Stones Hot Rocks SACD going cheap. Does the HMV shop in Oxford Street still stock all the import CDs? I remember when I went to Hamburg and bought something like 25 CDs and an LP from a visit to World Of Music - American and Scandinavian imports galore! It was magic seeing them in the flesh in the racks...[/QUOTE] HMV in Oxford st is still the best store for new CD's and Vinyl, given that it's meant to be one of the 5 biggest record shops in the world there's still no Audio Fidelity titles in sight! Not sure about the imports - I don't think they have as many as they used to. Virgin Megastore in Oxford St used to be wonderful, now you struggle to find the music, it's all Ipods, DVD's and mobile phones. shame. as per a previous post - HMV put a wrong £13.99 price label on Classics My Generation - s/b £23.99 !! ha! Tim
I think it was amazing that Steve did this disc. That period of Marley's is historic, but it's also great music.
The question of how Steve got involved aside, I think it's misguided to apply a sonic standard derived from the later Island records (as lovely as they do sound) to the Perry and Kong produced sides on "Young Mystic"--and not because these cuts are of historical value. These recordings have their own special sound and character--some of it the result of clever and artistically canny use of what would be debilitating limitations in the hands of a less imaginative producer. Steve's mastering helps to bring out that character, the sound of a very funky studio with a lot of very funky equipment put together in an idiosyncratic way. It's an imimitable sound, a wonderful sound, and it's great to have some samples of it well-mastered to CD and SACD. L.
Actually, I would love it if Audio Fidelity put out MORE discs of this type. There is so much good stuff from the 50's and back that only belongs on a compilation. How about some old time jazz and blues? Even with "ancient" recording equipment, it is possible to make some old recordings sound good. Think Steve's Billie Holiday compilation. Anyway, i'm still waiting for my John Lee Hooker SACD
I like the way this sounds. The split stereo is a little different, but Bob's voice is sooooooooo smooth.
I have a personal opinion about this title. Before this title was remastered, Steve asked everybody to vote on whether we wanted it done in mono or in stereo, knowing full well that the stereo version would have a seperation of vocals and instruments. I voted for stereo at the time, but after listening to this disc regularly for several months, I think that the mono would have been better. I love the sonics of this disc, it does not sound "bootlegish" at all, it sounds raw and powerful on my system. The people that I have played it for love the sound quality of this disc, but I think that it would have had just a bit more oomph and a bit more bass bite if it had of been done in mono. I don't know what kind of system other people are playing this disc on, but on my system this disc has an intimacy and a clarity that renders the musicans in a space that is immeadiate and open. I give this disc 5 stars.
I'm VERY familiar with this material, as I have been listening to BMW since the mid-70's. I have many different mixes of this material- and granted, to the casual Marley listener it can seem quite primitive-and it has NEVER sounded so good! "Young Mystic" is ital and irie. Dat's fe real, mon!
Have to disagree with the folks who say this material is only of historical interest. IMO the Perry/Wailers sides represent an artistic peak in Marley's career. The Island albums may be better recorded but for sheer musical impact, give me the Perry sides any time. Yeah, the "split stereo" is a bit wonky -- mono would have been nice. On the other hand, you can disconnect one speaker and hear the dub version.
