The best SHM-SACDs (part3)

I have the German pressing Island CD, apparently its a unique mastering (according to a fellow forum member). If you like I can post samples for comparison.

 

The "Island Masters" CD? All of the early pressings have that term on the artwork, I have a Japan disc I can post EAC numbers to compare if you do the same with the German. I can do it tomorrow

 

I had the Island Masters and I think it was a German press but maybe it was a UK. It's news to me that there was a mastering unique to Germany (or Japan for that matter). I'd love to hear a sample. Thanks!

 

Ok, here's a couple samples.

Code:

All Right Now
http://www43.zippyshare.com/v/6HRB3WIg/file.html

Fire and Water
http://www43.zippyshare.com/v/x5RD9bdf/file.html

 

Thanks for these samples.

Same problem I remember. Just awful treble boost. The Japan SACD sounds far better to me.

$5 CD finds that can beat expensive ones are a pleasure for me, but here it just doesn't work. Also, fwiw, the better vinyl copies I've heard sound far more like the Japan SACD.

 

I get what you're saying. I think the SACD is tonally more balanced, but I hear more defined/solid bass in the Island, so that's what I gravitated towards.

 

"Hatred and jealousy
Gonna be the death of me
I guess I knew it
Right from the start"
(John Lennon Scared album Wall and Bridges)


John Lennon Plastic Ono Band, Imagine & Walls and Bridges SHM-SACDs vs. Pt versions

I already mentioned before about sound of these Pt releases, placing them all into the outstanding category. I tried them in the reg. system which didn't give me much of the details. Now, when my player is back from my friend, I have to edit previous review:

Plastic Ono Band is a real winner. It's just a stunner with excellent dynamics, tremendous bass; clean and warm sound through entire spectrum (except Track #3). This is an exemplary how non-Flat Transfer titles supposed to sound on Single Layer SACD and Platinum. (I would pay again for my Queen collection, if it could sound like that).
The sound is full, rich and warm. Bass sounds like my best hybrids - deep and ambient.

So, it's not SHM or single layer that effects on cold, bordering with bright sound in the best titles of the series. Flat Transfer does! Pt only can smooth it off a bit, while DSD of SACD just revealing this almost a problem(?). I sad almost, because I was talking about the best ones which are not too bright, while so many of them really are. (Plan9, please what it could be?)

OK, Plastic Ono has a warm sound. I compared it to my favorite in the series VDGG Quiet Zone, which has cold sound. But... I love it! I grew up with these bands. My system is bass oriented, capable to handle big loads in a pick power. And Quiet Zone gives me exactly that. Crankability - 75dB (and could be even more) against 65dB of Plastic Ono. Such a dynamics leads to killer bass performance (like someone hitting bass-drums in the middle of the room). So, though Quit Zone was my winner, Plastic One is standing firmly closer to the top level of the Best category.

Imagine. A lot of people were praised this album at dedicated John Lennon thread. Sorry guys, it fell short against Plastic Ono with lesser dynamics (crankability to 57dB) and a bit distorted bass; sound had warm feeling too, but it was less transparent overall. All of that pushed Imagine down to the Good category.

I have to place Walls and Bridges into the Good section too, but by the different reasons. While it gained in dynamics with crankability to 60dB and better transparency on the most tracks against Imagine, it had another issue - too bright highs on some tracks. Such was my favorite Lennon song Scared (Track #6), where he predicted his death. Platinum helps in this case, but not a lot. This track had lost in transparency too against the others. (The album is often overlooked, but it has a lot of good songs and Lennon's a little masterpiece Steel and Glass).

I'd recommend Platinum version of Walls and Bridges, but SACD version of Imagine and especially Plastic Ono Band. Both versions of Imagine are very close, but Plastic Ono SHM-SACD sounds richer.
The better album was done, the more it benefits from SACD technology. I just compared sound of the church bell in the beginning of the song Mother (Track #1 ) and had on doubts.

John Lennon Plastic Ono Band - Best
John Lennon Imagine - Good
John Lennon Walls and Bridges - Good (Pt is better)


You can hear some brightness of trebles even here, but all disappear, when you are listening to this an amazing music:

 

So where do the other SHM-SACD Bill Evans titles fall in these categories?

 

Which titles do you consider the SHM SACD as the best digital versions? I only see two Bill Evans titles in the "Outstanding" group.

 

Of the handful I got recently from CDJapan, I'd say the only two I'm really impressed with are Electric Warrior and Innervisions.
The rest resulted in indifference (Goats Head Soup) and disappointment (Making Movies, Outlandos d'Amour).

 

I never liked the Rob LoVerde mastering of Electric Warrior.

 

Although it's certainly not perfect it sure beats the crap out of the 2001 Visconti remaster with the dropouts, etc..

 

My references are the original CD and LP, and the MC-mix of the SACD.

 

And it's sad to say that I had the original CD but I shuttled it when I bought the Visconti ("This has to be better!"). Live and learn...

 

Which original CD do you have, Claus? Apparently there are many different versions, each with a different mastering.

 

UCGO-9038 Bill Evans / Waltz For Debby [SHM-SACD] [Limited Release]

SACD 3500yen Released: November 26, 2014


UCGO-9040 Bill Evans / Portrait In Jazz +1 [SHM-SACD] [Limited Release]

SACD 3500yen Released: November 26, 2014


UCGO-9042 Bill Evans / Sunday at The Village Vanguard [SHM-SACD] [Limited Release]

SACD 3500yen Released: November 26, 2014


UCGO-9044 Bill Evans / Explorations +2 [SHM-SACD] [Limited Release]

SACD 3500yen Released: November 26, 2014


UCGO-9047 Bill Evans / Moonbeams [SHM-SACD] [Limited Release]

SACD 3500yen Released: November 26, 2014

I hope these are all keepers as I pulled the purchase trigger on them.

 

I have a slug of Bill Evans titles -- not all of them -- and they are all outstanding. There's not a dog in there. Village Vanguard and Waltz are probably my two favorites, followed by Trio '65, if I did not own any and was thinking about picking up two or three.

 

I have all these. All excellent IMO.

 

My only reservation with Bill Evans is that there are many of these titles on outstanding vinyl pressings. Hard to decide between DSD and analogue for his releases.

 

I don't have this problem fortunately or unfortunately. No vinyl setup.

 

Then you have the easy choice, grab ALL of these....worth every penny...but do check HD tracks and Acoustic sounds if you want the bonus tracks. The cdJapan SACDs do not include the outtakes...which you can get from the digital downloads. I make sure to check before buying any Bill Evans for this reason alone. I know Explorations and Village have extra takes...and so do a few other releases.

 

I did already .
BTW, HD tracks don't allow downloads in Canada.
Screw them, not interested anyway.

 

You own us your Best list, MisterBritt. You do have pretty good system and big collection of SHM-SACD. It's time to do it... please.

 

MD32-5016 Japanese pressing.

 

Ha. I'm actually stepping out of the digital world, to include SHM-SACDs. I sold my SACD player. I've gone all analogue, all the time. I will be putting together a list of my SHM-SACDs before too long; but it will be in the classifieds. ;-)