Tubular Bells SACD confusion

Questions, questions. I know the multichannel SACD layer is a new remaster of the original quad mix, but is the stereo SACD layer a new remaster of the original stereo mix, or an upsample of the 1998 remaster of the original stereo mix? Or is it some kind of fold-down of the quad remaster? The album credits are not clear on this point.
Gardo

 

Never a fold-down of the 4 channel DSD mix. Sony Music will provide a DSD stereo track that is either a new stereo mix or most likely a DSD sample of the stereo analog master. Or the producer can make his own stereo mix or master from the stereo master. Don't know the case here.

Richard.

 

While SACD stereo is never a "fold-down" of the multi-channel mix, it could be a stereo "remix" from the quad tape. I too have wondered about the stereo tracks on this disc. I know the quad mix is different in many respects from the stereo mix, including some alternate instrumentation tracks used for the quad mix. If someone were familiar enough with both mixes, they could probably identify if the stereo mix is the original or a remix from the quad tapes. I'm afraid I'm not familiar enough with the music to attempt it myself, but it would be neat to know the story.

 

Well, I'm pretty familiar with this piece, and I've got the original quad on vinyl, the original stereo CD, the 25th anniv. remaster, and the CD version of the original quad in the Mike Oldfield "Boxed" CD set (a stereo issue of the quad mixes in the vinyl box of the same name). So I can see I need to sit down and spend some quality time listening and taking notes ... there are certainly worse things in this world to have to do!

Gardo

 

I have the SACD Tubular Bells, and the SACD 2-channel layer is the original stereo version. It's the same mix as the original LP and the HDCD remaster, although it sounds better than the HDCD redbook. The SACD disc is also a Hybrid (if I remember correctly) with the redbook 2 channel version on it as well.

 

Thanks for that confirmation on the mix. I'm still wondering whether the SACD 2-channel is a new master or not. I don't see how simply upsampling the redbook master would make it sound better, which makes me lean toward the "new master" theory. OTOH, it could be that the DAC for SACD is so much better than that for CD that even roughly the same (albeit upsampled) data passing through it would sound better.

Gardo