Uni joined Sony in the Numbered Limited Hybrid SACD series (Limited to 1000 copies; Stereo; Jewel case). It's Hong Kong Edition, manufactured in Japan. Retail price is $40, but can be found for cheaper price through many major retailers and Hong Kong dealers on eBay. Why did I put K2 HDCD and UltraHD CD series in the same bag? This tread is dedicated to SACD first of all. However, Uni and Sony Hong Kong Numbered Limited (1000 copies; digibook) K2 HD and UltraHD (32-bit Mastering) CD series are the audiophile series, concentrating on the sound improving Technology rather than on the Materials. They all are new Mastering. And titles of these series tend to migrate from on series to another, founding finally their way into the SACD. I want that people can be free to discuss any title or info around and beyond within Hong Kong Limited Editions. I will do myself and encourage everyone to post/re-post any info, reviews and comments from the different sites or our treads to concentrate here everything important about Audiophile Limited releases. I hope that Uni contribution to Hybrid SACD series will be on the regular bases and will push Sony to move on too. Universal titles: Mike Oldfield Tubular Bells (2009 Mike's mixes) Enigma MCMXC A.D. Roxy Music/Bryan Ferry Ultimate Collection Don McLean American Pie Ennio Marricone The Very Best of Ultimate SACD Sound: Timeless (Various Artists) Andrew Lloyd Weber and the Original Broadway Cast: Highlights from Cats Anne Murray Duets: Friends & Legends (I ordered first 3 titles and will report ASAP). More info on each title you can fine here: Vinyl Records, SACDs, DVD Audio, Audiophile Equipment|Acoustic Sounds » Sony titles: Santana The Best of Jennifer Warnes The Hunter Celine Dion Falling Into You The Brothers Four Sing Lennon/McCartney Chet Atkins Sails Julio Iglesias Crazy Julio Iglesias Starry Night Barry Manilow Ultimate Manilow The Bangles Greatest Hits Kenny G Breathless Kenny G I'm In The Mood For Love...The Most Romantic Melodies Yo-Yo Ma Soul Of The Tango Itzhak Perlman Cinema Serenade Various Artists Greatest Rock Ballads Various Artists Women's Stories Various Artists 80's Love Various Artists 80's Hits More info: Vinyl Records, SACDs, DVD Audio, Audiophile Equipment|Acoustic Sounds » K2 HDCD Series Universal titles: Vinyl Records, SACDs, DVD Audio, Audiophile Equipment|Acoustic Sounds » Sony titles: Vinyl Records, SACDs, DVD Audio, Audiophile Equipment|Acoustic Sounds » UltraHD CD (32-bit Mastering) Series Sony titles: Vinyl Records, SACDs, DVD Audio, Audiophile Equipment|Acoustic Sounds » Review: Itzhak Perlman Cinema Serenade SACD Subline, 5 stars (Ed Hilton 08/25/15) I knew the music on this disc was wonderful, my only concern was if the SACD treatment was worth the upgrade. This disc needs a little more on the volume knob than most others that I listen to, but I would rather have that than the other way around. The sound on this is very clean and dynamic. Some tracks have a very nice bottom to them and the SACD really lets it come through. This has other composers beside John Williams, though there are a few (3) of his own on this, he is the conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra here. I am not real familiar with them but they do a very fine job here. These are numbered releases and so called, limited, though I do not know how many, if you are really interested, do not wait.
Hong Kong Warner Music also just entered the English language compilation SACD contest.... Hong Kong Warner Music's turn to release an English language compilation SACD »
Hello, soundboy. Thank you for taking part in this tread. Your contribution was very important for all of us.
Because these SACD titles are selected to be released based on local (Hong Kong) musical preferences and the market is tiny (HK's population is only 7.5 million people). It used to take 10,000 copies sold to get a gold record award (for a non-Chinese language title) from the IFPI, now that threshold has been lowered due to piracy. While these SACD titles do find their way to other countries, HK Sony/Universal Music/EMI/Warner Music don't have the rights to market beyond the city's borders.
Modern Talking - The Collection K2 HDCD Now THIS is a release the audiophile world has been waiting for. LMAO
All this technology does not mean anything if the mastering is not up to par. What is the provenance of the tapes? Who is the mastering engineer?
CD manufacturers count that limited pressing CDs sound better, like LPs, justifying higher price, especially very limited. They do 2nd press of the most popular titles, when titles go OOP, without numbers (nobody knows how many). However price... they supposed to keep it down, but they never do that.
I wish all my CDs could sound like that Modern Talking K2 HD one. And I wish all Pop bands would reach the success of that Modern Talking one. The music is all the same thou, but on a good level to begin with.
P.S. Review: Modern Talking The Collection K2 HDCD 5 out of 5 stars. A MAST HAVE! (A.M. Parvez 05/27/2012) "Never sounded better (K2HD Mastering ). There is only 1000 copy released (Japanese Import). This is a must have for any music fan." It's may be not so complex music, but does its job very well - gives people some rest after work.
I agree 100%! I didn't realize that the Chet Atkins Sails SACD was an HK SACD. I have it and it has excellent SQ IMO. Bill
I'll take a look when I get home and post what I find. I'll check The Best of Santana SACD as well. Bill
Regarding K2HD CDs, only the HK Sony titles that have previously been released on K2HD CDs are getting a second release on SACD. None of the previously released K2HD CD titles from HK Universal Music have made it to SACD....yet. In December of 2015, HK Universal Music released "Highlights from The Phantom of the Opera" and 2 soundtrack albums of Michael Nyman's simultaneously on SACD and K2HD CDs, but this release method was not continued with more recent SACD titles such as Don McLean's "American Pie". I hope so too. My prediction is that both HK Sony and HK Universal Music (which also controls HK EMI) will announce new titles in July, right before the annual HK High-End Audio Visual Show. Other SACD titles released by HK Universal Music: Other SACD titles released by HK Sony ("Kind of Blue" was released in the same week as MoFi's SACD version; both came from the same Austria pressing plant):
I believe the UltraHD CD series is no more. HK Sony has moved on to the SHM-XRCD series, one of the already released titles was Dave Brubeck Quartet's "Time Out". And yes, the Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue" SHM-XRCD has been announced already. But HK Sony is late to SHM-XRCD releases. Both HK Universal Music and HK Warner Music has already released titles such as:
Even if this sounded crystal clear like angels chanting in heaven you'd have to tie me to a chair to listen to that. To proclaim that this is a must have for any music fan is utter garbage.
I forgot to check the Sails SACD. But just checked The Best of Santana SACD and it shows mastering done by George Marino. The artwork folds out to a 14" square poster with quite a bit of information on it. Although it does credit George Marino for the mastering there is no mention of DSD or SACD in the liner notes. So the artwork could be a direct copy from the RBCD version. Could anyone who has The Best of Santana RBCD check to see what the artwork looks like and to see if George Marino did the mastering. Bill
Soundguy, I doubt that it is the case. I'm hard Japan Mini LP collector. And I have some releases, which were issued for the local Japan market only. Companies (rights holders) licensed the albums to Disk Union with such a condition. All of them have a print on the OBI and the warning stickers on the cover. "Not for sale outside of Japan!" Yes, they found the way in US, but not through the big retailers. While the amazon, importcd, moviemars, oddbanana, deepdiscount and others, all are offering HK limited releases. If they didn't mess with the low before, why now? Nevertheless, I appreciate your knowledge, connection and collection of HK releases. It's definitely could be very helpful for us.
I'm not sure who controls whom(?) They merge, they cooperate, but to the certain degree. What I am witness so far: Uni don't have an excess to EMI's Master Tapes, unless EMI allows them.
Did anyone ever get the Celine 'Falling Into You' SACD? I was wondering how it sounded. No jokes please.
The bottom line is no matter how many releases there are is the quality of the mastering a priority or are these just RBCDs in SACDs clothing ? Bill
