You get to pick five SACDs to show off the potential of the format....

My top five non-classical sacd's for showing off the format's potential:

 

What is the fifth title?

Is the Junior Wells worth a "blind buy"?

 

Veloso, Caetano - A Foreign Sound

I haven't heard the SACD but I can vouch for this album. The standard CD actually struggles at higher volumes, so this has become the first SACD I've bought specifically in advance of eventually getting a SACD player (I' It was one of those that was stupidly-priced on Amazon Marketplace, but is reasonable new elsewhere.

 

Do you like Junior Wells? If not check out some short clips 1st. It's an ok recording date IMO, not a big fan here.

 

Not too familiar with traditional blues, but I like this one:

Williamson, Sonny Boy Keep it to Ourselves Analogue Productions

Hoping the sound quality is "reference". I'll give Come on In... a shot since the price isn't bad.

 

Jr Wells is worth it for sound quality + blues musicianship.
The last title is James Taylor Hourglass.

 

Yes, The Captain and Me Multichannel SACD from Japan is dwindling fast. You can still get it at Eastwind Import for $38 - a pretty good deal.
http://www.eastwindimport.com/produ...rtistName&SearchKeyword=Doobie&ProductID=1948

 

Or from ImportCD, even better deal.

 

What are the 10 WEA Japan SACDs which were released? (the series with Captain and Me)

I have no interest in Multi-Channel, so if a few of this Japan series is worth it for the hi-rez stereo then I might go for it.

 

The Creedence Clearwater Revival SACDs are on Analogue Productions, not Audio Fidelity.

 

Scrub that, not one of the links I prepared will work! It's even sold out in Japan. The only 2 that appear to be in existence are on Amazon marketplace at 60 quid a piece. Amazon uk anyway, maybe it's a bit less elsewhere. I can't afford 60 pounds anyway - it's just too much.

The album's a mixed bag of 22 'American classics', but a lot of it really is outstanding. It's seems that Arto Lindsay was involved somewhere, and you can probably hear his touch on the modern interpretation of Bob Dylan's It's Alright Ma (I'm only bleeding) which is just fantastic. The song sits perfectly between I Only Have Eyes For You and Body and Soul, which for me signifies Dylan's skill as a songwriter. I can't resist listening to Dylan covers - people choosing to cover him always impresses me to some degree. It's a way of hearing his lyrics anew. A few of the 22 songs don't work that well, like the Nirvana cover perhaps (Artoesque again) which leads into the grizzly 'Feelings' (dedicated to David Byrne bizarrely - perhaps he's been really pissed off by him). Some songs float away in the great Brazilian sea, but then it suddenly hauls you straight back to shore.

I find that the standard CD doesn't perform so well for me on higher volumes, too bad it's just another Sacd that can't be bought.

If anyone can afford that price - I'd grab one while you can!

 

It's no wonder people wait on Audio Fidelity and Mofi so avidly, you can't get any of this stuff.

 

My delimma with buying sacds is that about half the titles are, yes, awesome sounding. But they are simply sonic stunners and not much in the way of content, for me anyway. I dont buy stuff to simply awe myself and others. Although that can be a fun by product .

I mean "The Quality Of Sound" may sound so real its scarey but is it really going to move me content wise? Reminds me of John Klemmer. Sometimes his sax can sound so real its spooky. But, hes kinda Kenny G sax to me. Not a bit of soul there to my heart.

Anyway, I have I guess maybe little over 100 sacds. Most of those are hybrids. So I probably wouldnt have sacds except by default. I really dont know an exact number I have.

Also, Im not really a multi channel listener. Not that I am opposed to it. Just never have put the effort into it.

The AP sacds of the CCR sound great but I like my DCCs better.

Id have to say that Im getting the most enjoyment from the sacd layer of the Living Stereos. Though Im not sure its a format thing. Not totally sold that the redbook layer isnt pretty close and sounds great. More that these were mastered well I think.

Im going with the Frank Sinatra hybrids that mfsl did.

I wish that some of the artists that universal or whoever didnt do such a good job with would be done right. Love to see Queen or David Bowie given great mastering on sacd.

sacd, unfortunately, still hasnt met its potential for me with titles.

 

The titles mentioned in this thread are quite varied - Pixies, Keb' Mo', CCR, Muddy Waters, lots of jazz. My experience has been much different than yours and I do agree that the content is most critical. I don't really buy "audiophile recordings" although I'll have a few over time due to this thread. Of course, I'll also have some more great music with superb sound quality!

Your profile isn't completed, so it's unclear which SACD player you have. The gear plays a huge role when discussing fidelity. Hang onto those CCR SACDs because those are killer in the right system.

 

"Come On in This House" has two great covers: "Why Are People Like That?" (Bobby Charles) and "She Wants to Sell My Monkey" (Tampa Red). The title track, co-written by Junior Wells, is movingly intense. Wells is in fine form on harp. Plus some of the best slide guitar players are guesting: Derek Trucks, Sonny Landreth, Corey Harris, Alvin Youngblood Hart, John Mooney and Bob Margolin.

Most of the instruments are unplugged. The sound is "in the studio with the muscians".

I actually thought about posting that one myself.

 

I recommend "Come On in This House" as well. It can also be found fairly cheap.

 

Non-Classical, mono or two-channel

Barber, Patricia Cafe' Blue MFSL
Beck Sea Change
Bianco, Matt Matt's Mode
Blakey, Art Moanin' Analogue Productions
Botti, Chris Night Sessions Columbia
Burrell, Kenny Midnight Blue Analogue Productions
Cole, Holly (Trio) Temptation Analogue Productions
Cole, Nate "King" Love Is the Thing Analogue Productions
Creedence Clearwater Revival [all] Analogue Productions
Davis, Miles In A Silent Way
Davis, Steve (Project) Quality of Silence dmp
Dead Can Dance Into the Labyrinth 4AD
Dead Can Dance Spleen and Ideal 4AD
Deep Purple Live At The BBC Audio Fidelity
Donovan Greatest Hits Audio Fidelity
Doobie Brothers, The What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits MFSL
Dylan, Bob Nashville Skyline Columbia
Dylan, Bob Freewheelin' MFSL
Elias, David The Window Sketti Sandwhich
Ellington, Duke Blues In Orbit MFSL
Fagen, Donald The Nightfly
Green, Grant Idle Moments Analogue Productions
Hammond, John Rough and Tough Chesky
Hayes, Isaac Hot Buttered Soul MFSL
Henderson, Joe Page One Analogue Productions
Jones, Norah Come Away With Me Analogue Productions
Keb' Mo' Keb' Mo' MFSL
Keb' Mo' The Door Sony
Keb' Mo' Just Like You Sony
Krauss, Alison New Favorite Rounder
Krauss, Alison Forget About It Rounder
Krauss, Alison Live Rounder
Ladysmith Black Mambazo Long Walk To Freedom Telarc
Lynne, Shelby Just A Little Lovin' Analogue Productions
Moorer, Allison Show
Nelson, Oliver Blues and the Abstract Truth Analogue Productions
Nyro, Laura Angel in the Dark
Opus 3 Showcase Opus 3
Pidgeon, Rebecca The Raven Chesky
Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon
Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here
Pixies Surfer Rosa MFSL
Pixies Doolittle MFSL
Rolling Stones, The Sticky Fingers SHM-SACD
Roxy Music Avalon
Snow, Phoebe S/T Analogue Productions
Steely Dan Gaucho
Supertramp Breakfast in America SHM-SACD
Vaughan, Stevie Ray Couldn't Stand the Weather Sony
Veloso, Caetano A Foreign Sound
Waters, Muddy Folk Singer Analogue Productions
Williamson, Sonny Boy Keep it to Ourselves Analogue Productions
Yes Close to the Edge Audio Fidelity


53 so far plus these new suggestions:

Cole, Nate "King" Love Is the Thing Analogue Productions
Wells, Junior Come On In This House
Taylor, James Hourglass

 

some nice sounding Jazz sacd titles:

 

Just Jazz

Oliver Nelson - Blues & Abstract Truth (AP)
Charles Mingus - Ah Um (Sony)
Saturday Night in San Francisco (Sony)
Thelonious Monk - Straight No Chaser (Sony)
Ray Brown, Monty Alexander, Russell Malone (Telarc)

 

I have the first two and they are both very good.

What is Saturday Night in San Francisco? Is that at the Blackhawk (Davis) or another album?

 

This disc doesn't get much love but I really like it as well.

 

Sorry, this one. Friday Night. My bad.

 

The original sounds better because the new sacd sounds too loud and gives me a headache.

 

One of the best sounding sacd's I own is Mark Knopfler's Shangri-La.

 

Sony Japan or Columbia? Please provide catalog numbers. Appreciated.