Here's a question that Kevin Gray was asked and couldn't answer. Is there any loss in sound when down sampling from DSD 256 to DSD 64. SACDs are DSD 64.
Canceled my Amazon (pre)order from a week ago. Added the SACD to an Acoustic Sounds order that they’ve assured me will ship Friday. So it looks like I’ll have it sooner vs. waiting indefinitely.
Theoretically yes due to noise in the upper band, but mostly inaudible if audible in the first place.
That has nothing to do with what I said, that’s just technically a fact of analog. It’s called generational loss.
The process isn’t 100% reversible, it won’t sound identical to before you made those changes, therefore it’s lossy.
I think my experience is similar. I’m now playing my Pitman original pressing (no Michael Jackson co-producer credit). The original is definitely cut louder (compression?). It definitely has higher energy. It sounds a lot more like an 80’s party. This new MoFi sounds fuller and more detailed yet also more laid back. I do pick up details on the MoFi I never noticed before. The original definitely sounds more like I remember the album sounding. I’m not sure why. I’m no expert. Maybe MoFi removed some compression and filled in the mid band hole our host spoke of? Anyway, I think the MoFi succeeds at being a very different listen than the original. IMO, that’s what a remastered reissue should be. If you want the original buy it. I’ll have to admit, after all the years it’s hard for me to shake the original as the way this sounds best.
I had the original SACD but sold it several years ago before I got back into SACDs. Ugh. Foolish move. I need to track it down to hear it again. I bought the HD release on Qobuz that is supposed to be the same as the HD Tracks version from 2007 or so, but I’m not 100% certain on the provenance. I got a UPS update and my One-Step and MoFi SACD will be delivered Friday instead of next Monday. That’s awesome. Hopefully I’ll be able to listen a few times over this weekend.
Just got my SACD copy today and... I'm impressed! There are so many percussive elements that can now be heard and a whole range of voices and vocal interjections I've never heard before. I'm currently listening on headphones and the details are stunning- Wanna Be Starting Something is spectacular- there is just so many layers and now space to hear them. The bass overall on the disc is phat but doesn't swamp and certainly doesn't distort at volume. MJ's vocal sounds great. So pleased with this disc. I wish they would do Off The Wall- it really deserves the treatment! I had a look back at the archives and Thriller had quite a long slog before it reached No1. It was out the traps in the UK first, entering the album chart @ 29 on 11th December 1982 it rose to 15 then fell back over successive weeks before climbing back to 13 on 1st Feb 83. It finally reached No1 on 5th March 1983. In the US it entered @ 11 on Jan 8th 1983 slowly climbing eventually hitting No1 in the US on Feb 26th 83. Billie Jean hit No1 in the UK & US on the same week, 5th March 1983. The rest is history.
I agree- and important to point there is a BIG world out there- the Asian market is HUGE, the Spanish speaking and French markets and of course Africa- all these markets have multi million selling artists many of whom are far more successful than some of the biggest acts in the English speaking market- yes occasionally one or two break through now and then (BTS, Celine Dion, Enrique Iglesias to name just a few). Prejudice/racism/bias leads to many looking at "foreign" markets and non English performers with disdain. I just wish people would take the blinders off relax and let everyone just enjoy music, whoever makes it, whatever genre or country of origin.
This SACD - I’m listening again now after work — I can’t get enough of it. !! I have more to say but IMO I like this better than the 99 disc in a lot of ways. It still slams but has more detail and less compression. It’s just a freaking enjoyable listen. I can keep cranking it with abandon not losing anything. Hard to explain. Keep it up MoFi !!!!! More to say later. I’m having fun with this. Fun fact — this was the first album I received in my life —for Chanukkah 1982. On cassette !!!! have fun peeps talk soon
Just got my Mofi SACD yesterday. This is a massive improvement over my 80's original CD. Warm, rich & punchy without all the clipping of the original CD. More depth, wider and much more detail. I heard so many things I have never noticed before.
Inaudible is also known as the silent scream. The DSD 256 sourced vinyl can take full advantage of DSD 256, where as the SACD is lacking.
I got my 2022 Thriller SACD (MoFi) this afternoon and doing comparisons since then. I have an original '82 2A Pitman Pressing (Michael isn't listed as Co-Producer), the '94 CD re-issue, the 2013 DSD release from HDtracks (which I assume is the same files used from the DSD cutting master from '99 or early 2000's), and now this. I'm torn, the MoFi is definitely audiophile material as it's a fuller sound and I agree with the other post above, I can pick out more details in instruments and other things in the songs I haven't heard prior. However, Grundman's original vinyl mastering is how my mind wants to hear these songs and it's going to take some time getting used to hearing the MoFi SACD release (I do like it though). With all of that said, the DSD HDtracks release from 2013...holy crap, that thing THUMPS, has great dynamic range (see values below - it's more dynamic then the MoFi release just by a little), and it's just thunderous sounding. This is my 2 cents. 2013 DSD HDtracks Release -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Analyzed: Michael Jackson feat. Paul McCartney / Thriller DSD 2.8MHz-64fs (1) Michael Jackson / Thriller DSD 2.8MHz-64fs (2-9) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DR Peak RMS Duration Track -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DR12 -3.97 dB -17.49 dB 6:03 01-Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' DR13 -2.99 dB -18.48 dB 4:21 02-Baby Be Mine DR13 -1.53 dB -17.57 dB 3:42 03-The Girl Is Mine DR13 -2.84 dB -17.86 dB 5:58 04-Thriller DR12 -1.48 dB -16.11 dB 4:18 05-Beat It DR15 -1.36 dB -17.54 dB 4:54 06-Billie Jean DR13 -3.98 dB -18.86 dB 4:06 07-Human Nature DR13 -3.04 dB -17.84 dB 3:58 08-P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) DR14 -2.70 dB -19.93 dB 4:59 09-The Lady in My Life -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of tracks: 9 Official DR value: DR13 Samplerate: 2822400 Hz / PCM Samplerate: 352800 Hz Channels: 2 Bits per sample: 1 Bitrate: 5645 kbps Codec: DSD64 ================================================================================ 2022 MoFi SACD Release -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Analyzed: Michael Jackson with Paul McCartney / Thriller (2022 Remaster SACD) (1) Michael Jackson / Thriller (2022 Remaster SACD) (2-9) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DR Peak RMS Duration Track -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DR12 -7.89 dB -21.01 dB 6:04 01-Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' DR13 -6.43 dB -21.42 dB 4:20 02-Baby Be Mine DR12 -7.05 dB -22.39 dB 3:42 03-The Girl Is Mine DR12 -6.43 dB -20.63 dB 5:58 04-Thriller DR11 -6.73 dB -20.37 dB 4:18 05-Beat It DR13 -6.59 dB -21.49 dB 4:54 06-Billie Jean DR13 -6.76 dB -21.00 dB 4:06 07-Human Nature DR13 -7.72 dB -22.38 dB 3:59 08-P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) DR14 -6.83 dB -23.19 dB 5:00 09-The Lady in My Life -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of tracks: 9 Official DR value: DR13 Samplerate: 2822400 Hz / PCM Samplerate: 352800 Hz Channels: 2 Bits per sample: 1 Bitrate: 5645 kbps Codec: DSD64 ================================================================================
I received my Thriller today and the shipping package was something you’d find from a 3rd rate seller on Discogs. And the spindle hole on the label made it look like they played the record multiple times in the pressing plant.
