Best sounding Peter Gabriel So CD

Here's another CD I'm going to add to my collection and wanted advice on which is the best sounding version-Peter Gabriel's So.

I've heard some postive feedback on the SACD

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000092R9E/?tag=sacdinfocom-20

Thanks in advance....JD

 

Get the black Triangle 32vd-1021

Don't like the rearranging of the tracks

 

oh GOD, after all that, i don't have the foggiest idea which one i would look for if/when i go to purchase this on disc to replace my cassette!!!!

too. many. options.

 

Agreed. The original running order is best.

 

Actually, I like the new running order better. "In your eyes" is a great song to close the album with, ending with "Excellent birds - This is the picture" always was a little odd in my opinion.

 

Fair enough. With me I think it's mainly due to having played this particular album so many times through the years that it doesn't sound "right" to have them in any other order.

 

Any Virgin edition pre remaster from the UK should do ya...

 

In your eyes, IMO, seems to be the centerpiece of the album, rather than makes a good ending.

I do agree that the album ends weakly.......with Milgram's....."This is the Picture" was not on the vinyl and was tacked onto the cd.

 

The SACD is the best I have in my collection of PG titles.

 

That's not Peter Gabriel's own opinion. From Wikipedia:

When the album was remastered in 2002 with most of Gabriel's catalogue, the song "In Your Eyes" was moved from the 5th song to the 9th song. This was what Peter Gabriel originally intended, but because of the limitations of the vinyl release format it was moved up to be the first track on side two. Oddly, the credits in the booklet were not changed to show the change in order (so, Youssou N'dour, instead of being credited with back up vocals to "In Your Eyes" is given credit for back up vocals on "Mercy Street").

As he's used it as a concert encore ever since 1986, I guess Peter Gabriel indeed always intended the song to be a closer.

 

I have the original vinyl and SACD...I remember some audio mag comparing the SACD to the vinyl and liking both...

The Japan CD is currently on ebay....sometimes those Black Triangle recommendations are much harder to find.

The nice thing about digital is that you can setup the track playback order anyway you like it.

 

I'm actually a bigger fan of "Us". That said, I really don't mind having "In Your Eyes" at the end at all. This way, I can just stop it after the 2nd to last song.
"Say Anything" totally killed any hopes of me liking that song.
As far as masterings go, I would think that the original US CD would be decent enough.

 

The SACD is excellent, IMHO. However, the *best* versions of the songs are the ones that were released on the 12" maxi singles back in the day (in particular, In Your Eyes with the extra verse and extended opening).

 

The original UK CD on Virgin is great sounding, so I would look for that one. If there was a Japanese black triangle version issued, it is ridiculously rare and going to be expensive.

 

I agree in that it's often really frustrating to read that the best sounding and recommended version is really rare and expensive. Chasing $200 hard to find CDs isn't my passion especially when the difference between it and a normal priced CD isn't that different (if even better).

In this case, however, there seems to be 4 copies of the recommended Japan catalog number on ebay advertised as Black Triangle so it seems to be a viable option since the price of the SACD on Amazon isn't that cheap.

The regular CDs might be cheaper and just as good but I haven't heard them.

 

Many times that is the case but not in this case. The SO 32VD is not rare or expensive as Black Triangles go. It runs $30-40US on eBay. Which may be an even lower cost than the SACD. The UK CD is actually a bit harder to track down in the states, although it does run less money than the triangle. Both are the same mastering according to the thread linked in post 2 or 3 of this thread.

 

... so far at any rate.

 

I have the black triangle, the original US Geffen, the original UK Virgin CD, the US remaster, the SACD, and the Classic Vinyl. The Classic Vinyl would be my favorite but for noisy vinyl. I just got the UK Virgin CD and from initial listen it is probably going to be my next favorite. The black triangle, after finally tracking it down and paying way too much, is my least favorite of them all. Unless you are a spaz like me over this tltle, and have an SACD player, I would get that. It sounds very nice, and the run of the mill US non remaster is easy to find and no slouch.

 

A few years ago, I compared the SACD and 32VD black-triangle disc and found them to have a similar feel. I expected the SACD to add an extra level of depth and realism and was disappointed to find that it did not, at least to my ears. The 32VD black-triangle disc didn't wow me either, but I preferred it slightly to the SACD.

 

Was there a Japan-for-USA version?

 

Yes. I don't have it, though. Does anyone know if it has the same mastering as U.S. pressings? I have an early U.S. DADC pressing.

 

I've got it, but I don't know how it compares to other masterings or pressings. I think I remember reading in an archived thread that the Japan for U.S. is the same mastering with a level adjustment as one of the other early discs, but I don't recall the details. Happy to post EAC numbers if no one can locate the old thread I'm thinking of. . .