Bill Evans Trio - "Explorations" from 1961 Riverside Records - XRCD or SACD?

That's it...the "one."

 

Rpd, see my posts above.

All XRCDs used the K2 technology.

 

The XRCD sounds wonderful! Very large sounding with excellent detail (but not bright).....tonight I saw a used copy of Explorations SACD.....should I have gotten it?

 

thanks Steve! I saved $7.99 then

 

You were not referring to the recent SHM-SACD, I would think. That one sounds wonderful (and I am quite critical of most of the SHM-SACD's).

 

The SHM-SACD is the best, like the most Jazz SACD reissues by Universal Japan.

 

Yes, it's excellent.

On the cardboard sleeve, it's printed: DSD remastering engineer: Masaru Takagi (SIP)/S.R.S
What's that (SIP) S.R.S, do you know?

 

The SHM-SACD is excellent, though I do not have the 1997 XRCD that folks here have been touting. After the SHM-SACD, I like the Japanese VDJ CD and then the Analogue Productions SACD.

 

correct, I was referring to the this version:
http://www.amazon.com/Explorations-...&sr=8-1&keywords=explorations+sacd+bill+evans

 

I have the 2002 Riverside 20bitK2 of Explorations. Sound pretty good to me. Anybody else compare this with the SACD or other versions?

 

Steve, have you heard the SHM-SACD from a couple of years ago? It has received the highest praises from many forum members,and I also think it is one of the best SHM-SACD.

Now I am curious about that XRCD, but I am sure it is not cheap and probably $30+ or so.

 

O.k., good to know.

Now we know that you like the old XRCD best, but how would you rate the SHM-SACD among the other versions? Do you think it is decent or don't you like it very much for whatever reason?

 

Well, it is out of print and an audiophile pressing. And Bill Evans is a relatively popular Jazz artist.

On Amazon.com, used copies are available from $45. With a little search it can be maybe found for around $30 or so, but I doubt it can be found much cheaper.

 

By the way, wasn't this album a candidate for a DCC release at one point, but it wasn't followed through because some audiophile critic wouldn't give it a high rating because it wasn't wide stereo or something like that. I don't recall the full story, and maybe that was another album by Bill Evans, and I am mixing things up.

 

Yep, Steve mastered Explorations for DCC, but it was never released. It's still listed in his discography on this board, though: http://www.stevehoffman.tv/discography/DCC/3865

 

I am a little confused about the XRCD, since there seem to be two different XRCD's, and earlier one and a later one. Is this correct? Do they share the same mastering?

 

It depends on what you focus on, if you prefer this or that.

I have not heared this XRCD. (I have some other jazz XRCDs)
But in general speaking, the piano sound is a very complex thing to get it sound right. SACD revals a more full bodied and harmonic complex sound of the instrument, more the way you here it live, Imo.

This "in your room presence" is the most important thing for me, so I guess the SHM-SACD would be my choise.
But you knew that....

 

See my posts 13: http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threa...ide-records-xrcd-or-sacd.129779/#post-3556673 and 17: http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threa...ide-records-xrcd-or-sacd.129779/#post-3556971

 

How silly is that?

How can an audiophile release be rated by something the original engineer decided to do mix-wise.

Oh well, at least we have good sounding versions of this album available now. I love this album.