Coments on my first SACD's?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by GoldenBoy, Jan 31, 2002.

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  1. GoldenBoy

    GoldenBoy Purple People Eater Thread Starter

    Location:
    US
    Hello all. As some of you may know from my equiptment listing in another thread, I just recently (read: last week) purchased my first SACD player, the Sony SCD-C555ES. To play on my new machine I ordered a few SACD's which have not yet arrived.

    I was just wondering, before they arrived, what I should expect from them. So if any of youn reading this own any of these releases, I would be interested in hearing what your thoughts on these recordings may be, as far as sound quality, comparison to the CD versions, etc. You know what I mean. So here's what I purchased as my first SACD's (whoopie! :) ) :

    Mahler: Symphony No. 5, Benjamin Zander, Philharmonia Orchestra; Mulitchannel SACD on Telarc.

    Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique, Paavo Jarvi, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra;
    Multichannel SACD on Telarc.

    Music of Hovahness, Yolanda Kondonassis, harp; 2-Channel SACD on Telarc


    Mahler: Symphony No. 1, Leonard Bernstein, NY Philharmonic; on Sony Classical

    Thelonius Monk: Straight, No Chaser; on Columbia/Legacy

    Miles Davis: Kind of Blue; Multichannel SACD; on Columbia/Legacy

    Billy Joel: The Stranger; Multichannel SACD; on Columbia

    Billy Joel: 52nd Street, Multichannel SACD; on Columbia

    Bob Dylan: Blonde on Blonde; on Columbia/Legacy

    And that's it. I hope I made some good selections to start of my collection with, :rolleyes: and I hope to read some comments from you all soon.

    Cheers
     
  2. Beagle

    Beagle Senior Member

    Location:
    Ottawa
    I have two so far, "Kind Of Blue" and Joe Satriani's "Engines Of Creation". Both sound better than their CD counterparts, but I don't really "know" these recordings. And the Satriani is a bit of a processed recording. I am waiting for SRV "Couldn't Stand The Weather" and Toto IV, which I know quite well. These should tell me more about what's up with the format.
     
  3. bmoura

    bmoura Senior Member

    Location:
    Redwood City, CA
    Both of the Stevie Ray Vaughn SACDs are good. If you like SRV, I'd suggest picking up "Texas Flood" on SACD as well.

    The Best Buy stores usually carry both SRV Stereo SACDs - at $16.99 each. A fine deal.
     
  4. bmoura

    bmoura Senior Member

    Location:
    Redwood City, CA
    You have some good ones in there. Some other Multichannel SACDs I'd suggest considering would be: "The Life" by Ginuwine,
    "Hourglass" by James Taylor, "Tubular Bells" by Mike Oldfield, "Nice 'N' Easy" by Kunzel & Cincinnati Pops, "Ship Ahoy" by the O'Jays, "3+3" by the Isley Brothers, "Jazz at the Pawnshop" on FIM, "Celebrating the Music of Weather Report" and "Monty Meets Sly & Robbie" on Telarc, "Head Hunters" by Herbie Hancock, "Swing Live" by Bucky Pizzarelli and The Film Music of Jerry Goldsmith on Telarc.

    On the Stero SACD side, take a look at "Now That I've Found You: A Collection" and "Forget About It" by Alison Krauss, "Blues in Orbit" by Duke Ellington, "The Raven" by Rebecca Pidgeon, "Stardust" by Willie Nelson, "Just Jobim" by Manfredo Fest, "Live Recordings at Red Rose Music" from Mark Levinson, "Friday Night in San Francisco" by Al DiMeola/John McLaughlin/Paco de Lucia, "Music from the Sopranos", "Blood, Sweat & Tears", "Birdland" by M. Sasaji & L.A. All Stars, "Abraxas" by Santana, "Stir It Up" by Monty Alexander, "Let's Get Lost" by Terrance Blanchard and "Texas Flood" and "Couldn't Stand the Weather" by Stevie Ray Vaughn.
     
  5. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!

    I'll be glad when other companies start offering SACD.

    Right now the ones i'd be interested in getting are
    Aerosmith-Just Push Play
    Bangles-Greatest Hits
    Luther Vandross-Never Too Much
    Isley Brothers-3+3
    O'Jays-Ship Ahoy
    Miles Davis-Kind Of Blue
    Boston
    The Byrds-Greatest Hits
    Michael Jackson-Thriller

    I heard the Mariah Carey #1 and was totally UN-impressed.
     
  6. MikeT

    MikeT Prior Forum Cretin and Current Impatient Creep

    Location:
    New Jersey, USA
    Well I can relate to you what I heard when I purchased my C333ES and picked up my first SACDs.

    WOW!

    The Monk title is a stunner, and KOB is much better than the CD version.

    In addition to what others have pointed out, you might want to also look into Dave Brubeck "Time Out".

    In my system, when I first got SACD, I could hear a difference right away. It was smoother sounding, more defined and there was more separation between the instruments. Having owned more than one SACD player for almost one year now - a lot of the WOW factor has worn off - but believe me the player opens up with time. The quality of both SACD and CD playback has improved dramatically over time.

    I am so taken with SACD I was able to borrow an XA777ES from a friend and listen to it in my own system. Needless to say I ordered one for myself. The only drawback that I will have is having to break in a totally new SACD player all over again with both SACD and CD. :(

    Listen with an open and relaxed mind - and I can almost guarantee that you will fall in love with the qualities of SACD, so much so that the releases of SACD won't come fast enough to satisfy your cravings.
     
  7. Gary

    Gary Nauga Gort! Staff

    Location:
    Toronto
    This is out on SACD. I have one on order.
     
  8. Rspaight

    Rspaight New Member

    Location:
    Kentucky
    Blonde on Blonde is a stunner. It's actually a new remix from the multitracks that according to Bobheads comes closer to the original stereo vinyl releases (the masters for which are lost) than any subsequent stereo vinyl or CD issue. (The mono stuff is an entirely different kettle of fish.) In any case, it sounds great compared to the Sony gold CD.

    A word of warning -- I've heard nothing but bad things about Just Push Play, though I haven't heard it myself.

    Ryan
     
  9. GoldenBoy

    GoldenBoy Purple People Eater Thread Starter

    Location:
    US
    Finally....

    I got my SACD's (except Blonde on Blonde) and hooked up my player. Woe! Kind of Blue was the first disc I listened to. It blows the Sony 20-bit remaster out of the water. MikeT, you were right when you said SACD sounds smoother. It really does. I was encouraged by the sound acheived by the format and my player when I first heard it, so I was anxious to hear something actually recorded in DSD, so I listened to the Mahler Symphony No. 5 from Telarc. I was not familiar with this recording, so I didn't really have any frame of reference, but as I have many other recordings of this piece, I did have an idea of what it should sound like and what could be achieved. I was floored. It sounded so pure and natural. Wow! Wow! Wow! I'm so glad I entered the world of SACD. Now I just have to get my Multichannel system set up just right so it sounds as good as it can. I know that I will prefer just 2-channel as number 1) my multichannel setup doesn't approach the quality of my stereo setup and 2) I think stereo is the way to go for music. I do appreciate multichannel as a different sort of experience and, who knows, maybe over time I might come to apreciate it more and may even upgrade my system to something a little more high end.

    I wasn't going to purchase a new player, because, although I was highly interested in SACD, and also somewhat in DVD-A, I didn't want to expend the cash on a still new format and get burned, but my old player (Sony C801ES) died on me so I was forced to take the plunge, and I knew it would be SACD and not DVD-A. The C555ES, so far, seems like a really nice player, and if as MikeT has said, that it opens up with time, then I am extremely happy with it's performance. I can't wait for it to burn in. My only complaint with it is the plastic disc tray. The C555ES cost the same as my C801ES did 8 years ago and the C801ES had an aluminum disc tray.

    Rspaight - I'm not interested in Just Push Play anyway. I haven't apreciated an Aerosmith album since Pump. :) Now, if they put out Rocks, Toys in the Attic, Get Your Wings, and Permanent Vacation, it might raise my eyebrows. It sounds like that Blonde on Blonde should be really good. I didn't really like the Mastersound gold version - it sounded really thin and tinny to me.

    Anyhow, sorry for the long winded rambling post. :)
     
  10. Rspaight

    Rspaight New Member

    Location:
    Kentucky
    I was directing that more at a subsequent poster who expressed interest. I'd also be interested some of their 70s output, but haven't really been into them since Pump.

    As far as Blonde on Blonde goes, the tinniness of the Mastersound version is gone. The SACD has a deep, punchy bass that really brings the music to life. The highs are much less strident, but not muted at all. Very nice!

    Ryan
     
  11. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!

    I guess i'm the only one around who likes "Just Push Play". It's the most listenable album since "Pump".

    I'm also aware that "Boston" is on SACD. There are tons of copies around Tucson.

    What impresses me about Miles Davis' "A Kind Of Blue" is the spaciousness and life-like clarity. It's like the musicians were right in front of you and you could reach out and touch them. The 24-bit remaster doesn't come close! And, this was just on a two-channel setup! Vinyl? Yeah, right!:rolleyes:
     
  12. GoldenBoy

    GoldenBoy Purple People Eater Thread Starter

    Location:
    US
    Hey, now I really can't wait for it to get here!

    Grant - I have not heard Just Push Play so I don't know how good it is or isn't. I was just saying that I haven't liked any of their output since Pump, therefore, I was not really keen on purchasing it.

    You are absolutely correct about the spaciousness and clarity of Kind of Blue. It really does put the CD versions to shame. Vinyl? I gave up on that in the '80s. ;)
     
  13. Andrew

    Andrew Chairman of the Bored

    Mahler's First

    GoldenBoy, please bust off a review of Mahler's First after you play it. Thanks! :cool:
     
  14. Paul L.

    Paul L. New Member

    Location:
    Earth
    Mahler No. 10

    I don't care for Mahler's Symphony No. 1, myself. Everyone has different tastes.

    But I love Mahler's Symphony No. 10, which was unfinished at his death in 1911. It's all been fleshed out and re-envisioned by others since, all five movements, but of course the results aren't exactly what Mahler would have done with it had he lived long enough to complete it. Too good to throw away, though.

    Anyway, there are two movements of it which were essentially finished by Mahler, and they are found on the George Szell and Cleveland Orchestra Sony SACD Mahler/Walton/Stravinsky. Simply great performances recorded 40 years ago, with nice hiss intact.

    The Suite from the Firebird (1919 version) is excellent too (it's on this same disc).

    It'd be hard to find something better to spend $16.99 on, if you like symphonies.
     
  15. GoldenBoy

    GoldenBoy Purple People Eater Thread Starter

    Location:
    US
    Re: Mahler's First

    As soon as I give it a listen, I'll do just that. It shouldn't be more than a couple of days.
     
  16. GoldenBoy

    GoldenBoy Purple People Eater Thread Starter

    Location:
    US
    Hey Andrew : Re: Mahler's First

    Andrew,

    I finally gave the Mahler 1st a couple of listens and here are my first impressions:

    As far as sound quality is concerned, it is quite a testament to the quality of SACD and good mastering. It sounds very smooth and the strings are clear and soft. They have less of the grating, harsh quality that I sometimes find in other Sony remasters on CD of older classical recordings. It has less of the "hole in the middle" quality that I usually find in older classical recordings. I don't know if anyone else has ever noticed this, but it is something I seem to hear, I don't know, just my opinion. This recording stands up vey well against the 20-bit Bernstein Century remasterings from Sony. It definitely sounds more natural, with all it's glorious hiss in place :) and doesn't have the digital harshness that creeps in on CD. The only thing hampering this recording, as well as others by the NY Phil., are the poor acoustics of Philharmonic Hall. It is a bit muddled and undefined in the mid-range, and the strings do sometimes get lost in full orchestra moments. The brass, still ear piercing, as the NY Phil. and Bernstein are/were known for, is definitely less tinny and a bit easier to listen too.

    Now, the performance is typical Bernstein, almost over the top, but definitely capturing all the intricasies of Mahler's vision. Pulsating adagios, delicate soft passages, almost French accents. It is not my favourite recording of the 1st ( that would be the DG recording by the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra w/ Rafael Kubelik, conductor), but it is very good and full of character. Now, I'm no musicologist or anything, so these impressions are, of course, just my subjective and humble opinions. ;)

    I hope this helps you some.
     
  17. Andrew

    Andrew Chairman of the Bored

    Thanks, this would be a first choice if I take the SACD plunge.
     
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