Im waiting for this to arrive. Empty Sky definively ain t a classic. For a while I actually thought the self-titled was Elton’s debut. Anyway there are some good stuff in Empty Sky. The title-track I find a really good psych-rock venture very much inspired by the Stones. There are a few other gems on the album but is more of a period-piece. Not in a bad way though
I don t know if it was originally released in my home-country Sweden. I do remember thinking the self-titled was the debute
These are the peaks of the Ultradisc 1: 91.0/ 77.0/ 81.0/ 85.6/ 73.0/ 88.8/ 78.9/ 87.6/ 79.6/ 86.5/ 98.8/ 88.9/ 90.3/ 90.2/ 79.7/ 84.8/ 72.3
I checked Empty Sky out: - update - Ranking List (subject to change) Empty Sky – Very Good (the best digital version) Elton John S/T – Best (second best after SHM-SACD) Elton John Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player – Best (the best digital version) And Goodbye Yellow Brick Road – Best (the best digital version) Blues Moves – Best (the best digital version) Caribou – Good (the matter of preference: roll-off trebles of SHM vs. heavy brightness of DJM CD)
According to what has been submitted to the DR database they are not digital clones. Maybe a slight levelshift?
You have to listen to the samples multiple times before the difference become clear. For me I thought there was not much difference after one pass thru. It wasn't till about the 3 time where I could begin to distinguish the differences. And I was able to get 3 of 5 of the choices correct. Surprisingly I was 99% sure I knew which one the SHM was and I was wrong. But there are definitely differences to be heard. When you listen to one version for 20 years it's hard to be swayed which one is better. It's all a matter of personal preference.
As far as I can tell only HC and GBYBR have an Ultradisc & Ultradisc 2? Madman and Tumbleweed are just Ultradisc. Correct me if I am wrong.
I prefer the SHM CD of Elton John - S/T over the earlier SHM-SACD. It’s like getting a Krispie Kreme glazed donut right off the conveyer belt instead of from the glass case from a half hour ago. Ha I’ve listened to both and compared them. Very close, but the 2019 is a tad fresher, clearer, slightly more air - probably due to the updated mastering equipment.
I don't want you to expect a night and day difference between the MFSL and the new SHM-CD of "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", but if you and your wife are anything like me when listening to this album or "Captain Fantastic", the thing that always makes those two albums really fly are Nigel's drums. I mean Gus got his drums to sound "in the room" that if you aren't familiar with these songs, they can almost make you jump out of your seat. I, knowing that they are always coming, sit there like a child waiting for them every time, much like suffering that near entirety of Phil Collin's "In The Air Tonight", just to get to that room filling drum bashing, right???
FYI, since the topic of Mobile Fidelity's Ultradisc and Ultradisc II of "Goodbye Yelloe Brick Road", I thought that I would mention that my GOLD DISC copy that I was using as my source of this album, is the original Ultradisc made in Japan.
Not meant to offend anyone with this meme - showing that there's nothing wrong with any of them, it's just a matter of personal preference.
Yes, there are differences to be heard, but I also find it very hard to decide which mastering is 'better' when I'm actively comparing. I have a feeling I can only enjoy nice sounds when it's on a relaxed, subconscious level.
I don't need long listenings to eluvate which mastering sounds better to me. As photographer, same with photos... within a few seconds I know if the picture was well composed.
I get where you are going with that type of thinking and YES, I agree, that if I listen to a Steve Hoffman mastering of let's say "Eagles: Their Greatest Hits" versus the old ASYLUM standard U.S. CD, then sure, I can hear a "difference" between the two in about :30 seconds, but there is a LOT more depth listening needed to hear just how similar (and slightly different) the masterings are between the MFSL of "Goodbye" and the new SHM-CD. No doubt that I can immediately hear that they are different masterings, but after that, it's a challenge even for a really good set of ears to "pin-point" the true differences! And to be honest, that subtle difference between them might be night and day to a real fan of that album. I could easily see where some may prefer that MFSL mastering, as much as some of us have found solace in the new SHM-CD and who knows, a year (or five) from now, I may appreciate the "other" mastering more myself?
The man to call in to hear these new SHM-CD's, whose opinion I would find interesting, is @Steve Hoffman. Clearly, Steve has been around these albums and even has had his own hands on the master tapes through the years, so he might enlighten all of us as to whether or not those new SHM-CD's are the worthy versions or not?
I don't know, I listened to them on a plane but I also had noise canceling headphones and they were lossless. I already had the album as an import (JEM remember the most?). When I eventually saw the MCA U.S. issue with the cover, I remembered how awful it looked. Why they went with that awful painting is beyond me. Any 10 year old could have done better.
