I only have Machine Gun on sacd but my overall impression is that it sounds excellent. I had always heard that the first show on Dec. 31 was sub par but after listening I think it stands up well to anything from the other three shows. Experience Hendrix, please give us the first three Jimi Hendrix albums on sacd!
Hmm....so the HdTracks 96/24 is louder. I may have committed a rookie error and got fooled into hearing louder as "more punchy." I am going to do a fresh A/B later.
I am so disappointed as I have yet to receive my two SACD. Both Machine Gun, and People Hell and Angels were on order from Elusive Disc. The USPS media mail had the package here on the west coast, never delivered and apparently is headed back to it's original location! I have been in contact with Elusive Disc, and they are saying give it a week more! Why can't a brick and mortar store carry these? It is strange because I placed another order after this one and received it in 4 days. So bummed. What pisses me off is either Elusive Disc or the USPS screwed up the order, and neither will admit their error.
I don't have either of these yet but just researching which to buy, it seems to me that they're most likely the same mastering for all formats, possibly with some volume difference but no EQ differences. 1. Machine Gun - this is a new release and it's available in four formats - CD, SACD, HDtracks download and LP. Note that Acoustic Sounds gives no credit for the mastering on the SACD so presumably they are using the mastering supplied to them by Experience Hendrix. Obviously Experience Hendrix are not going to do different masterings for every format - what would be the point? - so I think it's safe to assume they're all the same. 2. People Hell & Angels - this is an older release that's been around on CD and LP since 2013 and is now available on SACD and HDtracks as well. Acoustic Sounds credits Bernie Grundman as the mastering engineer - but guess what, Bernie did the mastering for the 2013 CD so I would bet it's the same mastering, just presented in a different format - there's no way Experience Hendrix would do two different masterings of the same material by the same mastering engineer in the space of three years. Presumably it's the same mastering for the HDtracks too. YMMV and I haven't done any comparisons but that's my guess - unless you really want the high resolution or the vinyl, I suspect the cheapest way to buy these is to get the CDs.
Sure the cheapest way is to get the CDs. But the same mastering on SACD sounds better to me than on Redbook, and so I went with the SACD (and the Redbook, I'm a nut and I'm supporting these releases. May get the vinyl one day).
That stinks. Hang in there - I had a package from Music Direct listed as "unable to deliver to address as listed" and according to the tracking it was on its way back to the sender. It delivered two days later - USPS screw up.
I got the HDTracks download of People, Hell and Angels. It sounds pretty good but I think that I like my needle drop better. Unfortunately, I accidentally deleted my needle drop files so I guess I'll stick with the download for the time being. I can't really justify forking out for the SACD when the vinyl sounds so good and the HD download is more than serviceable.
You were spot on as both discs arrived today! I had time to listen to the first two songs off of the "Machine Gun" SACD. To my ears it is a very good mix with Jimi's vocals center left along with guitar. Buddy's vocals slightly off center right. I don't hear an issue with the bass so far? I will listen tonight uninterrupted. The disc is super silky smooth from bottom to the top. One of the advantages of SACD. One step closer to vinyl. I may have to buy the LP just for the good of it. I have still my vinyl but no turntable, yet!
I picked up 'Machine Gun' and 'People, Hell & Angels' yesterday on SACD from Bull Moose. Both of them sound absolutely wonderful. Thanks to Experience Hendrix, Analogue Productions and all involved in giving us some hi-rez Hendrix. Here's to more!
Guys...please disregard my earlier comments that the Machine Gun SACD sounds like crap. I was obviously having a bad hair day or something like that I think I was tricked into a classic rookie mistake - the HdTracks for whatever reason is louder and I guess I got tricked into hearing louder as punchier Now that I did my Mea Culpa - back to our regularly scheduled program
The redbook layer of the new AP SACD of "People, Hell & Angels" has the same dynamic range as the original CD release. Overall DR10. I was hoping for an improved dynamic range, but that is not the case. Code: foobar2000 1.3.6 / Dynamic Range Meter 1.1.1 log date: 2016-10-29 17:39:50 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Analyzed: Jimi Hendrix / People, Hell & Angels (Target Exclusive CD) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DR Peak RMS Duration Track -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DR9 -0.32 dB -10.02 dB 3:35 01-Earth Blues DR9 -0.02 dB -10.36 dB 4:06 02-Somewhere DR10 -0.02 dB -11.09 dB 5:42 03-Hear My Train A Comin' DR10 -0.35 dB -11.47 dB 3:59 04-Bleeding Heart DR11 -0.38 dB -12.27 dB 6:51 05-Let Me Move You DR9 -0.35 dB -10.85 dB 3:44 06-Izabella DR9 -0.21 dB -11.09 dB 5:58 07-Easy Blues DR10 -0.18 dB -11.46 dB 4:15 08-Crash Landing DR9 0.00 dB -10.07 dB 5:05 09-Inside Out DR11 -0.02 dB -12.99 dB 3:40 10-Hey Gypsy Boy DR9 -0.33 dB -11.40 dB 4:08 11-Mojo Man DR10 -0.36 dB -11.85 dB 1:46 12-Villanova Junction Blues DR10 0.00 dB -10.96 dB 20:01 13-Ezy Ryder/MLK Jam (Captain Coconut) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of tracks: 13 Official DR value: DR10 Samplerate: 44100 Hz Channels: 2 Bits per sample: 16 Bitrate: 1411 kbps Codec: PCM ================================================================================ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Analyzed: Jimi Hendrix / People, Hell And Angels (AP SACD) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DR Peak RMS Duration Track -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DR9 -0.37 dB -10.34 dB 3:35 01-Earth Blues DR9 -0.01 dB -10.62 dB 4:07 02-Somewhere DR10 0.00 dB -11.53 dB 5:43 03-Hear My Train A Comin' DR10 -0.30 dB -11.83 dB 4:00 04-Bleeding Heart DR10 -0.38 dB -12.12 dB 6:52 05-Let Me Move You DR9 -0.36 dB -11.12 dB 3:45 06-Izabella DR10 -0.18 dB -11.41 dB 5:59 07-Easy Blues DR10 -0.15 dB -11.80 dB 4:17 08-Crash Landing DR9 0.00 dB -10.07 dB 5:06 09-Inside Out DR11 0.00 dB -13.21 dB 3:41 10-Hey Gypsy Boy DR10 -0.28 dB -11.48 dB 4:08 11-Mojo Man DR10 -0.33 dB -12.17 dB 1:50 12-Villanova Junction Blues -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of tracks: 12 Official DR value: DR10 Samplerate: 44100 Hz Channels: 2 Bits per sample: 16 Bitrate: 1411 kbps Codec: PCM ================================================================================
I noticed on the DR database that the SACD for Machine Gun is a 13 and that there are three downloads noted- hi res, 16/44 and iTunes and they are all DR 10. Has anyone looked the CD release of Machine Gun yet? It seems unlikely, but is it possible the redbook of the SACD may be different? I probably would be happy with the straight CD release but I am concerned it may be the same loudness as the downloads.
The HD Download and regular CD are somewhat compressed/peak limited. The redbook layer and DSD layer of the SACD are not compressed. The SACD/Vinyl are the best options for no limiting.
Agreed. I made the mistake of getting the HD downloads for PH&A and Fillmore East. I haven't spun my Fillmore East LP yet but my PH&A needle drop was most definitely a more pleasant listening experience than the HD download.
Yea I guess if your in it for the CD layer. The SACD layer is DR13 if that matters to people. DR values are a tool and while higher is generally better, it doesn't always correlate to mastering or mix quality. Drives me crazy when people make decisions based solely on the DR value.
You probably will get a few people to order with that extra 3. That is all they need to hear, I mean see, whatever.
This SACD > Vinyl to my ears... though my digital set-up is probably > analog so it may very well just come down to that.