SACDs

[RageATL]

Originally Posted by fdm

I've been thinking lately that I'd like to hear a hi-res version of Aja… doesn't seem to be any downloads.

(I suppose I could dig out my vinyl… I've recently started to listen to some of my old records, and some newer (but mostly still old) ones I never got around to. See what condition its condition is in.)

I've got a Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab gold CD of Gaucho as well as the stereo/surround hybrid SACD so I'll probably skip that title but will get the rest. Best I have is the 1999 CD remastered set.

[fdm]

Originally Posted by RageATL

I've got a Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab gold CD of Gaucho as well as the stereo/surround hybrid SACD so I'll probably skip that title but will get the rest. Best I have is the 1999 CD remastered set.

Of course, Citizen Steely Dan 1972-1980. I got that! (Kinda forgot. )

Also have Gaucho SACD, from MCA (still unlistened to, though). (And another record, Royal Scam.) My homework for Sunday…

[RageATL]

Originally Posted by fdm

Of course, Citizen Steely Dan 1972-1980. I got that! (Kinda forgot. )

Also have Gaucho SACD, from MCA (still unlistened to, though). (And another record, Royal Scam.) My homework for Sunday…

My bad, meant to say I actually have all the individual 1999 remasters of each album.

[sfmarine]

Latest pickup.

[supervij]

Originally Posted by sfmarine

Latest pickup.

Excellent pickup! Terrific sound quality and excellent collection of songs—with the exception of the live version of Midnight Rambler, which rambles on and on and on. I would’ve rather had the studio recording instead. But other than that one track, this Stones SACD *rules*.

[sfmarine]

I think it will go down as one of my favorite SACDs as it has so many great songs and it sounds wonderful.

[Jodi]

Might want to be on the lookout for the Analogue Productions' Bernie Grundman mastered SACDs of all the Steely Dan albums. Mastered DSD direct onto SACD, the first one, "Can't Buy a Thrill" and all the others, as of 11/13, are TBA.

[supervij]

Just listened to Miles Davis’ In a Silent Way. The 5.1 is utterly sublime. It doesn’t go for very much; mine was something like $23 at Deep Discount. The album sounds absolutely gorgeous.

[JohnnyF]

I’ve never bought a SACD before and was looking for the most frugal place to purchase some of the Bowie SACDs. Someone posted just the center channel vocals from Heathen and it was positively haunting. Some of the online prices were a bit more than I’d consider for a single album. Any suggestions?

[Hitman Horton]

Originally Posted by JohnnyF

I’ve never bought a SACD before and was looking for the most frugal place to purchase some of the Bowie SACDs. Someone posted just the center channel vocals from Heathen and it was positively haunting. Some of the online prices were a bit more than I’d consider for a single album. Any suggestions?

The first thing that I would suggest is that you make sure you have a player that will play SACDs. They don't play in regular CD players. Next, do some research at Discogs and see how much SACDs sell for. Once you have that knowledge, you may decide that SACDs aren't for you because of the price.

[JohnnyF]

I appreciate the response. I am on my second Oppo. I’m well versed in audio formats and worked at a Tower Records for six years. Honestly I’m averse to the idea of wholesale remixes of albums without original artists signing off on them- as much as I appreciate Peter Gabriel Genesis, I don’t get why their SACDs have entirely new stereo mixes when the selling point should be the surround version.

Honestly; I’m only after the later era Bowie discs because of the completely different takes/longer versions and as I mentioned, his voice sounded positively haunting in center channel rip I heard.

I regularly use discogs but there is a bit of a disconnect where the only one for sale is $200 more than the last one sold. Hence why I asked for a decent resource for finding these out of print gems. If I were still in walking distance to Amoeba records, I’m sure I could snag one there. My new local used record store OWNER didn’t even know what a SACD was, confusing it with the original gold discs Mobile Fidelity put out.

[fdm]

Aside from discogs, I usually check ebay and amazon. Think I got a few out of print sacds and the like that way in recent years, or just decided not to bother because of the prices for some of them were ridiculous… though every once in a while I will splurge. Usually I go for new if that's a practical option.

Failing a (primarily I just bother with) surround sound sacd (or blu-ray or dvd-audio or regular dvd even) option, besides stereo/mono sacds there are other hi-res (streaming if just curious, downloads if serious) and lower res options (cds or bandcamp) that work fine for me, although I do prefer/miss a physical copy. (Hate dinged up cardboard packaging, so downloads do save me some frustration that way at least… Also big expensive box sets with a surround disc included are usually a no go… even some of the ones that would be a go end up being a no go due to dents and dings… but once in a while I get lucky.)

Tried apple music recently (got one whole month free!) to check out their spatial audio and it was pretty ok, but didn't really get much of a chance to really listen, and also don't have overhead speakers so not sure that I didn't miss anything when my receiver was in atmos mode. Probably will give it a shot later if I ever get some time again (mostly meaning if the wife ever goes back to working nights again ). I had a chance to try spatial with headphones but not sure it was working with my rig, sounded more weird than anything (only tried Revolver though); I'd previously had better luck with some of the surround sound demos on youtube, so it's not impossible.

Guess I just felt like rambling on for a bit…

[dobyblue]

Originally Posted by JohnnyF

I appreciate the response. I am on my second Oppo. I’m well versed in audio formats and worked at a Tower Records for six years. Honestly I’m averse to the idea of wholesale remixes of albums without original artists signing off on them- as much as I appreciate Peter Gabriel Genesis, I don’t get why their SACDs have entirely new stereo mixes when the selling point should be the surround version.

Honestly; I’m only after the later era Bowie discs because of the completely different takes/longer versions and as I mentioned, his voice sounded positively haunting in center channel rip I heard.

I regularly use discogs but there is a bit of a disconnect where the only one for sale is $200 more than the last one sold. Hence why I asked for a decent resource for finding these out of print gems. If I were still in walking distance to Amoeba records, I’m sure I could snag one there. My new local used record store OWNER didn’t even know what a SACD was, confusing it with the original gold discs Mobile Fidelity put out.

While no longer maintained as a forum, http://www.sa-cd.net is still a valuable resource for SACD titles as it scrapes several resellers internationally and shows you easy links to the page.

For example, Spiders from Mars - http://sa-cd.net/showtitle/1318

Also handy when you search for an artist if you want to know which titles were recorded directly to DSD, which have MCH layers, etc.

[jvonl]

Originally Posted by JohnnyF

I’ve never bought a SACD before and was looking for the most frugal place to purchase some of the Bowie SACDs. Someone posted just the center channel vocals from Heathen and it was positively haunting. Some of the online prices were a bit more than I’d consider for a single album. Any suggestions?

Acoustic Sounds is another source for both new and used SACD's.

[fdm]

Originally Posted by jvonl

Acoustic Sounds is another source for both new and used SACD's.

I also got a couple (new ones) from Elusive Disc…

[Geezer00003]

I went back a few pages here and I don't see any mention of what Pink Floyd's Animals sounds like? Well, I'm here to tell you that it sounds AWESOME! I had it on last night and I still can't believe some of the low end that's now abundantly evident. The old CD is totally lacking in this regard. The surround mix is pleasant and the increased resolution from the SACD format is sublime. It's cool how the short opening and closing tracks(Pigs on the Wings part's I/II are strictly two channel while all others are 5.1. The track one to track two transition from two channel to surround is ear opening Suffice to say Animals on SACD is like once you hear it there's no going back!

[RageATL]

Originally Posted by Geezer00003

I went back a few pages here and I don't see any mention of what Pink Floyd's Animals sounds like? Well, I'm here to tell you that it sounds AWESOME! I had it on last night and I still can't believe some of the low end that's now abundantly evident. The old CD is totally lacking in this regard. The surround mix is pleasant and the increased resolution from the SACD format is sublime. It's cool how the short opening and closing tracks(Pigs on the Wings part's I/II are strictly two channel while all others are 5.1. The track one to track two transition from two channel to surround is ear opening Suffice to say Animals on SACD is like once you hear it there's no going back!

There's a separate thread for it.

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread...=340102&page=6

[supervij]

In fairness, that linked thread is for the Blu-ray. Has anyone noticed any sonic differences or surround placement differences between the two?

[RageATL]

Originally Posted by supervij

In fairness, that linked thread is for the Blu-ray. Has anyone noticed any sonic differences or surround placement differences between the two?

True, my bad but regardless, we've all been posting in there about both versions.

[sfmarine]

This came in today. It sounds fantastic!