[JMedeiros]

I braved the snowstorm to pick this up today. It was one of my favorite college albums ( I own 2 LP copies...both well-worn) and I have been looking forward to the SACD release. I listened to the high def 2 Channel track on Disc 1 with headphones and it is amazing. I will say this...there are parts of this recording that scream for crossfeed with headphones. A considerable amount of hiss is audible on sections, but the musical detail, articulation and imaging is amazing. I look forward to hearing the bonus disc and also the 5.1 mix.

This is advertized as a Deluxe edition..and indeed it is. The second disc contains 17 outakes and demos from the recording sessions. A nice 26 page booklet contains production notes and a ton of vintage Who photos.



Let it snow....

 

[sacd lover]

Tommy and Who's Next are two my all time favorites. With the Clapton and Allman Brothers sacd's coming out soon this should be a banner music year.

 

[markl]

I keep trying to win Who Sings My Generation and Tommy as well as Elton John Goodbye Yellow brick road SACDs off ebay, but they just get bid up to astronomical prices.

What's up with this trend toward releasing these classic albums on 2-disc expanded editions on SACD? This allows them to charge roughly $25-$30 for these re-issues, that's a lot for what amounts to a single album (plus a bunch of stuff I'll likely only listen to once), as opposed to a two-disc best of that would be easier to swallow for me anyway, I'm willing to pay for A-list material. I really want the albums, but do I really need all the demos and material that wasn't good enough in the first place at $30 a pop? At least on all the on-going elvis Costello re-issues, they throw the bonus disc in for free.

Maybe if I wait long enough, prices will come down.

OK, I'm just grumpy today, sorry for the thread crap.

John, yes, please let us know how you like the extras disc on Tommy.

Mark

 

[FCJ]

Quote:

Originally posted by markl What's up with this trend toward releasing these classic albums on 2-disc expanded editions on SACD? This allows them to charge roughly $25-$30 for these re-issues, that's a lot for what amounts to a single album (plus a bunch of stuff I'll likely only listen to once), as opposed to a two-disc best of that would be easier to swallow for me anyway, I'm willing to pay for A-list material. I really want the albums, but do I really need all the demos and material that wasn't good enough in the first place at $30 a pop? At least on all the on-going elvis Costello re-issues, they throw the bonus disc in for free. Mark

Could it be that SACD is not enough of a draw to get people to buy the same album for what amounts to the 50th time? If so, the only selling point to get consumers to buy the album one more time would be to include demos, outtakes, etc.

It makes me wonder how many people bought (or are buying) the Stones and Dylan SACDs for the SACD layer? I'm not knocking the format at all, but I don't think (so far, at least) it's enought of an enticement to get someone to buy catalog as we all might think.

 

[archosman]

So far I've really enjoyed my new SACD player. Have to pick up this album as well!

 

[markl]

Quote:

It makes me wonder how many people bought (or are buying) the Stones and Dylan SACDs for the SACD layer? I'm not knocking the format at all, but I don't think (so far, at least) it's enought of an enticement to get someone to buy catalog as we all might think.

Both the Stones and the Dylan re-masters sold very well by re-issue standards, but both these catalogs hadn't ever had a re-mastering done to them in the past, they were still the crummy original issues. Plus they were hybrid discs, not targeted specifically at the SACD market. So people will buy to get a good remaster, SACd or no. But the Who and Elton John discs both had high quality mid-90s re-masters, so yes, I can imaging the label felt it was necessary to add a bonus disc to distinguish them from the other recent re-masters.

Mark

 

[FCJ]

Quote:

Originally posted by markl Both the Stones and the Dylan re-masters sold very well by re-issue standards, but both these catalogs hadn't ever had a re-mastering done to them in the past, they were still the crummy original issues. Plus they were hybrid discs, not targeted specifically at the SACD market. So people will buy to get a good remaster, SACd or no. But the Who and Elton John discs both had high quality mid-90s re-masters, so yes, I can imaging the label felt it was necessary to add a bonus disc to distinguish them from the other recent re-masters. Mark

I agree completely. When you release the same back catalog titles over and over (and all labels do it, it's where they make their money), you need a new "hook" to entice the same buyers who bought the titles before to buy them again. So far, I guess, SACD isn't enough of a "hook" to get a sufficient number of consumers to buy back catalog again, so they have to include things like false starts, demos, alternate takes, etc.

 

[JMedeiros]

Quote:

Originally posted by FCJ I agree completely. When you release the same back catalog titles over and over (and all labels do it, it's where they make their money), you need a new "hook" to entice the same buyers who bought the titles before to buy them again. So far, I guess, SACD isn't enough of a "hook" to get a sufficient number of consumers to buy back catalog again, so they have to include things like false starts, demos, alternate takes, etc.

I agree completely with you guys. The movie studios do the same thing with DVDs. They will squeeze every last penny out of your wallet by making you want a third or fourth version of the same movie by adding an additional soundtrack, some cut scenes or a few more bonus features.

I tend to rent DVDs upon first issue and only buy when a real feature-filled version is released. I do not actually buy many CDs or DVDs. The Tommy CD for me was a must have because I did not own a CD copy (other than the Broadway musical score)...I only had my 2 old LP copies.

The draw for me was the remastered stereo and the 5.1 track. The bonus material was a nice extra but not a "must have".

The only other SACDs I have bought are Leonard Bernstein conductiing the NY Philharmonic in American in Paris /Rhapsody in Blue/Grand Canyon Suite because it is also one of my favorite college recordings and I only have the LP. I bought Pink Floyd's DSOTM for the same reason and the SACD of Bruce Springsten Line in NYC because ..well because it's Bruce

I will be buying these SACDs and DVD-As when I see one that pushes the nostalgia or great music buttons in my brain.

I will probably buy all of the Springsteen catalog when it is released on SACD and I already have multiple LP and CDs versions of many of his releases....but that is the exception.

For me the draw is the potential of a great new remaster, not so much the bonus features. However, other than Bruce, I doubt I would replace many of the CDs I own with SACDs if ever released.

I am hoping that there is an SACD of Todd Rundgren's "A Wizard, a True Star" at some point...then my top college LPs would be covered.

 

[JMedeiros]

Quote:

Originally posted by markl What's up with this trend toward releasing these classic albums on 2-disc expanded editions on SACD? Mark

FYI....

There is a brochure included with Tommy that shows the following current and upcoming releases in this "Deluxe Edition Series":

Blind Faith-Blind Faith
James Brown Live at the Apollo Vol 2
Peter Frampton-Comes Alive
Marvin Gaye-Lets Get it On, What's Going On
Howlin' Wolf-The London Sessions
Rick James-Street Songs
Lynyrd Skynyrd-More from the Road
Bob Marley-Catch a Fire, Exodus, Legend, Rastaman Vibration
Gin Blossoms-New Miserable Experience
The Moody Blues-A Night at Red Rocks
Sonic Youth-Dirty
Velvet Underground & Nico
The Who-Live at Leeds, My Generation, Who's Next
and future releases from: Joe Jackson, Melissa Etheridge, Diana Ross and Donna Summer.

 

[JMedeiros]

I am listening to the 5.1 mix for the third time this morning..it is really beautiful. This is the first time I have really completely enjoyed an SACD's surround track. Tommy seems made for it. New drum hits and synth stuff I never heard before.

John

 

[markl]

Wow, John there's a whole slew of great titles there-- but are they going to be SACD or just CD-only?

 

[JMedeiros]

Quote:

Originally posted by markl Wow, John there's a whole slew of great titles there-- but are they going to be SACD or just CD-only?

Good question. The brochure just has a general description of these being

"Legendary albums remastered, restored and expanded with previously unreleased material on 2 CDs in special packaging"

there is a website listed:

Universal Chronicles

But, its a little hard to tell .....no mention of SACD on them.


Guess these are just the regular remastered CDs and they all seem to be available now....sorry if I got anybody all excited...

John

 

[dougbrad81]

i have the bob marley deluxe editions, the who deluxe editions, and blind faith deluxe edition. these are just remastered redbook cd's with bonus material released in 2001. and in the case of bob marley, the same masters as release in 1999 but with bonus material. anybody knows if a quadrophenia sacd is in the works?

 

[Jonny Quest]

A little off topic, but I just bought this set from deepdiscountcd.com for 20 and change, free shipping.

 

[Wmcmanus]

This has turned into a great thread!

I'm in agreement with Markl and others who have echoed his sentiments. Both the Stones and Dylan SACD releases represented true value in that ** most ** of them had never been remastered (save Blonde on Blonde, Blood on the Tracks, and a few others). I gobbled up these collections when they first came out and have not been disappointed. While there was only 'so much' the remastering process could do for those poorly recorded Stones albulms, the SACD layer is definitely better than redbook on all of them.

I don't think I'll bite on the Marley stuff. To my ears, the deluxe editions sound tremendous in the right headphone system, so I can't imagine the SACD versions will be much better.

Springsteen is a different story! I'm with Jmederios on this one - cant wait!

Good news about Clapton and Allman Brothers. This is exactly what is needed to give SACD a boost - the release of catalogs of "growing up" music of today's typical audioplile - American guys in their mid-30s through mid-50s. Yes, I know there are younger and older people in the hobby. There are women, non-Americans and all sorts of other demographics to consider but check out the forums at Audiogon and you'll see that the core of their membership are men from ages 35-55.

So where is the Steely Dan SACD catalog? Jethro Tull, Moody Blues, Led Zeplin, etc. No, forget Moody Blues - those have been remastered a thousand times already.