[MacDEF]

This thread is intended to be a Head-Fi "library" of DVD-A commentary/reviews; a "buying guide," if you will.

Now that more and more DVD-As are being released, we get a lot of threads asking which are good. Some albums are clear upgrades over their Redbook versions, but some aren't. Some have great multi-channel mixes, but mediocre two-channel (sometimes even worse than the original Redbook). Some classical CDs provide great sound, but poor performances.

As you audition new DVD-A releases, post your impressions here. Is a particular album worth "re-buying" on DVD-A? Is the sound significantly better than Redbook? Feel free to post thorough reviews or even just short comments -- just post something

 

[acs236]

Emmerson, Lake and Palmer's Brain Salad Surgery is far superior on DVD-A compared to the redbook version (that I have at least). In my opinion, it's not even close. The CD sounds very tinny in comparison.

 

[markl]

Here are a few that I've written up elsewhere and am compiling here, later on I'll review the other DVD-A discs I have.

Fleetwood Mac-- Say You Will DVD-A
Wow is this one just amazing. What we have here is one half of a Lindsay Buckingham aborted solo project meshed with one half Stevie Nicks solo album. Mic Fleetwood and John McVie, the bands mainstays since the beginning (and namesakes of the band) seem to be more or less along for the ride. No matter, they're still incredible players.

Lindsay Buckingham and the people he works with tend to be very concerned with sound quality and it pays off here. The clarity of this recording is awesome. Some of the mixes are very complex, but the extended resolution of DVD-A keeps it together with a huge soundstage for all these sounds to inhabit. Lindsay Buckingham productions tend to have a sort of trade-mark "sheen" that doesn't come off in the limited rez of Redbook CD all the time. Here it sounds open and sweet, not grainy and "bright". Anyway, the music is great, this is a classic band back together again on stride. Best thing they've done in years. IMO, this is a great disc to show off what DVD-A can do. Way recommended!

Also, the Fleetwood Mac Rumors DVD-A is also phenomenal and every track really is a classic. They went back to all the original tapes so this is really the best version of this material that's ever been released. This album is so solid start-to-finish it plays like most bands "best of" collections.

Another DVD-A I can't reco enough is Buena Vista Social Club. Even if you don't think you'd be interested in the music of aging repressed Cuban musicians, this album is pure gold. These are the greatest living Cuban musicians working together on mostly traditional Cuban music dating back to the pre-Castro days. Sound quality is immaculate, it's a very simple recording but so clear it's breathtaking. That music makes me feel great every time I listen to it, it's such an easy joyful sound. It's "world music", but if you want to hear something that really demonstrates what the format can do, get a copy of Buena Vista Social Club. Amazes me every time I hear it. Can't understand a word, but I feel better every time I play it, too. Everyone with a DVD-A player should have a copy!

Mark

 

[scottpaul_iu]

I listen to DVD-A's via a two channel setup. For laughs I throw the player into the HT setup to hear the MC recordings. But for my listening pleasure it is the Hi-Res Stereo recording for me.

ELP - BSS. Completely Awesome! Never heard all that detail before. Things like Lake's picking on the bass. How Palmer is playing the percussion, stick, brush, etc. I would like to hear this same team do this release on SACD.

Deep Purple - Machine Head. Like BSS, a record I have heard too many times too count. The first playing literally stopped me in my tracks. Damn that is what Blackmore was doing, that is Lord was doing, on and on.

Yes - Fragile, Magnification. Both crush the redbook release. Fragile DVD-A is better than my vinyl.

Eric Johnson - Ah Via Musicom (the release the E sanctioned). I was able to hear things that he was doing that I thought were a single or double tracked guitar as completely discrete separate tracks. I could name the guitar and amp that he was playing. Incredible.

Greatful Dead - Workingman's Dead. Spooky at how good this is.

I will second Markl's recs for FM and BVSC. Incredible.

Queen - A Night at the Opera and The Game. Never have I heard them like that. If you like Queen you must have these two discs. A reason to buy a DVD-A player.

Al Green - Greatest Hits. Awesome.

Steely Dan - 2 Against Nature. Kills the redbook cd

Don Fagen - The Nightfly - same as above.

 

[Dusty Chalk]

All of my reviews will be of the stereo layer if there is one, or of one of the mixes downmixed to stereo otherwise.

Queen A Night at the Opera -- sounds great beyond words, just really nice high frequency extension and impact (transients are back!). I hear a small amount of echo, but it's not distracting or bad in any way (this refers to the 96/24 stereo track).

Koyaanisqatsi -- sounds great, but not sure I'm hearing the difference between this and the redbook CD. No stereo layer.

Blue Man Group Audio -- no stereo layer. Downmixing artifacts (nasty!). But dynamics are incredible, and the redbook CD is HDCD encoded. Worth listening to at least once, and I will be attempting to hear the surround mix at some point.

 

[markl]

Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers-- Home of the Hits This is a collection of his best early work (mid to late 70s). This is love it or hate it music, you get it or you don't. How to describe... He sings utterly simple and sincere tunes about suburban life many times set to a 50s doo wop/real classic Rock 'N Roll flavor. Considered by some to be a proto punk but they're way off. there's not a trace of irony in any of it, and I can see some people saying it's a little "twee" or silly. Some of the songs border on novelty-hit territory. He has an almost wide-eyed innocent boy-ish quality to his songs and style.

He is probably best known as the guy with the guitar singing in between scenes of the Farrelly Bros movie "Something about Mary". Also, his song "ice cream man" (a live version is on this disc) is currently in a commercial but I forget what for.

Anyway, this disc has no stereo track so you have to listen to it 5.1 mixdown, a definite drawback, but I'm guessing that the source tapes in most instances aren't necessarily audiophile grade. Nevertheless, this music is amazing, joyous, funny, and involving-- you can learn all the songs the first time you hear it, and you'll be singing along on the second. Fun stuff, guaranteed to lift your spirits.

Mark

 

[markl]

Randy Newman-- Little Criminals DVD-A
This mid-70s Newman album is most famous for producing his only real chart success, "short people", a song that enraged the vertically challenged on whom the irony of the song was lost. Newman was actually decrying intolerance by taking the pont of view of a prejudiced individual to show how ugly and stupid intolerance is.

Newman does this often in his work, making it easy to confuse the characters in his songs with the man. That said, even the "real" Newman is acerbic, urbane, witty, sarcastic and wry. A huge influence on Elvis Costello, and even Nick Drake loved Newman's first album, just to show how diverse a spectrum of talent he helped inspire.

Anyway, on this record, Newman plays piano and sings as always but is backed up by members of the Eagles and other 70s era LA bands and studio rats. The sound has an easy, breezy very West Coast vibe, almost quintessentially LA circa '77. This is not considered one of Newman's best by most afficianados, but it's still a solid effort.

Sound quality on this one is not really a huge step up from CD, but is satisfactory improvement nonetheless. All in all, a pretty easy and painless introduction to Newman for the curious.

Mark

 

[screwdriver]

Dishwalla - Opaline DVD audio disc:

Multichannel playback is excellent .
2 channel playback is only a little better than the redbook version .
songs more on slow rock ballads as opposed to their usual first 2-3 albums.


Linkin Park - Reanimation DVD- audio

people with DVD-a surround sound systems should have this one - it envelopes you with a lot of sound .
basshead people also will love this disc.
have not compared it to redbook but the sound is superb.

 

[scottpaul_iu]

Doobie Brothers - Captain and Me
Great disc with some of their best songs. Acoustic guitars sound incredible, very lifelike and realistic. Very impressive.

I am going to get the Deep Purple Machine SACD soon. Should be interesting to compare it head to head with the DVD-A.

 

[elrod-tom]

OK...now that I'm without a DVD source for a few days (sent in for mods), I'll try to catch up on a few of these:

REM Document: I originally called this album a disappointment. I've reconsidered this review since I discovered that I may have inadvertently listend to the multi-channel mix

. It's better than the redbook, but not incredibly so..

Deep Purple Machine Head: Very well done...I like it a lot. The depth and soundstage really come through. Nice mix.

John Coltrane Blue Train: WOW!! A HUGE improvement over the redbook CD. Horns and cymbals are crystal clear, and the additional dynamic range really shines through.

ELP Brain Salad Surgery: OH MY GOD!!! I literally got chills the first time I heard it. A near religious experience. My favorite in terms of overall sonics and improvement over the redbook CD (which was kind of so-so to begin with).

The Beach Boys Pet Sounds: If you have been waiting for an excuse to make the change to the new format, this is it!! Soundstage is unbelievably full and lifelike, and this is a format where the extended dynamic range of the DVD-A really takes hold. My overall favorite thus far.

Neil Young Harvest: A BIG improvement over the redbook version. I really like what they've done with it, as it conveys a warmth and lifelike character that was lacking. That's not to say that the old redbook CD was not so good...it's that this version is SO good. A definate keeper.

Fleetwood Mac Rumors: An improvement over the redbook CD, but not an incredible improvement. The opening cut, "Second Hand News", just jumps out of my cans. A fun, welcome addition...but again, not an incredible change.

More later....

 

[scottpaul_iu]

I was at Border's this Saturday. They had a copy of this DVD-A release sitting out on the shelf. Release date was supposed to be July 22, 2003.

This is yet another stunning DVD-A release. The lead vocals and harmonies are incredible. I was simply floored at hearing this release.

 

[bubbamc119]

I have 3 dvd audio discs;
The Doors: LA woman

I don't have the redbook to compare it with but it sounds excellent in stereo.

Metallica: Black

The surround mix is ok although the stereo is a huge improvement on the cd. A must have for any Metallica fan (although master of puppets would have been nice).

Stone Temple Pilots

Once again don't have the cd to compare with but sounds very good.

 

[immtbiker]

Metallica - Black Album (intense and powerful)

Gary Moore - Back to the Blues (raw and roadhouselike, good guitar work and sound quality)

Ray Brown Trio - Soular Energy (great trio jazz that you can here the bass strings slapping against the frets)

Fleetwood Mac - Rumours (guitars and vocals I didn't know existed)

Yes - Magnification (saw this album in concert, and as a mid 40 year old Yes fan, I couldn't believe the magic still exists)

Miles Davis - Tutu (Marcus Miller has a big hand in this one...really shows full spectrum of speaker/headphone range)

...and my favorite, cleanest best surround engineering attempt at modern big band, with famous people...

Gordin Goowin's - Big Phat Band

 

[Jasper994]

The Rat Pack - Live At The Villa Venice sounds spectacular! warm, and natural sounding... very very nice.

 

[elrod-tom]

REM - The Best of REM: I'm not usually one who is big on best-of compilations. However, I found this at Best Buy the other day for $13.95, and thought I'd take a flyer on it. OH MY GOD!!! A quantum leap from any of the redbook cuts I'd heard. Favorites "Orange Crush" and "Stand" are better than I've heard before by a long shot. I was surprised to find that my favorite cuts on the album are "Everybody Hurts" and "At My Most Beautiful", which were simply stunning in their soundstaging, clarity, fine line resolution, and breathtaking musicality. WOW!! Talk about your surprise purchase. BTW - Listened only to the 24/192 High Res Stereo mix.

Sheryl Crow - The Globe Sessions: This one was good, but not a huge improvement over the redbook. Probably because it was merely 24/96, and not 24/192. Not bad, but save your $$ for something else IMHO.