I went to my local BestBuy and scouted out their remaining DVD-A collection. It's a fun treasure hunt to look for those larger plastic cases sticking out from the rest. Here's what I picked up this weekend:
Beatles - "Love"
Great production quality. I'm still on the fence wrt the overall concept though (I'm more of an album guy). I think that Beatles fans, of which I am definitely one, have been waiting for better versions of their classic favs for so long that this is like mana to the starving. I like it a lot though, and recommend it. Nice to have a separate Redbook disc for portable listening too.
Depeche Mode - "Some Great Reward"
(only gave this a brief listen, so I'll come back this this, but so far it rocks!)
Dire Straits - "Brothers In Arms"
(to be reviewed)
Donald Fagen - "Morph the Cat"
His stuff is of such high quality normally that this is not such a huge leap over the Redbook. Still the DVD-A does have that little "something extra". If you have a DVD-A player, get it.
Eagles - "Hotel California"
How can an album from 1976 sound so terrific & fresh? Strangely, although there is a menu choice to select the stereo mix, it simply does not play through any output. Given that even the analog outputs on my player do not play anything when that mix is selected, I have to conclude that the content is missing from my disc, and not just "protected" from digital output. I've read online posts that the stereo mix is present on a rare number of discs, but I've yet to confirm that. Even still, the 5.1 96kHz/24 mix (downmixed to stereo) sounds fabulous! Just get it. If you don't have a DVD-A player, this is reason enough by itself, imo.
Elton John - "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"
I guess this is my week to re-listen to old albums from the 70's finally done right. The DVD-A definitely "killed the fatted calf". Elton never sounded so good to these ears.
Fleetwood Mac - "Rumours"
Again, another classic album from the 70's, that we've all heard over & over, yet sounds as fresh as anything from today in this DVD-A. Personally, I found the 192kHz/24 Stereo mix to be a bit thin sounding, and separation to be artificially wide & offputting. However, the 5.1 96kHz/24 mix (downmixed to stereo) sounds full, rich, & "right" with a clean blackground. It blows away any redbook version I've heard. Another testimony to what this hi-rez format can deliver.
Fleetwood Mac - "Say You Will"
(to be reviewed)
Steely Dan - "Gaucho"
I have the SACD which, from memory, sounded great (I don't have an SACD player anymore). The DVD-A sounds awesome too. A no-brainer for SD fans.
Beatles - "Love"
Great production quality. I'm still on the fence wrt the overall concept though (I'm more of an album guy). I think that Beatles fans, of which I am definitely one, have been waiting for better versions of their classic favs for so long that this is like mana to the starving. I like it a lot though, and recommend it. Nice to have a separate Redbook disc for portable listening too.
Depeche Mode - "Some Great Reward"
(only gave this a brief listen, so I'll come back this this, but so far it rocks!)
Dire Straits - "Brothers In Arms"
(to be reviewed)
Donald Fagen - "Morph the Cat"
His stuff is of such high quality normally that this is not such a huge leap over the Redbook. Still the DVD-A does have that little "something extra". If you have a DVD-A player, get it.
Eagles - "Hotel California"
How can an album from 1976 sound so terrific & fresh? Strangely, although there is a menu choice to select the stereo mix, it simply does not play through any output. Given that even the analog outputs on my player do not play anything when that mix is selected, I have to conclude that the content is missing from my disc, and not just "protected" from digital output. I've read online posts that the stereo mix is present on a rare number of discs, but I've yet to confirm that. Even still, the 5.1 96kHz/24 mix (downmixed to stereo) sounds fabulous! Just get it. If you don't have a DVD-A player, this is reason enough by itself, imo.
Elton John - "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"
I guess this is my week to re-listen to old albums from the 70's finally done right. The DVD-A definitely "killed the fatted calf". Elton never sounded so good to these ears.
Fleetwood Mac - "Rumours"
Again, another classic album from the 70's, that we've all heard over & over, yet sounds as fresh as anything from today in this DVD-A. Personally, I found the 192kHz/24 Stereo mix to be a bit thin sounding, and separation to be artificially wide & offputting. However, the 5.1 96kHz/24 mix (downmixed to stereo) sounds full, rich, & "right" with a clean blackground. It blows away any redbook version I've heard. Another testimony to what this hi-rez format can deliver.
Fleetwood Mac - "Say You Will"
(to be reviewed)
Steely Dan - "Gaucho"
I have the SACD which, from memory, sounded great (I don't have an SACD player anymore). The DVD-A sounds awesome too. A no-brainer for SD fans.
