[freeflight]

I took the plunge and bought the CE775 for $169 at local Circuit City.

I need some help on finding SACDs.

I have a small collection of Redbook CDs (around 200). 85% are classical, 10% pop, 5% jazz. I would appreciate your suggestion on getting some SACDs. I do not mind getting SACD that duplicates the content of Redbook CD as long as it is noticeably better. My favorite composers are Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart, and Tchaikovsky. I start to enjoy the Jazz work of Miles, David.

Could you please recommend your
1 . top 5 classical SACDs (Which Four Seasons? Which Goldberg variatin is better? I have Gould's 55 and 81)?
2. top 5 pop SACDs(Stranger of Billy Joel sounds really nice in CC)?
3. top 5 Jazz SACDs, some female vocal please (How good is the SACD version of Mile Stone comparing to Redbook version)?

I will buy most SACDs online, maybe some from BB. Please also recommend a good store (amazon? tower?).

Thanks a lot for your help.

freeflight

 

[freeflight]

Less than 5 is fine. Just recommend something you like.

 

[kerelybonto]

Okay, my music tastes are probably quite a bit different from yours, and I only own a few SACDs -- but I still have to recommend Friday Night in San Francisco. Actually I've heard the SACD doesn't sound significantly better than the Redbook version, which is not too surprising since it's a live recording, but if you don't already own a copy, get it.

If you haven't heard it before -- it's jazz guitar legend John McLaughlin and two of his compadres, Al Di Meola and Paco de Lucia, their acoustic guitars, and a small crowd on a Friday night in San Francisco. If you can appreciate great guitar work, you'll love it.

Let's see, anything else ... I only have one Miles Davis recording on SACD, Miles Smiles. It sounds noticably better than my Kind of Blue Redbook copy, but it was recorded eleven years later, so that's a given. The only other SACD I have right now is Boston's debut -- and surprisingly it's the one I've been most impressed with. I don't have the Redbook version to compare to, but I think the format's strengths in the high frequencies really carry through on the piercing guitars and elevated vocals.

kerely

 

[sacd lover]

I like rock/BLUES so thats what I can best recommend:

ROLLING STONES/LET IT BLEED
CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL/COMOS FACTORY
MIGHTY SAM MCCLAIN/GREATEST HITS
TERRY EVANS/PUTTIN IT DOWN
AUDIOQUEST SACD SAMPLER

 

[FCJ]

Here's what I would recommend:

1. Any of the Rolling Stones' SACD remasters, particulary Let It Bleed, Beggars Banquet, Aftermath (UK), and Between the Buttons (UK).

2. Miles Davis--Big Fun (large improvement over redbook)

3. Bob Dylan--Blonde on Blonde (worth buying an SACD for this alone--I would love to hear the new Sundazed mono reissue!).

4. Omnibus Wind Ensemble--Music By Frank Zappa (Opus 3)--"classical" reworkings of Zappa. Great sound, fun disk.

 

[redshifter]

can anyone recommend some full dsd sacd's?

 

[kerelybonto]

Aren't all SACDs DSD?

kerely

 

[sacd lover]

I think he means originally recorded in dsd vs analog or pcm digital recordings transfered to dsd.

 

[freeflight]

Thanks all of you for your input. I will look for these Friday after exam. Any recommendations on Classical and Vocal Jazz please?
Please also tell me what are/is your demo SACDs?

Thanks.

I guess redshifter means full DSD start from recording.

 

[FCJ]

The new/recent Michael Tilson Thomas recordings of the Mahler 1 and 6th are supposed to be astounding, although I haven't heard them.

I'd stay away from the Gould 1981 Goldberg SACD. It was a bad recording when made, and I can't see how SACD can be an improvement. You should check out "A State of Wonder" which combines the 55/81 into one set. The 1981 is not the digital original, but an analog version that was recorded in tandem with the digital (the engineers didn't trust digital, so they recorded to analog just in case). It blows away the original.

 

[sacd lover]

Another good sacd is JAMES TAYLOR/HOURGLASS.

 

[BenG]

Quote:

Originally posted by kerelybonto Aren't all SACDs DSD? kerely

He means original DSD recordings, not mastered from tape or PCM. I've really been disapointed by the lack of new & musically impressive recordings.

Of newer recordings, The Anthony Wilson Trio - Our Gang is alright, an update on the classic Organ Trio, though nothing revolutionary. Sound is more the star here.

 

[freeflight]

Redshifter, there is a good website to buy and check out SACD info: http://www.elusivedisc.com/

If you click the selction on the left, there is a option to see pure DSD SACDs.

 

[redshifter]

yeah, i meant dsd mastered recordings.

thanks for the tip on the 1981 gould goldbergs. let's see, i have the 1950's version on mono vinyl, fake stereo tape, remastered mono cd, the 1981 version on vinyl, and cd. so if i get the "state of wonder" sacd that will be i think 6 versions to choose from. i'm tempted, though. i'll check out that website, thanks.

 

[freeflight]

I am a Gould fan too. I have almost all the Gould's Bach, around 25 CDs. I have both 55 and 81 Goldberg variations, and the DVD. I might pick up Murray Perahia's Goldberg variation SACD for the time being.

I ordered three pure DSD multi-channel SACDs from tower.com, Mahler'1st, Four Seasons by Moscow Chamber, and Carmina Burana.