[markl]

David Bowie-- Ziggy Stardust hybrid SACD Well, IMO, as an album, this is still over-rated. Still, half of it is made up of really great songs. This is the third remastered older Bowie SACD I have made in Holland on import (also have let's Dance and Scary Monsters reviewed earlier in this thread). They've all been remastered by one Peter Mew at Abby Road. Not familiar with his other masterings, but his work on these older Bowie discs is uniformly amazing so far. All 3 are among the best SACDs I've got sonically. I also have Bowie's recent Heathen, which is not Peter Mew mastering it, and the sound is not as good as the other three. If you are a Bowie fan, you owe it to yourself to check these out, just fantastic.

Ryan Adams--Gold SACD
Had this on Redbook, I would say the SACD is a marginal, though worth-while sonic upgrade. Half the songs are great, the other half don't work so well, all in all a typical Ryan Adams album in that regard. Thumbs unenthusiastically up.

 

[CWCalk]

On a Marantz SA-14 SACD/CD...

Bill Evans - Waltz for Debbie
Bill Evans - Live at the Village Vanguard

2nd/3rd/4th.. prior posts. Each is much, much better on SACD than CD and perhaps reason alone to own an SACD player.

Getz/Gilberto

Excellent on SACD, however not as much difference between Redbook CD and SACD as demonstrated by the Evans SACD's

Stones - Beggars Banquet

I cannot notice much difference, if any, between CD and SACD.

Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison

My only Johnny Cash CD/SACD/Album, however he sounds great on SACD. Probably worth pursuing if you are a Johnny Cash fan or want to hear a legend.

Anne-Sophie Mutter - Beethoven Violin Concerto/Romances

I am not sure but believe this may be an original release on dual layer SACD/CD. Recording quality is excellent and I like the performance. Hopefully Heifetz/Munch BSO recording will be re-released on SACD.

 

[SouthPaW1227]

Well I recently got my SACD player, so I ordered up some SACDs to test it out. Here's my thoughts:

3 Doors Down - "Away From The Sun"
One of the few modern rock albums available on SACD, but hopefully this is just the beginning of getting all of modern rock on SACD. This album was wonderful to begin with; the guys of 3 Doors Down provided an album that beat an already stellar first album. This album only comes on a hybrid disc, having both standard CD & SACD layers, but the SACD layer features newly produced multichannel & stereo layers. I listened to the stereo SACD layer in my home player (see sig.) in the same setup listed in my sig. The stereo version of the SACD is mighty impressive. The guitars are crystal clear, and I mean as clear as humanly possible...zero background noise, perfect seperation of channels and instruments, just an all-around solid SACD. This album is incredible, and having it sounding as good as possible on SACD is just an awesome bonus. If you want a modern rock album to please your ears, look no further. This is certainly worth checking out, even to those who typically don't dig modern rock, these guys are amazing. Definitely a must-buy. I paid a low $12.98 from Amazon.com.

Zebrahead - "Playmate of the Year"
Alright people...let me say one thing first: This album alone is reason enough to purchase a SACD player. This album is probably one of the least purchased SACDs out, primarily because this album is by a band of punk rockers, and typical audiophiles don't listen to rock/punk/EMO/etc. However, it's a horrible shame...this album isn't their latest, but it's probably their best. These guys have a very unique sound & have awesome melodies along with rockin' guitar riffs. Every song on the album is great, no fillers here. This is a single-layer SACD meant only for SACD players, and there has been an extraordinary amount of work put into this SACD. The quality is beyond amazing, it's as close to perfect as I've ever heard. The full range of sound is explicitly represented and you don't miss a single note while listening. Bass is strong, guitars are stellar, and the album is just a joy to listen to. This is absolutely a must buy for rock/punk/EMO fans. I got this for ~$18 from Amazon.com...worth every penny.

 

[jpelg]

Quote:

Originally posted by AdamP88 I'll add another plug for "Alison Krauss + Union Station Live" - it's probably my most listened to SACD. The performance is technically outstanding (I could listen to New Favorite all day long)

Ditto. If you have an SACD player, just get it! Nothing else to say.

 

[SouthPaW1227]

Joe Satriani - "Strange Beautiful Music"

This guy is absolutely amazing...a prodigy on guitar to say the very least. Aside from his amazing skills, the non-hybrid SACD in which this tremendous album is on is a great match to go with his insane lead lines. This SACD is wonderfully mastered...the stereo mix is super. A lot of times the stereo gets overlooked, but there's a very awesome sweep that occurs at perfect times from left/right & vice versa, and the channel seperation is incredible. On the songs where he plays acoustic w/ electric lead on top, you can easily make out each instrument in each earcup. All the levels are sweet, although the focus is clearly the guitar. If you don't dig in-your-face guitar, don't buy, but goodness, who couldn't enjoy this guy's talent? The *only* gripe w/ this one is I'm a bit shocked that I heard a veryyy (Stress, TINY!) tiny amount of hiss before & after tracks that have silence at their beginnings & endings. My amp produces a pitch black backdrop, so I know it's in the recording, but I mean you lose all concentration on it as soon as the music cranks in, but I hafta strive to find at least one gripe, eh? I love this album b/c it's different than his others; it's a change from the techno/synth style & is more rythmic & distorted guitar based...if you enjoy guitar at all, do yourself a favor & get this...it's a great addition to any SACD collection. I paid ~$15 from Amazon.com for this.

 

[markl]

Yes! Two more reference SACDs here. This is the best I've ever heard Stevie on disc. I've owned a couple versions of his stuff on various compilations over the years, most recently I've got The Essential which came out in 2003 I believe. These SACDs have it all over the versions on the Essential, as well as those on his previous Greatest Hits 1 and Greatest Hits 2 which I've also owned.

Damn, he shreds!

If you are familiar with his work, you know this and you dig it, so what are you waiting for, pick up these discs ASAP!

If you are new to him, he's a great white blues guitar player (with a remarkably soulful voice for a white guy), just insane on that instrument if you like electric guitar (and what red-blooded American male does not?

). Died tragically way before his time around 15 years ago. These are his first two albums from the mid-80s, most of his best work is here. Sadly, the rest of his catalog hasn't made it to SACD yet, but I'm sure in time it will.

The only problem-- these are 1999 SACDs (NOT hybrids, sorry) in very scarce supply that can command a pretty penny on ebay where I got mine. Couldn't Stand is especially rare, and cost me around $25 with shipping.

Good luck!

 

[markl]

Legendary live recording of his 1968 performnace at Folsom Prison. His comeback album after years of cocaine and speed abuse that nearly killed him. I don't like country music particularly but I sure do love Johnny Cash. To me his music transcends the (to me) often lame and corny cliched country genre, his music is gritty, real, and has elements of early rock 'n roll and rockabilly. And man, what a voice! Sadly, his voice is practically shot on this recording, you can hear he's having trouble, but it adds an extra edge to the already edgy performance.

This is the entire concert start to finish, no editing with all the between song banter intact just as it happened. There's also a surprising amount of profanity in this for a 1968 recording. I imagine the original issue must have edited out Johnny's swearing, this edition contains songs not included in the original. The whoops and blood curdling yells of the prisoners during Cash's tales of guns, murder, whiskey and cocaine can give you creepy chills at times.

Sound quality is excellent, it has a really "you are there" feeling. I can't compare this to any other version as this is the first time I've owned this music.

Thumbs up!

 

[immtbiker]

Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture-Eugene Fodor & Alexander Peskanov

This is Telarc's masterful version of the classic in multichannel format performed by the Cincinnati Pops with Erich Kunzel at the wheel. All Telarc does, is attempt to produce the finest recordings in the world, and this one and every other release they have made, has never let me down.
If you have 5 different versions of 1812, or none at all, put your computer in standby, and go and buy this SACD (comes in DVD-Audio, too). Telarc hired the original cannoneers, and church bell ringers, from the original release, and re-recorded using the DSD technique.



To recreate the most best possible recording, they used three nineteenth-century cannons, which the Fifth Virginia Regiment, owns and maintains , and to get the most of the effect of the cannon sounds, they used twenty-four different charges with sixteen shots of large and small charges, fired and recorded them.

I got rushes up my spine listening to the last 5 minutes of this song. Tape up your windows, send your neighbors to the movies, insure your speakers and prepare for nirvana (the state of mind, not the group).

 

[kevin gilmore]

Best of Simple Minds 2 sacd set.

Amazing sound. 2.5 hours of well produced rock.

 

[acs236]

The Freewheein' Bob Dylan

In case you don't know, this is a very spartan album from the folk days. The sound quality is superb. There is an eerie live quality to Dylan's voice and from a forty year-old album!

 

[markl]

Quote:

Best of Simple Minds 2 sacd set. Amazing sound. 2.5 hours of well produced rock.

Gotta agree, but really Disc 2 is all but unnecessary, for me, as they became a bloated U2 wanna-be band after '86 or so, which is such a disappointment because the earlier stuff represented on Disc 1 is so ahead of its time, and innovative.

If you only know this band as a "one-hit-wonder" where-are-they-now from the '80s thanks to their hit from Breakfast Club (Don't You Forget About Me), you'd be amazed to know this was actually a great band, great musicianship too. Actually, that's not even one of their songs, they didn't write it. Worth checking out if you aren't *afraid* of 80s music (it wasn't *all* bad--really!)

Mark

 

[markl]

Another reference disc here. This is a 1973 album, classic soul/R&B. Whether you know it or not, you've been exposed to at least one song on this album, "For the Love of Money" ("Money/Money/Money/Money.... Mo-Nay!") which has been exerpted millions of times in movies and commercials. O'Jays are a soul music vocal group, this is produced by the famous Gamble & Huff production team from Philadelphia.

This album is "conscious" soul music, not just focused on love, it's concerened with the environment, money, human relations, and the title track ain't about the Love Boat, it's a mini-epic about a slave ship.

You've got to hear this, it's the best 70's analog sound, and they've really done it justice with this remaster, it sounds fantastic.

There's a multi-channel layer as well, which was constructed from the original quad mix (early 4-channel surround from the 70s).

Thumbs way up!

 

[Oliver :)]

Watch out, there are two versions, apparently one of them lacks the multichannel. I just had a listen on the iTMS (there must be some use to it in Europe, it is the best-sounding and most reliable sample-collection ever

), and even the streamed version sounded great... this thread is turning into a money vampire...

 

[markl]

Man, another great one. I wonder how many people were conceived to this album? Put this on, you are guaranteed to get laid!

All-time classic sexy soul album, Motown, circa 1973. This SACD sounds fantastic!

Need one say more?

 

[kevin gilmore]

Just got all 7 of the oscar peterson disks. I've listened to two.
Absolutely great stuff. Although the bass in the left channel only
is a bit distracting when wearing headphones.

Think of it as a very upbeat monk.