My music source has revealed that on April 23rd 2008 all of the Dead Can Dance library will be re-issued on SACD. Not sure if it will be surround but it will definitely be SACD. While this band may not be everyone's 'cup of tea', I would certainly like to hear 'Within the Realm of a Dying Sun' with the updated sound.

Thought I would pass the information on to those who like that 80's 4AD sound that was so unique at the time, and in someways, still is!

Yeah, CDJapan is listing this date. It also says limited edition, cardboard sleeve but no mention of multichannel.

Wow. If anything deserves a hi-rez/surround treatment, it's Dead Can Dance. I bought "Into the Labyrinth" over 10 years ago not knowing what the music was. Great stuff, and yes, not everyones cup of tea. But I sure dig it. Thanks for the info.

I would take this with a BIG 'grain of salt' - has been rumored before with ultimately no subtantiation! Hope it's true, but i suspect it is right there with Wish You Were Here - vaporware.

Amazon now has DCD SACD imports listed as available for pre-order:
http://www.amazon.com/Spiritchaser-Dead-Can-Dance/dp/B0013F35TE

I'm familiar with Lisa Gerard's music as a solo artist but not much with DCD which she was part of. Anyone can tell me if the style is close or similar of what Lisa is doing these days? Thanks.

It is similar, although Brendan Perry adds a balancing influence IMO. I much prefer DCD to solo Lisa Gerard - but that is just my taste.

Yeah, CDJapan is listing this date. It also says limited edition, cardboard sleeve but no mention of multichannel.

I read on the 4ad forums it looks like only one or two will be multichannel.

part of the forum reply:

"Unfortunately, due to the way DCD recorded, multi-tracks only exist of the first album and ep (and yes, Brendan's looked at remixing them but the sounds he disliked were in the recording so he couldn't do anything satisfactory with them). We did want to do surround mixes but without multis there's nothing that can be done. Many of the albums were actually created in the final mastering where triggered samples (not on the multitrack) were mixed in live. This means that, apart from the stereo masters, there is no other recording containing all the musical elements."


Here is a link to the whole thread: http://beggars.bway.net/forum/showthread.php?t=13573

I am really looking forward to these.

UT-Driven

Thanks for the additional info, UT-Driven!

:)

WOW!

Huge DCD and Lisa g. fan here, and been hoping for something like this for a few years.

Too about the stereo only, but hey, this music deserves the best medium to bring it all home.


Now $255 poorer, then a lot richer when these discs arrive :p

I will buy these the second they become available.

Brendan Perry has one of the greatest male voices ever to grace a recording.

Truly unique band.... like most 4AD artists. I picked up the Gladiator Soundtrack to see that Lisa was on it.... Which sounds absolutely amazing. But I was listening to Aion, and I thought that the sonic quality was there, and wondered about an SACD release... Well I guess I need not wonder further! My mate love this band, she will flip when she hears the SACD editions. I tried to educate her on the benefits of SACD & DVD-a, but it was like words falling on deaf ears, hopefully the disc itself will make a believer of her.

They're all listen on the sa-cd site now too, with several pre-order links to choose from.

http://www.sa-cd.net/alltitles/489

It will be interesting to crunch some numbers and see where the cheapest place with shipping will be to order from. amazon.jp seems to be it at first glance.

I got an email from Scott at Elusive Disc with links to three of the titles now available for pre-order.

edit - the previous links have been changed. These are the new links:

Dead Can Dance
http://www.elusivedisc.com/prodinfo.asp?number=4ADSA2705

Garden Of The Arcane Delights
http://www.elusivedisc.com/prodinfo.asp?number=4ADSA2706

Spleen & Ideal
http://www.elusivedisc.com/prodinfo.asp?number=4ADSA2707

Within The Realm Of A Dying Sun
http://www.elusivedisc.com/prodinfo.asp?number=4ADSA2708

The Serpent's Egg
http://www.elusivedisc.com/prodinfo.asp?number=4ADSA2709

Aion
http://www.elusivedisc.com/prodinfo.asp?number=4ADSA2710

Into The Labyrinth
http://www.elusivedisc.com/prodinfo.asp?number=4ADSA2711

Toward The Within
http://www.elusivedisc.com/prodinfo.asp?number=4ADSA2712

SpiritChaser
http://www.elusivedisc.com/prodinfo.asp?number=4ADSA2713

Why do you imagine are they so high at Amazon.com? They are $31.48 to $39.49.

Doug

Elusive Disc lists them all as stereo, not multichannel. If I were to buy just one disc to check out a new group (to me), which one would you recommend?

Lee

Why do you imagine are they so high at Amazon.com? They are $31.48 to $39.49.

DougI'm not sure why they're so high at Amazon. I'm guessing they priced them as imports since they're coming from Japan.

Elusive Disc lists them all as stereo, not multichannel. If I were to buy just one disc to check out a new group (to me), which one would you recommend?

LeeYou really can't go wrong with any of them. Their first album is their weakest IMO and has much more of a goth feel than their later albums. Spleen And Ideal, Within the Realm of a Dying Sun, Aion and Spiritchaser would all be good choices for a first time listener. I suggest checking out your local used CD shops and picking up a couple for only a few dollars to hear for yourself. The sound quality of the CDs is excellent and you can't go wrong. You can also head over to Amazon.com to hear clips or buy used CDs for fairly cheap.

I haven't visited this section in a while but before hand I did not realize how expensive of a trip this would be :)

Anyone have these in hand for a listen? We've been DCD fans for nearly 14 years...but honestly without being MC I don't know how many we would purchase on SACD.

Some of the early ones like Spiritchaser had poor audio quality IMO so I'd like to hear some reviews of the recording quality.

Plus buying all of what we have over again is obviously cost prohibitive. Now if they would release Wake on SACD, even at $50-$60 we'd buy it.

I haven't visited this section in a while but before hand I did not realize how expensive of a trip this would be :)

Anyone have these in hand for a listen? We've been DCD fans for nearly 14 years...but honestly without being MC I don't know how many we would purchase on SACD.

Some of the early ones like Spiritchaser had poor audio quality IMO so I'd like to hear some reviews of the recording quality.

Plus buying all of what we have over again is obviously cost prohibitive. Now if they would release Wake on SACD, even at $50-$60 we'd buy it.

These are not now scheuled for release until early-June, so nobody has them 'in hand'. I agree it is a shame they are only 2 channel, but perhaps the remaster/remix/hirez treatment will make them worthwhile.

BTW, Spiritchaser was theire most recent/last release and had good sound quality - perhaps you meant a different album?

Acousticsounds has all nine SACDs as a set on pre-order for $159.99...

http://store.acousticsounds.com/browse_detail.cfm?Title_ID=49244

I doubt this price will be beat for this set.

Acousticsounds has all nine SACDs as a set on pre-order for $159.99...

http://store.acousticsounds.com/browse_detail.cfm?Title_ID=49244

I doubt this price will be beat for this set.

I agree. That is under $18 a disc. I was going to go with the Amazon.co.uk price of 11 pounds a piece, which is almost $22 per. Thanks for sharing the link! I have bought from them before, but I wouldn't think to look since they can be more expensive than the other vendors on many dvd-audio and sacd titles.

Doug

Sorry for this post, but I've tried Googl'ing a bit and am confused on one thing: Which title (if any) is available in 5.1? I'm hoping Into the Labyrinth.

Sorry for this post, but I've tried Googl'ing a bit and am confused on one thing: Which title (if any) is available in 5.1? I'm hoping Into the Labyrinth.

It looks like they all will be stereo. The 4AD forums topic sounded like they would be able to create at least one in multi-channel, but I guess they decided to go all stereo. I was hoping to get a multi-channel release too.

Doug

Yes, 2 channel is too bad - hopefully the remaster/SACD treatment in 2 channel will be worthwhile, particularly for the older albums.

Yes, 2 channel is too bad - hopefully the remaster/SACD treatment in 2 channel will be worthwhile, particularly for the older albums.
According to Brendan Perry there's quite an improvement. From a myspace bulletin he sent out a few weeks back:

I have to say there is a huge improvement in the sound quality of the new re-mastered albums when compared to previous pressings.

Even I was surprised by the recent technical advances made in audio processing!

best wishes

Brendan

Gee, what a shock! These SACD releases have been pushed back AGAIN - now to late-July. Starting to wonder if these are ever actually going to see the light of day (a bit like the Gabriel era Genesis discs).

OY!

the MYSTERIOUS box set has finally posted on 4AD.com. Nothing too super fantastic at this time... maybe they'll add something interesting- a booklet? art cards? a velvet box just isn't enough, IMO.
no presell or $ info yet.
\just thought i'd post if you haven't surfed through 4AD in a while.

For some reason, Amazon lists the domestic individual discs now, but only has the box set as an import. I did find the box set for $159.99 at Music Direct (http://www.musicdirect.com/product/82691)
Looks like Jul 22 as the release date now.

For some reason, Amazon lists the domestic individual discs now, but only has the box set as an import. I did find the box set for $159.99 at Music Direct (http://www.musicdirect.com/product/82691)
Looks like Jul 22 as the release date now.

The $159.99 price is not a box set, it is more like a bundle of the 9 discs together. I ordered the same set from Acoustic Sounds and I asked them if it was the box set. For some reason, the box set is quite a bit more, almost double at the sites I saw it. I don't need a velvet box that badly.

Doug

I agree, i will live just fine without the actual velvet box. From what I have seen, that box would cost me about $200.

I have the SACD of Into the Labyrinth, and have now listened to it twice. I've never heard the CD, so offer no comparison.

I am very impressed with this SACD. As expected, it is only 2 channel.

I find the sound very smooth. It has no digital harshness, and no upper frequency boost (to add detail so they say). Thus compared to some other music it is slightly on the dull side.

But all the detail is there, and all the top end sounds natural and very clear.

There is huge depth to this music. And it can be played loud without fatigue.

Given my experience with the first box of the Genesis SACDs, I was very reluctant to order more than one Dead Can Dance just in case this was a Nick Davis (cursed be his name) inspired remaster.

It is anything but. This is how things should be done. I've just ordered the other 8 SACDs.

The cheapest place I found for Into the Labyrinth was CDWOW.com (search for "dead sacd"). As they have free postage, it is a great deal.

The other 8 do not appear in the above search. Apparently there is a technical glitch, but if you go to:

http://www.cdwow.com/music/NewReleases/page/4 you will see the other 8. Note that as this page is new releases, this link will probably not work for long.

I am very impressed with Into the Labyrinth, and highly recommend it to anyone who might appreciate the music of Dead Can Dance. I know that I will be using this disc as a demonstration disc in the future.

Cheers,
Michael

All this waiting ..... DSD remasters on July 22nd, third Genesis box set in September, the second half of Battlestar Galactica season 4 in January (now THAT hurts) .... and still nothing from Meridian on an HDMI solution for my beloved 861 processor! Must be some kind of right-wing conspiracy ..... or is it left wing?

If it is not going well, then it is a zero wing conspiracy :-)

As anyone who has read the Genesis thread knows, I was a major Genesis fan before the first SACD box, and (unless things turn out much better than I expect) will not be getting the third box.

A week ago I owned only one Dead Can Dance CD (which I had not got around to playing). Now I have a SACD I've listened to twice, and the other 8 SACDs on order. Other groups I owned nothing of before the hi-rez versions, and now own all of, are Depeche Mode and Talking Heads.

It is nice to reward the companies that do it right by buying their product.

Into the Labyrinth is a GREAT album, my second favorite of all the DCD abums (Within the Realm of a Dying Sun is #1). I'm very pleased it sounds good - too bad it's not MCH, but these days, as a hirez music fan, 'beggars can't be choosers'.

So the Depeche Mode albums are good? Any one in particular to start with?

So the Depeche Mode albums are good? Any one in particular to start with?

The DM albums sound great in 5.1 SACD. Violator is a good place to start IMHO. CDWOW still has it in stock.
Yourmusic dot com has A Broken Frame in DTS/DD if you want to try the one of the surround mixes on the cheap.

Violator (Depeche Mode)is the disc that I have played the most. I have the others, and they are in the queue to be heard one day.

I got the other 8 SACDs from CDWOW today, and now have the set.

As this is new music to me, I'll get to know the albums one by one.

I look forward to finding out what those who already know the music think of these discs, and how they compare to the earlier versions.

Anyone in the USA got these yet? Mine are apparently 'in the mail'.

I am in the same boat... at least they are shipping.

I ordered the whole set from deepdiscount.com a couple of weeks ago, and they all shipped yesterday. Interestingly, the SACDs no longer appear on their website.

Mine arrived from acousticsounds yesterday. I'm only casually listening to them in the background now, but I'm very pleased so far.

Bah, UPS hates me, they are always here before lunch... Of course when I am waiting for music on a friday they wait until the end of the day, when I will not be able to give them a good listen!

Finally got my discs... Listened to Toward the Within first to see how well the live was remastered, now listening to Into the Labyrinth. So far I am quite impressed. I know all of these CD releases incredibly well, and the remasters are a definite improvement, in fact one of the better $150 I have spent on audio in my life. I will probably update again on Monday when I have had a chance to give all of the discs a good listen.

Finally got mine today, and after an initial listen to a couple, I am quite impressed. Agree that they are a nice improvement on the originals. Too bad no MCH.

SACD is dead, long live SACD!