Dire Straits - BIA SACD... is it really that good?

[Xenos]

Just looking for your guys thoughts on this SACD.

I've heard countless times how "amazing" and 'breathtaking" this SACD is and wanted to hear some thoughts from the good ol' AVSForum users.

My main concern is with the 5.1 layer. But if you have comments on the stereo layer, feel free to share them aswell.

I read a review @ avrev.com that wasn't too fond at all of the 5.1 mix; saying it barely used the rear channels at all. So guys... tell me what YOU think.

[David Scott]

It's one of the best 5.1 mixes out there. My brother just bought a system that can play it and I recommended it to him. I think "amazing" is the word he used. It's a really good album as well. Two thumbs up, way up, from this avs'er.

[s2pdname]

Originally Posted by David Scott

It's one of the best 5.1 mixes out there. My brother just bought a system that can play it and I recommended it to him. I think "amazing" is the word he used. It's a really good album as well. Two thumbs up, way up, from this avs'er.

Ditto! I couldn't agree more.

[MickB]

Without a doubt!

[PaulT_BC]

It always tops my list !

[Jammin JC]

I have the DVDA (dualdisc) version and it has sounds coming thru my surrounds. The recording quality is excellent. I liked it so much, I purchased "Sailing to Philadelphia" and "Shangri-La" hi rez discs also. They are excellent recordings as well.

[Martin419]

DVD-A / Dualdisc is the best version, according to Chuck Ainlay who produced it, as he explains in this feature (at end of part 2) which I wrote for HFR on the mixing of . . .

http://www.highfidelityreview.com/fe...in_arms_01.asp


Amazon links:-

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...657459-1230226

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Brothers-Arm...e=UTF8&s=music

Hope this helps.
Martin.

[Dobby]

I'm in the minority here. The 5.1 release dosn't seam to have the same "punch" to me as the stereo version. Case in point: the opening to Money For Nothing where the drums come in sound awefully weak to me compared to the stereo. So far Away dosn't have the same snare "crack" as the original. Overall, if you love surround like me, then definatly buy it. The original sounds pretty damn good on cd though so dont expect a hi-rez revelation. JMO.

[oztech]

Originally Posted by Jammin JC

I have the DVDA (dualdisc) version and it has sounds coming thru my surrounds. The recording quality is excellent. I liked it so much, I purchased "Sailing to Philadelphia" and "Shangri-La" hi rez discs also. They are excellent recordings as well.

have those and you will not regret it.

[ematcion]

I have the US pressing and the later European remastered CD on the Vertigo label, and if you're talking about the stereo hi-rez layer, the SACD blows those 2 versions away.

[KMO]

Are the DVDA and SACD the same mix? I see that Amazon UK has the SACD for £6 and the DVDA for £30 - I doubt the DVDA is 5 times better

[ematcion]

Originally Posted by KMO

Are the DVDA and SACD the same mix? I see that Amazon UK has the SACD for £6 and the DVDA for £30 - I doubt the DVDA is 5 times better

In that case, the DVD-A would be an import given that only the US gets the DVD-A. BIA was released on SACD everywhere on the planet except the US.

[oblio98]

Grab it, SACD or DVD-A Dualdisc. This is a tremendous surround mix. Not sure what someone was complaining about it. From "Your Latest Trick" onward, it's a surround masterpiece.

[Goatspeed]

Heh, I was just going to post about this disk, the SACD copy of Brothers in Arms. It is 10/10 IMO. It is making me like songs off that album that I didn't care for previously, much like when you go to a live show and hear a song from a group you know in a brand new way.

[boondocks]

I have the DVD-A and like it very much.
It's a very "clean", well mixed recording.
Not having 19 guitars/synthesizers/ etc to muddy up the mix
probably contributes greatly to the sound experience of what
is arguably a very fine album anyway.

boondocks

[dmclone]

Where can you get one of these for less then $30?

[dmclone]

Where do you fid this for less then $30

[Flexx]

I have to spin it again, but when it came out, I heard it a few times and found it to be quite bright and loud (dynamically compressed). Brighter than the '80s CD, even.

Still, I'm glad I have it - great album; one for the library.

[bhartley]

Just wanted to say ditto for BIA, and to encourage people to check out his other surround releases, Sailing to Philadelphia and Shangi La. These are loaded with good tunes and the mixes are just fine. Both seem rather subdued at first listen, but surround helps one to get beneath the songs and appreciate what a fine tunesmith is MK.

[ematcion]

Originally Posted by bhartley

Just wanted to say ditto for BIA, and to encourage people to check out his other surround releases, Sailing to Philadelphia and Shangi La. These are loaded with good tunes and the mixes are just fine. Both seem rather subdued at first listen, but surround helps one to get beneath the songs and appreciate what a fine tunesmith is MK.

"Shangri-La" is available as a SACD outside of the US.

[rickneuropa]

Another very satisfied BIA in DVD-A owner! The Surround mix is fantastic!!! Like others have mentioned, I now like the "filler" songs better since hearing it in 5.1. The clearity is so revealing, and the use of the surrounds are natural! A reference disc for sure.

[trenz1]

Originally Posted by dmclone

Where can you get one of these for less then $30?

There's a few on ebay but I can't seem to link to them. As of 8:30 pm on 2/28 there is one at 11.99 that ends Thur night. item number 230096219693

on Amazon new starts at $19.90 here

and if you want the dual disc they start at $14.58 new at Amazon here

I just received my dual disc yesterday and haven't had a chance to listen. Looking forward to it.

[Chris Gerhard]

I have the DualDisc DVD-A and think it is terrific, not at all bright or overly compressed.

Chris

[privit1]

Another vote for the Dual disc DVDA

[(l)user]

Originally Posted by Dobby

I'm in the minority here. The 5.1 release dosn't seam to have the same "punch" to me as the stereo version. Case in point: the opening to Money For Nothing where the drums come in sound awefully weak to me compared to the stereo. So far Away dosn't have the same snare "crack" as the original. Overall, if you love surround like me, then definatly buy it. The original sounds pretty damn good on cd though so dont expect a hi-rez revelation. JMO.

That's pretty funny since BIA was always considered one of the WORST sounding great recordings of all time... Unfortunately 44khz 16 bit PCM did not offer much in terms of quality and that's one of the main reasons nobody records at these specs anymore... And it is not a matter of kHz and dBs it just sound really "crude" ... I do not want to start a DVD-A SACD war here, any format better then CD is good for us and we will all benefit from a multichannel mix as it is fairly easy to transcode between formats. One thing worth mentioning though is that SACD seems to be more widely adopted by high end equipment manufactures than DVD-A.

Ayways, my SACD BIA is one of the most played MCH disks I have. Get it, you won't regret.

[CAVX]

I can't believe I waited this long to get this (SACD) - WOW is all I can say...

Mark

[filper]

Originally Posted by Xenos

Just looking for your guys thoughts on this SACD.

I've heard countless times how "amazing" and 'breathtaking" this SACD is and wanted to hear some thoughts from the good ol' AVSForum users.

My main concern is with the 5.1 layer. But if you have comments on the stereo layer, feel free to share them aswell.

I read a review @ avrev.com that wasn't too fond at all of the 5.1 mix; saying it barely used the rear channels at all. So guys... tell me what YOU think.

I found a copy at my local Best Buy a month ago. I check the 'DVD-A/SACD' section each week as they seem to have select titles materializing every once in a while.

$22.99. Keep huntin'. It's worth it. I'm amazed at what I've been able to pick up. Check the regular CD section as well. Some are 'misfiled'.

Oh yeah... it sounds great.

[wyliec2]

BIA and ShangraLa on SACD - I've got a few other SACD's that are this good but most are not.

If I could find MC SACD music I like that was consistently recorded at this quality level, I'd easily pay $50 a pop for it....

[filper]

Originally Posted by wyliec2

If I could find MC SACD music I like that was consistently recorded at this quality level, I'd easily pay $50 a pop for it....

You'd be welcomed at my local Best Buy... they had a copy of 'Toys In The Attic' MC SACD sitting on the shelf for the longest time with a sticker price of $49.99.

I eyeballed it for over a month and even had them check the price in the machine once. Yup, $49.99.

The week before I finally bit, the online price showed $30.99... so with a printout in my hand (and prepared for a fight) I went in last weekend determined to be leaving with it.

I asked the salesdude to check the price in the system for me, and it came up as $30.99 this time.... Sold!

[William]

Originally Posted by filper

You'd be welcomed at my local Best Buy...
...I asked the salesdude to check the price in the system for me, and it came up as $30.99 this time.... Sold!

Don't look here.