Sound Quality/Music Reviews and Comments on SACD/DVD-A - Page 4

Hey Bill:Thanks as the disc was fantastic .I also purchased Get Lucky Mark Knopfler in CD format and listened to that disc which sounded great for a CD as I tried to buy a SACD but I think no one was recorded.It was a great day of Music and BluRay Movies. Take Care Bruce

Thanks Bro sounds good, I order it when you first posted. Did you get it from the same place.

Dan

Fantastic review Bill, funny you say the same thing I should be doing..Instead of buying I need to start listening to my music, but with review like yours I just want to buy, buy, buy. It's a vicious circle

I need to post a few review myself, now that the cool weather is flowing in.


Dan

Sorry Bill, but I gotta agree with Dan here--I'm in a "listen more buy less" mode and these positive reviews are not helping my cause.

It was a tough loss but my 49ers will be OK, and your Pats are still looking strong. Went to the Rose Bowl on Saturday and saw UCLA get thumped by Texas. Weak MNF game tonight

Artist/Title: Fleetwood Mac - Rumours
Format:SACD
Genre:Rock
Label:Warner Brother
I have just listened to this great disc in Sacd Format.I have had this disc in DVD AUDIO and it sounded real good but I hear more from this new disc.The sound in PCM and Multisurround is fantastic.The surrounds are filled with one of the best mixes much like the new Eagles -Hotel California.My favorite song is Gold Dust Woman ,Oh Daddy and Siver Springs which was not on the original CD release.I sold my DVD AUDIO disc a while ago and will not miss it with this great release.
Ratings [Scale i-10] Music 9.0-Sq/.9.5
System info:
Source:Oppo-95
Pre Pro:Onkyo-3008
AMPS:Emotiva XPA-2 and XPA-5
FR/FL:Salk Song Towers
Center:SALK Song Center
Surroundsefinitive Mythos -10
Surround Location:Side Walls /L/R
Sub:Epik Empire
Room:Inclosed Home Theater 18-W/25-L

Artist/Titleire Straits/Dire Straits
Format:SACD/SHM
Genre:Rock
Label:Mercury Records/1978
Ratings:[Scale 1-10] Music/9-SQ/10
System Info
Source:Oppo-95
Pre Pro:Onkyo 3008
Amps:Emotiva-Xpa-2/Emotiva-Xpa-5
FR/FL:Salk Song Towers
Center:Salk Song Center
Surrounds:L/R Definitive Tech.Mythos 10
Surround Location: On side walls
Sub:Epik Empire
Room: 18W-23L The room is an inclosed Home Theater.
I have spent the afternoon listening to SACD in 2 CH.This Dire Straits SHM SACD is FANTASTIC in 2CH.I have had the CD for years and I am glad I spent $50.00 to buy this disc as It is worth every cent.The sound is as good as Brothers In Arms in SACD and it is a much older CD.The music is as live in my room as every detail of all the instruments is as LIVE.My favorite songs stand out Six Blade Knife,In The Gallery.Water Of Love and Wild Wild West are FANTASTIC and all the other songs are just as good.If you are a Dire Straits fan please RUN out and do yourself a favor and buy this GREAT SACD even though it is quite expensive BUT worth every cent you pay!!!! I was PARALIZED for the whole hour listening to this disc.

Bill, Bill, Bill, Bill, Bill.
Seriously you need to explore "classical" releases more.
Check out Music in the Round and The 5th Element on Stereophile.
Invaluable resources. Unleash the real potential of Hi-Res.
Don't let Jeff see you posting good things about the Living Stereo stuff.
It's all from the 50's and dare I say it analog. There I said it.

voigtskins - thanks for those reviews. interesting, we have the same favorite songs on those albums. in the gallery and six blade knife followed closely by wild west end. and gold dust woman on rumours. but hey, both albums are loaded with very good tunes . i notice a lot of you guys have the salks. must be some good speakers.

p.s. bill and holt - thanks for reminding me of the nice wins by the cowboys and longhorns . hopefully the boys can take down the hated redskins on monday nite

Hey Grub: Thanks as the albums I have reviewed sound awesome and glad you like the same songs .Love my Song Towers and Song Center and I can thank Bill for turning me on to these Great Salk speakers.You should try to listen to a pair and you would be taken over by the sound of Salk speakers.Please give some SACD suggestions as I am sure Bill and I would love to purchase more titles!!!! OK Bill

Artist Steven Wilson Solo project
Name of Album Grace for Drowning
Blu-ray (September 27, 2011)
Original Release Date: 2011
Number of Discs: 1
Format: Blu Ray
Label: KSCOPE
12 tracks in stereo and 5.1 in glorious 96k/24 bit

I was looking forward giving this one a spin for a few weeks now, I finally had the chance and I have to say it's an awesome recording/mix. It's not per say aggressive but it uses the surround speakers for the smallest detail, and adding air to instruments in a realistic way while voices do come through at times.
I enjoy each and every track, as you know Steven Wilson is the front man of Porcupine Tree, and has a reputation of being in the cusp of the latest recording techs, and formats. This album shows his commitment in doing just that, bring the best possible quality to those that it matter to. I have to say this might be just my opinion but Blu ray seems to be the wave for physical high resolution music, I enjoy the huge sound stage, and the sonic bubble that I get from this album, and most BR music disc I own.

I can see Steven trying to differentiate him self from PT as there are more song that reminds me of the group, but I can hear certain elements of acid jazz which blend quite nicely with some hard core riffs in such tunes as Raider II.

You get some bonus tracks (Click on the menu crinkle paper page where the songs are for demos, different mixes , which might be just 2ch!) and some spooky but interesting SW photographs that adds to the ambiance while listening to this great album.

Any Porcupine Tree fan should run out and get this one


Attachment 224566

1. Grace for Drowning
2. Sectarian
3. Deform to Form a Star
4. No Part of Me
5. Postcard
6. Raider Prelude
7. Remainder the Black Dog
8. Belle De Jour
9. Index
10. Track One
11. Raider II
12. Like Dust I Have Cleared from My Eye




System Info:
Source: Oppo BDP-93
AVR: Denon-AVR4311ci via HDMi, will be experimenting with single
Amplification: Emotiva XPA-3 with costume face plate, it does nothing for sounds but it looks real cool.
FR/FL: B&W 802N 8 feet or so away, and slightly toed in..
Center: B&W HTM3S
Surrounds: 805N on their b&w stands
Surround location: As these are monitor and don't have any diffusion, the Left is pointing straight to the front right speaker and the Right monitor is pointing to the Left front speaker
Sub: JL Audio F113, sweeping up the bottom, with ARO active to tighten poor corner location.

Room: 20' W, 14' D with 9' high ceilings. Some room treatments in the first reflection, but would like to add more in the future, nice heavy rug which helps allot.

Bill it's an great listen and I know your Salk's will deliver the goods, something I forgot to mention how Steve's voice is dead center which is usually the case with PT albums but time his voice just seem to come out clean as if he was right in the room.

Do what I do, mail the to your job.

Dan

I have just been listening to one of my new arrivals - Fleetwood Mac Rumours SACD.

Track 3 - Never Going back Again, in the middle of the track. Their is an 'improv' that comes out of the surround speakers that is not present in the stereo mix. I have never heard this before, and never heard a different 'mix' on the stereo and multi-channel versions of an SACD.

Is this common knowledge? Does it occur very often with hybrid multi-channel discs?

Benje (OZ)

Bill

I do not mean hearing things 'better' in multi-channel, I mean a different mix, ie a different instrument is included in the surrounds mix. It sounds like an electric guitar, sometimes plucked/fingered and sometimes played with a slide on the frets. I cannot discern this at all on the stereo mix. It is laso a bit of a 'jazz improv' in style.

I look forward to your response on the dvd-a and the sacd - multi-channel versions.

One other comment that I would make about the Eagles SACD (Hotel California) and the Fleetwood Mac SACD (Rumours) - the recordings are quite loud. I have to turn my volume down for these.

As I use a Denon 3808a as a receiver to balance my fronts and surrounds (different speaker types) and integrate my subs, and as I usually usually use audyssey with dynamic volume, the low amplifier volume necessary for these two discs means more 'dynamic volume' presumption by audyssey. In my system, this produces a slightly bright rear surrounds. A little frustrating.

Benje (OZ)

Hi guys.., I have been lurking in here for awhile.. I have a OPPO and a ton of sacd's and dvd-audio's. Anyway here is a cool review for ya !

Artist: Foreigner
Name of Album: 4
SACD: 2011
Warner Japan
5.1 Hybrid Multi-Channel

Tracks:

1. Night Life
2. Juke Box Hero
3. Break It Up
4. Waiting for a Girl Like You
5. Luanne
6. Urgent
7. I'm Gonna Win
8. Woman in Black
9. Girl on the Moon
10. Don't Let Go
11. Juke Box Hero ["Nearly Unplugged" Version][*]
12. Waiting for a Girl Like You ["Nearly Unplugged" Version][*]


I am a big fan of Foreigner (the old original band with Lou Gramm and Co. Not the "new" Foreigner!)

Let me just say from the outset that i have never heard this album sound this good on any format.. I never owned the DVD-audio of this album so i can't compare it. Although i do own the band's self-titled effort on dvd-audio and that was a good sounding disc. I also have "4" on Vinyl and regular CD.

But this is an amazing sounding album in 5.1 channel DSD goodness. It literally floods your room with sound!! It is clear and present and has a wide soundstage. Lou Gramm's vocals are right in the room with you. I could not believe how awesome he sounded!! The backround vocals come to life like i have never heard them.. Of course the most famous songs stand out "Waiting for a Girl Like You", "Urgent", "Jukebox Hero" all sound amazing. They even include the almost "unplugged" versions of Juke Box Hero and Waiting for a Girl Like you.. I believe these were from the MTV Unplugged sessions in the late 90's and they sound clean! Very cool... All in all I don't think you guys would be disappointed in this release.. as long as you like Foreigner that is! Have fun and I will continue having fun along with you ! Enjoy!

Associated Equipment

Oppo BDP-83 Blu-Ray/SACD/DVD-Audio etc
Yamaha RX-Z7 A/V Receiver
Oppo HDMI cable, Monster, Kimber and Pangea Analog, Speaker and Power Cables
Def Tech 7002, CLR 2500, Infinity Entra .5 rears and Infinity Entra Rear Center,
Def Tech Trinity Powered Sub
Monster Cable HTS 2600 Power Center
Monster Power HTS 800 Power Center
Samsung 61" LED DLP

Michael

Nice review, Michael--feel free to post more . As a youngster I believe Foreigner 4 was the first album I ever owned, and I'm surprised I don't own the SACD or DVD-A. I know Brock raved about this release as well--guess I should put it on my list.