Help a newbie start a DVD-A collection

If you have a hankering for Rush, you can get the Moving Pictures CD/DVD-A set, as well as the Sector box sets, which contain CD and DVD-A versions of Fly By Night, A Farewell to Kings, and Signals. Although, of all of these, I have to say Moving Pictures must have the best quality surround mix of all of them (although the upcoming Super Deluxe reissue of 2112 may top that, though from what I hear that one has a Blu-ray Disc, and probably not a DVD-A; time will tell what it has). Each of these should be available in most record stores and online, particularly the Sector sets.

Don't want to rain on anyone's parade, but the acoustics and audio system in a car isn't going to be able to resolve any benefits from high-res audio. Surround music may be pleasing, but this can be obtained from any DVD. So, you can take any surround audio track, decode it and burn your own DVD-A discs using one of the available softwares that do this. No need to spend lots of $ on DVD-A discs when you can spend a little on software.

Try the King Crimson cd/dvd-a box sets. Also, you might like the Talking Heads sets or dual discs.

Find the Donald Fagen DVD-Audio discs if you like that Steely Dan type music. These sound fantastic in the Acura, and despite what some may argue, the HiRez in the car can definately be heard. Crank up a tune like "Snowbound" from Kamakiriad in HiRez 5.1 in that Acura and you will not believe your ears. Then play the CD. You will smile. (and never play the CD in there again!)

All of Fagen's solo albums are great, and the first three have DVD-A surround releases (Make sure that you get DVD-A and not the MVI box set - the MVI set is DVD video format and wont play in the car). Steely Dan's Gaucho also has a surround mix on DVD-A.

Completely unrelated, Blue Man Group's Audio is a fun disc, and really shows off the surround capabilities of the car. I test drove a TL ages ago, and that's the disc the dealer used to demo the sound system.

I do too. To me, the car is the perfect spot for surround listening, as your fixed in one spot, you have easy control of the music, and lots of dedicated time for listening. Avoid all 'Silverline' DVD-A's. You'll see them on eBay at the bottom of a price sort search. Although there are a few good ones, the majority are fake surround, poorly made, and sound worse than a CD. Stick with the labels you recognize (WB group, UMG, Capitol, Arista, etc) and you'll be fine. They all are not as pristine as the SteelyDan/Fagan discs, but many are.

As with all music, it's a crap shoot. But well worth the search (if you can keep the costs reasonable)

I have the MDX, and the better DVD-A's sound fantastic. And I say this as an owner of a very expensive surround system in my main listening room.

Fortunately I built most of my DVD-A collection well before I bought the Acura (2010 Advance model), back when DVD-A's were readily available and very reasonably priced. I could recommend a bunch to you, but from what I've seen most are selling for big bucks as they are getting rare.

+1... even if one believes that somehow dvd-a provides superior sq, it would be complelely lost in the noise floor of a car...

BHW, I got my Lynard CD from Walmart in Wake Forest also. I also had an Acura, an RL, but traded it in for a Ford F150 I needed. Sound was very nice in the Acura ,

Enjoy!