Help a newbie make a DVD-A / SACD wish list. (1 Viewer)

[John Pine]

I am finally getting a uni-player (Denon 2200 or Marantz 6400) for Christmas. I need a list of "Must Have" DVD-A & SACD titles to show off my new player for the Holidays. I listen mostly to Classic Rock, Jazz, Blues and some Classical. I slightly favor the DVD-A format only because I like the surround effect it offers. But, I’ve recently been told that there are a lot of “Hybrid SACD’s” available that offer a “Stereo” track as well as a “5.1 surround” track. I’ve already started buying a few titles. Here’s what I have so far:

Pink Floyd…… “DSOTM” (SACD)
REM…………. “Automatic For the People” (DVD-A)
REM…………. “Best of REM” (DVD-A)
Spyro Gyra…. “In Modern Times” (SACD)
Awaken………. (Various artist compilation) DVD-A


Here are some titles I am considering:

Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band…….. “Swingin’ for the Fences” (DVD-A)
Aaron Neville……………………………”Devotion” (DVD-A)
Bucky Pizzarelli………………………….”Swing Live” (SACD)


A “Top Five” or “Top Ten” list would be great. Thanks for your help!

 

[Michael St. Clair]

Some of my personal favorites:

Beck...."Sea Change" (SACD, DVD-A is coming with videos, etc)
Brubeck...."Time Out" (SACD)
Peter Gabriel...."UP" (SACD)
The Zombies...."Greatest Hits" (SACD)
Steely Dan...."Everything Must Go" (DVD-A)
Frank Zappa...."Halloween" (DVD-A)
Flaming Lips...."Yoshimi" (DVD-A)

 

[Paul_Medenwaldt]

I would recommend 'Chicaco II" on DVD-A

Paul

 

[Rachael B]

The Aaron Neville DVD-A is one that used to give some early DVD-A players problems, like my RP91. Unless they changed it, it's one that ONLY plays in DVD-A players. A couple of the songs have some mixing that's a little odd, IMO. My 2900 plays it just fine. I think the Aaron Neville SACD, NATURE BOY is way more entertaining and has 3-way play, PCM & SACD stereo & M/C. I haven't listened to it in M/C yet but the stereo is awesome. You might like Boz Scaggs' DIG? It's an agressively mixed disc.

On SACD try, Joe Satriani's STRANGE BEAUTIFUL MUSIC, I like The Zombies too...it's an amazing sounding disc, Bryan Ferry's Frantic is good, so is Roxy Music's AVALON, Suitcase Pimps LOVE IS GRAND is a fun new album, Stones...pick one, Grant-Lee Phillips MOBILIZE, Cowboy Junkies, Blue Oyster Cult's AGENTS OF FORTUNE, Colleen Sexton's GREATEST FIND, Ryan Adams' GOLD, and if you like your Spyro Gyra get ORIGINAL CINEMA too.

Hint: if a DVD-A is from Silverline it's frequently subpar. Read reviews before you buy from them. Best wishes!

 

[Doug Pyle]

I normally like stereo tracks on SACD, but I actually prefer the multi-channel track of Al DiMeola: Flesh on Flesh.

The surround on this album is musically justified - composed, it seems, with the surround sound in mind. Very creative in its use of 5.1. The music recalls the aggressive, fusion roots of Al's Return to Forever days. It presents a refreshingly ensemble sound for Al, who often showcases his flamenco-influenced guitar virtuosity. (For an SACD representative of Al's acoustic guitar work, try Friday Night in San Francisco (stereo-only live recording).)

In classical, I've been repeat-listening to Yo Yo Ma & Kathryn Stott's Paris La Belle Epoque (Massenet, Faure, Saint-Saens, Franck).

 

[John Pine]

Thanks for the feedback people! Keep it coming!

Rachael B: When you say "frequently subpar", you are referring to the quality of the recording, right?

 

[Rachael B]

Yes John. I think some labels literally hand Silverline some old tapes they don't want anymore. Silverline can't issue a stereo track with the majority of their releases because the label that they got the music from didn't grant them rights for anything other than 5.1 . The quality of their stuff varies greatly and they are at the mercy of the big labels who throw them the bones. There are some winners but more losers. I'm sure you can get some highly varied comments about their stuff on this forum. The few Silerline titles that I have are ho-hum and convinced me to wait for the majors to do DVD-A better. Best wishes!

 

[John Pine]

Rachael: That's very interesting. Thanks for the "heads-up"!

 

[Charles Gurganus]

I like the following DVD-A titles a lot...
America-Homecoming
Doobie Brothers-The Captain and Me
Crowded House- S/T
Foreigner-S/T

 

[gene c]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Donald Fagen's "Nitefly" yet. The perfect blend of classic rock and jazz. As is most of Steely Dan's stuff as well. I'm going to avoid the obvious stuff like Fleetwood Mac and The Eagles. One that surprised me is Alice Coopers "Welcome To My Hightmare". The sound just jumps from the speakers. I have to agree with the Silverline coment from an earlier reply. I bought The British Are Coming and the sound is just awfull. A real waste of money. Gene

 

[FeisalK]

Roxy Music .. Avalon (SACD)
Blue Man Group Audio (DVDA)

 

[Page]

The Dylan multichannel releases on SACD are superb. (And the stereo only ones are also very well-done.)

Also the Who's "Tommy" on SACD sounds great in multichannel. (While the stereo only SACD of "My Generation" is also very good.)

(As noted by other members Beck's "Sea Changes", Peter Gabriel's "Up", and the Flaming Lips "Yoshmi" are all very good and will give your speakers and ears a real work-out.)

(Just starting to listen to Elton John's "Yellow Brick Road"...)

 

[LanceJ]

Beck's Sea Change will be released on dvd-audio on December 16 according to Pitchforkmedia.com:

Beck dvd-audio details

It includes SIX videos, great for us easily-entertained types.

LJ

 

[Michael St. Clair]

Beck's Sea Change will be released on dvd-audio on December 16 according to Pitchforkmedia.com:

Sounds like a good disc, I'll be picking it up even though I have the SACD.

Everybody should own Sea Change in 5.1; it blows my mind that some people are upset that Universal is supporting both formats.

 

[FeisalK]

well, the SACD is already 5.1 - I could get upset cuz I might want the DVD-A, and have to spend more $ (not because of the silly format war)

 

[Matt Butler]

DVD-A
Eagles Hotel California
Metalllica
Fleetwood Mac Rumors

SACD
Aerosmith: Toys in the Attic
Aerosmith: Oh Yeah! Grst Hits (Stereo Only)
Who: Tommy
Miles Davis: Kind of Blue

 

[Chris Elm]

The ones that get the most play at my house are:

SACD:
Steely Dan-Gaucho
Both Nickel Creek discs
Beck-Sea Change
Elton John-Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

DVD-A:
Flaming Lips-Yoshimi
Fleetwood Mac-Rumours and Say You Will
Steely Dan-Everything Must Go
Blue Man Group-Audio

 

[John Pine]

Thanks Guys!

I personally prefer Aerosmith "Rocks" to "Toys in the Attic". Does the "Rocks" SACD sound just as good?

 

[Rachael B]

John, there is no ROCKS SACD. I wish there was! It's my favourite album by them. Try the Suitcase Pimps over at CD Baby's .com. It's a terrific indie rock SACD. It might ease the sting of no rocks?

 

[David Tolsky]

DVD-A:

A Night At the Opera
The Game
from DTS Entertainment

Almost anything from AIX Records

Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band XXL
Tipper Surrounded

both from Silverline

SA-CD:

Pink Floyd: DSOTM
James Taylor: JT (you have to get this, the sound quality
is amazing)