I am just starting my Jazz Collection / SACD or CD? (1 Viewer)

[GregBe]

I have been listening to as much Jazz as I can on the radio, and have done a ton of research. I already own Miles/Kind of Blue and Dave Brubeck/Timeout. I am going to be purchasing a good amount to get my collection started, and I am wondering if it is worth it to spend twice as much to pick up the SACD titles when available, or use that money to pick up twice as many cd's. I love the hirez format, but I am wondering how much better some of these recordings are since the source material is so much older.

So Jazz experts... If you were me, would you spend twice as much for the SACD titles, or have twice the amount of cd's?

 

[Mike Broadman]

It really depends on the title.

Overall, however, I've found that many of the titles released on SACD have been remastered well on redbook.

Note also, however, that some SACDs aren't more expensive than CDs.

For example, the SACDs from Fantasy are hybrids and priced no more than a regular CD. Some of these are better than others (ie, Miles Davis' Relaxin' is nothing special, while the Quintet SACD is pretty good).

Analogue Productions and Mobile Fidelity's SACDs cost $30, so IMO they're not really worth it. For the price of all 5 or so of the Bill Evans SACDs you can get the the Complete Riverside box set (12 CDs).

 

[Jack Keck]

I like jazz, but do not consider myself an expert in it. I bought a hi-rez machine in July, but only have 2 SACDs and 1 DVD-A. I love 'em all, both for the content and sound. Might I suggest getting the SACDs and DVD-As of those recordings available in those formatss and looking for used cds of the rest? If you have a turntable, and I'm not recommending you get one if you don't have one, you might find some great music in that format that ain't aailable any other way.

And another thing, I've not found that hi-rez is twice as expensive as cds, but I haven't looked all that extensively.

I guess I'd want the best sound I could get on the music the I get. Then again, Some hi-rez discs may not be an improvement over the cds, so it would depend on which album you're talking about. Luck of the draw, but if you're listening to jazz, you can't got too far wrong, no matter how you do it.

Live beats it all, anyway, but who can afford it all the time?

 

[Rachael B]

Greg, I might suggest you get some of the current jazz that's been recorded for hi-rez on SA-CD. Stuff like Anthony Wilson Trio, Jacintha, Will & Rainbow,LA4, ...the newer stuff. You can really get the sonic improvements of the format with some of this newly recorded stuff. Telarc, Chesky, Groove Note, Eighty Eights, and Heads Up are all labels that have some really well recorded jazz for the taking.

Analogue Productions SA-CD, Chet, by Chet Baker is a hybrid worth getting. It's purr-dy stunning in PCM or SA.

Universal's jazz releases vary alot. Some are quite excellent like Timeagain by David Sanborn or Standards by Aron Neville. They're newly recorded and although they're undoubtedly PCM to DSD, they're stille very, very good. All DSD has the heavy rep but don't discount discs without that pedigree accross the board. Their many reissues vary alot. I'd ask around on them. Another new 'un I'd encourage you on is Gershwin's World by Herbie Hancock, muy, muy, muy excellente!

Later cat!