What Hirez Discs Have You Purchased Recently? (1 Viewer)

[Paul.S]

The "moment" has passed for this kind of pop release to see an SA-CD release so my lament is as tired as some of Sony's market behavior BUT . . . Bab's new Babyface-produced album sure is the kinda release I'd like to see on SA-CD. God knows the release is high profile/high concept enough. Maybe it will be a BD-A.

http://www.amazon.com/Partners-Barbra-Streisand/dp/B00MIA0KGY/

 

[Dougofthenorth]

Just got
ENDLESS RIVER/ BLU RAY DELUXE EDITION : 2 DISC SET by PINK FLOYD (4 sides)

DTS Master 96/24 tracks are excellent

Available in CD, DVD-A, Blu Ray & vinyl

 

[Paul.S]

Wow--it's gotten quiet in here. Am I gonna have to go start participating in the high rez thread at that 'other site' . . . ?

My second Dunedin Consort release on Linn Records SA-CD. This time, given the season, Handel's Messiah.

 

[Paul.S]

 

[Mike Frezon]

Paul:

I got that disc last year and love it. I wish there was a nice SACD of the Messiah that didn't consist of the period arrangements (used a more contemporary approach). But this one will most certainly do!

 

[Paul.S]

Paul:

I got that disc last year and love it. I wish there was a nice SACD of the Messiah that didn't consist of the period arrangements (used a more contemporary approach). But this one will most certainly do!

Hey, Mike. Thanks for responding. (Sometimes I feel like a significant component of this thread over the past 18 months or so is "just" you and I talking to each other. LOL.)I skimmed the Messiah listings at SA-CD.net and they do indeed appear to lean period based upon the ensembles. Although you mentioned an SA-CD preference, if you still have the Pio 563A you're DVD-A capable so I want to mention this DVD-A:

http://www.amazon.com/Handels-Messiah-Stephen-Roberts-baritone/dp/B00005NEZ1

I've never heard of the NightPro Orchestra. But if you want larger, that performance features the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

Also, released earlier this year on Blu-ray here's one I'm also curious about featuring the LSO and Chorus:

http://sa-cd.net/showtitle/9526

 

[Mike Frezon]

Paul:

The reviews of that DVD-A sound great! I have always wanted to hear a "good" recording of a large choir and orchestra (performing ANY piece--but the Messiah would be the cherry on top of the icing). I always find recordings of such big groups to be wanting in terms of presence. They always sound distant to me in most recordings. The fact that it is a surround mix whets my appetite further. I just pulled the trigger on a used copy after reading your post. I'll report back when I've had a chance to sample it.

And then I found this link to the US Amazon's listing for the Blu Audio of the LSO Messiah. When I read the reviews of that disc (which is a remastering of a 1966 recording), I buckled and ordered that, too!

You just cost me some money, my friend!

I still have the 563-A...but it is not currently in use in my set-up. I picked up a Pioneer Elite 62-FD a year or two ago as I wanted to have a single disc player in my system. With a separate Blu player and the 563-A I was forever futzing with the inputs of my receiver whenever I wanted to play any high-rez audio. Now it's much more simplified for me.

And as I've run into some issues with my receiver, I'll have a new one of those under the Christmas tree next month! A Denon AVR X2000.

As for recent high-rez audio discs I've purchased recently, things have been quiet. i did pick up Elvis Costello's Live Blu (At Memphis) and Paul McCartney's Blu release (Kisses -- recorded at the Capital Tower in LA). I didn't think much of Paul warbling those standards...but got it anyway figuring I might be able to concentrate on Diana Krall's piano playing instead! Oh. And they were recently on sale at my local FYE stores in a 2 for $10 sale!!! They have a bunch of Blu Video music discs on sale right now.

 

[Paul.S]

Thanks for the response, Mike.

Re "I have always wanted to hear a "good" recording of a large choir and orchestra (performing ANY piece--but the Messiah would be the cherry on top of the icing). I always find recordings of such big groups to be wanting in terms of presence."I haven't prioritized it in the budget compared to other stuff I've wanted longer but I'd surmise Ben Zander's release of Mahler 2 with the Philharmonia on Linn SA-CD from last fall will be a corker.


Re "You just cost me some money, my friend!"

Ha ha that's (part of) what we're here for, right?! Interesting to note that Amazon customer "Virginia Opera Fan" reviewed both the Mormon Tab and LSO DVD-As.


Re you new receiver: Ugh I clicked over into the thread about your new AVR purchase and was NOT pleased to see that the bass management issue has perhaps become even more complicated. I'm not looking forward to buying a new AVR, but I need one as my Yamaha C-65 (yes, that's a 30-year old piece) recently passed on. But I'm definitely interested in 4k BD . . . which means I'm concerned about whatever the new connectivity standard is going to be . . . HDCP 2.2?. . . which means what I buy now might not play nice with whatever HDMI hoodoo voodoo changes could take place between now and whenever the F ever we get 4k BD . . . Sigh. Like the title of the Geddy Lee album, "My favorite headache."

 

[David_B_K]

Paul, if you get the Zander Mahler 2, please post your reaction. I have read that it's a rather slow reading, especially in the finale, Apparently, Zander recorded it a couple of years ago for Telarc as part of his continuing Mahler cycle and decided not to release the recording. The new one is an entirely different interpretation. It does strike me as a bit odd that a conductor would scrap a recording and start from scratch with a new vision, which is why I haven't got that one yet.

I have Zander's Mahler 6th on SACD. I mainly got it because he does two versions of the 4th movement and restores the third hammer blow to one version. But over all, Zander's 6th didn't grab me as much as several of my redbook CD versions.

 

[Paul.S]

Paul, if you get the Zander Mahler 2, please post your reaction. I have read that it's a rather slow reading, especially in the finale, Apparently, Zander recorded it a couple of years ago for Telarc as part of his continuing Mahler cycle and decided not to release the recording. The new one is an entirely different interpretation. It does strike me as a bit odd that a conductor would scrap a recording and start from scratch with a new vision, which is why I haven't got that one yet.

I have Zander's Mahler 6th on SACD. I mainly got it because he does two versions of the 4th movement and restores the third hammer blow to one version. But over all, Zander's 6th didn't grab me as much as several of my redbook CD versions.

Will do on posting word on the Zander M2, David, although it's going to be a while--at least not until after the Holidays.

I'm familiar with the information you relate about Zander having recorded the 2 and then deciding not to release it. Maestro Zander has been repeatedly kind enough to respond to my e-mails in recent years in which I have largely been inquiring about when his 'new' M2 would be released. At the end of the day, he felt that the unreleased M2 didn't comport with his vision for the piece. He was even kind enough to have a staff member burn me CDs of the unreleased performance. I'm looking forward to a comparison. Perhaps because I have been so impressed with all of his Mahler interpretations and especially the lecture CDs that accompany each of them, I wouldn't necessarily agree that his deciding to not release that earlier performance is a reason to avoid the new recording.

I'm curious as to whose M6 you prefer to Zander's?

 

[David_B_K]

I'm curious as to whose M6 you prefer to Zander's?

I think my favorite these days is the live Tennstedt recording with the LPO. His studio recording is also good. In High-res, I rather like the Eschenbach Philly recording. Eschenbach does sort of wallow in the andante, but I am old school and I like my slow movements slow.

I don't dislike the Zander 6th. I just think it lacks the sort of menace the work should have; sounds a tad studied. But I love the lecture and the alternate version of the 4th movement.I do still play it and enjoy the multi-channel sound. That's why I am curious about Zander's recording of the 2nd.

I also like the live video of the 6th by Abaddo and his Lucerne orchestra. Great hammer blows (though I really dislike the order of Andante/Scherzo that he chose. I'm a Scherzo/Andante guy).

 

[Mike Frezon]

Paul:

I got the 1966 LSO Blu of the Messiah the other day.

I only had time to sample some of the chestnuts: And the Glory of the Lord, For Unto Us a Child is Born & Hallelujah Chorus.

Wow. This is just what I was talking about in finding a choir recording in which the fidelity is amazing and it doesn't sound like you are listening to Phil Spector's Wall of Sound. You can pick out individual voices and the mix of voices with instrumentalists seems nicely done.

I never would have guessed this recording was made in 1966. The fidelity is amazing.

Again, I haven't had time to sit with the entire disc yet, but I am very happy you helped talk me into this purchase!

 

[Stephen_J_H]

Just ordered the Hybrid SACD of Big Star's #1 Record/Radio City. Anyone care to comment on this title? It's my first SACD purchase.

 

[Paul.S]

I think my favorite these days is the live Tennstedt recording with the LPO. His studio recording is also good. In High-res, I rather like the Eschenbach Philly recording. Eschenbach does sort of wallow in the andante, but I am old school and I like my slow movements slow.

I don't dislike the Zander 6th. I just think it lacks the sort of menace the work should have; sounds a tad studied. But I love the lecture and the alternate version of the 4th movement.I do still play it and enjoy the multi-channel sound. That's why I am curious about Zander's recording of the 2nd.

I also like the live video of the 6th by Abaddo and his Lucerne orchestra. Great hammer blows (though I really dislike the order of Andante/Scherzo that he chose. I'm a Scherzo/Andante guy).

Thanks for your comments, Stephen. I do need to eventually get some Tennstedt Mahler--I see his name mentioned frequently.

Yes, there is an embarrassment of Mahler on BD. I rented/flipped my way through the Abbado/Lucerne cycle (which added to my grief when Claudio died this past spring). I will eventually get some of the Chailly/Concertgebouw BDs.

 

[Paul.S]

Paul:

I got the 1966 LSO Blu of the Messiah the other day.

I only had time to sample some of the chestnuts: And the Glory of the Lord, For Unto Us a Child is Born & Hallelujah Chorus.

Wow. This is just what I was talking about in finding a choir recording in which the fidelity is amazing and it doesn't sound like you are listening to Phil Spector's Wall of Sound. You can pick out individual voices and the mix of voices with instrumentalists seems nicely done.

I never would have guessed this recording was made in 1966. The fidelity is amazing.

Again, I haven't had time to sit with the entire disc yet, but I am very happy you helped talk me into this purchase!

Right on--happy that my mention of that disc translated into a purchase that you're happy with.

 

[DavidJ]

Have any of you checked out Stile Antico? It's seem of the most beautiful vocal music I've ever heard and they release on hybrid sacds.

 

[Steve Tannehill]

I picked up the DVD of Pink Floyd so I could rip it. Today, HDTracks released the Simon & Garfunkel studio albums plus the Concert in Central Park in 24/192 hi-res. They also released the George Harrison Apple Years set in 24/96 hi-res. There is a coupon code for 15 percent off, HDNOV15. Bridge Over Troubled Water sounds fantastic. The brass section on Keep the Customer Satisfied nearly blew my headphones. This just graduated into my desert island albums and demo recordings. I am listening to this on my Mac using a DAC that plays up to 24/96. The iPhone plays the native FLAC, input 24/192 but I believe the output is 16/48. It sounds fantastic, all the same, and I've read that it will just take a iOS update to play back at higher resolutions. Take that, Pono.

 

[Phil A]

I picked up the DVD of Pink Floyd so I could rip it.Bridge Over Troubled Water sounds fantastic. The brass section on Keep the Customer Satisfied nearly blew my headphones. This just graduated into my desert island albums and demo recordings.

I concur. I got that and Bookends initial and liked them so much, I bought two more Simon & Garfunkel 24/192 albums (but have not listened yet). I just got Eric Claptons 'Timepieces' on SACD and ripped the DSD file but have not listened to it yet.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I've had this in my Amazon cart for years. Always too expensive considering that I didn't think the audio could ever be all that good. I am used to the omni-present hiss which I have heard on most of these recording as they have been issued iover the years (LP, CD, etc.).

But I found a used copy VERY cheap ($7.xx) and I think the sound is really quite nice. Much more clear than what I have been accustomed to.

 

[Phil A]

I ordered 3 SHM SACDs from CD Japan last which should get here around the end of the year give or take - John Lennon 'Plastic Ono Band' and 'Imagine' and The Beach Boys 'Smiley Smile.'