Best SACD So far

Grant B · 05-22-2005, 05:41 PM

I Never was a Elton John fan so I never bought anything by him but when I saw yourmusic.com had goodbye yellow.... for $11.98 (2cds & a DVD) I said what the hell there was a few songs I knew and sort of liked.
I threw the thing in my Mega Changer last friday and was simply amazed.
The wind was barely audible at the beginning but within a couple of minutes later when the last pipe organ kicked in my walls were shaking and things falling off my audio cabinet and I was wondering if I would get hit by a flying base speaker.
My Internal Organs were vibrating!!!
A friend of mine who played pipe organs all her life confirmed it was the most realistic recording of one she had ever heard.

That's my new 'show off disc' but only when the neighbors are all gone

The SACD RULES DUDE! (where's a girl with a lighter when I need one)

Evan S · 05-22-2005, 06:04 PM

I agree...it's a night and day difference from the regular CD and I do show it off to guests that come by for a comparison head to head. However, "purists" may bemoan the fact that the surround channels are very agressive on this disc.

Grant B · 05-22-2005, 07:40 PM

Quote:

However, "purists" may bemoan the fact that the surround channels are very agressive on this disc.

I got D&D Layla at the same time and even though it sounds good I would have never bought it if I had heard it. Without the agressive suround I would have stayed with the "30 year" CD which sounds great.
Most of the SACD have the stereo mix which purists can play.

Lee Scoggins · 05-22-2005, 07:49 PM

I agree...it's a terrific SACD.

Grant B · 05-22-2005, 10:59 PM

Since I have never heard the before and from Evans response; that intro was not even hinted at until now?
Must thave been a complete let down to write & preform something like that and then hear it coming out of an AM Radio

**HTF Ads**

John Kotches · 05-23-2005, 08:21 AM

There's no doubt (if you have the patience and time) that Funeral for a Friend / Love Lies Bleeding is great demonstration material on SA-CD and DVD-Audio. On my system the DVD-A sounds a tad better, but it's skewed that way anyway.

There are a few other great demo tracks on this disc as well, including This Song Has No Title and Grey Seal besides the "standards" this disc is known for.

If you need a short demo This Song Has No Title is what I always use.

Cheers,

Rachael B · 05-23-2005, 09:23 AM

My fav Sack-Dee's for sound include: Will & Rainbow's HARMONY, Joe Satriani's STRANGE BEAUTIFUL MUSIC, Jorma Kaukonen's BLUE COUNTRY HEART, Doc Powell's 97th & COLUMBUS. Spyro Gyra's IN MODERN TIMES, and Hiromi's BRAIN.

I don't think old stuff like Elton's re-releases compete so well with new records done up right. Glad you've discovered higher rez musica, Grant!

John Kotches · 05-23-2005, 10:29 AM

Rachael,

Sound quality is meaningless if the performance is emotionless or drivel. There is at least one recording in your list that qualifies in this category.

Cheers,

PaulDA · 05-23-2005, 11:23 AM

I'm buying SACDs and DVD-As at a pretty brisk pace, but I've not yet found one that sounds better, from a recording standpoint, than Alison Krauss and Union Station--Live (SACD).

Other notables for demos, though:
The Elton John re-releases
The RCA Living Stereo re-releases
Fleetwood Mac--Rumours
Seal--Best of 1991-2004 (especially some of the acoustic tracks)
ELP--Brain Salad Surgery (I don't think THEY even knew what kind of bass lurks on this one)

One of the most effective surround demos, with my friends and relatives, has been, funny enough, Love Song by Elton John on Tumbleweed Connection. I play the CD for people (it sounds pretty good on my rig and it's a simple, acoustic song with nice harmonies) and they like it. When I cue up the MCH SACD mix, so far, they've all been floored. The harmonies come alive and each vocal track can be heard in a way that two channel can't hope to match--I don't care how much $$$$ you have in your two channel rig. This simple little song is, IMO, the best argument in favour of MCH music.

Rachael B · 05-23-2005, 07:45 PM

Holla John, couldn't you supply me with a list of your favourites so I can call them drivel? I'm curious, which one of 'em is the one you so-ooo dislike? I have a personal raffle goin' on which one it will be.