Creedence coming on SACD -- mastered by Steve Hoffman (1 Viewer)

[Ryan Spaight]

http://www.stevehoffman.tv
According to Hoffman's web site, "Cosmo's Factory" and "Willie and the Poor Boys" are coming soon on hybrid SACD (stereo only).
First the Stones and now CCR. What a great week for SACD.
Ryan

 

[KeithH]

Bring on CCR. I've been waiting for these SACDs for awhile. Can't wait!

 

[Lee Scoggins]

Late Breaking News! The first Steve Hoffman mastered SACD's are on their way! First up, two great albums from Creedence Clearwater Revival: "Willie And The Poor Boys" and "Cosmo's Factory". Each will be dual layered, with both stereo High-Resolution SACD and Redbook CD layers. Steve just got the test pressings back from Sonopress, Germany, and is delighted with the way they turned out. Soon to be released by Analogue Productions (Acoustic Sounds).

The above is the press release on Steve's website.
This is fantastic news. More great classic titles for Super Audio. I hope this momentum keeps up.
Nw if we can just get Michael Hobson at Classic Records to issue SACDs of his Led Zeppelin masters...

 

[Mike Broadman]

Freakin' A!

 

[KeithH]

Lee, thanks for the further information. I haven't been on Hoffman's web site in awhile. Does Hoffman have an aversion to multi-channel? I wonder if he considered including multi-channel SACD tracks.
You said:

Nw if we can just get Michael Hobson at Classic Records to issue SACDs of his Led Zeppelin masters...

Well, instead of writing about it and pining, how about using your connections in the music industry to get it done?

 

[Ron Reda]

Being that I don't own a SACD player yet (I know, I know...the Sony's less than $300 right now ), I like the fact that they are producing hybrid SACDs so schmoes like myself can at least get the benefit of the remastering!

 

[DonaldB]

This is fabulous news. CCR, Rolling Stones, Coltrane, phew! there's so much great stuff on the way. I really need to save my pennies for an SACD player!

 

[KeithH]

Ron, note that Sony still is not producing hybrid SACDs. All Sony SACDs are still single-layer.

 

[Ryan Spaight]

Does Hoffman have an aversion to multi-channel? I wonder if he considered including multi-channel SACD tracks.

Here's a recent thread where Steve talked briefly about a multi-channel SACD project he's working on:
http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/sh...highlight=SACD
Ryan

 

[KeithH]

Ryan, thanks for the link. As I said in reply to Lee above, I haven't been on Mr. Hoffman's web site recently. I appreciate his candor on the subject of multi-channel, as evidenced by this statement:

I'm not doing a very good job as a surround mixer though. I HATE tampering with history, and I have no idea what to do in the back channels yet. Arggh!

I have no doubts that Steve will either use multi-channel in a way that does the musicians justice or he will ignore it. He is a man of integrity. One can gather that he did not include multi-channel mixes on the CCR SACDs since he is not comfortable with the multi-channel format at this time. That is commendable.

 

[John Tillman]

This is great news, sacd + a redbook layer. Not that I would complain about that combo but didn't the info from a few months ago mention DVD-A?

I was listening to 'Chronicles' from 76' recently, and I was impressed with the sound quality of that compilation.
If Steve's work is better than that, we are in for a treat. Great American Rock & Roll.

Edit: me mistake... found old thread & it was sacd all along.

 

[Greg Br]

Lee,

You seem to be the biggest advocate of SACD around here. This is great news that another classic rock band is coming to a high resolution format. I consider myself Joe Six Pack as I have a nice audio system, but am no audiophile by any means, my whole system only cost 6k. I can hear some difference between Hi resolution and CD, but its not close to the difference between tape and cd.

I already own every CCR cd that exists, why would I spend another $200 or so to replace these existing cd's with another 2 channel format, that while may be better does not blow you away? I think this is the question every normal person is going to ask themselves and as long as there is nothing new with the disk, i.e. multi-channel, then SACD will not succeed.

The best bet for this format is that it replaces CD's and that all music comes out on SACD, then most people can buy new disks and not have to by music they already have, but I have read that this is not very feasable because all cd's must be backwards compatable to the first cd players.

I am not trying to start anything, just miffed why there are no SACD multi channel mixes coming out, I see that as a hook for the common buyer.

 

[Anthony Hom]

That discussion with Steve Hoffman said it all.

Quote:

I HATE to tamper with history....


maybe his main reason for not going all out on multi-channel CDs.

I think the debate of whether to take stereo music that was never released in multi-channel to remix for multichannel will never end.

There are relevant arguments on both sides.

 

[Micahel C]

I could be wrong, but my take is that Steve seems to be intimidated by surround mixing. (This comes from reading a number of his posts since he first announced that he would be working towards some future hi-res releases in both dvd-a and sacd). Consider the facts. He's extremely well known and is considered in many circles, to be one of the best there is in remastering stereo releases. Surround sound is an entirely different ball of wax and everyone is basically starting from scratch to find out what works and what doesn't. Puts everyone on on a level footing. Now if you're Steve, do you stay with what you know best and are highly regarded for, or do you try mixing into a format that you're obviously not comfortable with and take a chance of falling flat on your face. My guess is the former. If the CCR recordings are ever brought to surround, they'll either be done by someone else or if Steve does tackle them, he will use the rear channels for ambiance only. Just my 2 cents.

 

[GregK]

Then again, wasn't "CCR Gold" once released in 4-channel
quadraphonic in the early 1970's?

 

[Lee Scoggins]

I already own every CCR cd that exists, why would I spend another $200 or so to replace these existing cd's with another 2 channel format

Greg,
Why? Because Steve Hoffman is a God and the remasters will be top quality.
I don't think you need multichannel for SACD to be successful. It is such a step change over redbook, that people will hear the difference if they listen close.
Just getting classics like the Stones and CCR will get real music fans to open their wallet IMHO.
This HAS been a great week and Demery in AA is hinting that a big Sony announcement may be imminent...

 

[Greg Br]

Lee,

I am sorry disagree but I have demoed my SACD player for my friends and they seem to agree it sounds better than cd but when asked if they would replace there collections with SACD they all said no.

It is great that new bands are coming out with hi res material but I am not sold that this will make it anything more than a niche market unless something new is added.

Regards,

Greg

 

[Phil A]

The key for a format like SACD is to get the price of the hardware down a little more and have available more software than what is out now and have that software be of the hybrid variety. It seems to be moving towards that direction. Most of the entry level SACD players I have seen should be a no contest for anyone with ears. They may do a so-so job on CDs, but to get the kind of quality that will be as good or better in the CD format one would have to spend a fortune. I have listened to the CD layers of hybrids on a $20,000 Linn vs. an entry level SACD and the Linn may be better on some of those things but it is very hard to match the musical performance of an SACD at a budget price point. If there is not enough software, concurrent releases and hybrids available, yes it may only get a niche market.

 

[Ron Etaylor]

I have SACD and DVD-A but no one I know has heard of either format or understands it. It is still esoteric to the masses. I agree that it's great news about CCR and the Stones and I look forward to acquiring all of them. I got into both formats since the first of the year and had already begun to lose hope that anything would happen with either of them.

 

[Lee Scoggins]

I am sorry disagree but I have demoed my SACD player for my friends and they seem to agree it sounds better than cd but when asked if they would replace there collections with SACD they all said no.

Funny, I asked my friends and they said they would once the cost of discs is the same. And that was before I could tell them to get a Sony 775 for $169!