*Dark Side of the Moon* on SACD! (1 Viewer)

[Lee Scoggins]

Both DVD-A and SACD should be upgrades over CD from a sound quality perspective, but specs do not guarantee real world results.

Justin,

I think there is a general consensus that DSD sounds as good as its specs. Plus, I don't think specs have ever been good at adequately describing sound. There's no metric for musical transients, for example.

 

[ReggieW]

Lee,

It appears to me that Justin is talking about SACD as a whole and not merely "pure DSD." Let's be honest here now......both formats have delivered their fair share of stinkers. I agree with Justin on the issue of sound subjectivity. Just the mere fact that many industry professionals disagree over the SACD/DVD-A fiasco is proof of this. Waldrep likes hi-rez PCM, Levinson likes DSD, and so on.

Reg

 

[KeithH]

"Perfect Sound Forever"
Let's discuss what the marketeers might have meant. I do not think that they were strictly claiming that the CD offered the sound quality to be the be all to end all audio format. From a marketing standpoint, sure, they wanted everyone to think that the CD and digital would offer outstanding sound quality. However, when released in 1982, the CD was the most robust audio format ever launched. LPs produce pops and clicks. LPs wear out over time. LPs are rather sensitive to scratches. Cassettes wear out. By comparison to LPs and cassettes, CDs are far more robust. CDs last. CDs certainly are not indestructable, but even with extensive handling (i.e., not necessarily handling with the utmost care), CDs hold up. Even if you handle LPs and cassettes with the utmost care, they are likely to wear down from continuous use. Perhaps the claim of "Perfect Sound Forever" was more a claim that the CD would last forever, meaning realistically that the sound would not deterioriate over time. From that standpoint, I don't feel ripped off by the "Perfect Sound Forever" slogan.

 

[Phil A]

Per High Fidelity Review: http://www.highfidelityreview.com/ne...umber=19270275

 

[Rich Malloy]

Wow. Does this forbode?

You'd think I'd be overjoyed since I currently have an SACD player and no DVD-A player, but in fact my response is quite mixed to this news. I was growing quite comfortable with the idea of two streams of hi-res releases being better than one (assuming that mass market acceptance of either remains a longshot), and I've always intended to get a DVD-A player just as soon as the right one hits the market.

But unless EMI is planning dual-format releases (and, then again, even if they are planning for dual releases), the implications of this decision for the format may well be immense.

 

[Danny Tse]

On a lighter note, EMI should combine DSOTM and the movie "The Wizard of Oz" onto one disc for some far out fun....
Dark Side of the Moon with The Wizard of Oz

 

[Lee Scoggins]

Let's be honest here now......both formats have delivered their fair share of stinkers.

Reggie,
While it is true that there have been stinkers on both sides, one can make an argument that more DVDAs have been stinkers given the Silverline debacles.
In any event, my point is that the high end press is in consensus that Super Audio has lived up to its specs and offers a very natural sound, second only to really fine vinyl and fine a turntable.
As an engineer, I have actually done more work recently in 88.2 khz PCM, but when I work with DSD I feel the performance is really captured in its entirety.
There are all sorts of factors and everything from mic placement to mastering to cable selection and power conditioning must be excellent for the right results.

 

[Al B. C]

Now I know what it feels like to be a Democrat in Florida.

 

[KeithH]

Lee,
Now that's a statement from that I agree with. In my opinion, Silverline is a joke.
Phil,
Thanks for the link. I found the following section particularly interesting:

We do know however, that the disc has been engineered and mastered by James Guthrie, not Alan Parsons as was widely expected. “To say that I am angered by that would be an understatement,” Parsons told High Fidelity Review at Surround 2002, pausing to weigh his words carefully. Parsons’ fiancée, Lisa Marie Griffiths, offered a more frank and colourful characterisation which she encouraged us to print, but we’re a family site.

Ouch.

 

[John Kotches]

Keith,

Blanket dismissal of titles from Silverline isn't appropriate.

They have several worthwhile titles. Aaron Neville's Devotion, Glen Philips' Abulum, and Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band Swingin' For the Fences come to mind off the top of my head.

Another Aaron Neville title is due in early 2003 as well.

They've had more than their fair share of bad titles, but a few gems as well.

Regards,

 

[Phil A]

John, have not heard those specific titles but everything I have heard (perhaps 8-10 titles) is totally trash (and music that I like) for any format, including MP3. It is obvious that they have likely the largest number of DVD-As out there of any label and keep churning out more. I did register for their newsletter and will get a free DVD-A and hopefully they will send something that sounds good. I would rather see fewer discs and better quality.

 

[John Kotches]

Phil,
Check out the titles I pointed out on the previous page. Then talk to me about it
I agree, they have more than their fair share of bad titles.
Regards,

 

[KeithH]

John, sorry for the blanket statement. I have a couple Silverline discs that sound O.K., but I can't get passed the lack of a discrete stereo track. I bought these discs two years ago and have not bought another Silverline disc since. Aside from the lack of stereo tracks, I have not seen a title that interests me. Silverline has released DVD-Audio discs of great artists, but in most cases, they have not released blockbuster albums. They often release live concerts. Silverline just doesn't do it for me.

 

[Ed St. Clair]

"Perfect Sound Forever" was from an ad place by a CD player manufacturer, not the record companies. Panasonic, I believe.
And it was an ad. Bose ad's say the make the 'best' speakers. What are we supposed to do about that?
Believe it? Buy Bose speakers?
CD was the closest to the master tape the main stream consumer had ever gotten from a music format.
Although, I don't understand how prerecorded reel to reel tapes failed too do so, or direct to disc lp's for that matter.

 

[Marc Colella]

CD was the closest to the master tape the main stream consumer had ever gotten from a music format.

Wasn't vinyl the closest that mainstream consumers ever got to the master tapes?

 

[KeithH]

Marc, the argument from some over the years has always been that distortion in vinyl (wow and flutter, etc.) actually brings you farther from the master tape. Similar arguments have made in regards to distortion in tubes relative to solid state. Note that I am not a vinyl or tubes basher.