Do limited titles on Super Audio add value to our music experience? (1 Viewer)

[Lee Scoggins]

I think that there may be a silver lining in the limited release slate of Super Audio and DVD-Audio. Think about all the great artists we have discovered due to the fact that we were looking for DSD recordings.

In my quest for good hirez music, I discovered the following:

1. Ryan Adams - Gold remains a favorite.
2. Trey Anastasio - strong DVDA sonics and great solo effort from the Phish man.
3. Channel Classics opened a whole new world of European classical performers and performances to me.
4. Some old Rolling Stone and Bob Dylan albums that are classics that I had not yet heard and now have the definitive digital sample.
5. Telarc recordings of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.
6. A slew of great Fantasy jazz titles, many of which are new to be music collection.

I bet we all have stories like this we can tell. What is yours?

 

[Marc Colella]

Well I've re-discovered Keb' Mo' (heard a few songs before, but never gave it a good effort) due to his The Door SACD.

I'm greatful for that, as I've since purchased his other CDs and his Sessions at West 54th DVD. I've gotten a few people hooked on his stuff as well.

However, my #1 method of discovering/re-discovering artists is MP3.

If it weren't for this "immoral" and "unethical" practice, I wouldn't have discovered/re-discovered many of the artists I listen to now - and incidentally purchased the CDs of immediately afterwards.

Before MP3s, I rarely ever purchased CDs.

My #2 method of discovering/re-discovering artists is (believe it or not) through films.
Whether it's a score or just a regular tune - many times I went searching on IMDB.com and Amazon.com trying to figure out who created those songs in the film I just watched.

 

[Danny Tse]

Here's an extreme case....

For unknown reasons, I actually purchased a SACD of traditional Chinese (Cantonese) Opera!!??



The title of the SACD is "Dik Liu Fah", or roughly translated to "Princess Flower". It's a single-layer SACD released by Crown Records of Hong Kong and remastered by Vic Anesini (who also remastered SACD titles by Carole King and Bob Dylan) out of Sony in New York.

Purchased it because of the increasing value of the vinyl version. And curiosity of the story being told....the title character is the evil nun in "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon". And since I know one tiny verse in the whole thing, might as well get to know the whole thing.

Now, I am buying the other 2 titles which Crown Records have released on stereo hybrid SACDs (not on sa-cd.net) at the beginning of the year.

Geez, my SACD collection include titles like the above to Pink Floyd....

 

[Lewis Besze]

Porkupine Tree;In Absentia DVD-A, while I've heard of the band,and some of their tunes,this was my first allbum I've owned. Same goes for Beck's Sea Change.[SACD]
Before the DVD-A I've never heard of Esteban[Enter The Heart],or Ziroq's self titled album, also on DVD-A.

 

[Michael St. Clair]

I don't really buy anything because of format...if an artist is recommended to me (or sounds interesting in an article or discussion), I'll buy CD if that is all they have.

I'm all about the music.

 

[gene c]

Porcupine Tree and Flamming Lips (thanks! everyone for the recommendations), Alice Coopers Nightmare (better than I thought) and Donald Fagen's Nightfly (can't believe it took me 22 years to get this one. What the H*LL is wrong with me!). Unfortunately there have also been a few disappointments, and some down right mistakes. But, "live and learn" as they say. And I still look forward to new releases as they slooooowly roll out. Very frustrating though.

 

[Seth--L]

Exactly. I find these threads where people are asking for suggestions, but will only buy the disc if it is available in SACD or DVD-A to be ridiculous. It reminds me of the days when people would refuse to buy a disc solely because it wasn't DDD.

 

[gene c]

If it were just about the music then I would be just as happy listening to my AM clock radio. So for me it's about more than just the music. It's about the the equipment, my HT. The atmosphere, say driving down Hwy 1 in my convertible listening to the Beach Boys. And the software. Sometimes a DVD concert (I bought the "Hell Freezes Over" concert video over the DVD-A and cd), sometimes a cd while driving to work or doing chores around the house. And yes, it is the music. But it's M/C whenever possible. And I will wait if I have to. How long depends on what it is and if there is any hope of a M/C release at all. So call me ridiculous if you like. I don't mind. As long as I eventually get what I want, I'm happy!

 

[Kevin C Brown]

This is certainly a positive spin on a bad situation, I think. (Not enough releases period, IMO.)

I'm similar, don't care about the format. If it's something I want to buy, I will default to the SACD/DVD-A if it's available but otherwise I'm happy enough with CD quality.

Funny thing though. When CDs first hit the scene, I remember buying stuff I didn't want just to hear "digital sound forever" or whatever the slogan was. Ended up with a bunch of discs I only ever listened to once or twice.

 

[Lee Scoggins]

You guys completely missed my point. I'm not saying we should buy discs only on hirez, only that some new titles available on hirez may have prompted us to expand what music we would explore.

 

[Mike Broadman]

Seth and Michael, we're all "about the music." That's beside the point. I'm not running out to buy Celine Dion's SACD.

An example with myself is Alison Krauss. I found out about here when her SACDs were being praised here and other places. So I read a bit about her and took a chance on her music, getting an SACD and I loved it. I got all her other SACD because I liked the first one so much.

Most of the jazz titles I got on SACD were merely sonic upgrades of recordings I already have. And some just had performers that I know were great, so it coming out on SACD just put it higher on the list of things to get (ie, Oscar Peterson's Skol).

 

[Lee Scoggins]

Well stated Mike. I also discovered Alison Krauss this way. And boy am I glad I did. Her whole band is awesome.

 

[Rachael B]

I don't have a limited number of titles and am thusly not limited.

 

[Michael St. Clair]

Some of us just aren't out "looking for DSD", we are looking for new music the same as we always have.

 

[Mike Broadman]

Well, that's really hard to say. A lot of people talk about a lot of bands and artists I haven't bothered with. People constantly go on and on about Elvis Costello and I've never really listened to his music. Though I'm curious to hear it, it hasn't found its way into my collection yet. Maybe a hybrid SACD of one of his most popular albums might do that, maybe not.

 

[Michael St. Clair]

Mike,

Would you describe yourself as 'looking for DSD'?

 

[Marc Colella]

I think with any new format (be it for music, video, game consoles, etc) there's always a good number of people purchasing titles simply because they're anxious for something to listen to/watch/play that will take advantage of the new format.

Once in a while the gamble pays off, but I'd say more often that it doesn't pay off.
I've fallen victim to this a few times with different formats, but have become better with DVD-V and SACD.

An audiophile co-worker purchased a SACD player (the first person I've ever known to purchase one) and he asked for some advice. The first thing I told him was to purchase for the music first and formost - and not just to have something that takes advantage of the format.
To help him out I've lent him some SACDs so he can get it out of his system and maybe he'll come away discovering an artist he never heard of before. As I stated earlier, he enjoyed the Keb' Mo' SACD and now wants to purchase all his material (he's never heard of him before).

I'm sure I saved him alot of money on discs that he would only have play a few times.

 

[Mike Broadman]

I don't know what this means.

All I do know is that I do pay attention to new and old SACD releases, that the format does help determine some of what I buy, that I don't buy CDs of music I think I wouldn't like regardless of format, and that it's a lot of fun but it costs me a lot of money.

 

[Rachael B]

I'm looking for Mr. Goodbar, myself. If his initials are DSD, so be it.

 

[Lee Scoggins]

I think one can be prompted by something new being on SACD and maybe purchase that disc by way of exploration and expanding one's horizon's. Sometimes it works or sometimes it doesn't.

Much of the great work I discovered this way was not due to my desire to limit my music by format or DSD specifically but because I also read a review or saw some positive mention on the Hirez Highway or other audiophile or music sites.

I'm all about the music, but if I have ten albums to choose from a musical standpoint and five of those are DSD recordings then I favor those five since I know the sonics are more likely to be good.

As a jazz and classical fan, there are so many good Super Audio releases, the slate doesn't really appear that limited since it exceeds my budget for music. While I would want more titles to choose from there is enough good stuff that I am quite happy.



There may be another related advantage from the limited release and newness of the format. Since DSD is such new technology I think we have seen very little in the way of engineering gimmicks like Pro Tools effects. That makes for a more faithfull recording and one that follows Steve Hoffman's way of purist mastering.