Oh My God !! Real Music (1 Viewer)

[Jeff PB]

I've had a panny91 for a few months now but never got around to trying DVD-A until tonight. I got the Steely Dan "Two Against Nature" DVD, and I feel like I just found the Holy Grail. This changes everything. Now I know how good my system can sound with good source material DVD-A through the RP91.

 

[David Judah]

Nice, isn't it? I remember when the formats were first released and some folks were talking about doing double blind tests to see if they were worth investing in. IMO, that was unecessary, because on most systems the improvement is obvious.

While I have been underwhelmed with some discs, there is still noticeable improvement in the treble range, especially cymbals, and on some discs everything opens up and sounds so live, I smile and get lost in the music.

Try the Eagles' Hotel California and Fleetwood Mac's Rumors also. Those are two great discs that show the potential DVD-A can offer.

DJ

 

[Jeff PB]

I'm afraid this is going to make me want to go out and get an SACD player, too.

 

[David Judah]

Yes, indeed. You should--there has been some nice price drops on the Sony SACD players.

DJ

 

[GeorgeC]

David, some Best Buys have dropped the price on the Sony SCD-775 to $179. I got myself an open box for $149 - it was in great condition and even happened to come bundled with 5 SACDs in the box - it was a steal! (salesman said the SACDs were part of some early Sony promotion - didn't think they all come with those.) Even if none of the units come with the SACDs, and even if you buy unopened, $179 is a pretty amazing price for this unit. It plays 5 discs, has some weight to it (not super flimsy), sounds wonderful on SACDs, and even CDs sound better than on my DVD player or Sony mega-changer.

 

[KeithH]

Jeff, welcome to the world of high-resolution music. I too was blown away the first time I played the Steely Dan DVD-Audio disc. The stereo track is much better than the CD, which sounds good as far as CDs go.

I agree with David in that the Fleetwood Mac and Eagles discs are excellent. Also, if you like Metallica, pick up Metallica ("The Black Album"). It's another winner.

As for SACD, the 'CE775 is very nice for $200 or less. Give it a look at Best Buy or Circuit City. SACD is a wonderful format.

 

[Bry_DD]

I agree with the Eagles*Hotel California. Also try Barenaked Ladies*Maroon it's sounds really good. Also look into Blue Mans Group, I've heard so much + commnents from this forum. I just can't seem to find it hear?

have fun,

Bry

 

[John Tillman]

If you care for early 70's stuff, pick up the Greatful Dead's 2 albums, America & the Doobie Brothers.

The 4 of those dvd-a's have outstanding sonics.

 

[Jeff Savage]

I will throw in the Doors LA Women into the mix too along with the others mentioned.

Jeff

 

[Mike Broadman]

If you're getting into SACD and are willing to shell out a little more $$, look into the ES models. Even the lowest one, the 222, is a vast improvement over the non-ES players, especially if you plan on using it for regular CDs as well.

I just got the 222ES and am loving it. Perhaps I'll get into the DVD-A thing, but my poor credit cards need time to heal their wounds.

One of the cool side-effects of getting into SACD is that most of the releases are classical. I've always listened to that stuff in some form or another, but now I'm listening to it a lot more, reacquanting myself with Bizet, Dvorak, Brahms- stuff I haven't listened to in ages. I plan on picking up every non-vocal classical SACD that gets put out. This should provide for quite a robust and varied classical music library- all in hi-res.

 

[tony randall]

I sure wish all these people had responded to my post regarding Fleetwood Mac Rumours on DVD-A. Sure, it sounds 'better' than the redbook cd, but I don't think it uses the separate channels well at all. Multichannel SACD does a much better job of it.

I heard a total of two instances where I heard distinct sounds coming from the speakers on Rumours. One is a cymbal coming out of a specific rear speaker, and one track has the back up vocals coming out of the rear speakers. Didn't have much of a soundstaging effect, either.

When I play a multichannel SACD, I never want to leave the room - I just sit there enjoying the music, wondering how soon until I can get that setup in my car!

 

[David Judah]

Tony,

What you describe is a function of the mix, not the format.

Everyone has a different preference--some prefer a more traditional approach(strong presence up front with the rears used for ambience)and others like the being in the middle of the band feel.

It sounds like you prefer the former, so you should like the stereo track on Rumors.

DJ

 

[Greg Br]

Keith,

Do you have both a DVD-A and SACD player? It seems like a real pain unless you have a receiver with dual analog 6 channle inputs.

 

[Richard Travale]

What receivers have dual 6 channel inputs?

 

[Jim Prillaman]

What receivers have dual 6 channel inputs?

The Denon 5800 / 5803 has (2) 7.1 analog inputs. I don't know of any other receivers or pre/pro's that do.

 

[Jeff PB]

I have all kind of dilemnas now figuring out what to do with my credit card.

I don't have a surround processor outside the rp91 - I use a Sony TAP-9000ES for the preamp. So that will take care of how to address multiple hi-res inputs when I go SACD.

But I have an Outlaw 950 on order, which I think I am going to cancel it and just get an SACD player. Which I'll then run analog to the Sony preamp along side the rp91.

I run all my speakers large and have a HSU-VTF2 for movies primarily. It would probably be optimal to offload some bass from my speakers but it is not critical.

So right now, I think I am better off getting the SACD player and staying with the TAP9000ES. It sounds like one of the Sony ES SACD units would upgrade my redbook CD performance, as compared to the RP91. Upgrading the redbook CD performance is a little boost I was hoping to get out of the 950 (through digital connection to the rp91).

Of course I could get all of it, and an ICBM, but I think that a bit much - not enough rack space (or credit limit).

Plus in a year they will have players and processors that support both formats and digital hook-ups, don't you think? Wow, this is overwhelming.

 

[tony randall]

Everyone has a different preference--some prefer a more traditional approach(strong presence up front with the rears used for ambience)and others like the being in the middle of the band feel. It sounds like you prefer the former

You are right to a limited extent. I do like a strong presence up front, sort of like being in the front row as opposed to the 'middle of the band'. Even for someone that likes the 'middle of the band', I can't imagine that hearing the lead vocalist coming out of every speaker accurately gives that feel. If you are 'on the stage', if someone other than you is singing, they have to be left/right/front/back of you, one person can't be in all places.

With a good receiver, you can play a 2 channel track in a surround mode and get the same 'mix' that DVD-A seems to give. So DVD-A seems to offer only higher resolution over redbook. At 2x the price per disc, I don't see how that can become mainstream.

 

[KeithH]

Richard asked:

If you're getting into SACD and are willing to shell out a little more $$, look into the ES models. Even the lowest one, the 222, is a vast improvement over the non-ES players, especially if you plan on using it for regular CDs as well.

I just got the 222ES and am loving it.

I got a 'C222ES the other day for my second system, and I too am loving it. I already had a 'C333ES stereo SACD changer in there, but I observed static once with the Mary Chapin Carpenter multi-channel SACD, which is a known occasional problem with the 'C333ES. Anyway, I first went with the 'CE775 as a "back-up" SACD player to handle playback of multi-channel SACDs, but I exchanged it for the 'C222ES when the price dropped recently. I am very glad that I made the switch. In some brief comparisons with a couple SACD, I found the 'C222ES to be better than the 'C333ES.

 

[Doug_B]

Will everyone just stop it!?! You're breaking me down. I'm not gonna be able to hold out much longer .
Doug

 

[David Judah]

With a good receiver, you can play a 2 channel track in a surround mode and get the same 'mix' that DVD-A seems to give.

You mean with DSP's? It's not even remotely the same quality. It's not even mixed with multi-channel in mind like a 5.1 track for DVD-A is. Don't forget you are on the HTF and statements like that will get you excommunicated.
I will say that alot of the DVD-As I own and have heard are mixed more creatively(meaning middle of the band POV)than many of the SACD's I've sampled. Perhaps that is what you mean.
If so, different strokes for different folks. I enjoy both.
DJ