Quality of Analogue Productions' SACD releases (1 Viewer)

[Ron Reda]

In general, how is the quality on the SACD releases from Analogue Productions (specifically the newer releases)? I'm already planning on picking up Jim Hall's "Concierto" which was just released by Mobile Fidelity today and am looking to add another SACD to the order. Here are a few of the AP "classic" releases I was thinking of:

Cannonball Adderley "Know What I Mean?"
Art Pepper "Art Pepper Meets The Rhythm Section"
Sonny Rollins "Saxophone Collosus"
Sonny Rollins "Way Out West"

 

[Lee Scoggins]

Ron,

These are all superb. I have both Sonny Rollins discs and can highly recommend them.

APO has been consistently good in terms of masterings.

 

[Jay_J]

Ron, I have all 19 of the AP sacd releases. The absolute best are the 7 CCR's remastered be Steve Hoffman. The other twelve are superb as well, remastered by Doug Sax. If I could find one fault with them, it's the price, around $25 a pop, which translates to about $32 for us Canadians at the moment.

May I also recommend two of the Bill Evan's discs in the series, Sunday at the Village Vanguard, and Waltz for Debby. As long as you don't mind the cost, you won't be disappointed in either the content or the sound.

Jay

 

[Ron Reda]

Jay,



I already have those and they sound great. I was hoping the other releases sounded as good as they do.

 

[Mike Broadman]

What JJ said.

Miles Davis' Cookin' is another must-have from AP in addition to the four you listed in your original post.

Except for the price, AP does SACD the way it should be done: great sound, classic music, hybrids, standard size packaging.

 

[Lee Scoggins]

This thread reminds me that I need to get the Art Pepper album. I have the XRCD and it is awesome, I can't wait to hear the SACD version.

By the way, APO is using analog tape sources for mastering I am told.

 

[Ron Reda]

Lee,

Thanks for the recommendation on the Sonny Rollins SACDs. They've been on my "must-have" list for some time, but I never got around to buying them.

Along with the Jim Hall disc, I went with Art Pepper's
"+ Eleven/Modern Jazz Classics". It was just released on 1/13 and is only $17.99 over at Music Direct.

Mike,



I second that!

 

[Rachael B]

I have the two Sonny Rollins, Chet Baker, a couple of Bill Evans, and Creedence. All score grade 'A'. Check out the Audio Fidelity line too. They have some comparable releases for as low as $12.99 some places, Cal Tjader, Zombies, Donovan, Tommy Turrentine, good stuff at P-O-P-U-L-A-R prices.

 

[Ron Reda]

I'm sure those Audio Fidelity releases sound great, but they really need to work on the cover art. It looks so lame!

 

[Jay_J]

Ron, I agree that the packaging seems a bit cheesey on some of those Audio Fidelity discs, especially the first batch. But the first rate sound and reasonable prices more than make up for the packaging.

I have the latest two AF titles on order, a Searchers compilation and Deep Purple Live at the BBC. For those that don't know the history, the owner of Audio Fidelity is Marshall Blonstein, who used to own DCC, the company that put out all those great (and now mega expensive) DCC gold discs. So you can understand why sound quality is numero uno with Audio Fidelity.

Jay

 

[Ron Reda]

True, but it doesn't bode well on the rack!

Doesn't Steve Hoffman do some of the mastering for these discs? I thought I saw his name on the Richie Valens one.

 

[Rachael B]

Ron, they're real nice on the playback spindle. That should be numero uno, si? The Beatles White Album doesn't have much of a cover either, eh? Who'd buy it? I think Steve Hoffman has done all the AF releases. All hail Hoffman!

 

[Jay_J]

Steve Hoffman does do all the remastering for Audio Fidelity. He's one of the best in the business, so you know whatever they put out will be top drawer, soundwise.

Jay

 

[Rich Malloy]

Good points about Audio Fidelity's (1) so-so packaging (and yuk art design), and (2) amazingly good prices for audiophile-quality "boutique" releases.

I wonder... would I want to pay more to get that extra-creamy, deluxe packaging like DCC used to do? The DCC Gold discs are still the best all-around CDs I have (sound quality, packaging, the whole ball of wax), but would I want to pay more for Audio Fidelity to go all out with the packaging, or am I glad to pay less for the best mastered discs on the planet with only so-so packaging?

 

[Mike Broadman]

It's so funny reading that after having watched Spinal Tap last night. Fran Drescher's character telling the band's manager that he shouldn't complain about the cover because the Beatles sold with just nothing on the front.

Audio Fidelity is very cool. Their Cal Tjader disc is one of my faves. I also have the Buddy Rich, and I think that's it.

 

[LarryDavenport]

I have two AP releses, the Miles Davis Cookin, and CCRs Willie & the Poorboys and they both sound great. I'll be getting more CCR soon.

I have two AF release, the Zombies and Richie Valens and both sound fine too. I'll probably get the Donovan and Tjader releases.

 

[Rachael B]

That Armando dude that's a quest artist and writer on the Tjader disc really sets that one over the top for me. The Zombies disc is un-f-in'-believable. The Hooker disc makes the most out of ancient tapes. The Donovan disc has all the right bonus tracks. About the only AF disc that I have, and I have the majority of 'em, that doesn't really impress me is Bob James IN HI-FI. I got out my vinyl platter of HEADS by him and it kicked the same track on the SA-CD. I doubt it's even Steve's fault that the tapes were old and dry. All hail Hoffman!