Quick little question about DSOTM (1 Viewer)

[Tony-B]

OK, I'm going to be buying a copy of Dark Side Of The Moon sometime soon, and I'm wondering which version I should go for.

I know you'll say the SACD version, but I don't have an SACD player to use it with and I don't plan on getting one. That being said, which one has the better CD audio mix, the 2003 SACD Hybrid or the old 1990 (?) CD version?

 

[PhilBoy]

Both Redbook versions are identical on each release...

I did an apples/apples comparison SA-CD version in my DVD player with a digital connection and the 'old' CD version in my CD changer with a digital connection.

No difference.

 

[George See]

I'd go with the SA-CD just because you never know...your current DVD player might break tomarow and you'll find yourself with an SA-CD player. OR maybee one of your friends will get an SA-CD player and you'll get a chance to spin the disk in Hi-Res.

 

[Jeffrey R]

I'd second George's suggestion. I had never owned any version of DSOTM before, so I bought the SACD version when it came out without owning an SACD player. Sounded fine in redbook CD. And when I purchased my Denon 2200 (SACD capable), I already had a test disk lying around.

And, fwiw, I'd encourage you to at least consider a universal player, whether cheap or expensive. I love SACD and DVD-A, and have been on quite a binge lately.

 

[John Garcia]

The SACD is very noticably better than the CD layer, even in stereo. I would definitely get the SACD for the exact reasons Jeffrey R gives. You may not buy an SACD player, but you may buy a DVD player that has his capability at some point. If you're a music fan, you may wonder why you hadn't... It's not vinyl, but it's pretty good.

 

[Tony-B]

Good point about getting an SACD player in the future. I'll probably just get the SACD version now.

Hey, while I'm thinking about it, is there any way to rip SACD audio into a wav or mp3 file?

 

[John Garcia]

The amount of data in an SA stream would lose so much when compressed into MP3, even at a high rate, it wouldn't be worth it, AFAIK. The nice thing about hybrid SACDs though, is that you can rip the CD layer...

 

[Greg Palma]

The problem with the redbook layer on the SACD is that it's been peak limited and dynamics have been maxed out--probably sounds good in the car but not in a decent home system.

If you're sticking with redbook then try to find the original Japanese pressing. It's the only version I know of that doesn't have the Ticket To Ride instrumental at the end of Eclipse, but it's considered to be the closest to the OMR in terms of sonics.

 

[Chu Gai]

You might want to also see if you can dig up bootlegs of various concert performances they did. While certainly not perfect, they do give a sense of what it was like to hear it live.

 

[Joel Fontenot]

That's because as a poster noted in Steve Hoffman's forum in this thread, the Japanese engineer who worked on that CD took the section right before the voice that says "there is no dark side of the moon, really... as a matter of fact, it's all dark" and "mono'ed" it by removing the right channel (the channel with the "Ticket to Ride" section) and leaving only the left channel information - complete with the 60Hz hum that started in the left channel with the start of that last vocal reading. He noticed that the "heartbeat" and the vocal reading no longer had that ambiant stereo sound to it.

And, BTW, why would you not want that. It's on the master tape, so we should hear it (even if we have to crank it up to 100 to hear it ).

As for my preference... I only have 3 copies: The MoFi Gold CD, the 30th Anniversary SACD Hybrid, and the 30th Anniversary LP. I much prefer the MoFi over the CD layer of the SACD. I too do not have an SA-CD player, so I can't comment on the SACD layer.

 

[Tony-B]

OK, how does the redbook layer of the SACD version sound compared to the 1992 CD version of the album? Target has that version for only $10, which is $4 less than the SACD version at Best Buy.

 

[ScottCHI]

the time you've spent posting about it is probably worth the $4, no?

just get the hybrid SACD version.

 

[Chu Gai]

More's the pity that we'll probably never hear the group as a whole play again.

 

[Angelo.M]

Amen, Chu.

Tony-B: get it on vinyl.

 

[Jeff_CusBlues]

I also have the MoFi Gold CD, and have never been sorry that I spent the extra money at the time. I never really compared this to the CD layer of the 30th Anniversary CD. As stated before, the 5.1 SACD is incredible and IMO, the best version available.

 

[Rich Malloy]

I've had a number of versions of "DSOTM" on CD, primarily the 25th Anny Edition (or is it 20th? the one in the green "box" case with the cards), the MoFi Gold disc, and the SACD hybrid. First off, forget the 25/20th Anny edition, as it's easily the worst of the bunch.

Between the MoFi Gold and the SACD redbook (CD) layer, I prefer the SACD redbook layer. It's close and there are some things I prefer about the MoFi, but on balance I think the SACD redbook is better. And considering you can get this version for $11 or so, as compared to $40-50 or whatever for the long OOP MoFi, I think you would be wise to go for the SACD hybrid.

This is even more true as many hardcore audiophiles (check out the Hoffman forum and audioasylum) actually prefer different OOP CD version of "Dark Side" to the Mofi. You might get lucky in a used store, or you might pay premium $ on eBay. And you might get slightly better sound quality than the MoFi or SACD hybrid. Of course, it's all about your taste and system, too.

So, I'd highly recommend that you think about how much that Mofi (or other OOP CD) is really worth to you, considering how fantastic the SACD hybrid is. Yes, it's peak limited in one or two places, and yes it sounds different than my MoFi gold. But it also sounds great, and to my ears and on my system, better than MoFi.

And if you get the SACD hybrid now and should you ever get a SACD player, then you'll have the very best transfer, by far and it ain't even a close race, sitting on your shelf.

 

[Rich Malloy]

That may have been the most poorly written post I've ever typed! :b

 

[Tony-B]

So what if it's peak limited? Just as long as nothing is cut out then it should be OK. Please don't tar and feather me for that statement. :b

Alright, I'll get the SACD version, now it's just a matter of TIME before I do buy it. HAHAHA!! Get my lame-ass joke?! Maybe I should also get a copy of The Wizard Of Oz (I'm like the only guy here who doesn't own it on DVD yet) to complement DSOTM.

 

[Yee-Ming]

IIRC, isn't the best "regular" CD version of DSotM the Harvest release from around 1992/3? I think this was all extensively discussed before here, long before the SACD showed up.

 

[John Garcia]

Never got this one. Someone said it doesn't work with the DVD; it has to be VHS and/or you have to be really wasted or something like that.