What's new

What Hirez Discs Have You Purchased Recently? (1 Viewer)

Steve Tannehill

R.I.P - 4.28.2015
Senior HTF Member
Deceased Member
Joined
Jul 6, 1997
Messages
5,547
Location
DFW
Real Name
Steve Tannehill
Paul.S said:
Steve T.: Thanks for the mention that Nile Rodgers is on Daft Punk's Random Access Memories. Loves me some Niles and his presence on that record makes me even more inclined to get that record as soon as I can squeeze it in.
It's the album of the year. And even though the robots have a digital background, the album has an analog flavor. And when it sounds like a Chic album, it puts you right back in the 70's.
 

Paul.S

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2000
Messages
3,909
Location
Hollywood, California
Real Name
Paul
Mike Frezon said:
Hey, Paul! Got it on eBay from a seller called micksmuse. DVD-A it is.
Thanks, Mike. 563-A still doing okay?

Current listening: Riccardo Chailly, Royal Concertgebouw, Mahler 8, DVD- A, Decca. (Again.) Can't wait to get the Dudamel M8 from Caracas on Blu-ray as soon as I can squeeze it in the budget.
 

Mike Frezon

Moderator
Premium
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2001
Messages
60,683
Location
Rexford, NY
Paul.S said:
Thanks, Mike. 563-A still doing okay?
Pulled out of my rack a few weeks ago.

I REALLLLLLLLY wanted a universal player because it was a PITA to access the analog inputs on my Denon receiver.

So, I picked up a Pioneer 62FD. Apparently, Best Buy had sold off the unit at their stores and a slew of them were up on eBay for pretty cheap. I am very happy with it. I came close to pulling the trigger on an Oppo but the Pioneer saved me a bunch of dough. The thing is...it is really allowing me the opportunity to do a whole lot more high-rez music listening. To access my analogue inputs, my Denon receiver made me do things like open up the BACK of my Denon remote (which I otherwise never used) cycle through a bajillion inputs, etc. I never could figure out how to program my Harmony One to handle this particular job. Now I have retired the 563-A AND my Sony CD player (which my wife was comfortable using when I was at work). I have been listening to a LOT more music since making the switch.

And Sam: I've had Guero in the player...but just haven't had the chance to give it the attention it deserves. I promise to report back here when I do!
 

Paul.S

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2000
Messages
3,909
Location
Hollywood, California
Real Name
Paul
Attention fellow SA-CD and DVD-A buyers/collectors who are also "anal retentive" about replacing broken cases:

Super Jewel Box announced earlier this month that they will cease production of all of their cases in October. Stock seemingly went down quickly at my usual case e-tailer, Sleeve City, and I'll be calling them in the morning to confirm their remaining stock. More info here:

http://jewelboxing.com/theend.php

Most of us who have been buying/collecting for years perhaps have more skinny hinge cases than fat. Although shipping was murder, I'm now even more glad I spent the money to get a stash of SJB Standard (CD-sized) skinny hingers for my SA-CDs a couple of years ago directly from SJB HQ in The Netherlands when those cases were being phased out. SJB Plus (for DVD-A) was even more rare. There is always the option of buying cheap Silverline titles to cannibalize for the case. But in case you have many fat hinge SJB Plus cases in your collection, I suggest placing an order with the only U.S. distribber that appears to have any of those left. I just did.http://2051009366.ds205.danego.net/?page_id=64
 

Paul.S

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2000
Messages
3,909
Location
Hollywood, California
Real Name
Paul
Looks like the Silverline Records label is (long?) kaput also? Their releases are of course still out there in the marketplace. But since I'm in L.A. I was going to go by their offices on South Carmelina in WLA to see if they perhaps sold Super Jewel Plus (DVD-A) cases. From Googling, it doesn't appear that they are around any longer in terms of being a going concern with offices at that location.
 

Mike Frezon

Moderator
Premium
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2001
Messages
60,683
Location
Rexford, NY
I picked up two discs tonight:

SACD - Sam Cooke.JPG


DVD-A - Dubliners.JPG


As you can see, I think I got a pretty good deal on both--but especially finding that used copy of the ABKCO Sam Cooke disc! :biggrin:
 

Paul.S

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2000
Messages
3,909
Location
Hollywood, California
Real Name
Paul
Mike, be sure the Sam Cooke is the SA-CD. I recall a kerfuffle wherein some folks thought they were getting the SA-CD but upon closer inspection IIRC the otherwise identical disc and packaging lacked the SA-CD logo (and it was a plain Jane CD instead).


Finally got not just my first RCA Red Seal Living Stereo title, but one of the recordings that was originally done three-track (the SA-CD re-presents these recordings using only L, C and R channels): Dvorak's "New World" Symphony (plus some Smetana and Weinberger), Fritz Reiner, Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Dvorak.jpg
 

Mike Frezon

Moderator
Premium
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2001
Messages
60,683
Location
Rexford, NY
Yeah, I read about that with regard to the Sam Cooke release.

But its the SACD all right. I've heard these songs a million times on the radio, but I have never owned them. They are a revelation.

It put to mine to consider buying this SACD. Some of the reviews say the same sort of thing: the songs have never sounded like this before, etc.

Can anyone give me any feedback?

1313765490_cover.jpg


The audio clips at Acoustic Sounds sound reallllllllly good on my tiny laptop speakers.
 

Mike Frezon

Moderator
Premium
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2001
Messages
60,683
Location
Rexford, NY
Paul.S said:
Finally got not just my first RCA Red Seal Living Stereo title, but one of the recordings that was originally done three-track (the SA-CD re-presents these recordings using only L, C and R channels): Dvorak's "New World" Symphony (plus some Smetana and Weinberger), Fritz Reiner, Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

attachicon.gif
Dvorak.jpg
I've had the RCA REd Seal Van Cliburn disc featuring the Rachmaninoff 2nd piano concerto. It was an LP my dad played hundreds of times in our house when I was a youngster. I like it.

cliburn_tchaikovsky_rachmaninov_piano_concertos.jpg
 

Mike Frezon

Moderator
Premium
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2001
Messages
60,683
Location
Rexford, NY
I have just received two new SACDs.

The first, which I got a few days ago, is the Elvis Presley - 24 Karat Hits. I find it to be a very uneven release. Some of the tracks really DO make it sound like you are listening to the original master tracks and really breathe new life into these Elvis classics. I have never heard some of these songs sound anywhere near this good. But some of the tracks sound rally pedestrian with a bunch of echo and reverb and are really unimpressive.

The tracks that sound good, sound really really good. The others...meh. But the ones that sound good make me glad I purchased it.

8226677834_a616c94de8_n.jpg


The other--which I am currently listening to for the first time is:

UDSACD2113-2.jpg


This is really knocking my socks off. I own the DVD-A of Sinatra Live at the Sands and it is nowhere near this good. This stereo recording sounds like it could have been made this past weekend rather than in 1966. I can only hope the same treatment is given to the Sinatra at the Sands tapes at some time in the near future.

This recording features songs that the Basie band played during their short sets before Sinatra would take the stage. They were all recorded and strung together for this release to make for one long set of Basie classics. (Some of these songs were featured as snippets on the Sinatra release--such as Making Whoopee and One O'Clock Jump.)

We could start with the musicianship of the Basie band (including the inimitable Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis) but the original engineers and present-day transfer engineers should also be congratulated for the professionalism and incredible sound quality. This may become my favorite high-rez disc in short fashion.

While I really wish it was multi-channel (I'm a sucker for immersive mixes), this stereo mix really fills the room with music. The separation really serves to put you there with the musicians like really good stereo production is supposed to do.

Oh man...this is good. I just heard One O'Clock Jump and after hearing the snippet on the Sinatra recordings over the years (LP, CD, DVD-A) this allows me to hear it like never before.

And I have just now jumped ahead to one of my favorite songs of all-time--Steve Allen's This Could Be the Start of Something Big. Suffice to say I am not disappointed. These guys could play! This is a true "big band."

The set list also includes Woody Herman's Jumpin at the Woodside, King/Goffin's Go Away Little Girl, Ray Charles' I Can't Stop Loving You, and Splanky.

If you are on the fence. Don't be.
 

Paul.S

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2000
Messages
3,909
Location
Hollywood, California
Real Name
Paul
Mike Frezon said:
I've had the RCA REd Seal Van Cliburn disc featuring the Rachmaninoff 2nd piano concerto. It was an LP my dad played hundreds of times in our house when I was a youngster. I like it.
cliburn_tchaikovsky_rachmaninov_piano_concertos.jpg

That Van Cliburn disc is on my list to get, too.

And thanks for the tip on Count Basie At the Sands (Before Frank).
 

Paul.S

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2000
Messages
3,909
Location
Hollywood, California
Real Name
Paul
Steve Tannehill said:
Also available for preorder at Acoustic Sounds in the United States, retail $29.98.

http://store.acousticsounds.com/c/381/Blu-ray_Audio
Steve, do you have much/any experience with Amazon France? I've ordered from Amaz Germany but not France and Music Direct's pricing is such that it seems like it is a better deal to order from Amaz. Any comments . . .?
 

Steve Tannehill

R.I.P - 4.28.2015
Senior HTF Member
Deceased Member
Joined
Jul 6, 1997
Messages
5,547
Location
DFW
Real Name
Steve Tannehill
I have ordered from Amazon Italy and Germany, and UK. In all cases, your Amazon.com ID and password is used. Use Google Chrome to translate the pages easily.

For Breakfast in America on blu, I ordered through the exclusive retailer in France, FNAC. Shipping cost more than the disc. I ended up paying something like $46 for the disc, which I won't do again with it coming available in the United States. What are the prices at Amazon France? I see Crime of the Century is being released tomorrow.
 

Paul.S

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2000
Messages
3,909
Location
Hollywood, California
Real Name
Paul
Steve Tannehill said:
I have ordered from Amazon Italy and Germany, and UK. In all cases, your Amazon.com ID and password is used. Use Google Chrome to translate the pages easily.

For Breakfast in America on blu, I ordered through the exclusive retailer in France, FNAC. Shipping cost more than the disc. I ended up paying something like $46 for the disc, which I won't do again with it coming available in the United States. What are the prices at Amazon France? I see Crime of the Century is being released tomorrow.
Thanks for reply. Granted there is the upside at Music Direct's site of being able to get multiple titles for the same baseline FedEx Saver (their cheapest shipping method) charge of $10.80 (I tried three titles in my shopping cart), but their $29.99 per title is a non-starter as far as comparison to Amazon France is concerned: Listed for 20 euros, Breakfast In America shows up in my Amaz France cart at 16.72 euros with 8.50 for their baseline shipping for a total of 25.22 euros (USD $35.46). So it's cheaper at current prices to import via Amaz France than to buy from MD.

Unsurprising to anyone who follows my posts in this thread, I note FOUR Mahler titles amongst UMGs second slate of these BD-As: a Mehta 2, a Solti 8, a Chailly 3 and a Song Cycle. I am def interested in the Mehta and Solti. The Chailly looks to be a re-release of what UMG released on SA-CD and, since the SA-CD is not too pricey, the fact that it is a hybrid which I can both rip and play anywhere is a thumb on the scale in that disc's favor compared to the BD-A.
 

Steve Tannehill

R.I.P - 4.28.2015
Senior HTF Member
Deceased Member
Joined
Jul 6, 1997
Messages
5,547
Location
DFW
Real Name
Steve Tannehill
Acoustic Sounds has free shipping for orders over $89. That's just 3 titles at $29.98 each.

I looked for Crime of the Century at Amazon.fr, and it was not listed.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Latest Articles

Forum statistics

Threads
356,710
Messages
5,121,135
Members
144,146
Latest member
SaladinNagasawa
Recent bookmarks
0
Top