Black Sabbath -Paranoid SACD?

I have never bought from them. Anyone have any comments good or bad?

 

Well, they ship from Long Beach so you should receive it quickly. They don't charge the card until it ships.

I bought a Can SACD from them on the 14th and received it today, the 18th.

 

And they have a 15% off and free shipping promo code out right now. I deleted my email with it, so I don't have access to it anymore.

 

$75 minimum purchase (before discount) to get that deal.

 

Still $20 at Amazon UK. Even with the $5 shipping to the US, this would seem hard to beat:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=467128533&pf_rd_i=468294

 

I think I'll wait for the other deluxe editions to come out and if those are well received buy all three from Amazon UK.

 

I beleiev it's owned by the same parent company as f.y.e. and Sam Goody.

 

Great review Eddie, thanks.

I'm currently on the east coast and far from my stereo, but this week in NY I found copies of an original WB green label LP ($4!) and the new 3-disc Sanctuary/Universal package at Looney Tunes. Although it's been years since I've last heard the Paranoid album en todo, I played back the DVD and first listened to the quad mix then the stereo and I am rather impressed with what I heard. Once I get home and play it back on my own rig I'll have a better idea, but for right now I'm rockin' out my brother's house!

later, chris

 

Well, I finally gave 5.1 mix a try and IMHO it's totall garbage. Muddy, lots of vinyl artefacts (clearly a very noisy needledrop). Ozzy voice sounds like **** and the drums lack all the punch of the stereo version. This new DE is a keeper but only because of brilliant stereo remaster as well as the bonus stuff.

 

They've delayed the Deluxes for s/t and Master Of Reality for another month...

 

Has anyone had occasion to compare CD-1 of the 2CD/DVD set to LP-1 of the 2LP set? Any sonic advantages to the vinyl?

I have the 2CD/DVD set (which I got mainly to hear the surround mix) and still prefer my 33PD to CD-1 of the Deluxe Ed.

 

Could someone please post a sample from the new Paranoid remaster (stereo mix)?

I would like to hear for myself whether I like it better than the 1st Japanese pressing, which is my favorite up until now.

 

OK, I *do* need to read this thread and the other one in more detail, but ...

After looking at the reviews of this at Amazon US and UK, it's seems like the only reason to get this is for the pretty good 2 ch mastering, and the booklet? The quad mix isn't so great, and the other bonus tracks aren't that great either?

 

The bonus tracks are good not great, IMO, but it depends how big a Sabbath nut you are. I guess this would apply to most any bonus tracks on any release, but to me the extended "Planet Caravan" is a nice addition. Also hearing "Paranoid" when the vocal melodies weren't fully worked out is fascinating. But as most have said, this isn't the type of stuff you're likely to spin with any regularity.

 

I was able to compare the DE of Paranoid with my Japanese 1st pressing, and here are my impressions:

The new DE is quite decent for a new remastering. The EQ is not whacky, and it still has some dynamic range left. But some compression has been applied for sure, since the dynamic range of the 1st Japanese pressing is still quite a bit larger.

Also, the DE sounds a tad sterile to me, the 33PD sounds more organice and still smoother.

I would say the DE is not a bad choice if you cannot find the 33PD 1st Japanese pressing. I also like the '86 Castle CD still better than the new DE, but the DE comes in a solid third place and is certainly better than the original Warner Bros. or the Black Box version.

I included a couple of wav-forms from "War Pigs". First is the new Deluxe Edition, and the second is the 33PD 1st Japanese pressing (normalized to 99% for better visual comparison).

Looking forward to hearing the new versions of the S/T album and MOR.

 

I also measured the dynamic range with the TT Dynamic Range Meter 1.4

DE: 9 dB
33PD: 13 dB

So some compression has been applied to the DE for sure.

 

That is heavily compressed if that first image is the one you are talking about when you say "some" compression.

 

One more reason not to trust waveforms. It doesn't sound compressed at all. The dynamics and the punch are GREAT.

 

Yeah not questioning that. Just calling that a little bit of compression is not correct. Saying it sounds like a little bit of compression is a different thing. Imagine how much punch it would of had it they left off the limiter.

 

Anton, the compression on the DE is easily noticeable to me. It's not as bad as many other remasters, but it is compressed to some degree. No need to trust waveforms, but your ears. Apparently you are not as sensitive towards some compression as others, but you shouldn't state that the DE is not compressed.

You can still like it, and it doesn't sound bad at all, but the dynamics are compromised. As can be seen by other available CD's, the mastertape has at least a dynamic range of 13 dB (there is no way that a CD mastered from a tape copy of the mastertape will have more dynamic range than the mastertape), and the DE has 3-4 dB less.

 

I guess it is all relative. It is compressed and easily noticeable but it is not as heavy as many other remasters.

 

yeah I have never heard the CD but looking at the waveform that shows it was heavily compressed. Not saying anything else really. I am sure it can still sound good but just not as good as it could of if they left the limiter out of the mastering chain. but yeah some are like blocks. I guess it just gets worse and worse and the bar keeps getting lower.

 

Roland and Jeff, as always, thanks for the insightful analysis.

 

The volume on my amp is basically the same as most Steve Hoffman masterings. It sounds just as open and easy on the ears and begs to be turned up to 11. I know "heavy compression" or even mild compression when I hear it. There's none here whatsoever judging by my ears.

Another theory that I have for a long time is some systems are far more compression sensible than others. Mainly has to do with the ease with which your amp drives your speakers. When I was driving my Sonus Fabers with (75 Wt) McIntosh 275 even slightly compressed CDs sounded heavy and almost unlistenable. When I used (400 Wt) MC402 or (200 Wt) MA 6900 the damage done to my listening experience for greatly reduced.

 

yeah like I said I never heard it but if you look at the waveform it shows heavy compression. I never said it sounded like it had it or didn't have it.