Dire Straits Self-Titled SHM SACD

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by LeeS, Aug 25, 2010.

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  1. LeeS

    LeeS Music Fan Thread Starter

    Location:
    Atlanta
    Has anyone received theirs yet?

    I'd love a quick review on sound quality. Thanks! :)
     
  2. MisterBritt

    MisterBritt Senior Member

    Location:
    Santa Fe, NM, USA
    Boy, I am wondering the same thing. I got so excited contemplating it early this morning that I slipped my Japan Mini LP SHM as the sun was coming up to try and convince myself the SHM SACD is worth ordering. That albums sounds even better to me in predawn hours than it does late at night. Well, the Japan Mini LP SHM sounds so good I just don't know what improvement we might even expect. The judging of this SHM SACD will be exciting to follow.
     
  3. KeithH

    KeithH Success With Honor...then and now

    Location:
    Beaver Stadium
    My SACD just shipped from CD Japan yesterday. They are pretty fast, so I may have it by the weekend. Here's hoping.
     
  4. MikeT

    MikeT Prior Forum Cretin and Current Impatient Creep

    Location:
    New Jersey, USA
    My copy should be delivered today. If so will listen tonight.
     
  5. LeeS

    LeeS Music Fan Thread Starter

    Location:
    Atlanta
    Keith and Mike,

    Thanks, look forward to the reviews.
     
  6. Espen R

    Espen R Senior Member

    Location:
    Norway
    Well, that's promising. Because it's unlikly that the SACD-team will use an inferior analog tape.
    *new 2010 DSD transfer based on the latest national analog tape*
     
  7. A "national" analog tape is going to be a second-generation copy (or worse--I do not know what the term "latest" implies). Not saying it will necessarily be "inferior" sounding, but it won't be the original master.
     
  8. TONEPUB

    TONEPUB Senior Member

    Location:
    Portland, Oregon
    So far the first SHM-SACD's we've received have been no big deal and way overpriced at $49 each...
     
  9. Metralla

    Metralla Joined Jan 13, 2002

    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    Thanks. I'm still on the fence regarding those. So many other SACDs I would rather buy - like the second set of Blue Notes.
     
  10. Espen R

    Espen R Senior Member

    Location:
    Norway
    No good sound?

    So far I've read that Velvet underground, Moody Blues, Clapton, Stones and others sounds better than any other digital releases. And all classic albums. Is'nt that good?
     
  11. Terry

    Terry Senior Member

    Location:
    Milwaukee
    You are incorrect. They are stellar.
     
  12. I only bought the Aja SHM-SACD and although it was nice sounding--better than the current CD mastering, that's for sure--the Cisco Aja LP remains my reference.

    I still am going to post my listening notes comparing the SHM-SACD to the Cisco LP--I just need to find the time to edit them down!
     
  13. Espen R

    Espen R Senior Member

    Location:
    Norway
    Yesterday, I read this review on internet:

    have a couple of Redbook CDs cut on Super Hard Material (SHM), and a number of Super Audio Compact Discs (SACD). Both formats have given terrific results. So, I was really looking forward to these two: The only Steely Dan on SACD has been Gaucho, and I have Let It Bleed as an SHM CD.

    Both of these are Japanese imports, and not cheap: they ran about $55 each, shipped. What an expensive load of crap.

    Aja has plenty of detail. However, it sounds as if they tried to EQ a master cut for another format. It doesn’t sound like they used the multitracks, or the non-EQd stereo master. The soundstage is claustrophobic. At first, I thought there might be a phase problem. However, the instruments have too much presence for that. Rather, it sounds like everything got panned to the middle.

    Let It Bleed has less detail than my SHM CD. There is simply no excuse for that. Particularly when I have heard how good the very rare, original SACD sounds. This second time around is soft, lacking both definition and detail.

    On the upside: At least I made the mistake, so you don’t have to.

    http://mgnagy.wordpress.com/2010/07/21/aja-let-it-bleed-both-shm-sacd/

    The guy here says that the Rolling Stones SHM-CD has more information in sound than the SHM-SACD. And that the standard SACD of Let it Bleed sounds better than the SHM-SACD.
    How could this be when others (trusting people) says the complete opposite?
    Is it "politics" or is it hearing? I'm begin to wonder...
     
  14. Metralla

    Metralla Joined Jan 13, 2002

    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    What's your auditioning setup, Terry?
     
  15. TONEPUB

    TONEPUB Senior Member

    Location:
    Portland, Oregon
    Hey, it's your fifty bucks. God, who cares about ANOTHER pressing of Aja or Dire Straits anyway? It's a big world out there...

    Personally, the couple of these that I've heard didn't sound any better than a $4 LP you can buy at your local record store. They don't sound BAD, they just don't sound amazing.

    Don't say I didn't warn you....
     
  16. Espen R

    Espen R Senior Member

    Location:
    Norway
    Hey! I care for it! I'm 42 years old and have never owned a copy of Aja before the SHM-SACD.
    And I only owned 1 copy of Dire Straits S/T, but did not liked the SBM sound, so I don't know where it is...
    So I care for it! :wave:
     
  17. I think it's almost impossible to get a "bad" sounding copy of Aja, so rest assured that if the SACD is your only copy of Aja, you did not waste your money.

    For my money, I like the Cisco LP the best, but you'll find fans of Steve's CD, the promo LP pressings, and IIRC a green vinyl Canadian pressing. Even the regular CD--in all of its different remasterings--sounds good. I have yet to find anyone that likes the SHM-SACD the best, but it is definitely not bad.
     
  18. detroit muscle

    detroit muscle MIA

    Location:
    UK
    I have the SHM-SACD of Aja and really like it. I've ordered Who's Next and the Dire Straits titles as a result.

    As they are very expensive I wasn't going to double dip titles I already have on SACD, but even given the price I wanted to hear with my own ears than rely on others opinions, and if disappointed I knew I could recoup most of my outlay on eBay when they went OOP, but I think they are a worthwhile purchase.
    I'm not losing any sleep over what I spent on these.
     
  19. PanaPlasma

    PanaPlasma Forum Resident

    Location:
    Belgium, Europe
    They sound good for me and many people at different "audiophile" forums.
     
  20. Espen R

    Espen R Senior Member

    Location:
    Norway
    I'm tired of CD sound. So CD is'nt a option for me when it comes to back-catalog, only for new music. I don't own a record player now.

    But let me say this: most people with SACD players have not heard the full potential of DSD sound, because the electronic design in the players are to "complicated" and destroys the beauty of DSD sound.
     
  21. rstamberg

    rstamberg Senior Member

    Location:
    Riverside, CT
    You've heard them all, right?
     
  22. drbryant

    drbryant Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    You know something? I just listened to the Dire Straits SACD, and at least to my ears, it sounds very, very good. Lots of detail, without any harshness - the bass, ride cymbal and lead guitar on "Sultans of Swing" sound very accurate. The only other copy that I have is the Vertigo, and if no one else does it, I'd be willing to do a comparison. It's a Takiguchi mastering from the Japan master tape.
     
  23. rstamberg

    rstamberg Senior Member

    Location:
    Riverside, CT
    Sounds good to me!

    These recent Japanese SHM-SACDs have proven to be reliably consistent and every one of 'em I've heard sounds really nice.
     
  24. drbryant

    drbryant Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    The new releases come with a little survey postcard where you can recommend new titles for SACD. Also, it says that people who submit the survey will have a chance to win an SACD sampler. Of course it's all in Japanese, so if you don't read the language, you'll have to guess where to suggest new titles. Have fun.
     
  25. Myke

    Myke Trying Not To Spook The Horse

    I'll be paying close attention to the WHO'S NEXT portion of this show. Of all the different versions I have, my favorite is the P33P, and DR has already got my attention with his comments. :righton:

    The Aja...I just couldn't hear anything special so I flipped it in less than 24 hours. Then the UK MCLD 19145 arrived, and whoa ! That was what I was looking for !

    But Who's Next is one of my " perfect / desert island " albums, so...:help:
     
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