For Real? Stevie Ray Vaughan on Analogue Productions (Vinyl & SACD) (APO)

When I saw these listings, I thought...naw...how can this be when MFSL is still in print? And in box sets no less?!

SACD:
http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/84160/Stevie_Ray_Vaughan-Stevie_Ray_Vaughan_Box_Set-Hybrid_SACD

180 Grahm Vinyl:
http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/7...vie_Ray_Vaughan_Box_Set-180_Gram_Vinyl_Record

45 RPM Vinyl:
http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/7...tevie_Ray_Vaughan_Box_Set-45_RPM_Vinyl_Record

 

Now if they can just get 'em pressed nice and flat and, you know, centered.

 

Anyone want to speculate on which will be the better sounding release between the MFSL and APO versions? I have not purchased the MFSL's yet and now I really want to hold off and see how well these come out.

 

Depends on who does the mastering for APO.

 

How silly is that? Can't they find any other albums to remaster and release on SACD?

Seems to me almost like a pissing contest between the audiophile labels.

 

Here we go again!!! Aren't there enough audiophile versions floating around already? Texas Flood and CSTW were out on PurePleasure for a time, the MFSL released the catalogue on Hybrid SACD.

Can't they find another catalogue that has NOT been doen yet? Can't they release the stuff thats been on pre-order forever(Cat Stevens)???

We don't need 3 and 4 copies of something so quickly competing for our dollars.

Chris

 

Hopefully, that's the reason, as opposed to an inability to tackle another artist's catalog. Having just completed the acquistion of all the SRV on MFSL SACD, this is a headshaker, although it does look like there's the one with brother Jimmy. So, at least they can expect a single disc order from me.

 

I am done with remastered box sets like this. I have the DCC CCR's, Doors Perception Box, and the MOFI and Sony SRV's.

No matter how you cut it, they will not sound that much different to justify a $280.00 purchase.

 

I just wrote them an e-mail.

Open letter to APO, Analogue Productions and Acoustic Sounds:

To whom it may concern,

Let me start by saying that I am immensely enjoying many of the wonderful APO SACD releases from the last few years, and even many of the older gold CD’s from a longer time ago. I do own all 50 Blue Note APO SACD’s, almost all of the 25 impulse! APO SACD’s, all of the Nat King Cole SACD’s, the CCR SACD’s, the Blue Note Audio Wave XRCD’s (hopefully that series gets completed soon to the already announced 25 titles) and quite a few more single titles. I have been happy with the sound quality of most of these releases.

I think I am a quite typical audiophile customer, CD/SACD collector and music lover. I try to support companies like APO, MFSL or Audio Fidelity in their pursuit to release well mastered CD’s and SACD’s. I am willing to spend extra money for those releases, and I want the physical product, don’t care about downloads and would never be happy with just a CD-R. The number of customers who are willing to spend extra money for physical product like CD’s and SACD’s is surely not increasing, but I think you have a quite loyal customer base to be able to stay in business with such releases.

Now, today, I have just see the announcement of a Stevie Ray Vaughan APO SACD box set, see link here:
http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/84160/Stevie_Ray_Vaughan-Stevie_Ray_Vaughan_Box_Set-Hybrid_SACD

Please excuse my language, but are you guys totally out of your mind? Mobile Fidelity just released five of these Stevie Ray Vaughan titles on SACD, and they sound mighty fine and are surpassing the previous Sony SACD’s as well as respective Gold CD’s. Is this the biggest friggin’ pissing contest in the audiophile world? Why in the world would you decide to tackle the exact same albums (with one exception) which were just released on an audiophile format less than a year ago?

Can’t you find any better albums to release on SACD? How about some more Santana titles (just to name another Sony/Columbia artist)?

Why do the same 100 albums get recycled over and over again by the audiophile labels? Audio Fidelity seems to be the exception, coming up with many titles which were never released as an audiophile product before. And they are listening to their customers, they have already released several titles based on suggestions by their customers.

How many requests by your customers did you have to release the Stevie Ray Vaughan albums once again? This is really upsetting and such a waste of time, money and resources. What are you trying to prove? You think you can make them sound 0,1% better than MFSL did? Do you really think anybody really cares?

I bet the same guy who decided to tackle the Stevie Ray Vaughan catalog on SACD also decided to re-do the complete Doors catalog. It’s only the seventh or eighth re-mastering run for the Doors catalog. Brilliant idea, especially since Steve Hoffman just completed his excellent re-mastering cycle with the last two albums on Audio Fidelity (after the initial 5 titles done on DCC).

I will not only “not buy the SRV APO SACD’s”, but I will think twice before I buy any other APO product. I really don’t want to support a label with such a crappy release policy. Sorry guys.

P.S.:
You might want to check the respective threads on various music forums to see what people think in general about this “brilliant” idea with the SRV catalog.

Sincerely,
Roland

 

Looks as if you told them sincerely they are out of their minds. Expect a cancellation notice tomorrow?
You know that some people will buy these just to push up their totals of SACD's in thieir SACD.net profiles (not I , I have enough versions)

 

Aleluya, you told it like it is

 

Really stupid decision from AP. I have the MFSLs and willstop there.

 

Roland, please let us know what sort of response you get from Analogue Productions.

I have the MFSL SACDs and would still like to hear the Analogue Productions discs. However, I seem to recall reading that they would only be available in a box set. I'd rather have the option of buying the discs individually and not have to overpay to get a box and book that I don't need.

 

The number one way to prevent these repeat releases, do not buy them. The message will come through when they check inventory. Sales will just make this type of thing happen more consistently.

 

Hold tight, similar reactions are probably occurring throughout the audiophile world. It's the fact that the SRV MFSL SACD's were released so recently. When Chad and the crew get the message that few fish are biting on the box sets, they'll get broken up.

Two other quick comments: Roland's letter is an overreaction. It's one thing to criticize them for this announcement, but nobody forcing anybody at gun point to buy. So, you just move along to the next one that interests you, which brings me to my next point. Would this really preclude you from ever dong business with them again?

BTW, AP's quality is generally of a high caliber. However, their price points are always higher than MFSL and, in turn, AF. Even in a specialized market, such as this, it's hard to justify they extra $5-10 that they inivitably tack onto the retail price over the competitors.

 

What about future music lovers? Isn't a bunch of stuff that was released on now defunct labels out of print? (I know, not the mofi sacds)

Why are you telling people they shouldn't be able to buy stuff they want to buy because you already have it?

 

No, I want the Cat Stevens and Doors titles along with a few others. Boycotting will not work, not many people will do it IMO.

 

That's just the issue I have with them...they charge a premium and have some significant QC issues. A cursory google search, even if taken with a grain of salt, shows I'm not the only customer to receive LPs from them which are pretty badly warped or have other issues.

 

Right....

 

+1

 

I would really like to buy Family Style on it's own.

 

Looking forward to reading their response, if any.

 

This!

 

This made me pull out the MFSL Texas Flood and Couldn't Stand The Weather SACD's last night - I can't see any benefit to put these again, the MFSL's sound great.

Plus if I were MFSL I would be asking someone at Sony 'who decided to licence this?'