SACDs I don't love. Or like. Or enjoy. Or even look at!

Toto IV - stereo: Man, what happened to those cymbals? The high end is horrible. The Mastersound or MoFi are a lot better!

Sting - Sacred Love: It's just a bad album. Played it once. Never again.

But the one that really bothers me is Meatloaf's "Couldn't have said it better". The top end is... tizzy. As if NR was applied. I know it can't be, but it sounds NR-ed. It also lacks dynamics and the 5.1 mix is boring.

But the fact that the top end sounds a lot like Toto IV's makes me wonder... is there something about SACD encoding engineers still don't know much about?

 

I thought the John Coltrane "Blue Train" SACD sounded good until Sckott brought over the DAD version. What a difference! The SACD is now only allowed in the cheapo car stereo.

 

That Toto was disappointing, wasn't it? I don't have my original LP for comparison anymore, but I sure don't recall it sounding like this. Could the masters really sound that bad? Or were these the wrong tapes used?

Toto's Hydra sounds better.

 

I actually like this album, though I know I'm in the minority here with that opinion. I will say that I only enjoy listening to this disc in multichannel, though. Sting's voice sounds harsh on the stereo mix on both the cd and sacd layers, at least on my system with my ears, which the multichannel mix sounds good.

 

Has anyone done a comparison between the Toto IV stereo only SACD and the multichannel? I'm wondering if the stereo portions are digital clones, or if the multichannel is another remaster.

 

Interesting--I didn't know there was a two-channel version and a multichannel (which I assume would be a newer release). My Toto IV says "stereo" on the label. It was shipped in a standard jewel case, and in fact, the tray has the SACD logo instead of the familiar "Compact Disc" logo. What is puzzling is that my SACD's jewel box insert must be from the original CD version, as it has the Compact Disc Digital Audio logo in the lower right corner (like all the old Columbia CDs) and the insert is folded, just like Columbia did in the 80's. Did someone maybe slip in a different insert? Did it ship like this? Curiously, the little SACD ticket was inside the folded insert, and the insert looks like it was never removed. (That black/silver ticket shows up in some Sony/Columbia discs, and says "The Compact Disc was a good idea." on one side, and tells about the SACD on the flip side.)

Odd. But my guess was right that the master tape sounded like this. I thought the LP was a little punchier, but I haven't had my copy of it in 15 years. Hydra, to me, is just a cleaner sounding recording, and the SACD is my third version (original LP and Japanese CD are the others).

 

I've just finished talking on the phone with one of my local retailers and the 2 channel and the muti-channel are 2 different animals with different catalog numbers. So my guess is that they're 2 different 2 channel masterings.

I can't wait for someone to be able to compare these 2 for analysis.

 

That's also the only one of my 30 SACDs I was disappointed with. I kept the MFSL CD.

 

Re: Re: SACDs I don't love. Or like. Or enjoy. Or even look at!

Didn't this thing win a Grammy for engineering?

Sure it's thin and the kick drum is non-audible sometimes but the mixes are well balanced (instrumental balances) even though it's lacking in punch and low end.

 

I have both discs and they're the same.

 

I thought the Journey Greatest Hits SACD was a little underwhelming as was Kenny Loggins' GH. I'm just expecting too much from those mixes I guess. I bet these discs accurately represent the tapes.

 

Got that one for Christmas from my wife. She asked me how I liked it.

"Great I replied."

O.K. so I lied.

 

I don't have an SACD player yet but I have the hybrid "Between the Buttons". Love the album but I hate the sound. I'll stick to my beat up vinyl copy.

 

Both are the same version...

http://www.highfidelityreview.com/reviews/review.asp?reviewnumber=568504

Steve, I didn't know it sounds exactly like that. Does it mean the MoFi & the MasterSound have the smiley EQ added in? For the record, I found the MasterSound just a bit too hot for my taste...

 

Blue Train is my biggest disappointment as well... too hot!

 

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/s...5396&highlight=toto+sacd+different#post265396

Check out the thread above... Some forum members believe that the two stereo version are different. Hope this helps.

 

Do you know what would make Toto IV sound better in SACD? More cowbell baby!

 

Cowbell in 5.1! Kewl!

Sean

 

Looks like opinions are mixed: Toto IV on the stereo disc vs. multichannel disc.

I just wonder why they would bother with two different two-channel masterings, if it's supposedly just supposed to be a straight transfer. And if they fixed the pops on Toto IV, how did they do it? Is there a change in EQ also?

I don't listen often enough to worry about it, and I did get it used...and while it's not stellar, at least it's a fair representation of what the master sounds like.

 

I have the UK chrome cassette of this album to compare the SACD to, and the SACD and what I liked about the SACD is that the eq used on it is subtle enough that the lp still sounds like it was cut on 3 different tape stocks (which is apparently the case)!

I really thought this was the most "honest" sounding of the various Stones SACD's.

Now, Perk, if you want an AMAZING sounding hybrid SACD rush out right now and buy a copy of the nicest sounding SACD or CD in MY collection . . the Audio Fidelity Zombies Greatest (mastered all warm and tubey by Mr. SH hisself)! Nothing comes close.

 

I sure don't hear a difference between them. Yeah, I mean the DAD is better (just got the Sonny Clark "Cool Struttin'" one; ) but they both still suffer from that friggin' reverb problem on the brass. Gives me headaches and makes it hard to enjoy listening to this session. I have to listen from the next room!

 

I'm not a fan of the Muddy Waters Folk Singer SACD. It's high-rez and feels like you're there, but I remember something about the sound annoying me. I have Steve's MCA redbook version, which I like. I may spring for the DAD at some point.