Benny Carter - "Jazz Giant" SACD

Any opinions on this SACD?:

http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/6796519/a/Jazz+Giant.htm



Steve,

do you know if they would have used that wonderful sounding master tape you had last year for this SACD from 2004?

Also, is your mastering destined for SACD/CD or just 45rpm vinyl?

I've been itching to hear "A Walkin' Thing" again since hearing it for the first time last year at RTI - a truly awesome recording of a fantastic performance .

 

I never felt the need for the SACD after getting the APO Gold disc.
That said, I'd love to hear opinions on the SACD and if anyone has compared it to the APO disc.

 

So your mastering isn't destined for a digital release?

 

Personally I love this SACD and the APO vinyl is even better.

 

I bought a "20-bit SBM" remaster of this album a few years ago here in Australia - it was a German version in digipak on ZYX label. It was apalling, impossible to listen to. Must hear the SACD, because it's such a great album...

 

Most of those German 20-bit ZYX remasters are appalling indeed. Avoid!

 

I haven't heard the APO CD, but the SACD doesn't sound like the best possible mastering, when comparing the sound quality to other Contemporary recordings from the same period released on CD or SACD. Unfortunately that's the case of many Fantasy SACDs.

 

The OJC is great, too. It's a bit quieter than the SACD, but in terms of tonality they are pretty much on par. The SACD may have a touch more bass.

 

For this title the old Doug Sax mastered APO Gold Disk is hard to beat (IMO). Not sure how scarce it is now.

 

The APO Gold Disk has a slight amount of reverb added, I like that. The OJC is dry as a bone - it's a matter of taste.