Dire Straits Self-Titled SHM SACD

I have compared my laserdrop of the SHM-SACD to my other two CD versions, Japan Target and WG Blue Swirl.

The SHM-SACD has a dynamic range of DR12 (12.3 actually).

The other two CD versions have DR14 (13.9) and DR13 (13.5) respectively. I forgot to add the info which CD is which in my table, but based on the results you posted, the first one might be the Japan Target. Anyhow, there is only minimal difference in dynamic range between the two CD versions, and the SHM-SACD has about 1 dB less dynamic range (but it is noticeably brighter also, which usually increases DR readings, so adjusted for EQ the dynamic range difference is in fact probably more like 2 dB - this could be a result of the tape copy they used might have had some analog compression and EQ applied, who knows).

 

P.S.: How do you know for sure these levels are for the Japan Target and not the WG Target CD?

 

Just placed my order for this . Really look forward to it.

 

Roland, so you recommend keep the japan target and vertigo blue?

the targets WG and the japan are the same right?

by the way how you detect decimals on dynamic range like 13.5 I was think that are just round numbers, not decimals, I the TT dynamic range app for mac

 

WG Vertigo (blue or orange swirl) and WG Target are the same, but different from Japan Target = US Warner Bros.

I keep all of these versions. From a sound quality point of view, I probably like the WG Vertigo the best, but it has some early fades.

The decimels on dynamic range were actually derrived not via TT Dynamic Range meter, but by the equation: peak level minus average RMS.

 

Correction:
I did use TT DR meter but for the complete wave-file for the whole album, and it does show the dynamic range in decimels for the left and right channel, which were averaged by me.

 

thanks Rob, so let me see If I understand:

the WG target have fades etc... like the blue swirls, so the japan target have unique master with NO fades... so if yes the japan target is great

 

Coorect, Japan Target has no early fades. It is identical to the early US Warner Bros. CD.

 

oh the japan target is the same than this early US warner???? so more easy and cheap get the US warner I think and is the same thing!

 

I thought this thread was about the SHM-SACD. Talk about hi-jacked.

 

I myselft HATE when people mix threats and start talk about how is good is the band or stupid things not related with the SOUND but whats the problem on this?? we compare the SHM-SACD with the old pressings, targets, blue swirls

 

After having read through what seems like hundreds of pages between this Thread and the two "Best SHM-SACD" threads, when I read this post above, it was like envisioning a multi-car highway crash

I don't have an SACD player yet, I hope to get one soon, but trying to make sense out of the wildly varying opinions on sound quality in these SHM-SACD threads is a nightmare. Could improper settings on SACD players be the overriding reason, even more than general system differences, listening room differences and personal preferences?

Unlike the last three possibilities, improper settings on SACD players could explain just about everything as far as the extreme variances in viewpoints are concerned.

What type of "settings" are you referring to?

Do you mean making sure the DSD signal is not converted to PCM before it gets to the analogue output stage, or something else?

 

Claus,

I have followed your posts with much interest since you began ranking the various SHM-SACDs in the two extremely long "The best SHM-SACDs" threads. I much prefer a more "relaxed" and natural sound, which seems to be in line with much of what you recommend, as opposed to compressed and/or bright sound. The link to your SA-CD.net collection at the end of many of your posts has been very helpful to see which SACDs (SHM or otherwise) you "do" or "do not" recommend.

I saw that Dire Straits S/T is now on your "recommended" list on SA-CD.net, have you had a more favorable impression after a recent re-evaluation?

 

I have only noticed this special behaviour with my NAD T 585 SACD/DVD-A/CD player. I don't even remember which exact settings those were. All I noticed is, that after the change of the settings, the output was much lower and more dynamic. I had recorded some SHM-SACD's from the analog outs of the player, and I got the same peak levels for each SHM-SACD, and the peaks were shaved off (even when the absolute peak - of course - was less than 0 dB). After the change of the setting, I get nice and dynamic recordings from the analog outputs of that player.

I have not tried to record from another SACD player to see whether I also get the shaved off peaks. But my other SACD players have a louder output level.

 

I won several of the SHM_SACD series and the the one thing I can say about it is the sound varies from disc to disc and I think we all have somewhat unrealistic expectations....the truth is there is little that can be done with poor recordings other than perhaps coax more detail out of it etc....as an example I bought a copy of a MFSL Chuck Berry greatest hits and the truth is it is a MONO recording that has some songs that sound good and others dreadful and that isnt the fault of MFSL,it is simply the fact that the original recording was poor ...the MFSL sounds a hell of a lot better than the original but still wont sound like anything special....I have bought many audiophile recordings only to be disappointed not at the quality of the mastering but at the fact that there was only so much that could be done with it no matter who mastered it....The same thing holds true for the SACD's I have bought and own...the good recordings sound glorious and the poor recordings sound better but still are poor recordings....

 

I didn't know I have recommended this one... must check sa-cd.net again.

I have heard the SHM-SACD many, many times... I prefer the original CD to the SHM-SACD... the original LP is still my absolute reference. The SHM-SACD has a "modern style" I don't like it. My ranking... 1. UK LP (low stamper), 2. original CD, 3. SHM-SACD.

 

Thanks for the reply,

I was hoping maybe you had discovered something that might explain much of the differences that people hear when listening to the same SHM-SACD discs, but I should have known it wouldn't be that simple

 

I understand, same thing applies to CDs and LPs, and I spend a lot of time here trying to figure out which ones are recommended. For the most part, I can usually find enough information to point me in the right direction when it comes to labels, matrix numbers and whether U.S. or UK is better when it comes to LPs, and with CDs (and many SACDs) there is often a consensus, or at least enough information to help me decide whether I would probably prefer one CD/SACD over another, but these SHM-SACDs are not as easy to get a confident handle on, as far as reading reviews.

I have bought several of my favorites that were on just about everyone's recommended list, it's the ones where the opinions are at such opposite ends of the scale that have me wondering what could be causing people to hear the same SACD, and yet have such dramatically different reactions to it.

 

Claus, thanks for the update.

I checked my Dire Straits S/T CD, purchased long ago (late 80s maybe?), long before I knew anything about this forum or mastering or differences from one CD to another. Turns out my CD says "Printed in U.S.A. 3266-2" on the back (and Warner Bros. 3266-2 on the spine), but the disc itself says "Made in W. Germany by PDO" on the play-side hub, and "Made in West Germany" at 6 o'clock on the label side. It has always sounded pretty good to me, but I haven't had anything else to compare it with.