Japan Single layer SACD : "Who's Next" "Aja" "The Velvet Underground & Nico" 6/23

I think this is pretty major as there are some forum favourites here, so I thought I would hive off as it was somewhat buried on page 11 of this thread:
http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=202850&page=11

Release date 6/23

SHM-SACD single layer disks, rock titles:

"Who's Next / The Who." New 2010 DSD Transfer from the Analog Tapes
"461 Ocean Boulevard / Eric Clapton." New 2010 DSD Transfer from the Analog Tapes
"Every Good Boy Deserves Favour / The Moody Blues." - New 2010 DSD Transfer from the Analog Tapes
"Aya / Steely Dan." - New 2010 DSD Transfer from the Analog Tapes
"Synchronicity / The Police." - 2003 A&M SACD DSD master
"Velvet Underground and Nico / Velvet Underground." New 2010 DSD Transfer from the Analog Tapes
"Live At Fillmore East / Allman Brothers Band." New 2010 DSD Transfer from the Analog Tapes
"What's Going On / Marvin Gaye" - From the 2008 Mobile Fidelity DSD master
"Layla" / Derek & The Dominoes. - New 2010 DSD Transfer from the Analog Tapes
"Let It Bleed / The Rolling Stones" From the 2002 ABCKO SACD


Paraphrased marketing blurb:

Prices - 4500JPY!!

 

Hybrid SACDs are compressed and information is lost?

 

I'll believe it when I see it, but I am hopeful. Only the new 2010 transfers interest me. I'll be looking for more information on these titles to be sure that new transfers are being done. They could use the old transfers for Layla, Who's Next, Every Good Boy, and Live at Fillmore East.

 

Most of the aforementioned titles are already out on SACD. I would like to see some different titles on SACD. How many more times will I buy Live at the Filmore East? Honestly, I won't buy Live at the Filmore East again.

 

The press release implies that multi-channel discs are compressed. Whatever.

As I understand it, tapes are still missing that would enable a multi-channel release of Aja.

 

Sounds like more green ink hype.

 

What??
On of these UMG titles is from an Mobile Fidelity DSD master? Could that be true?

I have an great idea! Let MoFi or AP do some great analog-to-DSD transfers of all the classic albums from Supertramp and Cat Stevens, and let UMG release them as SHM-SACD's.

 

Six or seven more times? We're not done until they say we are.

 

Second best: I think (hope) we soon finaly will see a high quality digital transfer of Supertramps best albums, for the first time in digital! (except for the old MoFi CDs). Probably done by Universals team.
All the CD editions of Supertramp are horrible! (except for the MoFis)

 

Interesting.

I found no listings for these on SA-CD.net

 

They are talking about in the discussion forums there:
http://sa-cd.net/showthread/53119//y?page=first

 

It's very good to see Universal back in the SACD business! I think this will be good for the whole SACD business, included the SACD-business for MoFi, AP and others.

That Universal are choosing the MoFi DSD masters for Marvin Gaye over their own (that is not bad at all), and that they are skipping over the existing DSD masters for Eric Clapton and Moody Blues, and do it all over from the analouge masters, shows they're serious in this.

jippi!

 

They are available for pre-order here in Japan. I will probably try a couple, but at 4500 Yen, I'll choose carefully. I suspect that these will be very limited; there aren't a lot of people out there to buy single layer stereo only popular music SACD's.

I agree that it is interesting (and encouraging) that they are passing over the existing DSD masters for some and using others. At the end of the day, it is my strong suspicion that they will not be able to top the original 80's CD's for most of these titles, but I'll approach them with an open mind.

 

Yeah, it is good news for us SACD fans, but why do they keep releasing the same titles over and over and over? Enough already. Universal owns a LOT of master tapes and way beyond these overused titles.

Chris C

 

Let's be excited about Aja. I've only been wanting that one on SACD since 2002.

 

Because there are existing agreements with the artist from previous releases. Thats make it easy for Universal to do them again.
In the next batch of releases we will see more things that not has been released before. I think.

And be sure we're gonna have the Carpenters on SACD. We are in Japan!
(The existing Carpenters SACD is my most hated SACD in my collection, can't listen to that compressed re-mixed ****)

 

+1

 

4500 Yen is ~$49

I'd like an SACD of Aja, but will wait for reviews...

 

If someone could link me to a serious preview of these discs, you are a hero!

 

If the sound quality of these SACDs are outstanding, then the price of $49 is ok. It is expensive, but if you think it's ok in 2010 to pay $30 for a gold plated CD with 16/44.1 music on, it must be ok to pay $49 for a premium SACD, if the quality is up there.

 

...and think of a totaly new 2010 analog-to-DSD transfer of the whole Elton John catalog, included the never released albums on SACD, included "Don't shoot me.."

I'm bubbling over now.

I think it will be a "rush" in the stores for SACD players.

 

Something inside tells me not to get too overexcited from my experience with long announced and most wanted SACD titles

 

I will probably pre-order the Who, Steely Dan and Velvet Underground. Hope this is really happening.

 

Yes, in most cases.
But in this case I see it unlike. That Universal are going for a new 2010 analog-to-DSD transfer, for pop/rock titles in limited edition, and for only the Japanese market, they're not going for B-class or C-class albums or artists, they go for A-class!
And I think it's not gonna be a problem to get agreements with the artists/managments for a single layer SACD Japanese edition.

Maybe several of the classic ABBA albums in glorious DSD sound for the first time?

I think most of the analog-to-DSD transfers will be done in the US and europe, and the DSD masters will then be shipped over to the pressing plant in Japan.

 

Dream on....of outstanding sound quality, first generation masters.
Those Universal Japan guys probably won't tell you any detail on this (who's mastering, what's the process and so on). They will give you what they want for your money.
CD format is dying, physical media is dying and they sell 50$ SACD. Maybe it will be strictly limited edition?
And by the way you know that the best version of "Who's Next" can be bought new for 7$.
But I still hope they won't fool me with VU & Nico. Give me just a flat transfer if you have masters, I don't care first or second generation, whatever.