SHM material warning

Never do that with a Nimbus pressing, you'll wipe off the top layer!

The fragility of optical media is one reason why I prefer DVD-A over SACD - I can make bit-perfect safety copies of the former, but not of the latter.

 

Not 100% related, but very close. More like 98%. Cloth fiber and some type of polish? Ouch.

 

I'm sorry but that guy in that post you linked to is a little kooky, claiming that this liquid makes SACDs, Blue Rays and CDs superior when applied?! My lord..

 

I cracked a brand new Bob Dylan SACD trying to pry it out of a digipak years ago. It was one of those "death-grip" digipaks.

Just last week, I obtained The Complete Tony Bennett and Bill Evans two-disc CD set from Import CDs, and disc two was cracked when I opened the package. I hadn't even touched the disc.

 

Glass CDs or SHM-SACDs - FYI, cheap plastic fiber optic cables are used for transmitting 250 Mbps (and Gigabit just around the corner) over cable lengths of 100 meters.

What's a few millimeters to a CD/SACD player?

The current laboratory fiber optic data rate record, held by Bell Labs in Villarceaux, France, is multiplexing 155 channels, each carrying 100 Gbit/s over a 7000 km fiber.

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation have also managed 69.1 Tbit/s over a single 240 km fiber.

Bell Labs also broke a 100 Petabit per second kilometer barrier (15.5 Tbit/s over a single 7000 km fiber).

 

See your post for what? For a kind of ridiculous statement suggesting that a modern and pretty expensive medium must be treated as an ancient one? In that case, where are technology and marketing progresses going? Just a reminder: we're talking about a 21st century technology here, not antiques. And since I have a SHM CD, as well as a disability which affects my hands, I think I should have been informed by SHM CD manufacturers that these "progressive" coasters may be not suited for me and likes. Fair enough?

 

I hear you Bronth. The only absurdness in this thread is post #5 - he is actually trying to sell the physical shortcomings [brittleness] of these expensive, but cheaply made, SHM-SACD's as a positive thing.

 

Well said. And I MAY enjoy some nostalgic aspects of the current marketing (such as the mini-LP design, for instance) but obviously not in this case.

 

I feel your pain...you have verified what I thought myself. I loaned my brother a Humble Pie SHM and it split when he pulled it our of my CD holder. I have pulled many cds from that holder and they never split. It is a little tight but not that tight. In addition, a Lynyrd Skynrd SHM of mine cracked in the middle when I tried to clean it.

Be forwarned.

 

Not that it's particularly relevant but which SHM-SACD did you break?

 

Tullman,

That is a crying damn shame and I appreciate the "heads up." I can see myself handling them much differently in the future if I should take one out of its sleeve. I "needle dropped" mine at 192/24 to have and enjoy on my computer, etc.

 

HiYO!

 

no, but your cd player will read it more accurately if you can ink it without breaking it.

 

Forget the markers. SHM manufacturers should invent a new type of player which will easily read even a SHM CD broken to 1000 pieces. It will finally prove advantages of their technology. They even may call the player "green" since it will eliminate the need of trash-cans.

 

I am glad I did not get caught up in buying a pile of these.
I have heard enough to tell me to leave them alone.

 

Funny,I love ALL my SHM-CDs and I even love them more when I just think of how many of these titles WERE'NT done by Audio Fidelity as well!

 

I don't particularly care for Espen's insistence on turning every single thread concerning any SACD into a debate on whether resolution matters above all, but I don't think it's fair to assume that the SHM-SACD's are cheaply made. There's no basis for that.

 

A very good choice. I have yet to be totally blown away by any of the ones where I have good alternatives-

Who's Next-Hoffman
Aja-Cisco LP
Paranoid-CDP 33
Layla-The other SACD
GBYR-MFSL LP and UK vinyl and the other SACD (little bright but not obnoxious)

Unless they issue something where I have no other decent alternative I am saving my $60.

 

I think that the SHM-SACDs are well produced representations of the albums.
I had no plans to start bending any of mine anytime soon. Ill be gentle with my Gentle Giant.

 

Tullman, that sucks. Reminds me of the early run of US made DSOTM SACDs where cracks began propagating from the center hole outwards. In that case, it was everything the Crest plant manufactured. Hopefully this is just a 1 in a million thing, and not a bad run or SHM SACDs in general.

But man, I have had to fight to extricate some CDs from very tight digipak and std jewel case hubs. Never broke one, but always wondered if it could happen ...

 

Sorry for your pain, Tullman, and thanks for the warning. Somehow, though, I cannot imagine anyone writing or recording anything about SHM-SACDs (or glass CDs) along the lines of Richard Thompson's classic 'Don't Sit On My Jimmy Shands'

 

I feel for anyone, who may drop, bend, snap, crackle or pop a disc of any format, regardless of it's cost. Accidents happen, but, the good thing for Tullman is, that SHM-SACD that snapped in two is still around, so, before it goes out of print, which could be next week (in ALL seriousness) and try to contact the company in Japan and request a replacement.

Chris C

 

I must protest a little. You complain about the $60 price tag yet I'm sure you're aware how much the deleted / rare DCC or MFSL cost to get a hold of, if you can find them.

Many of us, I'm sure, we're not lucky, experienced or old enough to get a hold of such prized assets first time around. A second hand DCC Wheels of Fire for example will cost me at least £50 ($80) as opposed to £35 for the SACD.

On those terms, $60 for a brand new, equal, if not superior product is a bargain, is it not?

 

Why does one need to do this if one handles their discs properly to start with? And if it is necessary the disc should be on a flat surfface to avoid stress on the surface, No?

 

I have to say there is your protest is somewhat unfounded. I said where I had no other alternatives! Of course if I did not have the Wheels of Fire DCC-which I do- I would spring for the SHM-SACD. I merely said that they do not IMHO blow away the competition I listed. For instance, I somewhat wished I did not bought the Who's Next SHM-SACD. I like Steve's version a little more than the SACD.