So what are your thoughts of the Layla SACD?

I'm giving the stereo SACD track of Layla a first listen right now, and I am very, very pleased. Now, Layla is hardly a sonic masterpiece, but none of my CDs come close to the SACD. The first thing I noticed upon cueing up "I Looked Away" is the hiss. Wow! I like it! Clapton's vocals sound a bit muffled or in the background on much of the disc, but there is a warmth to most of his vocal tracks (there is evidence of limiting on "Layla," but I expected this). I have experienced such depth on "I Am Yours." Great bass! The piano section of "Layla" sounds a bit deep and dark, but it also has a clarity that I have never experienced on the CDs. The layering on this disc is just wonderful. I love this SACD!

These are just a few of my random thoughts. Please share your thoughts!

 

Is this compared to the remastered CD, Keith, or the RSO 2-disc, or some other edition?

 

I agree with you Keith and I had to do a double take at the start of the disc as well (with the "hiss"). I am 5.1 deficiant but I love the sound of the stereo layer. The sound is more "Up front" than the MFSL Gold disc but I do not find it to be hard to listen to at all. A very good job IMO and well worth the wait.

 

Keith-
When I can pry my ears away from 5.1- I will try the Stereo mix. But for now-- happiness is S-U-R-R-O-U-N-D!!!

Chris

 

Agreed...this thing is dreamy! Without question, the best I have ever heard for this great album. I am looking forward to an uninterrupted listening session soon so I can fully absorb the 5.1 mix. From what I've heard so far, I feel that this disc has finally received it's due. Never a sonic wonder, this SACD (IMO) is as good as it gets.

 

Michael, yeah, I threw in a blanket statement there. Sorry about that. I did brief comparisons to the following versions:

* MFSL gold disc
* West German RSO two-disc set
* '90 box set

By brief, I mean that I did not compare entire discs, but I compared them enough in order to draw conclusions. The SACD is decidedly better than the three versions I used for the comparison.

I also have the two-disc Polydor set (U.S. pressing) and the current remaster, but I did not use them in my comparison. Those versions are awful anyway.

 

What I want to know is, can you hear the yelp just before groove kicks in on "Keep on Growing" (0:20). I believe this is audible on one previous release and not the other. It's one of my favourite moments on the album.

Stevie

 

Is the stereo SACD track the original mix, or a remix? I have never owned this album, so I may have to add it to my want list.

 

Layla is one of my all-time favorite albums. I gave a first spin last night to the SACD and was very pleased witht the 5.1 mix.

 

The yelp was "mixed in" for the 20th anniversery of the album, and not on the original. But, that does bring up a good point. Is the SACD the original, or the remix?

 

Played it last night and the 5.1 is It brings things out that were buried in the original mix BUT it's still different than the original Polydor UK vinyl the beginning studio chatter before Tell The Truth is still missing.

 

thanks for clarifying that one. I assume it was on the original tapes, then, but "taken out" for the original release and mixed back in for the 20th anniversary...? (sorry, my technical knowledge is minimal). I think it really adds to the performance in a weird kinda way...

Stevie

 

Does this SACD have any bonus tracks on it (like the cuts from the aborted 2nd album, which can be heard on the Crossroad's box set)?

 

There are no bonus tracks on the SACD. The album is like 77 minutes long, so it really could not fit any, even if they wanted to.

 

Last night, I happened to catch a tivo replay of the biography of Tom Dowd
that has been running on the Sundance channel

There's a scene towards the end where Dowd is sitting at a mixing
console playing with the faders for the multi-track - adding a little bit
more or less of each track for the title tune.

Highly interesting listening.


And very interesting biography. Dowd was a lot more influential
than I was aware of previously.

I was amazed at the story he had about going down to Memphis
to fix/build the Stax console.

I was even more amazed by his involvement with the Manhattan
Project. Yes, before he started recording world famous musicians,
he built atomic bombs !

 

Only on the 20th anniv remix. Love that too.

This is the original mix, quite certain. A bit warmer than the 20bit remaster version. But Closer to that than it is to the MFSL. ie muddy bass has been improved.

 

is the keep on growing "yelp" on the 5.1 remix?

 

see post #10

 

Am I getting that right, the "Layla" SACD comes on a single disc with 77 min. of music? Wasn't there talk once about a double disc set to fit more material?

If that is the case I'm mad as hell at Sony, who obviously did not manage to issue Bob Dylan's "Blonde on Blonde" album (74 min.) on a single SACD!

 

Overall, I'm pleased with the 5.1, the mix is good if not as discrete as one might wish for...and some stuff is mixed down a bit more than the original stereo mix, though nothing too bad. Just nice to hear more detail and isolated things.

 

I think that is because they wanted to preserve the "double LP" look of the original because it is in a digipak that mimicks the original LP cover. The remastered redbook CD version which is replacing the hybrid SACD on shelves is single disc. The remastered redbook is in a standard jewelcase, so I guess there is no point in trying to replicate the double LP look there.

 

That don't really answer his question, though. Does the *new*, 5.1 remix also have the yelp?

Also, is there a redbook layer on this one, or is it SACD-only?

 

Sony did release it as a single layer SACD. Stored in a jewel case. I have a copy of it as well as the double disc hybrid. I saw a new copy a few weeks ago. Are you inquiring about Blonde On Blonde being on a single SACD as a hybrid?

Evan

 

My thought right now is: Can I wait until the weekend to get this thing?

 

On the stereo mix where is the bass? I thought on the original mix it was in the left channel and them centered for the 20th Anniversary remix.