Steve's Analogue Productions Blue Note SACD/CD Sound Quality Discussion Thread

That review is odd concerning the brittle top end. I did not perceive this effect.

 

Nothing like a little controversy to help 'sell' a magazine. And unfortunately SACD has always been a popular target. These SACD titles sound fantastic to me, keep 'em coming!

Mike

 

You may be right to some degree. In my own comparisions I'm using a $6200 Marantz reference SACD/CD player versus a $500 Technics SL-1200mk2 with a $400 cartridge. Dollar for dollar (if that were the way to measure audio quality), you'd think the SACD should come out on top, yet I still find I slightly prefer the vinyl, and let me tell you I love my Marantz player, it is by far the closest to vinyl I have ever heard digital sound.

I'm a big fan of the vinyl medium, don't get me wrong, to me it's still the gold standard. But still I don't think medium differences alone could account for what he's saying about these SACDs somehow being inferior to their vinyl counterparts. If I had any critique of these SACDs it would indeed be medium-related - I still find SACD sounds somehow a bit flatter and less involving than great vinyl, BUT they are MILES away from sounding brittle/crunchy on top on any of my 3 players, including the cheapest one. Just don't get that critique.

 

maybe this is the answer?
http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showpost.php?p=3062421&postcount=1

 

I think that helps explain why someone might feel vinyl sound more alive/real/tonally natural and "real" overall, but see above - I don't think it explains why the reviewer felt the top end on the SACDs was crunchy/harsh. I simply don't get that, especially with my Marantz SA-7S1...very natural high end on these SACDs.

 

I've always wondered dollar for dollar how much one would have to spend to get similar digital/analog sonics. 10:1 maybe? I don't understand the crunchy/harsh comments either myself. That just sounds fishy to me.

 

WOW! Today I have finally heard Blue Train for the FIRST TIME! I own the RVG SACD which I think sounds terrible so I only listened to it a few times, I got the AP SACD today, and can finally say that I now know what this album is all about.

Steve and Kevin, a big THANK YOU for rescuing Blue Train from mastering hell.

I'm really looking forward to Joe Henderson's - Page One which I love, even on the average sounding RVG.

 

I don't hear that either. Maybe his speakers were distorting? I have my own problem with these SACDs (as posted earlier in this thread), but they can not be laid at the feet of Steve and/or Kevin who did their usual excellent job. While not perfect, these are probably THE best digital efforts we're ever likely to get.

 

I was listening to Blue Train last night on headphones and it sounds great. It is sad though that ALL Blue Note CDs should be up to that standard. I own a lot of RVGs, that fortunately I generally bought for under $10, but it is frustrating knowing they should all sound better.

 

I haven't seen this info posted yet....
I was just searching through the "Coming Soon" section of the Acoustic Sounds site this morning when I found a listing showing the next 3 (?) SACDs to be released. The following are listed as "Coming April 21, 2009":

Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Moanin'
Art Taylor - A.T.'s Delight
Fred Jackson - Hootin' 'N Tootin'

Bill

 

Listening to Dexter Gordon DEXTER CALLING is a real treat. Like I have said, this series is my opportunity to explore new titles that I have not heard before, and this new one has been a real treat. One extra track not on the original vinyl makes a nice addition as well.

 

I'm glad the bonus track was included but it's worth noting the addition is not Steve's. It was also included in the 80s Blue Note reissue.

 

Do you mean that Steve did not master the bonus track? I thought that Steve mastered this entire SACD.

 

No, I'm sure SH mastered it all. Sometimes Steve adds bonus tracks to releases he masters (like the Nat King Cole DCCs). My point was that the bonus track has been tacked onto this album for a long time.

 

OK, thanks for the clarification. I was about to make some phone calls.

 

No, the bonus tracks addition was Chad's idea. It was one of the reasons given for the hold up of the inital releases.

 

I got my first Analogue Productions SACD... John Coltrane's Blue Train.

Now my old Mofi disc can rest in peace. The mastering of Steve Hoffman/Kevin Gray is awesome... a big improvement against Rhino's Ultimate Edition (mastered by Ron McMaster), and as I said even better as the highly recommended Mofi.

Never heard this gem better

 

My copies of Blue Train, Capuchin Swing, and Dexter Calling arrived today. What an unexpected bonus.

Since I don't have the time for a detailed listen at the moment, I've decided to do some A/B comparison between the SACD layer of Blue Train and my Black Triangle CD.

There is a significant difference and improvement which is most obvious in the cymbal sound. Where the Black Triangle sizzles and is not well defined, the AP SACD sounds more full spectrum frequency-wise and is very clear. The piano sounds more spread across the soundstage and fuller frequency as well. Whether these improvements can be ascribed to better EQ or high rez is debatable, since only our host knows for sure. I haven't listened to the redbook layer to compare, and I would suspect some of both but perhaps more of the former.

Great job, Steve and Kevin.

Thanks, Joe.

 

I have "Blue Train" and "Dexter Calling" downloaded onto my PC's hard drive via Real Player lossless compression from the redbook CD layer...sounds heavenly listening through my Sennheiser HD580 headphones!

 

Thank you Alan.

 

I noticed today that CDPacific.com has Jackie McLean's Capuchin Swing in stock
http://www.cdpacific.com/CDitem.asp?ID=1089719

Reasonable price too.

 

The others (Coltrane, Dorham, Morgan) were in stock too, briefly.

I had the Kenny Dorham and Lee Morgan on pre-order.
But there was some glitch where I got an automatic e-mail asking for confirmation of my card number and shipping address. When I checked on Tuesday night both discs were in stock.

By the the time I called the next day and got the glitch sorted out (it shouldn't have happened because I am a regular customer) they were out of stock.

Unfortunately they didn't put discs aside for me despite the pre-order. So by the time the order was cleared to go, they were out of stock.

Not impressed.

 

OUCH that is really annoying, especially considering it seems hard enough to get these SACDs in stock as is. You could be waiting another month

I have placed about 70 orders with DVD/CD Pacific over the last 4 years. Last month, after a flood of complaints of late shipping including losing one of my orders, they have now changed their international shipping company.

 

This is only the 3rd or 4th order I have placed, the others had no problems.

They were nice on the phone and acknowledged there were a few of these erroneous e-mails that went out. Too late now....I'll just wait and see what happens.

It won't stop me from using them in future, their prices are too good to pass up.

 

Just listened to the Art Taylor - AT's Delight SACD tonight - it sounds phenominal. Great album.