The best SHM-SACDs

Keith, the Rollins is absolutely breathtaking. You will be pleased.

 

This is a tough one...I have been hunting for the DCC of the Rollins but I'm hearing a lot of good stuff about the SHM-SACD...are they from the same source?

 

It sounds really good Steve but I will get the DCC soon and have a shootout.

 

I've only purchased jazz titles.
So far, this mono version of Coltrane's 'Favorite Things' would be my "favourite."
http://wmg.jp/artist/JohnColtrane/WPGR000010001.html

 

I haven't bitten for any of the jazz titles yet at this price even in Japan and with so many DCC's/MFSL's already in hand for many of them, but I do have Waltz for Debby on pre-order.

 

Fair point, well made!

The only reason I picked Waltz from Fantasy was that it will (I believe) be based on this Paul Stubblebine transfer as mentioned in this thread:

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=249217&highlight=bill+evans+waltz+for+debby

Still a fair bit of dosh I guess if it is really such a crapshoot with Fantasy.

 

I will keep the preorder in I think.
The XRCD wasn't right for this title I remember you saying, so maybe we'll get lucky this time.

 

I'm the one that have tried talking LeeS into these jazz SHM-SACDs.

Wen I am listening to titles as "Art Pepper meets...", "Way Out West", "Explorations", Jimmy Smith "The Cat", Coltrane "Ballads", I have really the feeling of listening into the source. And all of these titles I mentioned are from Japan tapes, like the title LeeS mentioned.

Textures, truth of timbre, dynamics, instruments are fleshed out, stunning ambience, the sound is clean and clear. This is heard in an absolute context, when comparing how instruments in Direct To Disc records from Us and Noway sounds, how instruments in Living Stereo records sound, how these minimalistic Proprius records sound...and how instruments IRL sounds.

When it's sounds so right, how could it then be wrong?

The cost is a bit heavy. But if it this it had to cost for this program going on with these numers of titles being released + SHM + High quality paper/cover, then I take it.
I read on this forum that people here actualy wants the paper quality in the booklet of those old DCC discs in todays audiophile CD/SACDs. Why not give people what they wants? Cost to much?

 

Steve, please don't hold your tongue on this matter. This is excellent info. Along those lines, any thoughts on the tapes that might have been used for the Sonny Rollins Way Out West SHM-SACD? Might they have used the right ones there?

 

I also like the My Favorite Things SHM-SACD, but I haven't compared it to my old U.S. CD yet.

 

I have no idea how these jazz titles sound, but I would mention that all of them are either from "Japan analogue tapes" or are previous DSD masterings. I do not see any jazz titles that feature 2010/2011 DSD masterings from overseas (US/UK) tapes. So far, these have only shown up with a few pop titles (Sticky Fingers being one of them).

 

I think these SHM SACD's are overpriced based on what I've heard and given that there are very good alternatives for many of the titles.

 

And $ is weak against ¥ these days.

 

Agreed. I have been buying them selectively. The best price I've found is $57 shipped via the Amazon Marketplace.

And you don't get a CD layer.

 

Do you personally own any SHM-SACDs?

 

I agree that one should be careful not buying all releases in this Japan SACD series. Read reviews based on people you trust and be selective.

But it's how it in the end of the line it sounds, that counts; the sound out of my speakers in my living room. If a copy tape transfered to DSD and released as a SHM-SACD sounds more real and "you are there" or "they are here playing in my living room", than a CD transfer from 1992 shoot from the original tape, then I choose the first option.

 

totally agreed!

I don't understand why Uni Japan choses dubs from "unknown" sources or like "Sticky Fingers"... the used the original tape and made a 1:1 dub on a vintage playback at FX Copyroom in London. That's weird.

 

you can't have it both ways...you either want the sound of the original or you want some unknown Japanese Mastering dude playing with the EQ, adding compression etc. I vote for the former.

 

I think you make a very good point Steve. However, I have almost a dozen of these SHM-SACDs and I think there is value for three reasons:

1. The sound quality is or among the best digital copies I have for many of these titles. I'm only buying the ones I hear are good from very reliable sources here on the board or elsewhere in the audio community.

2. I think these will quickly become collector's items. These are very limited in run and the quality packaging and I believe a fairly good attempt to create definitive editions. I suspect these will go up in value dramatically as we are seeing on some of the first releases.

3. More pop and rock SACD releases. I just want to support more rock releases on SACD if points #1 and #2 are valid, this really nice attempt to get some big name titles like Love Over Gold, Pentangle, etc. on SACD.

As for Saxophone Colossus, I would like the DCC but it seems to hard to get and then sells for the same as the SHM-SACD.

 

The problem here is that you are judging from others' experience with no first hand experience. Find the most acclaimed title, buy it and try it. Also, from my reading here many are as excited about the sound quality as Espen and I are. Clearly at $60 a pop, I am trying to cherry pick the best titles.