| Review by Marc P October 1, 2004 (3 of 3 found this review helpful)
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Performance:  Sonics:  |
Depeche mode has been a favourite of mine during the 80’s and 90’s. And having experienced them live means a live album is a must.
Now I must admit no live album can actually give you anything even close to the real thing. But it is still a lot a great way to bring back some memories.
Well now I get down to this album, this one I love. I already owned the normal CD version, which is now in the car, so I wasn’t really going to need another copy. Well I bought it anyway (had a chance to pick it up cheap). And I don’t regret it for a minute. To be honest the normal CD version sounded quiet good already but this SACD gives it a bit of an edge. This just sound a bit better overall, no huge improvements though.
On the other hand the music is great. And that’s what it is all about, isn’t it?
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| Review by Francey December 18, 2004 (4 of 4 found this review helpful)
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Performance: Sonics:  |
Depeche Mode's "101" has always been a fan-only record. I bought it on vinyl when it came out and was never really happy with the mix - being not really a live band, I always felt Depeche Mode tried too hard to make their live album sound "live". There is too much audience noise, and the mix is too dense for my taste; all subtility is gone and it's like listening to a heavy metal mix of a syth-pop band. I bought the normal CD edition some years ago, hoping it would sound better than the vinyl, but alas - same thing (but at least I could play it in the car now...)
I still like Depeche Mode's music, especially their 80s and early 90s material, and with only "101" available in SA format, I thought I should give the album another try... There's definately more dynamics in the SA version compared to the regular CD and vinyl, but I cannot say that I'm impressed by what the album does in SA format... I still hear too much going on at the same time without being able to actually hear what is going on.
Let's hope some of DM's regular albums will be available on SACD soon and that they get a proper treatment - the music is definately right for a MC format.
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| Review by dead_man_surfing October 3, 2005 (4 of 5 found this review helpful)
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Please take care, the Multichannel layer on this edition is not ok. Songs 4 - 5 on CD 1 having problems and do not play ! On the german amazon critics a few others did write about the same problem. In my opinion this is a hammer, a thing which never is allowed to take place for such an expensive article. The surround really doesnt bring more, but the stereo layer is ok and more powerful as the "normal" edition.
D.
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| Review by mccontrol July 15, 2008 (1 of 1 found this review helpful)
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What a challenge it must have been to the recording engineers when they were asked to capture a defining moment in the rise of Depeche Mode stateside.The culmination of a gruelling tour of the United States at the 60,000 seat Pasadena Rose Bowl.Even those of us with just a cursory knowledge of audio technology would do well to avoid making a recording in an open air stadium.Your environment is against you from the word go.Not only do you have the problem of sound bouncing off the seating stands,you also lose a large amount of audio signal to the very air around you.Also add to that the problem of recording a band that at this point in their career were very technology/electronic reliant.A format that does not lend its self to ambiance or atmosphere!
So it was no mean feat that this document of what must have been a fantastic nights entertainment exists and what a treat to our ears to have it remastered and released in 5.1 SACD surround sound.If you close your eyes,turn the volume up nice and loud,you almost feel like you're there.
Which leads me to what this recording sounds like.Unlike other SACD 5.1 mixes that are out there,this one is purely been mixed to give you the concert experience rather that bury you in the instrumentation.So the band is front and centre,and the crowd is left and right surround.
As far as quality goes you could not ask for a better mix and the stereo mixes also benefit from the remaster.So if you want to feel what it was like to see Depeche Mode live in the 80's.Then "101" is what you need.I can also recommend the DVD version of this release which contains a great doco and part of the show as well as the other more recent DVD releases(eg."Touring The Angel") by the Mode.
"Good Evening Pasadena!"
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| Review by Wozza August 14, 2010 (1 of 1 found this review helpful)
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I haven't read the other reviews before typing this as not to polute my view.
I was at one of the last concerts held at the NEC (Birmingham for all the foreigners), I loved it. But this SACD is unlistenable to me, and god have I tried many times. This is only for die hard DM fans who have to have it all in its raw entirety.
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| Review by cyp21 January 27, 2012
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| I seem to recall this was the first Depeche Mode CD i bought and played loads but the SACD in 2ch is clearly better and you can hear more compared to the standard CD release and its a great album which i find that i tend to play all the album. Recommended and has great song writing by Martin L Gore. Surely a must for every Depeche Mode fan.
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Sonics: 
Sonics: 
