| Review by Marc P April 25, 2003 (2 of 2 found this review helpful)
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Performance:  Sonics:  |
| I finally received my copy from Amazon UK yesterday and I have listened to the SACD layer 3 times before writing this review. I also own the MFSL Ultradsic II and the SACD beats it on every level. More detail, more air, more bite, more punch. For me this disc is a clear winner. Wonderfull music and sound quality even though there seem to be some indications of early digital recording.
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| Review by JW July 18, 2003 (9 of 11 found this review helpful)
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Performance: Sonics:  |
Synchronicity starts of alright with The Police's familiar, intelligent and catchy pop-rock, sprinkled with a little jazz. But after the first song it goes downhill for me, culminating in the horrible, atonal primal screams of 'Mother'. I'd hate to ask the group what on earth happened that day...I mean, what did she say ??? :-). It would make Johnny Rotten proud. Perhaps a momentary lapse of reason (yeah, yeah..I know). Anyway, what started out pretty reasonable was immediately lost once I reached that song. With 'Miss Gradenko' they more or less recover somewhat but it's still fairly mediocre.
And then...kaboom! The contrast could not be greater. From track 6 onwards it's classic after classic, with 'Wrapped Around Your Finger' as a highlight in my view. One of the strongest Police tracks period. The others need no introduction except 'Murder By Numbers' perhaps. The latter is a good song with some nice guitar/bass cooperation and strong singing by Sting.
One more word on the sound quality. I totally get what Mark says about it in his write-up. The sound quality is reasonably good, but the recording still is a little hard on the treble. Now this is not a jazz combo recorded with tube equipment. My guess is that the mastertape already displays some of this treble hardness. I have also heard better hi-hat and cymbal reproduction. A nicely packaged SACD, but not one of the best sounding SACD's around (2-3 stars).
Overall the sonic merits of this series are questionable, measured against the high standard SACD is capable of. They may be better than the previously released RBCD, but have they received the best possible treatment to let them shine on SACD? I think that a similar result could have been achieved on RBCD 'done right' and from there stems my slight disappointment in this series. None of them merit a higher than 3 star rating in my view. Having said all that, I have to note that perhaps the mastertapes did not allow for a better transfer. I cannot judge that. Check out my other reviews of The Police remasters to compare notes and see what you think. After repreated listening I would rank them as follows:
1 Zenyatta Mondatta: good bass, balanced sound with extended treble
2 Regatta de Blanc: sound equal to ZM
3 Ghost In The Machine: richer and darker sound than others with good bass
4 Synchronicity: better than Outlandos but a little veiled
5 Outlandos d'Amour: metallic treble that at times sounds congested, somewhat flat
Jw
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| Review by dorokusai August 3, 2003
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Performance: Sonics: |
| Perfect SACD. This is an amazing recording and performance.
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| Review by madisonears October 7, 2003 (1 of 1 found this review helpful)
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Performance: Sonics: |
Well, maybe not perfect as the previous reviewer attests, but definitely an improvement over RBCD in every respect. Yes, it's got that 70's pop recording hard edge treble, but, hey folks, get used to it. Many early recordings were made with a hot high end, and the SACD's are usually too revealing of that fault. Should remastering include rolling off high end? I'm not a detail freak, but I prefer accurate reproduction of the recording itself--then I can doctor the sound.
Enough philosophizing. This disc sounds more open, with more inner detail and 3D revealed than CD. If you're not arrested by the music on this disc, you don't love pop. It's got a wart here and there, but most of the music is classic Police approaching or at their peak.
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| Review by Noonions March 31, 2004 (0 of 2 found this review helpful)
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Performance: Sonics: |
| One word:Awesome.Police,Sting and music lovers,make this one of your first SACD purchases!
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| Review by gregs1104 January 30, 2010 (2 of 2 found this review helpful)
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Performance: Sonics: |
The thing to realize about this one is that the sound quality varies a lot from track to track. Some songs sound as dull/weird as they always have on CD. But there are a couple where this SACD version really sounds impressive. "Wrapped Around My Finger" is the best example; the percussive "pop" effect on that is so well captured that I bought a second copy of the disc and use it to compare how well different SACD players reproduce that sound. Getting a fuller, better defined version of the soothing bassline on "Tea in the Sahara" is nice too.
Not a great SACD overall, and many bad moments, but I nudge it up a lot because the parts where it does sound good are really interesting from a sonics perspective.
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| Review by pvcmusiclover April 11, 2012
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Performance:  Sonics:  |
Genuine DSD and no trace of limiting.
This album is dynamic as all get out. A little bit more "space" than the other releases. However, it's still got smeared sonics plus a rather muddy and overbearing low end.
As I mentioned before, I really wish someone like Steve Hoffman would do these albums sonic justice.
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| Review by progboy January 8, 2013 (2 of 2 found this review helpful)
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Performance: Sonics: |
Well i have owned Synchonicity a few times in my life.......RBCD......vinyl.......even remastered RBCD version from a few years ago, but this SACD mix sounds cleaner and has a deeper warmer feeling than all the previous versions. One of the immediate things is that I hear a another layer of percussion on some songs..... like "walking in your footsteps" and "tea in the Sahara" that i never heard before or the sax punches on "O My God" that make this song feel like i really never heard it before.
Synchronicity II is still one of finest rock songs of the Police (and arguably of the 80's!) and sounds excellent on this disc with nice deep mid range sounds.
I think hilight of the sacd is "wrapped around your finger" as this song just sounds amazing on sacd.....nice and full with a depth that i have honestly never heard of the police.
The overall mix is well balanced and everything seems to be in the right proportions with drums, bass, guitar, synths and vocals all being well and evenly balanced.
If you are a fan of this album then u owe it to yourself to find a copy of this SACD!
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