Post by Hakan November 3, 2013 (1 of 25)
|
|
Hello everybody !
Just when we maybe thought there would be no more new cd formats. Universal Japan releases Platinum shm cds at current 50 new releases? They are green and from what i can understand looks the same as the earlier SHM-SACDS. They say that they are produced for audiophiles only?!
I have seen very few reviews of the titles released so far, they are:
- Derek & the Dominos "Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs" (Yet no reviews)
- Dire Straits "Dire Straits, first album" (Yet no reviews)
- Marvin Gaye "What´s Going On +6" (Yet no reviews)
- Queen "A Night at the Opera" (Yet no reviews)
- Steely Dan "Aya" ( two reviews available at cdjapan homepage, one is
giving one star, the second one five stars, which is very puzzling)
- Stevie Wonder "Talking Book" (Yet no reviews)
- The Allman Brothers Band "Live at fillmore East" (Yet no reviews)
- The Rolling Stones "Exile On Main Street" (one general comment, but no
review of the album)
- The Rolling Stones "Tattoo You" (two reviews available, not giving
to much input guidanc about the specific release and how it really
sounds)
- The Who "Who´s Next" (there is four reviews available at cdjapan
homepage, from one star to five stars,
The very few reviews available, makes me more puzzled and confused around these releases if they sound good or bad?! Can someone help me to sort thos out ???
Regards,
/Håkan
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hakan, considering that they're still RBCDs with the limitations of that format (16 bit/44.1) and are ALL available as hi res SHM~SACDs, I should think those interested in getting closer to the source material would opt for the higher res SACDs.
Just my opinion.
|
|
|
|
|
|
I had the "Fillmore East" SHM-SACD and was never really happy with it. It always sounded too bright and thin for my liking; I expected a LOT more, actually. I got the Platinum SHM-CD a few weeks ago, and maybe it's hard to believe, but the Platinum redbook sounded significantly better: smoother, more natural, and more open. Detail was all there, but a lot less forced than on the SACD. How do I say this? It just FLOWED in a way the SACD didn't.
We all know that all SACDs are not created equal, and over the years I've heard for myself more than a few instances in which a well-mastered redbook beat a poorly mastered SACD.
I agree that, in most cases, I would probably opt for an SHM-SACD over its Platinum redbook counterpart. But I do think it should be considered on a case-by-case basis. As I said, not all SACDs are created equal. Just do a lot of research and due diligence before committing.
But I would definitely give an unreserved recommenadation to the the Allmans "Fillmore" Platinum SHM-CD over the SACD. Just one listener's opinion, of course!
|
|
|
Post by Links November 21, 2013 (4 of 25)
|
|
Platinum? I am waiting for Unobtanium coated, or better yet
Beryllium coated, those would be real "killers".
|
|
|
Post by AmonRa November 21, 2013 (5 of 25)
|
|
Polonium CDs? "The last recording you'll ever buy"...
|
|
|
Post by windhoek November 21, 2013 (6 of 25)
|
|
I'm holding out till Guillibleonium or Seenyoucominamileawayonium coated CDs come out. Seriously though, I recently bought a couple of Sony bluspec CD2 albums (Electric Ladyland and The Stone Roses' eponymous album) and I'm afraid to say I wasn't impressed. I gave each a quick spin and although I think they sound different to their 1997 and 1989 respective counterparts, there didn't seem to be much in the way of 'wow, that's so much better'. I then ripped the CDs in WAV and checked their Dynamic Range scores, which are.
Electric Ladyland
Album: 8
Min: 6
Max: 12
The Stone Roses
Album: 9
Min: 8
Max: 11
Electric Ladyland scored almost identically to the 1997 reissue. This makes me think they've used the same source or master as the 1997 reissue. Fwiw, I've also got the 1993 reissue and it scores better with an overall score of 10 (Min: 9, Max: 12) with only Voodoo Chile (Slight Return) dipping below 10, scoring 9.
The Stone Roses album scored an average of 9, which although is slightly better than the 2009 reissue which scored an average of 7 (Min: 6, Max: 11), it's still not as good as the original 1989 CD release which scored an average of 12 (Min: 11, Max 13).
The numbers then, suggest each album is more compressed than a previous CD release and my ears say they're not amazingly better, if at all. Fwiw, I also played vinyl editions of each album and I think preferred vinyl in both cases. The caveats here are a) the DR scores don't tell the whole story, and b) it's not really fair to compare vinyl against CD because I'm not using the same kit, but I thought I'd add that bit in anyway.
Would I buy more? Probably not.
|
|
|
Post by AmonRa November 21, 2013 (7 of 25)
|
|
My educated guess (more like a Truth) is that these wonderful new CD technologies DO NOTHING to the sound quality, and it is impossible to say if the perceived sound difference compared to an older CD release or even SACD is the result of different mastering or what. After all there are practically no read errors (data transfer errors) even with ordinary CDs, so how anything could be better than that even at higher cost?
Another scam, again.
|
|
|
|
|
|
What TRULY makes the difference, IMO, is the MASTERING. I've bought or tried a lot of SHM, Blu-Spec, Blu-Spec CD2, HQCD discs, etc., over the years. I got suckered in initially, but after a while, it became apparent to me that all these esoteric coatings and surfaces had, at best, minimal effect on the sound. The titles that stood out were the ones that had been MASTERED WELL. So now I do a lot of research on the mastering of a particular Japanese release before I even THINK of spending any money on it. Blind faith is not the way to go with these things!
In the case of the "Fillmore East" Platinum SHM-CD, it's apparently a flat transfer from the original U.S. tapes. I don't like all flat transfers, but in this case, I could certainly hear a nice improvement over the SHM-SACD (and domestic SACD).
|
|
|
Post by tonereef November 25, 2014 (9 of 25)
|
|
Philip Parris said:
In the case of the "Fillmore East" Platinum SHM-CD, it's apparently a flat transfer from the original U.S. tapes. I don't like all flat transfers, but in this case, I could certainly hear a nice improvement over the SHM-SACD (and domestic SACD).
Thinking of picking this up but curious what kind of system you're listening to this and the SACD version on. On my Stax SR009s, "Stormy Monday" on the SHM-SACD sampler Welcome to the Top of the World sounds incredibly good, hard to imagine how it could be improved, and some fine detail must be lost in any 16/44.1 format compared to SACD, no matter how good the mastering is.
|
|
|
Post by Marpow November 25, 2014 (10 of 25)
|
|
tonereef said:
Thinking of picking this up but curious what kind of system you're listening to this and the SACD version on. On my Stax SR009s, "Stormy Monday" on the SHM-SACD sampler Welcome to the Top of the World sounds incredibly good, hard to imagine how it could be improved, and some fine detail must be lost in any 16/44.1 format compared to SACD, no matter how good the mastering is.
I consider myself a AAB, Fillmore East, expert. The best is the 3 disc 5.1 Blu Ray.
Allman Brothers Band: The 1971 Fillmore East Recordings
|
|
