SA-CD.net - SACD sounds like regular CD.

Post by hankaaron December 28, 2004 (1 of 4)

I just recently purchased a Japanese Import SACD- Earth Wind and Fire's "All 'n All". I have two other EWF SACD's which both sound fantastic? But the "All 'n All" SACD sounds just like my regular CD. BTW, the other two SACDs are multi-channel (5.1). "All 'n All" is stereo SACD. I can understand when the source tape isn 't available to make the best possible SACD. But when that is the case, why release a SACD that doesn't measure up? And what's worse is that the label is Sony.

hankaaron.

Post by gfresh January 2, 2005 (2 of 4)

hankaaron said:

I just recently purchased a Japanese Import SACD- Earth Wind and Fire's "All 'n All". I have two other EWF SACD's which both sound fantastic? But the "All 'n All" SACD sounds just like my regular CD. BTW, the other two SACDs are multi-channel (5.1). "All 'n All" is stereo SACD. I can understand when the source tape isn 't available to make the best possible SACD. But when that is the case, why release a SACD that doesn't measure up? And what's worse is that the label is Sony.

hankaaron.

From what I've heard the stereo SACD version of Norah Jones: Come Away With Me, was taken from the 16bit 44.1 PCM. What a waste. Perhaps the same was true with yours.

Post by bmoura January 2, 2005 (3 of 4)

hankaaron said:

I just recently purchased a Japanese Import SACD- Earth Wind and Fire's "All 'n All". I have two other EWF SACD's which both sound fantastic? But the "All 'n All" SACD sounds just like my regular CD. BTW, the other two SACDs are multi-channel (5.1). "All 'n All" is stereo SACD. I can understand when the source tape isn 't available to make the best possible SACD. But when that is the case, why release a SACD that doesn't measure up? And what's worse is that the label is Sony.

hankaaron.

Well, opinions clearly differ on this SACD. Over on the Positive Feedback, Hi Rez Highway (See http://db.audioasylum.com/cgi/m.mpl?forum=hirez&n=79988&highlight=Earth,+Wind+Jazz+Inmate&r=&session=) and HMV Japan web site (http://www.hmv.co.jp/product/detail.asp?sku=308180) this one gets rave reviews.

>> From Positive Feedback:
Earth, Wind & Fire, All ’N All

Audio: No system will truly enjoy the full benefits of SACD until the second Brazilian instrumental interlude on this SACD is cued up and the volume adjusted quite high. The interlude kicks off with simple finger snaps mixed to one speaker, then the other. More finger snaps and percussive sounds join in, making it sound like a ping pong game involving many players, balls, and surfaces. Then, beautifully arranged and harmonized vocals break in... doo doo da da doo da da... and by the time the drum and bass kick in, the listener is left hardly able to talk, riveted in the music, unable to believe that such incredibly vivid and lifelike sounds are coming from a five-inch aluminum disc. Horns on this album can sound thin, but that is the way they were recorded. Otherwise, a shockingly vivid, reference-class disc.

Content: With supreme slices of funk (“Jupiter”) and graceful ballads (“I’ll Write a Song for You”), All’ N All is a many-splendored offering from one of R&B’s most successful groups. Afraid of disco? Don’t be. This is more like jazz-infused funk with nice post-production touches, and it is recorded very well. The ballads are cheesy, but you have to enjoy Maurice White’s heartfelt falsetto soaring through the mix.

Post by hankaaron January 2, 2005 (4 of 4)
gfresh said: From what I've heard the stereo SACD version of Norah Jones: Come Away With Me, was taken from the 16bit 44.1 PCM. What a waste. Perhaps the same was true with yours. Yes, it has to be. I also noticed that the stereo version of my Mulit-channel CDs are also Redbook quality.