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Zammo said:
CD Japan appear to be holding my entire order until Who's Next is released.
This is what they do because it saves postage; if you cancel the item from your pending order and re-order it sperately it will come out to you now because mine is already en route from them! It will cost a bit more postage of course but CD Japan are a bargain compared to "some others". . .
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Post by terence June 30, 2010 (52 of 152)
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as a matter of interest what would it cost to buy from them to send to the UK, including postage?
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Post by danfaz June 30, 2010 (53 of 152)
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Paul Clark said:
If you ordered Steely Dan -Aja along with The Who -Who's Next perhaps they will hold your order until Who's Next is released on August 25.
That's what I expect will happen to my HMV order unless they decide to seperate the order and forgo extra shipping charges.
This was the same as my order. I guess I'm lucky as they said they'll ship Who's Next in August with no additional shipping charges.
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Post by Dukes June 30, 2010 (54 of 152)
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Alright, let's hear some reviews on this already. Unless we're burdened by the quacks that think they've got to let the disc burn in for 48 hours before they can hear it properly...
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Post by danfaz June 30, 2010 (56 of 152)
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Dukes said:
Alright, let's hear some reviews on this already. Unless we're burdened by the quacks that think they've got to let the disc burn in for 48 hours before they can hear it properly...
I don't think anybody has it yet...just shipped to everyone yesterday...
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Post by Claude July 1, 2010 (57 of 152)
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Post by danfaz July 2, 2010 (58 of 152)
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Hmm, somewhat expected...not as good as vinyl, but better than prior digitals.
I've never heard the vinyl, so *hopefully* this will be gold for me =)
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Finally! My copy arrived late afternoon from HMV Japan. The paper sleeved four-fold case is enclosed in a relatively thick transparent resealable plastic with the sacd and SHM logos stamped at the right downmost portion. It is also provided with a "j-card" (an expanded obi card covering the whole back portion and about one-fifth of the front), somewhat similar to MFSL cds. Inside, the disc is contained in a thin plastic, the whole of which is inside another white paper envelope with embossed sacd and SHM logos. The liner notes are all in Nippongo, with the exception of production credits and song lyrics. I feel Universal Japan should have used the regular cd jewel case or super audio box because it's more convenient to take out and store the disc and I assume will reduce the final product cost.
For this listening impression I used my aging (with the exception of my custom made aikido preamp using 4- ECC88 Amperex early 60's tubes) and modest gears that include a B&K power amp, Lexicon RT-10 player and KEF Q90 floorstanders. This sacd version is being compared to the MFSL cd version.
The sacd version was mastered considerably louder than the MFSL version. Since I don't have an spl meter, I just approximated the respective volume levels when making the comparison.
From the opening bass and synthesizer notes of funky Black Cow, I am clearly impressed. The percussions are crisp, the bass is tight and punchy. The vocals are more forward and louder than the MFSL. Definitely the vocals are more laid-back in the MFSL version. I felt this has got to be the definitive version of this album.
Going to the 2nd up to the last song, my first impression was the MFSL cd's bass seemed a lot bigger, although less punchier. This reminds me of the time when I was comparing the SHM and the original US release of Eagles' Hell Freezes Over cd wherein the SHM version's bass is leaner. On second listen, I realized that the MFSL's bass is just a bit bigger due to the fact that the sacd's bass is cleaner, punchier and deeper, coupled with the clear and defined sounds of the rest of other instruments. Clearly, the piano and guitars sound superior in the sacd version. Crisp and clean. Wayne Shorter's sax solo in Aja is smoother, but I felt that with a bit leaner bass Steve Gadd's drumming in this sacd version seemed "a bit less forceful and energetic" than in the MFSL. In most of the tracks the MFSL version's cymbals can be perceived as "splashier" but less clear and defined than the sacd. The decay also better in the sacd.
To be forthright and honest, this sacd is a very good version and overall beats the MFSL but I felt falls a little short of being a "reference demonstration material" because of leaner bass compared to the MFSL version. Nevertheless, I'm still giving it 5 stars for both sonics and performance.
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Post by Claude July 2, 2010 (60 of 152)
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The MFSL CD is not considered one of the best masterings of this title.
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