Post by ProfBoz December 9, 2010 (1 of 46)
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According to a thread on Steve Hoffman's blog, HMV Japan is listing the following SHM-SACD titles for February release:
Bach/Richter Brandenburg Concertos Nos. 1, 2, 3
Schubert/Rostropovich Arpeggione Sonata
Bizet/Mutter/Levine Carmen-fantasie
Rolling Stones Big Hits (High Tide and Green Grass)
The Who My Generation
Creedence Clearwater Revival Bayou Country
Bill Evans Alone
Gerry Mulligan Night Flights
Jimmy Smith The Cat
Somewhere deeper in the thread someone else mentions, without a citation, that the "My Generation" record will contain both Stereo and Mono remastering. I couldn't find any information on these releases on CDJapan, where I've bought my three (Aja, Who's Next, Dire Straits), but if anyone else has more info, that would be great. I've been waiting to hear what was coming next, and, frankly, this list is very disappointing to me. I already have "My Generation" on SACD, mistakes and all, plus the complete Stones catalog on hybrid SACD (don't have "High Tide," per se, but do have both "Hot Rocks" and "More Hot Rocks," so the equivalent). After the last batch, with that Style Council release, I was hoping for some more recent titles, maybe a Prefab Sprout or a Paul Weller or a Tears for Fears or something, but oh well.
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ProfBoz said:
According to a thread on Steve Hoffman's blog, HMV Japan is listing the following SHM-SACD titles for February release:
> Bach/Richter Brandenburg Concertos Nos. 1, 2, 3
lol
> Bizet/Mutter/Levine Carmen-fantasie
Another bizarre re-release. (a) you can buy the orignal for $10 on Amazon, and it is commonly available. (b) more importantly, the original is a lowly 44.1 kHz recording (albeit 24 bit). These Universal Japan guys have no idea.
> Schubert/Rostropovich Arpeggione Sonata
Now that would interest me ... pity about the SHM packaging. Am looking for the original hybrid which has a proper case design.
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Another extremely disappointing release (and re~release) roster of titles.
Bayou Country is available as an older SACD from Analogue Productions, the Who, My Generation is not the best sounding example for yet another SACD replication.....why don't they release some audiophile~grade releases....why NO Cat Stevens, Duets, etc. and of course some current titles????????? The Verve titles have also had sonic 24 bit (RBCD) upgrades, as well and I will await AP's more varied VERVE reissues on SACD
I will most definitely sit this batch out......
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Post by XXII December 9, 2010 (4 of 46)
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canonical said:
> Bach/Richter Brandenburg Concertos Nos. 1, 2, 3
lol
Excuse my ignorance..can you explain what's so funny about this re-release? I bought the Bach/Richter Orchestral Suites shm-sacd and I thought the performance and sound quality were very good -- although I am by no means an expert. I'm actually quite excited about this release.
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Post by canonical December 10, 2010 (5 of 46)
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XXII said:
can you explain what's so funny about this re-release?
Karl Richter tends to take a rather colossal, monumental and decidely heavy approach to Bach ... an approach which is, today, I think, now seen as being rather out-dated. I have a few boxes of the Karl Richter Bach cantatas, of the same period (1968 vintage), with the same Munich Bach Orchestra (& choir) ... and the cantatas, at least, are horrible recordings ... so thickly layered that nothing comes through, with hopeless sonics. The Karl Richter 'syrup' might work better with the Orchestral Suites .. and possibly even the Brandenburgs ... but there are lots of top notch new options available in hi-rez SACD which will offer far superior sonics and undoubtedly more 'appropriate' performances (and at a far lower cost).
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Post by Goodwood December 11, 2010 (6 of 46)
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Now I can come up for air! One more 5 for 4 order to place from previous releases and then a can have a well earned break.
Thank you for not releasing anything of interest this time.
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Post by wolfE December 21, 2010 (7 of 46)
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I remembered this thread, when listened to the Brandenburg Concertos with Egarr and the Academy of Ancient Music this morning. Great interpretation, very good DSD-recording.
So my proposal: By this one and save your money for other releases. For example I am looking forward to the Bernstein-Mozart and the Rachmaninow with Lang Lang in January. The Rhapsody - though originally high-bit-PCM sounds very good, and I also like Langs Lang's interpretation of the Rach 2.
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Post by canonical December 21, 2010 (8 of 46)
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wolfE said:
I am looking forward to the Bernstein-Mozart and the Rachmaninow with Lang Lang in January. The Rhapsody - though originally high-bit-PCM sounds very good, and I also like Langs Lang's interpretation of the Rach 2.
The Bernstein Mozart might be interesting.
But the Lang Lang SHM re-release is bizarre. The specs are identical (96kHz 24bit) to the original SACD> But the original seems preferable in every regard:
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 2, Paganini Rhapsody - Lang Lang
1) You can buy it for peanuts ($10 - not $50) and widely available
2) It has a free hybrid layer
3) comes in a proper SuperJewel box that won't decay/rot (not the crappy paper of the SHM),
4) has proper English liner notes
5) it fits into your CD rack (unlike the SHM)
Kinda a no-brainer
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Post by Iain December 21, 2010 (9 of 46)
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wolfE said:
I remembered this thread, when listened to the Brandenburg Concertos with Egarr and the Academy of Ancient Music this morning. Great interpretation, very good DSD-recording.
.......
+1
I've no experience of Bach so I decided to give this one a go recently to broaden my horizons.
Beauty!!!!!!!
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Post by wolfE December 21, 2010 (10 of 46)
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canonical said:
The Bernstein Mozart might be interesting.
But the Lang Lang SHM re-release is bizarre. The specs are identical (96kHz 24bit) to the original SACD> But the original seems preferable in every regard:
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 2, Paganini Rhapsody - Lang Lang
1) You can buy it for peanuts ($10 - not $50) and widely available
2) It has a free hybrid layer
3) comes in a proper SuperJewel box that won't decay/rot (not the crappy paper of the SHM),
4) has proper English liner notes
5) it fits into your CD rack (unlike the SHM)
Kinda a no-brainer
I have ordered some of these SHM re-releases, for example the Suwanai-Sibelius and the Hahn-Bach. Though manufactured using the same source material (in case of the Sibelius it is pure DSD, recorded by the Polyhymnia-team, in case of the Hilary Hahn-Bach it is 96hkhz-24bit PCM) the re-releases sound better than the original SACDs, first of all a clearer and more natural sound with more harmonics (maybe "overtone" is the correct word in English?, more space between the instruments, which have more respectivly better defined body. There also is a deeper soundstage. - All in all the music is more fascinating.
Obviously there are improvements in the manufacturing process.
Whether these improvements are worth the money? Who will decide? Same question as with the Esoteric series and other Japanese SACDs like the upcoming Furtwängler-series.
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