New to SACD

[laneza01]

Alright, I guess I'm not even new to it yet...being that I haven't bought one, but I plan too. I was gonna get one off amazon of Beethoven(maybe the 5th and 6th symphony), however, I would rather have a good mix of stuff. To be perfectly honest I am doing this just to see how SACD's sound. The music I typically listen is not available on SACD, but I'm pretty open to every kind of music. I just want something that really is loud and exciting and will really give me that WOW factor. I just bought a pair of Klipsch Rf-83 speakers (amazing by the way). I was thinking either that Beethoven or Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique but a mix would be the best. A PS3 will be my player via HDMI to my 5200ES to my new speakers ...thanks for your opinions.

[dtb300]

Try this one for a selection of classical:

http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=7393782&style=classical&WID=7146540&BAB=L

There are many other SACD samplers out there. Here is the site for all the SACD titles available: www.sa-cd.net

But IMHO, the best way to listen to Classical SACD music is in MCH. In MCH the orchestra instrument locations really get locked in with the center channel, and the surrounds give you the ambience of the hall or venue where recorded. MCH Classical is what has turned me on to Classical music.

Two channel is good to, as others will attest, but MCH for me is far superior.

[JonMarsh]

Try Carl Orff's Carmina Burana by Atlanta Sympphony from Telarc for a very nicely performed large scale classical piece with choral and solo vocals.

Also from Telarc, for piano oriented fusion Jazz, try Hiromi Uehera's "Sonic Bloom". She has other SACD and CD titles. Search YouTube "Hiromi XYZ" if you're curious about her live performances.

For guitar oriented fusion jazz, try the new Al Dimeola "Consequence of Chaos" release, also from Telarc.

The Charles Munch Saint-Saens Sympony number three from RCA Living Stereo SACD is an amazing performance and recording from the 50's, remastered from the original three track tapes.

For new age oriented jazz, Oregon's "Beyond Words" was an excellent CD, and an even better SACD from Chesky Records.

Also from Chesky records, a very popular group in NY, Dave's True Story, get the SACD "Unauthorized Edition". Jazz with Kelly Flint on vocals. Music Direct carries it.


Many "classic rock" and classic pop titles are available. Scan the lists at Music Direct, Elusive Disk, and Acoustic Sounds. Some of my favorites include Police, Allman Brothers, Dire Straits, Who, Gloria Estefan, Zombies Greatest Hits, Dark Side of the Moon (pink Floyd).

There's a lot of traditional Jazz available, in addition to the modern artists I've mentioned- including Miles Davis, Thelonius Monk, McCoy Tyner, Bill Evans, etc.

Although SACD hasn't been the success I'd hoped it would be, there are many thousands of available titles, quite a lot in Hybrid format with both SACD and down rezzed CD layers that sound quite good.

If you enjoy what you hear with your current setup, someday you may want to consider separates and speakers a bit smoother in frequency response. An inexpensive SACD setup sounds quite good, but the more transparency and accuracy you have in your playback system, the more rewarded you will be. This is true even for things like the player analog electronics, cables, volume control systems, etc.

[pbarach]

I just want something that really is loud and exciting and will really give me that WOW factor.

Unless you're looking for SACD surround, I'd highly recommend the RCA Red Living Stereo SACD of Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherezade (Reiner/Chicago). The performance is exciting, and I haven't heard any modern recordings with better sound. Sounds great in either 2-channel or 3-channel SACD playback. Or on the same label, Ravel Daphnis & Chloe (complete) or Saint-Saens SYmphony 3 (Munch, Boston).

Another good source for classical SACD's, in addition to CD Universe, is http://www.arkivmusic.com.

[laneza01]

wow guys, thanks. this gives me lots of options to try and mess around with some stuff! Maybe this will even turn me onto a little more, haha, "cultured" music...
ps. anyone know how Thriller sounds in SACD? Im not a huge fan but its a modern classic to some degree.

[wkhanna]

I know that Pink Flyod DSOTM and Dire Staights Brothers in Arms are very popular around here for displaying multi-channel effects.

Personally, I would have say SACD excels in the classical environment, where it can reproduce the acoustics of concert hall architecture and how you hear from all directions in when there.

[dtb300]

I know that Pink Flyod DSOTM and Dire Staights Brothers in Arms are very popular around here for displaying multi-channel effects.

These releases have instruments and other things in the surrounds to make you feel like you are sitting with the band instead of in the audience, but for quality, they are far from what SACD can offer. Heck, there are better sounding Redbook releases than these.

Personally, I would have say SACD excels in the classical environment, where it can reproduce the acoustics of concert hall architecture and how you hear from all directions in when there.

I totally agree with this and like I said before, it is what brought me into the Classical world.

Dan

[DeanP]

Anything Elton John is excellent! GBYBR is awesome! :T
I got into SACD back in late winter and now have quite a few discs. I bought a Samsung DVD HD-841 to try it out on for $25 and now have found lots of sites that give modding info. So I purchased all the parts and I am going to mod it in the fall when going outdoors is too cold.
Supposedly it brings the player up to par with top dollar players: though I think it sounds excellent as it is!

[twitch54]

Well, I've got give Dan(DTB300) credit for turning me on to this one......
Paavo Jarvi conducting the Cincinnati Symphony, performing Benjamin Britten(the Young persons Guide to the Orchestra) and Sir Edward Elgar(Variations on an Original Theme) on the Telarc label.

A very well recorded piece that puts you, shall we say Row G, center.

[gimpy]

For some relatively inexpensive sacd disks, check out www.yourmusic.com. They have an assortment of about 50 or so and at only $6.99 each. To find them, just type in "sacd" under album title. The only catch is, you have to join the club. I am waiting for my Sheryl Crow sacd from them now. I really like Rory Blocks "Last Fair Deal" from Telarc.

Also, if you have dvd-a capability, check out www.aixrecords.com. They are quite a bit more money, but are very good recordings. They have a sampler that is very, very good. I also have "Brand New Opry". The video part of the dvd is in high def'n. I seriously recommend that you check them out for dvd-a.

Frank

[Alloroc]

Probably a bit predictable but I really like the Bob Dylan remasters on SACD.

I've quite a few - Blonde, Blood, Desire, Slow Train etc...

Most enjoyable.

[Gremal]

Sorry, I don't think you can get true DSD->analog conversion using the PS3's HDMI (or any other PS3 connection for that matter). It is PCM-ized along the way. If you're really interested in SACD, I recommend getting an SACD player with analog outputs.

[littlesaint]

Sorry, I don't think you can get true DSD->analog conversion using the PS3's HDMI (or any other PS3 connection for that matter). It is PCM-ized along the way. If you're really interested in SACD, I recommend getting an SACD player with analog outputs.

Just having analog outs doesn't imply DSD->analog. It has to have a DSD DAC. Otherwise the player still does DSD->PCM internally before it hits the DAC.

[nayr]

Does anybody have any suggestions for standout sounding non-classical SACDs besides the obvious (Bob Dylan, Pink Floyd)?

I tend to prefer singer/songwriter type stuff, pop-jazz/blues (eg. Diana Krall) 60ies, 70ies, 90ies rock, folk.

Looking for stereo demo-disc material. Thanks!

[jonathanb3478]

I tend to prefer singer/songwriter type stuff, pop-jazz/blues (eg. Diana Krall) 60ies, 70ies, 90ies rock, folk.

Well it's probably obvious, but there is also Billy Joel. The Stranger and An Innocent Man (former is m-ch, later is stereo - SACDs all have a Stereo mix though, so it's all good) are both really good to my ears.

You could also try Beck "Sea Change". I like that one a lot. SACD Hybrid, I believe.

There is also the "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack on SACD, in stereo. You may not be into to it, or maybe just not into much of it... there are some good ones there for me, though.

I Creedence Clearwater Revival released some SACDs, too. I haven't listened to them, but I would hope they would be decent.

There was also the "Peppers and Eggs" Sopranos Soundtrack on SACD in stereo. I say "was" because I believe it is now out of print. It had some really good stuff, however. I liked it so much I bought a backup copy when Tower.com had it listed as "out of print - limited stock". There was everything from Frank Sinatra to Cake's "Frank Sinatra". There was Vivaldi opera done by Cecilia Bartoli, big band (a modern remix with The Police, admittedly), blues (or is it jazz?) by Ben E. King (one of the best songs on the album is his "I Who Have Nothing"), and good old rock and roll.

There are so many awesome songs on that Sopranos soundtrack. Kasey Chambers' "The Captain" is right up there with the Ben E King I already mentioned. So is Madreblu's "Certamente", which is in Italian, I believe. I don't know what she is saying, but I wish she was saying it to me, ya know?

There are even songs by Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, and Van Morrison on that two disc set. Plus many others. I don't dislike any of them, but some do rise rather far above the others. The last track on the second disc starts off with funny quotes from the series ("how do you vandalize a swimming pool?", classic) and finishes off with the Sopranos theme. I am so glad I got that album. The sound quality is perhaps not reference (it is on a few, I think, but certainly not consistently throughout the album), but I like listening to good music, regardless. There is a lot of that in this set.

It is a shame it is out of print.

I see places on the Internet that have it listed, but with some message saying it is "Temporarily out of stock" or "Backordered since 4/10/07" or some other such hopeful message. I think that is incorrect. I believe it is permanently out of stock. Maybe Buy.com is right, maybe they will get more in, but I doubt it.

[luvdozer]

You could also try Beck "Sea Change". I like that one a lot. SACD Hybrid, I believe.

Sea Change is a brilliant album on just about every level. The SACD version simply lets you realize its full potential.

[wkhanna]

Does anybody have any suggestions for standout sounding non-classical SACDs besides the obvious (Bob Dylan, Pink Floyd)?
Looking for stereo demo-disc material. Thanks!

Come over to the 'IN Tune' section of the forum, lots of folks there will be happy to give you some recomendations!

[Gremal]

Just having analog outs doesn't imply DSD->analog.

On an SACD player, yes it does. There are exceptions, but a properly designed SACD player will convert DSD to analog without PCM.

[littlesaint]

On an SACD player, yes it does. There are exceptions, but a properly designed SACD player will convert DSD to analog without PCM.

There are a lot of exceptions and some from reputable names. The only way to know is looking at the specs.

I've heard PCM output from the PS3 through a pre/pro with very good DACs, and I preferred it to a Sony SACD player using it's internal DACs. I don't think the difference is all that significant in the end, and in my case I preferred the PCM.

[dtb300]

Does anybody have any suggestions for standout sounding non-classical SACDs besides the obvious (Bob Dylan, Pink Floyd)?

Pink Floyd DSOTM is not a standout sounding SACD - there are MANY better sounding SACD's out there which show off the abilities of SACD. There was another thread here where I listed some of the top sounding SACD's (agreed upon by many others) - trouble is, you have to also like the music of these albums.