Must Have DVD-A's/SACD's

[aud19]

You're quite welcome When you get a chance, let us know some of the disc info, ie: conductor, pieces etc. and a review :P

Since you seem to like classical, you may want to check out some of the classical SACD recommendations Burke made earlier in the thread too

Jason




Need a new display? Questions about new display technologies? Visit RPTVs, plasmas, and other monitors @ HTguide

[nicodim55]

8) Thanks Jason I went to Best Buy and I picked up Mozart and it is in multi channel. It sounds great in STEREO AND MULTI.

[aud19]

You can get them many places. You should be able to order lot's online, or check some of your usual retailers where you pick up your other software (CD's, DVD's etc). I even found the Pink Floyd DSOTM SACD at Costco!...lol (Unfortunately I have no SACD player to play it on so I have to make do with the CD layer for now :cry: ) From what I've read, The Pink Floyd disc is THE multi-channel SACD to listen to. So that's probably a good one to hunt down. Also maybe some other folks on here, close to your area can reccomend some good stores for ya..?

Yes the case should state what tracks (multi/stereo) and their quality etc.

Jason




Need a new display? Questions about new display technologies? Visit RPTVs, plasmas, and other monitors @ HTguide

[nicodim55]

:?: Where can you buy these titles? Also, you've mentioned that some are only 2 channel SACD and some multi, does it say that on the jewel case? I would like to listen to SACD in multi channel so I can compare it with DVDA. I don't have any SACD in multi channel so I only had the experience in 2 channel.

[Burke Strickland]

Jason -

Thanks for the detailed info on the Wagner disc and for your impressions of the Steely Dan disc. Sounds like you've got a couple of really good ones there!

Burke

[mazuly]

Hi,

I can’t believe nobody has mentioned Bjork Vespertine album in DVD-A. Am I the only one that likes this album? Well, this album is magnificent in 5.1. I do have other DVD-A, but this is the only album that sounds like it was recorded in 5.1 and not changed from 2.0 to 5.1. Her music is not for everybody, but this is one of the best 5.1 mixes that I have heard to date, and I do have Eagles Hotel California

I also purchased Beethoven Symphony No. 7, 8 (one disk) and 9 (Barenboim with Berliner Staatskepelle) and Johann Strauss in Berlin (Nikolaus Harnoncourt with Berliner Philharmoniker) DVD-A. These are all Teldec disks. I am not a classical buff so I don’t know if these are good arrangements and if the music is played the way it should be, but man oh man, the sound stage. You feel you have the orchestra in your living room. The recording is done in a way that front channels play the music and rears provide the ambiance information. Together you get a sense that you are sitting in front of the orchestra while they are playing.

Aud19, I do have Frank Sinatra: Sinatra at the Sands. This is a very old recording and it shows. The sounds are crisp and soundstage is very good, but no high-rez transformation can make it sound like a new recording. The surround mix is very good as well, but every time I listen to it I feel I am listening to an old recording. The music is wonderful though. If you don’t have a problem with old sounding recordings, then this disk is wonderful and Frank’s voice is just superb. Next on my list is the Rat Pack DVD-A

I am off to get some more DVD-As today before this boxing week sale is over.

Thanks,
Maziar

[elwoodbud]

Hi all. I've been enjoying Hi-res music for half a year now and a couple of titles have clearly stood out that haven't been mentioned here including"

DVD-A
The Flaming Lips "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots"
This recent reissue in 5.1 is an amazing sonic experience. It is definitely the most aggressive music surround mix I've heard. "The Absolute Sound" rated it a "Sonic rating" of 10 out of 10. It features rotating vocal tracks, drums that circle the room and more. What's more, the liner notes give a brief explanation of what was done with each of the tracks for the surround mix. If you enjoy listening to some of today's modern rock and roll, like Radiohead, give this a spin. It is truly a unique experience. The DVD-A comes half a dozen bonus 5.1.tracks, a DVD video track with some spaced out video graphics to go with a compressed 5.1 recording, and a second disc with the original CD version.

SACD
For SACD titles, my favorite is Beck's "Sea Change." There's good news for DVD-A only folks. Apparently this title will make its debut in that format very soon. I assume it will have similar sonics. The mostly acoustic recording is wonderfully recorded, both for 5.1 and 2-channel.

[aud19]

The girlfriend and I got a chance to listen to a few tracks off of Steely Dan 2 Against Nature last night with some musicly inclined guests. :righton: We listened to the multi-channel track and all I've got to say is: That is how you mix multi-channel music. Period. It should be used as a "textbook" for other engineers that are learning multi-channel mixing. If you like the sort of jazzy, funky, mellow rock'ish music of Steely Dan I totally reccomend the disc. I don't know if I want to even bother listening to the stereo tracks... 8)

Jason




Need a new display? Questions about new display technologies? Visit RPTVs, plasmas, and other monitors @ HTguide

[aud19]

OK Burke! The disc is (a drum roll please):

Wagner: Overtures/Preludes

Overtures - ("Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg", "Tannhauser", "Der fliegende Hollander")

Preludes - (to Act I "Lohengrin", to Act III "Lohengrin", and Liebestod "Tristan und Isolde")

Berliner Philharmoniker
Conductor: Herbert Von Karajan

It's surround mix is the original 4.0 (quad) mix, the stereo is a 24/48 version of the CD mix. It sounds great, hard to pick a favourite between the multi-channel/surround as they both sound so good in their own respects. Keep in mind it's my only classical DVD-A so far, so nothing to reference it with and again... not an expert. At all. :LOL:

I ended up getting the girlfriend Steely Dan: Two against nature DVD-A. No chance to listen to it yet but I'll get back with info on it as soon as I can.

Jason




Need a new display? Questions about new display technologies? Visit RPTVs, plasmas, and other monitors @ HTguide

[aud19]

Oh, and don't forget SACD! How about recommendations for good titles on either DVD-A or SACD?

Me personally, I've bought a few DVD-A and SACD titles already, but don't even have a player capable of playing either format yet. :roll: That's when you know you've gone too far. I'm hoping to add a universal player here in the near future.

Sorry Chris, I guess it's only fair to include SACD. (I don't want to be the bully kid that told SACD to go home :wedgie: ) The reason I stated DVD-A is because I own a Denon 1600 which is only capable of DVD-A but that's my own dilemna...lol

Not to put too fine a point on it, but Wagner IS a composer. Could you check the album cover and let us know what by Wagner is on the DVD-A (like orchestral highlights from some of his operas, or is it one specific opera) and who the performers are (at least the orchestra and conductor)? I like Wagner's music but haven't bought any on DVD-A or SACD yet, and at the prices they charge for the discs, I'd like to be sure I'm getting one that someone else has heard and says is worth buying.

Sorry..lol. :banghead: My stupidity... I meant to write conductor not composer. As I'm at work most of the time when I post (including now :LOL: ) I don't have that info in front of me and I have a terrible memory I'll get the conductor, orchestra and content and post it on here over the holidays for ya. Keep in mind I'm far from an expert on classical. (Gee, could you tell? I don't even know the difference betweeen a composer/conductor! ) So don't put too much weight in my comments. Though I sure appreciate any more classical reccomendations especially on DVD-A from you or any of the other fine folks on here. And I couldn't agree more about the pricing!

Well, it's bound to be good if it's Steely Dan, but so far I haven't had a chance to hear the DVD-A, so I don't know if they've left the mix alone or played "cute" multichannel tricks with it. That's one I'd like to read some comments about after Christmas (assuming your girlfriend let's you listen to it after she unwraps it Christmas day). :>)

Let's hope she does! I have to admit I got this one a little for me too ops: I'll get back with info and "review" after I've had a chance to listen.

The following is single layer Multichannel/Stereo SACD only (must be played in a SACD player):

Cheap Thrills – Janis Joplin & Big Brother and the Holding Company (Columbia/Legacy CS66784)
Janice’s performance has always been, well, thrilling. (It was just the sound that seemed "cheap".) :>) Now the sound is equally terrific for the first time.

Ok, that just sucks that it doesn't have a hybrid CD layer for us poor saps that can't play SACD :M This is one disc I'd definately love to have. Man I wish I'd waited for the Denon 2200 :boohoo:

Jason




Need a new display? Questions about new display technologies? Visit RPTVs, plasmas, and other monitors @ HTguide

[Burke Strickland]

Wagner: Sorry can't remember composer etc. Sounded good ...

Not to put too fine a point on it, but Wagner IS a composer. Could you check the album cover and let us know what by Wagner is on the DVD-A (like orchestral highlights from some of his operas, or is it one specific opera) and who the performers are (at least the orchestra and conductor)? I like Wagner's music but haven't bought any on DVD-A or SACD yet, and at the prices they charge for the discs, I'd like to be sure I'm getting one that someone else has heard and says is worth buying.

Anyone have any comments on the Steely Dan DVD-A?

Well, it's bound to be good if it's Steely Dan, but so far I haven't had a chance to hear the DVD-A, so I don't know if they've left the mix alone or played "cute" multichannel tricks with it. That's one I'd like to read some comments about after Christmas (assuming your girlfriend let's you listen to it after she unwraps it Christmas day). :>)

So far, I only have one DVD-A and that is Emerson, Lake and Palmer's "Brain Salad Surgery", which was a stunning album on vinyl and CD and now is even more sensational on DVD-A. If you are into their music at all, this is a disc to treasure.

Meanwhile, since you enjoy some classical along with the other great stuff you've listed, I've tallied a few classical SACDs I've enjoyed as well as a couple of non-classical titles that are also well worth getting. (Hope you can play SACDs in addition to DVD-As. If your current player doesn't support SACD, then at least the Hybrid discs would be playable via the CD layer.)

The following is single layer Multichannel/Stereo SACD only (must be played in a SACD player):

Cheap Thrills – Janis Joplin & Big Brother and the Holding Company (Columbia/Legacy CS66784)
Janice’s performance has always been, well, thrilling. (It was just the sound that seemed "cheap".) :>) Now the sound is equally terrific for the first time.

The following is two-channel-only Hybrid SACD (can be played in a SACD or CD-compatible player) but still well worth adding to your collection and listening to time and time again:

Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5 / Tchaikovsky: Romeo & Juliet -- Lorin Maazel/Cleveland Orchestra (Telarc SACD-60561)
After being unavailable for too long, this exhilarating rendition of Shostakovich’s masterpiece has been remastered and reissued on SACD. The Romeo and Juliet is a fine performance too, but the reason to buy the disc is the symphony.

All of these are Multichannel/Stereo Hybrid SACD (can be played in a SACD or CD-compatible player):

Rossini: Famous Overtures – Neville Marriner and the Academy of St Martin in the Fields (PentaTone SACD-66106)
Remastered from quad, sounds like a new recording. The performances are first rate.

Dupre, Franck & Widor -- Michael Murray/The Organ at St. Sulpice, Paris (Telarc SACD-60516)
With a properly set up system, the ambiance from the surround channels give you the uncanny sensation of being in the cathedral (as close as you’re going to get without an airline ticket to France). :>)

Got Swing! -- Erich Kunzel/Cincinnati Pops Orchestra (Telarc SACD-60592) featuring special guests The Manhattan Transfer, Janis Seigel and John Pizzarelli, so it is really jazz and not just overblown symphonic fluff. Lots of fun!

Vaughan Williams: A Sea Symphony -- Robert Spano/Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (Telarc SACD-60588 )
A really wowie-zowie performance of this massive work with sonics to match.

Prokofiev: Romeo & Juliet Suites 1,2,3 – Paavo Jarvi, Cincinnati Symphony (Telarc SACD-60597)
This is not only an electrifying performance, arguably the best ever (and I’ve heard a ton of them), but the sound is system demo quality as well (superlative, even for SACD).

Mahler: Symphony No. 6 in A Minor, "Tragic" -- Benjamin Zander/Philharmonia Orchestra (Telarc SACD-60586)
While I personally prefer Dmitri Mitropoulos’. driving performance from the mid-twentieth century (he gave its American premiere in 1947 with the New York Philharmonic and performed it through the 1950s with the Philharmonic and other orchestras),.from among the various fine modern recordings of this dynamic work, we are fortunate to get Zander’s thrilling reading on SACD. (His Mahler 5th is darned good too, and is also available on Telarc SACD-60569.)

Enjoy!

Burke

[Scarp]

Queen: A Night At the Opera is a very good dvd-a

SACD: Joe Satriani has two out. The latest one features both stereo and multichannel tracks.

[Chris D]

Oh, and don't forget SACD! How about recommendations for good titles on either DVD-A or SACD?

Me personally, I've bought a few DVD-A and SACD titles already, but don't even have a player capable of playing either format yet. :roll: That's when you know you've gone too far. I'm hoping to add a universal player here in the near future.




CHRIS
Luke: "Hey, I'm not such a bad pilot myself, you know"

[aud19]

Well I re-listened to Harvest and finally got a chance to listen to the Metallica disc and since no one else is replying I figured I might as well...lol

Harvest - Decided I prefer the 2-channel. It just sounds so amazing the guitar, Young's voice and Harmonica's etc all sound like they're right in the room, I got lot's of tingles The 5.1 mix is just too distracting IMO. Sure it's cool and the sound is a little fuller (duuuh) and yes that's how they were apparently postioned when it was recorded but... damnit it's distracting!

Metallica - This probably the first DVD-A that I couldn't actually pick a clear winner between the 5.1 vs 2-channel tracks. They both sounded awesome! The 5.1 mix sounds great, surrounding you with a full onslaught of heavy metal fury. It's very well mixed meaning the surrounds are used to make a bigger soundstage and ocassional throw in the odd effect for added drama, nothing gimmicky just auditory goodness. The 2-channel was just as good sacrifing some of that room filling surround for clearer sound. It was especially evident on intro's to songs where there was maybe just a couple of imstruments and the rumbling vocals and then the rise hits you like a brick wall. A very nice sounding brick wall

Anyone have any comments on the Steely Dan DVD-A? My girlfriend has it on her Christmas list.

J.R.




Need a new display? Questions about new display technologies? Visit RPTVs, plasmas, and other monitors @ HTguide

[aud19]

Just thought it might be a good idea to start a list of DVD-A's people have bought that are worth getting.

I currently own the following:

Neil Young: Harvest - If you're a Young fan, definately worth it, though the 5.1 mix can be a little dizzying.

Sex Pistols: No Future UK - Lo-Fi in High-Res...hmmmm

Fleetwood Mac: Rumours - I personally preffered the higher-res 2-channel but both sound damn good.

Metallica: Black Album - No chance to listen to this one yet Hear it's good though

Wagner: Sorry can't remember composer etc. Sounded good but as it's my only classical DVD-A nothing to compare it to. Also, even though I enjoy a fair selection of classical, I am by no means an expert.

Discs I have on my wish list:

-Al Green: Greatest Hits
-Bucky Pizzarelli: Swing Live
-Beach Boys: Pet Sounds
-Doors: L.A. Woman
-Eric Clapton: Unplugged (Unknown release date)
-Stone Temple Pilots: Core
-Frank Sinatra: Sinatra at the Sands
-Bob Marley: Best Of The Early Years
-Elvis: 30 #1 Hits
-Miles Davis: Tutu
-Santana: Supernatural and Shaman (both released at end of November)

And for cryin' out loud can we quit having rumours of the Beatles on DVD-A and see some actual discs! Maybe for Christmas! :P

Please feel free to add any comments/suggestions.

J.R.




Need a new display? Questions about new display technologies? Visit RPTVs, plasmas, and other monitors @ HTguide