What kind of music do you like? |
The SACDs that I like best include:
Norah Jones, Come Away with Me
Diana Krall, The Look of Love
Peter Gabriel, Shaking the Tree (excellent 2 channel)
Steely Dan, Gaucho
Pink Floyd, Dark Side of the Moon (great multi-channel)
Miles Davis, Kind of Blue
Willie Nelson, Stardust (sounds great, but I'm not a big WN fan)
I look forward to getting more SACDs of these same artists. I also have some of the Telarc Jazz and Classical samplers which are pretty good. There does seem to be a wide spectrum along the lines of mix quality and the ability to get the most out of the format. Acoustic Sounds seems to be a good source for SACDs. Interested to see other choices as well. |
I would add to that list, Peter Gabriel "UP" Roxy Music "Avalon" , Patricia Barber "Blue Cafe" and "Companion", also the new Mike Oldfield "tubular bells" is a great multi mix. |
I'll add Alison Krauss and Jacintha. Also Beck (sea change).
Dave |
If you like classical music and Mahler, the San Francisco Symphony Mahler cycle (Symphonies 1, 3,4 and 6 so far) is superb, has plenty of dynamics, bass and emotion. The more recent Telarcs, from the Vaughn-Williams Sea Symphony on (particularly the Jarvi/Cincinnati SO recordings) are all very good recordings and performances. And Allison Krauss/Union Station Live and New Favorite are terrific! Plenty more coming out daily, it seems--just got five new ones in to listen to the next few days. There are clunkers out there, but plenty of good ones, and the new DSD recordings are excellent at showing the potential of the format. |
be careful comparing the cd layer of an SACD hybrid disc to the SACD layer. i have found that a 'pure' redbook CD often outplays 'redbook' playback on hybrid SACD's? if this is done with marketing purposes in mind, or just 'sloppy' mastering as seeing the SACD layer to be the method of choice on these discs, i cannot answer, but i've found it interesting comparing redbook CD's to the redbook layer on SACD of the same title. as for must own SACD titles, i would add:
michel camilo's live at the blue note |
Here are some of my favors. All of them are great performances and terrific recordings.
All SACDs from First Impression Music (FIM), particularly:
Audiophile Reference IV SACD (if you are going to buy only one from FIM, buy this one)
Autumn In Seattle
River Of Sorrow
Jazz At The Pawnshop
Yo-Yo Ma Solo (Sony)
Ray Brown Super Bass Two (Telarc)
Film Music Of Jerry Goldsmith (Telarc)
Mccoy Tyner Quartet: New York Reunion (Chesky)
Paquito DRivera:Tropicana Nights (Chesky)
Mark levinson:Live Recordings Volume 1 (Red Rose)
Chet Baker:Chet (Analogue Productions)
Fitzgerald & Armstrong:Ella & Louis (Universal/Verve)
Hilary Hahn: Bach Violin Concertos (Universal/DG) |
Picking up on jh2os's thread, on multichannel disks, is the SACD Stereo mix kind of a minimum requirement that may not get the same level of attention and qualty as in stereo only SACDs? I guess it makes sense that stereo only SACDs would in general be better then the multi/stereo versions. Is the stereo mix different on SACD and redbook or is it just SACD that is different. |
I would recommend elusivedisc.com for SACDs. My favorites so far include Patricia Barber's Nightclub, Terence Blanchard's Let's Get Lost, Yo-Yo Ma's Obrigado Brazil, Ray Brown's Soular Energy, Murray Perahia's Goldberg Variations,Wynton Marsalis's London Concert and Hilary Hahn's Brahms Violin Concerto. Diana Krall's new disc is also on SACD.
John Dean |
All of the MFSL SACD titles from Patricia Barber - Modern Cool, Nightclub, Companion & Cafe' Blue + Rebecca Piedgon - The Raven (Chesky Records) |
I would like to add that Elusive Disc.com is a great source for SACDs. I have found that the Redbook layer on SACDs to be better than the Redbook only discs. I've assumed that the process in manufacturing the SACDs is better than the Redbook replication process. My favorite SACDs are the two Anne-Sophie Mutter Discs, the Allison Krause discs, and the Al DiMeola disc "Night in San Francisco." |
I dont know if your Sony was bought new or used but for some reason SACD players take an insane amount of time to burn in. After 2-300 hours their were discs I really could not tell much of a difference in from the redbook. Now that Ive had the player 6-8 months, and Im guessing their is more like 700 hours on it, those same discs I can hear the difference. And Yes some discs are recorded poorly, some are amazing, you have recieved some good suggestions. |
Carmen McRae - "Fine and Mellow". |
I owned the XA-777es for about a year, I liked it a lot and have played many of the above disc's on it...fantastic Sacd player that will show you the difference you are looking for.
At this time, I own a pioneer budget Sacd player and the difference if any is much smaller.
Dave |
From a recording standpoint, these stand out as superior to many others I own and its good music too!
Matt Haimovitz * Please welcome....
Wynton Marsalis * Marsalis Standard Time
Mark O'Connor * Hot Swing Trio |
Wow!!! Thanks for all the tips. I enjoy a wide variety music, just not so much into Classical. I love Norah Jones, Eva Cassidy, Jennifer Warnes, Rebecca Pidgeon, Dire Straits, Bruce Springsteen, even Bon Jovi, the lists goes on. I have a couple of Patricia Barber's CDs, I agreed that they are all excellent excellent recordings but I couldn't bring myself to love some of her music, however there are a couple of her songs that I really enjoyed though, like "Bye Bye Black Bird", "Autumn Leaves", "Too Rich for my Blood?". |
Great Sounding (non-classical) SACD's ---
Chet -- Chet Baker
Sea Changes -- Beck
SoulTrane -- John Coltrane
A Love Supreme -- John Coltrane
Bayou Country -- Creedence Clearwater Revival
Triangulo -- Michael Camilo
Kind of Blue -- Miles Davis
Cookin' -- Miles Davis
Relaxin' -- Miles Davis
Steamin' -- Miles Davis
Out There -- Eric Dolphy
The Complete Set -- Bob Dylan
Shaking The Tree -- Peter Gabriel
Getz/Gilberto -- Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto
First Time -- Duke Ellington and Count Basie
Concierto -- Jim Hall
Come Away With Me -- Norah Jones
Blue Country Heart -- Jorma Kaukonen
6 and 12 String Guitar -- Leo Kottke
The Look of Love -- Diana Krall
Live -- Alison Krauss + Union Station
New Favorite -- Alison Krauss
Mingus Ah Um -- Charles Mingus
Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane
Straight, No Chaser -- Thelonious Monk
The Door -- Keb Mo
Just Like You -- Keb Mo
Dark Side of the Moon -- Pink Floyd
Zenyatta Mondatta -- The Police
Ghost in the Machine -- The Police
Synchronicity -- The Police
Goza Mi Timbal -- Tito Puente
Art Pepper + Eleven
Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section
Sonny Rollins Plus Four
Saxophone Colossus -- Sonny Rollins
Way Out West -- Sonny Rollins
Avalon -- Roxy Music
Conga Blue -- Poncho Sanchez
The Incredible Jazz Guitar -- Wes Montgomery
Folk Singer -- Muddy Waters
Come on in this House -- Junior Wells
Tommy -- The Who
Our Gang -- Anthony Wilson Trio
Friday Night in San Francisco -- Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin, Paco de Lucia |
Rsbeck,
Could you please stop being ethereal and give us some solid recommendations?:)
I own about 1/4 on that list and every one of them is musically enjoyable.
David |
Okay -- here's another one:
From the Isles to the Courts -- Ensemble Galilei |
Tony Bennet " Playing with my friends"
Oh my god! some of these tracks are unreal! Take the second, you can hear ... well it dosent matter!!! Great SACD for some tracks; not all! |
my reference;
Jamie Cullum- Twentysomething (2004) Verve.
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As above-
Ray Brown- Super Bass & Super Bass2.
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