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In Reply to: RE: What do you notice most in regard to SACD vs Redbook of the same title? posted by Awe-d-o-file on June 30, 2008 at 14:00:31
Even in stereo, I can detect a more three dimensional image on many SACD's. At times, I feel I could walk around the room or in back of the speakers to hear "other sides" of the music. Of course, this doesn't really happen, but the illusion can be quite powerful and beguiling, while at other times it is more subtle. I can sometimes detect a similar 3D quality to RBCD playback, but only on a few recordings, usually of smaller ensembles such as chamber music.
The tone of strings and timbre of woodwinds is much smoother and more realistic on SACD. Massed strings, especially, are frequently harsh when playing tutti on RBCD, whereas they almost glow on SACD. Woodwinds are very convincingly reproduced by SACD, whereas they miss some of their signature timbre on RBCD. This varies a lot among recordings and labels. It does not always correlate to the age or type of recording. There are analogue recordings with beautiful massed string tone, and there are DSD recordings that are shrill and unmusical.
It is easier to hear individual instruments in their own space on SACD, and to detect spatial cues. Sometimes a particular instrument or voice will stand out from the mix, or be resolved apart from others, separated by real empty space, related to my first comment.
Some SACD's can spoil older recordings by exposing artifacts that were camouflaged by RBCD. This may also be attributable to various remastering processes, as remastered RBCD's don't always sound as musical to me as older versions. There may be greater accuracy, but it can spoil the musical effect. I might remark that I can hear something I couldn't before, but I don't always want to be able to hear it. Older pop music can sound awful on SACD and new RBCD remasterings. There are a few older versions (unremastered) of CD's that I wish I had not gotten rid of when I bought the newer "improved" versions. I have now tired of the excessive detail and sometimes annoying sharpness of these remasters which at first persuaded me that they were better.
Peace,
Tom E
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