|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
207.91.86.2
In Reply to: New to SACD (long) posted by Brian_T on April 17, 2007 at 05:36:21:
Hi Brian-First off, for my money, the best-sounding SACDs are not reissues of material previously recorded in some other format, including beloved analog tape. Which is not to say that, if you're a classical music fan, the re-issues of the RCA Living Stereos aren't worth buying. Or, if you're a jazz fan, the SACD of Kind of Blue isn't worth buying. But, if you're a vinyl guy, you probably have that record (as I do) and are quite happy with it (again, assuming that's your taste in music).
The best recordings are those done in native DSD. For example, the two-disc set of Allison Kraus and Union Station live in concert in Louisville was recorded in DSD. It's a great show, musically, and it shows off the capabilities of the medium. (But you have to like Bluegrass.)
If you're a classical music fan, some of the European lables are selling "new" DSD recordings, as is the London Symphony Orchestra ("LSO Live"). The opera recordings are especially impressive (but you have to like opera).
Follow Ups:
currently provides the best listening experience, the recording techniques and mixing are much more important. I give you as an example a SACD produced from a 1959 analog master "Art Pepper - Gettin It Together" that has great resolution, dynamic range, and imaging.
Len
I don't think a jazz recording -- any jazz recording -- fully exploits the dynamic range capabilities of DSD. Jazz music simply does not have the dynamic range of classical symphonic music, including opera.One of the impressive things about some of the recent classical DSD recordings I have purchased (including the LSO's live recording of "Falstaff") is the really stunning dynamic range and the absolute sense of both a lack of compression (or gain-riding on the part of the mastering engineer) and a lack of congestion on extremely loud passages.
Typically, analog tape recordings do not deliver that kind of range. The recording engineer has to compromise between hearing tape hiss on soft passages and saturating the tape on loud passages (where tape overload translates very quickly into substantial harmonic distortion, audible as "congestion"). Too much gain and the tape hiss is inaudible, but peaks are distored. Not enough gain and the tape hiss is audible; but the peaks will be o.k. The typical practice of the clever engineer is to "ride gain" by manually backing off the gain on loud passages to avoid the overload. A good engineer will know the piece of music and will know when these passages are coming. The effect, of course, is a kind of human-driven compression.
So, even a nice transfer to DSD of a well-done analog tape recording (like, say the RCA Living Stereos and the Mercury Living Presences) just isn't the same.
On the other hand, some of the analog tape to DSD transfers that I have of jazz recordings (e.g. DBQ's "Take Five"; Ray Brown Trio's
"Soular Energy")do sound very good indeed, no doubt about it.
Thanks for the DSD tip, Bruce.Back in 70's I used to listen to some bluegrass, then moved on to other things. I've always linked Allison Kraus with the 200gm audiophile vinyl crowd. I've never been interested enough to spring for these LP's. SACD might be an option.
| ||||||||||||
|
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors: