scottb Posted March 11, 2006 Report Share Posted March 11, 2006 Our home theater system was one I got free for buying a TV so you can imagine it wasn't very good. We finally got frustrated with it and decided to upgrade. I decided to get one of the Yamaha systems which also plays SACDs. I then ordered several SACD hybrids from yourmusic.com before they were deleted. The system came in the mail this week and all I can say is WOW! The music really comes alive! It makes CD versions sound absolutely flat and dead. I upgraded Lush Life, Tenor Madness, Relaxin' and Jazz at Massey Hall and they all sound great. I really don't intend to upgrade my whole collection to SACD but what titles are MUST HAVE SACDs for their sonic superiority? I also got Layla just for kicks and it sounds better than the CD versioin but true beauty of SACDs to me is hearing the warmth of the horns. Bird and Dizzy, Trane and Sonny all sound like they are in the room with me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claude Posted March 11, 2006 Report Share Posted March 11, 2006 Have you compared the CD and SACD layer of the discs? This will give you a fairer comparision than with an earlier CD release, which uses a different mastering. I'm a SACD fan myself (my collection), but in my experience many Fantasy SACDs are topped by earlier CD versions from DCC or even XRCD/K2. Unfortunately jazz SACD releases have almost stopped. But for a newcomer there is a lot to be found in the Sony SACD catalogue. I'm mainly buying classical SACDs now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sundog Posted March 11, 2006 Report Share Posted March 11, 2006 I really don't intend to upgrade my whole collection to SACD but what titles are MUST HAVE SACDs for their sonic superiority? Here's a few a really like.... Ah Hum Miles Smiles Burrell & Coltrane Monk & Trane Lush Life Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claude Posted March 11, 2006 Report Share Posted March 11, 2006 (edited) My most spectacular jazz SACDs, when it comes to improvement over the previous CD versions, are: - Art Pepper: Modern Jazz Classics - Gil Evans: And Ten - Bill Evans Trio: Sunday At The Village Vanguard - Bill Evans Trio: Waltz For Debby - Sonny Clark Trio - Miles Davis - Big Fun (the SACDs were mastered by Seth Foster and sound much smoother than Mark Wilder´s CD mastering in the Complete Bitches Brew Sessions box) My SACDs with the best absolute sound quality are: - Bob Belden: Black Dahlia - Henry Kaiser & Wadada Leo Smith (Sky Garden) - Yo Miles! and Upriver (two 2-disc sets) As far as the Sony SACDs go, I didn't notice a huge difference between Mark Wilder's CD and SACD masterings, which both sound great. Edited March 11, 2006 by Claude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted March 12, 2006 Report Share Posted March 12, 2006 It's funny, my modified Sony SACD changer (tube output coming straight off the DAC modded by Steve Deckert of DECWARE) makes cds sound so good that SACDs sound hardly much better at all. The difference between cds and SACDs is more pronounced on a friend's Sony player and system. My favortie SACD of all is "Plays W. C. Handy" by Louis Armstrong. This sounds awesome in SACD, better than the cd which sounds just a bit edgier to me. Man. . . it's such great music as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceH Posted March 12, 2006 Report Share Posted March 12, 2006 My favortie SACD of all is "Plays W. C. Handy" by Louis Armstrong. This sounds awesome in SACD, better than the cd which sounds just a bit edgier to me. Man. . . it's such great music as well. One of the best albums of all time. (Same goes for Satch Plays Fats.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottb Posted March 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2006 After a little more time to listen, the good news is my CDs sound great on this system as well. I have been without a good home system for a while and it's exciting to hear the music sound so great. It's like I suddenly have a whole new collection of discs to listen to! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted March 12, 2006 Report Share Posted March 12, 2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vibes Posted March 12, 2006 Report Share Posted March 12, 2006 (edited) Scott, congrats on the new system. I've really enjoyed my experiences with SACD and DVD-Audio, and now have three SACD-capable players in various parts of my home. Do you have a multichannel setup? You mentioned you had a home theater, but weren't specific on this point. If so, here are some great multichannel discs (not necessarily jazz): Miles Davis - In a Silent Way Holst - The Planets (Mofi SACD version) Beck - Sea Change Herbie Hancock - Headhunters A number of excellent titles have already been mentioned in this thread. Here are some more that I enjoy: All of the Oscar Peterson "Exclusively for My Friends" SACDs Chopin - Ballades and Scherzos (RCA Living Stereo SACD) Enesco and Liszt - Rhapsodies (Mercury Living Presence SACD) Joe Satriani - Engines of Creation Bill Evans - Moonbeams Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas Vince Guaraldi - Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus Godsmack - The Other Side The Rolling Stones - Hot Rocks If you like classical music, you pretty much can't go wrong with the RCA Living Stereo and Mercury Living Presence SACDs. I've found the Mofi classical SACD titles I've purchased to be excellent as well. Edited March 12, 2006 by vibes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Son-of-a-Weizen Posted March 12, 2006 Report Share Posted March 12, 2006 The system came in the mail this week and all I can say is WOW! The music really comes alive! It makes CD versions sound absolutely flat and dead. Yes, for sure! Several nights ago, my wife -- who really enjoys the small club atmosphere* suddenly piped up during 'Waltz for Debby' and said it had that 'you're there' feel to it. * Gonna be trio heaven for us in a few weeks time with the Kenny Barron, Harold Mabern & Cedar Walton Trios on three consecutive nights. To Vibes list I'd add Wynton Kelly Trio & Aerosmith 'Toys in the Attic'. Can anyone either recommend (or trash) the Bobby Timmons SACD? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron S Posted March 12, 2006 Report Share Posted March 12, 2006 To Vibes list I'd add Wynton Kelly Trio & Aerosmith 'Toys in the Attic'. The Wynton Kelly Trio and Aerosmith made a recording together? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claude Posted March 12, 2006 Report Share Posted March 12, 2006 I can't recommend the Wynton Kelly SACD: http://www.sa-cd.net/showtitle/1610 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Son-of-a-Weizen Posted March 12, 2006 Report Share Posted March 12, 2006 Well you did recommend it ("So I would recommend this SACD only if it sounds better than the cheap OJC CD, which I have not heard") -- the OJC bites root. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted March 12, 2006 Report Share Posted March 12, 2006 I like the SACDs from OJC that I've heard, but I haven't heard the Kelly. The Monk and the Massey Hall I really think are improvements over even the K2. But so much of this sort of thing is system dependent. (In my opinion). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claude Posted March 12, 2006 Report Share Posted March 12, 2006 Well you did recommend it ("So I would recommend this SACD only if it sounds better than the cheap OJC CD, which I have not heard") -- the OJC bites root. But not as a "MUST HAVE" SACD, that Scott is looking for Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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