DVD-A recommendations?

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

Last year, I puchased a used universal Pioneer unit -- plays DVD-A, MP3, CD-R, CD, SACD -- solely for the fact it could handle SACD. I've not yet picked up a single jazz DVD-A title and would like to sample at least one or two of them while they're still around. Since I have a number of the available DVD-A titles (...Hamp Hawes Trio, Art Pepper, Cookin', Bags Groove, Soultrane, Full House, Blue's Moods) as XRCDs, I'm hesitant to just start buying the same titles all over again just because they're there. Anyone have any strong feelings about a particular title that is just too good to pass up? Thank you.

[tjobbe]

mhh, honestly no.

The only DVD-A's I have are the Donald Fagen's and the two Chicago ones as well as the Sintra at the Sands where the 2CH is fine but the 5.1 sound somewhat lame...

Compared to 60+ SA-CD's that's not that much.

Cheers, Tjobbe

[GA Russell]

Weizen, the first DVD-A issued was Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band - Swinging for the Fences. I don't have that one, but I have the follow up called XXL. I enjoyed it quite a bit when it came out two years ago.

I play it on my computer. I have no opinion of the quality of the sound for your system, but I bet it's pretty good because apparently the company takes it seriously.

I believe that I have read recently that the record label has now issued a two-sided disc of XXL, with CD on one side and DVD-A on the other.

[vibes]

If you're a Sinatra fan, the "Live at the Sands" DVD-A is essential. I've heard it might be OOP now, but you should still be able to find it.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I have two of those trés expensive Fantasy DVD-Audio discs, the Hampton Hawes Trio and Art Tatum with Ben Webster. They sound great but I can't really tell if they're better than the XRCDs. The XRCD of the Tatum date is pretty incredible to begin with.

I have to say that the best DVD-Audio discs are in the rock genre. Neil Young's "Harvest" may be the best sounding disc in my entire collection, if you like Neil. The Eagles' "Hotel California", Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours", the Doors' "LA Woman" and Yes' "Fragile" all sound great. In all three cases, it's probably the best they'll ever sound, since any new CD remasters will likely be max'ed out and sound like dog doo. The recent Talking Heads DVD-Audio reissues (on DualDisc in the US... yuk) *all* sound phenomenal. If you want them, order the CD/DVD-Audio combo packs from Amazon.co.uk.

Also, you might not know that Donald Fagen's newest, "Morph the Cat" is available in a CD/DVD-A combo. It sounds very nice in 5.1.

Kevin

Edited May 3, 2006 by Kevin Bresnahan

[marcoliv]

maybe it's not for your taste but the best DVD-A i have is Winelight from Grover Washington Jr. and it's extremely well balanced and recorded

Miles Davis' Tutu and Santana's Supernatural are very good too for multichannel purposes and the music of course is fine

the Sinatra was a complete disappointment for me

Marcus

[Sundog]

The DVD-A of George Benson's Breezin' has a nice multi-channel mix.

[marcoliv]

i was very disappointed with this one Sundog

Marcus

[marcoliv]

anyone here can give his opinion about the DVD-A edition of Jim Hall's Concierto released in Japan back in 2002?

MCO