Fantasy SACDs sound quality

[tjobbe]

within EU, you do not pay any cross country taxes any longer but you do not deduct them either. (as in the US you do not pay them which makes this even more attractive in terms of prices !! so in case your order value is below 22€ you do not pay any import taxes/value-added-taxes on importing goods when you buy in the US....)

I normally try to stay around this 22€ = 26US$ per deal which is getting you 2-3CDs per shipment.... (or get the online shop to put only 20$ on the green declaration label... but this is not legal )

I'm buying CD's in the US from CDpacific.com where they have quite reasonable shipping costs. Upto now, I had no complains... only their website lacks some more advanced search and filter capabilities.. else order tracking and payment is fine.

Cheers, Tjobbe

[Claude]

Bruno,

Customs tax is now harmonized within the EU. Basically, you pay your local VAT + 3-5% customs tax. If you have to pay more, it's probably some service fee that private delivery companies charge you for filling in the customs papers.

I order from CDuniverse a lot, always 3-4CD worth ca $50 + $10 shipping. I had to pay customs tax in only 1/3 of the cases. Theoretically customs tax is due for every package worth more than 20 Euro.

When you order from amazon.de, you will have to pay the price including your local VAT. This will be calculated on checkout. The displayed prices include the german VAT, which is 16%.

[DMP]

My opinion is that the Gil Evans is the pick of the lot, in any of the layers. Apparently original stereo tapes were discovered, amd used for the first time.

[mikeweil]

Bought the new SACD of Sonny Rollins' The Sound of Sonny on Monday - it sounds considerably better than the previous 1987 CD, although I am listening only to the CD layer. I will check out more of them.

[Stefan Wood]

The Gil Evans sounds great, in the stereo format. Also, I like the Miles Davis and Monk/Coltrane SACDs as well. I had the K2s and found these to be equal in sound quality, and with the SACD mode in full use they sound better.

[Late]

My opinion is that the Gil Evans is the pick of the lot, in any of the layers. Apparently, original stereo tapes were discovered, and used for the first time.

Where did you read this? (I'm not doubting, I'm just .)

[Late]

Duh ... If I'd checked here first ...

[Claude]

Also, I like the Miles Davis and Monk/Coltrane SACDs as well. I had the K2s and found these to be equal in sound quality, and with the SACD mode in full use they sound better.

I listened to both the K2 CD and the SACD of Monk & coltrane and decided to keep the CD.

My review on SA-CD.net: http://www.sa-cd.net/showtitle/1293

[Stefan Wood]

Good review. I didn't hear those differences you mentioned, but that's ok.