Dark Side of The Moon - the best in surround - sounds worse than CD in stereo

[Enoch]

oops, I voted "better" before I realized you asked about the two channel mix. Uhmmmm, I never listened to it -just the surround mix.

[wes]

Originally Posted by JerryDelColliano

http://www.avrev.com/music/revs/darkside.shtml
This is the "other" SACD that never leaves my player. I absolutely LOVE Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon on SACD in surround. It is possibly the BEST concept record ever with not a bad note to be found. Some suggest the stereo mix is terrible on the hybrid SACD. I wouldn't know because I always listen to the James Guthrie surround mix. What do you think of the stereo mix versus the surround mix? Let us know

This is my favorite SACD Multichannel Demo! three B&W 802D & two B&W 802s driven by Classé CA-5200, JL Audio Fathom F113 Sub and Sony XA-777ES SACD payer this thing rocks!!!

[Vinyl Rules!]

Originally Posted by JerryDelColliano

http://www.avrev.com/music/revs/darkside.shtml

This is the "other" SACD that never leaves my player. I absolutely LOVE Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon on SACD in surround. It is possibly the BEST concept record ever with not a bad note to be found.

Some suggest the stereo mix is terrible on the hybrid SACD. I wouldn't know because I always listen to the James Guthrie surround mix.

What do you think of the stereo mix versus the surround mix?

Let us know

Jerry,

I like the SACD better than the CD, but I like the vinyl pressing even more!

Why didn't you add a vinyl option to the poll?

Or am I just a dinosaur?

But wait.

I'm no dinosaur: I simply prefer the sound of a good clean vinyl pressing. But I'm one of those OCD types who uses a VPI to clean all my vinyl and keep it in rice paper sleeves after it's clean.

Essentially zero surface noise if one is committed to do this and much better sound, IMO, than any CD or SACD.

As always, YMMV of course.

[kbahr]

I've never heard the normal CD release, I have the Mobile Fidelity CD and Mobile Fidelity Records and they are so much better. I also have an import SQ Quad LP (Record) version which is really nice. I had the quad 8-track and the one place where I'm disappointed with the SACD is with US and Them. The echo vocals on the 8-Track did circle discretely, rear channel whould go back right then back left. The SACD does not discretely separate the rear echo's. I have a friend that heard them many times in concert and said the echos did discretely circle. Otherwise the SACD tracks are fine. I'm using Bryston electronics and IMF speakers with a Marantz DV-9600 with power supply mods.

[nedrudrelyt]

The stereo mix on the SACD is quite poor. I found the mofi version to sound noticeably better for digital playback. Even though I don't have surround in my system, I have had the opportunity to hear the surround mix in all it's glory and truth be told, as great as it is, it still pales to the 180 gram vinyl reissue on straight two-channel. Something on the vinyl that the SACD just can't get.

It's sad really as SACD's potential was there but it basically just turned to a marketing ploy for the classical labels that have embraced it. The vast majority of SACD's for RNR weren't even done in true DSD as most know which made them no better than the cd remaster counterparts. Sony even went as far to dumb down the cd layers on some of the hybrids to make the SACD layer sound that much better when it wasn't. We are seeing a similar thing in the classical world of SACD software as well. A large number of the SACD's done on classical do not sound as good as they should. I have been supporting the classical SACD's for about a year and a half now but no more. They haven't given me anymore than the best classical cd's I have purchased on the JVC XRCD label and on a percentage scale, the SACD's really do sound a tad poorer which should not be.

With the advent of Blu Ray coming to the forefront, it stands to reason that the classical labels may embrace it because they can put so much on on one disc and if mastered properly, could eclipse SACD for sound quality. Since SACD hasn't really been anything more than the next step in the mastering phases for cd, I just don't see the need to keep supporting the format with BR right around the corner.

[wes]

It is true that unless the SCADs are not DSD mastered then the CDs sound as good, Vinil is a different take I won't argue better or not, just very different. I guess if you like the crackling!!!!