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is it me or sacd.

or is it my marantz sa-14. got dylan's "bringing it all back home" on sacd for christmas. asked for it specially due to rave reviews. couldn't believe the sound or more precisely the lack of - no bass, no foundation it seems to me. on vinyl bought 30 years ago/played on everything from a dual 1009 tt with idler wheel w/dual cartridge (old fart, i know) to present vpi mk2 /sme 5/van den hul ddt (not state of the art i know) - amongst the vinyl rush, rumble, wow & cartridge chatter bob has a throat, lungs, a body, not just adenoids - and the sssibilance is gone. harmonica sings, not screams, spits & sizzles. guitars are not just wires vibrating in emptiness but strings stretched taut over resonant wood boxes. sound emanates from a room, not a void. had same reaction to rolling stones reissues on sacd. ditto for sam cooke at the copa ("most realisric recording of a human voice ever" sez hp in the absolute(?) sound). might be me. my system. or sacd. or is it just the laphroig? (rant's end)
flacre
j_clark
4 posts
 
Flacre,

I have experienced the same thing, except for the Stones re-issues, thought they were a step up from
regular CD's. I too bought the Dylan SACD, and it's
unlistenable to me. I have found all SACD's disappointing for the most part. They are either in your
face, or way to bland and laid back. The only good that I
have found, is on the CD/SACD hybrids. The CD tracks
are very good for some reason.
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Don't blame the recording technology. It's the mastering.
j_clark
4 posts
 
Eldartford,
Yes, I think you have hit the nail on the head so to
speak. But, if it is the mastering, or engineering
of the recording, then why do these "glowing"
reviews hit the media? We all rush out and buy
it, only to be disappointed as well a confused. I have
had the same experience with DVD-Audio. Most of
them sound like crap. Especially the latest rave, The
Beach Boys Pet Sounds. It's the worst recording
I have ever heard... but I tend to agree with you.
darrylhifi
498 posts
 
Hmmmmm Im on a SACD hot streak , but I feel your pain. I have been delighted with recent purchases, Roxy Music Avalon, Pink Floyd DSOM, Bowie Ziggy Stardust, The Who Tommy and Dylan Blood on the Tracks...Surprised by the Dylan, so after reading an article saying if you must own one get Highway 61 Revisited....Bought it and my system that one was disappointing ! It is indeed frustrating !! The 2 Stones I own I like , Get you ya ya 's out and Through the past Darkly. To my ears they sound like what the Stones sounded like when I was a kid playing them on a turntable. Yes its definetly in the remastering, no question, but part of it is what we expect or want it to sound like. Also you can have the same artist where one disc sounds great the other mediocre...Like Avalon, I love it, but I read the other release is only so so , so I stayed away from it.
Worst ever high res disc I have heard "Neil Young Road Rock"
DVDA..thats not a knock on DVDA, I own several that I love , but this particular one sounds like it was recorded from the balcony with a hand held cassette recorder !
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