SHM Universal Japan SACDs

Hi Fripp1,

Regarding the comparison of the two Gentle Giant-Octopus discs, the sound is quite different. On reflection, I am amazed at how an identical performance can be depicted in such a dissimilar way.

The Repertoire disc is much louder so on first assessment the SHM-SACD disc sounded lifeless but compensating for the disparity in volume revealed an amazing transformation. The SHM-SACD disc exhibited three-dimensional information and warmth not revealed by the Repertoire CD and the bass was greatly improved on the SHM-SACD as well. On the top, it seemed the sky was the limit. A very free and open audio spectrum remained for the artists to reproduce their aural images. In contrast, the CD sounded compressed, as if an attempt was made to control the wildly fluctuating dynamics of the original recording.

At realistic volume levels, the SHM-SACD produced scarcely a trace of listening fatigue but the same cannot be said of the Repertoire CD; after just a few songs I grew tired of listening to it at such high volumes.

I remember purchasing a 45-rpm single of a John Lennon song, it was either “Instant Karma” or “Cold Turkey” and stamped on the label were the words, “Play Loud”. This is good advice in the world of SHM-SACD.

All the best,

MikeC

Interesting. In addition to my own reaction to the Repertoire Octopus, I've heard several of my music friends rave about the same redbook edition both when I played it and when they purchased it. That your own reaction could be so emphatic upon hearing the differences suggests not so much that the redbook version is poor, but rather that the SHM SACD is so outstanding.

Clearly a good news/bad news thing! It calls for purchasing a few SHM SACD versions of my favorite titles. Oh good. %^U

Thanks for your commitment and your report.

Would like to try 2 of those.
Which ones do show the superiority of this format best?

It is a pity that the cost of these discs continues to escalate; perhaps due to the currency exchange rate, Dollar verses Yen, but I am sure there is a greed component as well.

Perhaps I am not being completely objective in an attempt to rationalize the expenditure but generally, my experiences with SHM-SACD discs have lead to a greater appreciation of music in my home, which is a completely subjective assessment but nevertheless a step in the right direction in the never-ending quest of the absolute sound. "I CALL IT A BARGAIN, THE BEST I EVER HAD", not really … but many people myself included spend crazy amounts of money on hi-fi equipment and accordingly, with these ridiculously expensive discs there is a return on investment.

I remember spending $50.00 each on Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs UHQR LP's - Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon and The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Listening to these LP's easily elevated my systems sonic potential. A quantum leap of audio fidelity resulted causing my equipment to sound vastly improved.

It is ironic that the quality of these analogue recordings remains my point of reference. SHM-SACD is not comparable to the UHQR LP's but it offers a sound that is non-digital with an almost analogue essence in a disc that retains all of the advantages of a digital playback medium.

Steely Dan - Gaucho [SHM-SACD]
Dire Straits - Love over Gold [SHM-SACD]
These two titles come to mind as good examples of the format, but musical taste should be considered.

I think it is very possible that many people will prefer the sound of a quality re-mastered audiophile "Redbook" CD to SHM-SACD, especially for Rock and Popular titles and I sense that due to the oppressive expense of these avant-garde discs, Universal Japan is perilously close to pricing the format out of existence. The vast majority of consumers are content listening to MP3's anyway and I would wager most in this group have never heard an analogue LP.

With SHM-SACD discs, I have discovered and greatly enjoyed new modes of musical expression while experiencing a compelling musical reproduction.

Dear MikeC,
thank you for your explanations and recommendations.
Very helpful.