HiRez Poll John, Elton - GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD [SACD/DVD-A/BDA]

JonUrban · Sep 6, 2004

A classic, available in both original HiRez formats, followed by the 2014 BDA release. Vote on the surround presentation, list your findings in a reply if you have a preference for either format on this title only!

:-jon

NOTE: The pre-release discussion for the 40th Anniversary BDA release of this album can be found in the following thread: https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/showthread.php?18628

BananaSlug · Sep 6, 2004

I'd never really been a fan of Elton John, but due to the lack of new releases and the very favorable comments here, I bought this SACD about 2 weeks ago. First off, the sound quality is amazing for it's age - better or equal to many more recently recorded discs. For me it is impossible to rate the sound quality on a scale of 1 - 10 against newly recorded music. It's 30+ years old, many of the songs are familiar and it's just got a 70s sound (but not in a bad way, like say Toys in the Attic or Agents of Fortune sound IMO). Taking all of these factors into consideration I'd have to give it a 10 for sound quality, even if it's not quite up to the best of modern technology. The mix is very engaging and suitable for the music - it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb, but you never forget that you aren't listening to a stereo disc either. I just love Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding, turn it up a bit and let the sound surround you. As a non-fan before buying this disc, I don't believe that I'd ever heard this track before - and this is the way to experience it for the first time! :banana:

I gave this disc an overall score of 9, many of the more popular songs just don't do it for me - it's the tracks that I haven't heard in the grocery store that impress me.

daved64 · Sep 6, 2004

What can you say about the music? Timeless.

Love the surround mix and can't wait for the 5 EJ's coming in October!

If I have a complaint, it might be that it's a tad on the bright side.

MIDIQ · Sep 7, 2004

I had the Lp of this years ago, and over all never really liked it a lot {of course there were a few great songs on it i liked}, But after it setting in my collection for quite a few years, I sold it because i never really listened to it much. But in my desperation for anything surround {and of course very few and far between releases} I bought this one. And to my amazement i LOVED it, WOW. What great songs, and what a fantastic surround mix. I gave it a 10, definately a must have. I also have this one on SACD, because it was released on that format first. Oh yes, And i will be getting all 5 of the Elton John's coming out in October also, Can't wait. :sun

winopener · Sep 7, 2004

So far in my collection this is the best surround mix ever done, period.
A all-time reference on how to open up a already excellent stereo mix (the MFSL release put to shame all others).

MC Weissbier · Sep 7, 2004

Great reviews!
I'm thinking for several weeks to buy this disc as DVD-A but it's pretty expensive due to the additional DVD in the package. Where can I get the best price online incl. shipping to Germany?
Any ideas?

daved64 · Sep 7, 2004

MC Weissbier said:
Great reviews!
I'm thinking for several weeks to buy this disc as DVD-A but it's pretty expensive due to the additional DVD in the package. Where can I get the best price online incl. shipping to Germany?
Any ideas?

Does this help at all?

http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/AS...960/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl/702-1009203-9807211

http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/tg/browse/-/924310/ref=pd_rhf_c_1_4/702-1009203-9807211

MC Weissbier · Sep 7, 2004

daved64 said:
Does this help at all?

http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/AS...960/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl/702-1009203-9807211

http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/tg/browse/-/924310/ref=pd_rhf_c_1_4/702-1009203-9807211

Thanks a lot!
I have to think about if all in all approx. 25 Euros are a reasonable price for this disc, because I don't need this bonus disc!

Guy Robinson · Sep 9, 2004

Not nearly as good as Tommy from a sonics perspective. Musically better in my opinion. Mix is about equal to Tommy. A tad on the bright side. 8

Eggplant · Sep 12, 2004

One of the few big releases that lived up to the hope and hype.

A 10.

Only disappointment: Funeral for a Friend. Opening is way out of balance, destroying the impact of the original's gentle, theatrical cross-fades between instruments.

Possibly a little harsh sonically, but very appropriate and dramatic surround mix. Saturday Night's All Right, which like other uptempo rock-outs could have lost its kick-*** punch in a sloppy mix, is a crank-up-to-11-and bring-the-police gem. Outstanding job of recreating and adapting original ambience and effects for surround.

For me, the bottom-line test of surround music is: does it move me? The answer here is yes. Oh yes.

Best track? The unplugged "Candle in the Wind". I think surround shows its best moves on quieter, subtler tracks like this one.

EMB · Oct 9, 2004

One of my fave discs....a '10'! The mix itself, can't imagine it being better.....I agree it's a bit bright, not sure if that's inherent to the recording or just the way things are Eq'd.....but that didn't distract at all, and the album is a hell of a tour of the American landscape, composed by two brits in love with its past, possibilities, quirks, joys, and even darkness. Can't get enough of this one! And to add bonus tracks in 5.1 is such a treat, well.....

ED

Cai Campbell · Oct 10, 2004

The only thing keeping this one from a 10 is its bright-sounding performance. If it were any other title, I would have knocked off more points for this, but the surround mix is just so drop-dead awesome, I would almost give it a 10 in spite of itself. However, in an effort to remain somewhat objective I'll have to give it a 9.

Kazaam · Jan 17, 2005

I only recently acquired this SACD. I had been under the impression that the discs were pressed by Crest National. However, when the BMG music club offered it for dirt cheap I broke down and got it. Interestingly, I discovered that the discs in my BMG-manufactured set were pressed by someplace other than Crest. My copy had the BMG stuff in the UPC, but apparently some folks reported getting regular UPC barcodes---so I'm not sure if they got discs that were initially meant for retail stores? So who knows what kind of discs are in those copies. Anyway... I'm not even sure if Crest ever manufactured any GBYBR discs, but I just wanted pass along my good news just in case someone else had passed on this excellent SACD out of fear. (It seems so silly now.) If you've got a BMG membership you might get lucky!

mcherdering · Feb 22, 2005

This is the first Elton John album I've purchased. I remember hearing a number of these tracks as a kid, but was never compelled to make a purchase. Reading all the rave reviews about this album, and vaguely remembering the songs, prompted me to get this one. The mix and production are excellent, but after all these years, the music is still un-compelling to me. I give it an 8.

analogdemon · Jan 2, 2006

I own the DVD-A and this has to be in my top 20 discs. I love it. There's always something going on in every speaker. This is how a 5.1 mix should sound! A 10!

qtheking · Feb 2, 2006

this disc blew me away.. discrete channels, clarity, music content.. it introduced me to a whole new side of elton as well ...10

nightenrock · Sep 8, 2006

I want to by this disc, but am torn. I think I'd like to get he SACD Hybrid so I can enjoy it in the car too. Any arguments for the DVD-A instead? Also, is the DVD Video bonus disc worth the extra $10 if I decide to go the SACD Hybrid route? Thanks.

Dylan Berichon · Sep 8, 2006

nightenrock said:
I want to by this disc, but am torn. I think I'd like to get he SACD Hybrid so I can enjoy it in the car too. Any arguments for the DVD-A instead? Also, is the DVD Video bonus disc worth the extra $10 if I decide to go the SACD Hybrid route? Thanks.

The DVD that's included with the SACD is also included with the DVD-A.

As best I could tell, these are identical packages. No big difference between the 2 at all.

The DVD-A keeps all the musical content on one disk, while the SACD split it between 2 I think.

I went with the DVD-A because at the time I didn't have a way to play SACD, and I've already got several copies of the standard CD.

nightenrock · Sep 8, 2006

A local store has an SACD Hybrid with no bonus DVD-Video (Making of...) for $27.99 and a copy with the Bonus DVD-Video (Making Of...) for $37.99. Can't decide if the bonus DVD-Video is worth $10. That's over $40 after taxes for one album. On the other hand it's $30 w/o. Maybe I should wait till a used copy surfaces and enjoy all of the new titles I've picked up recently. Agh, decisions, decisions.

bugdaddy · Sep 8, 2006

nightenrock said:
A local store has an SACD Hybrid with no bonus DVD-Video (Making of...) for $27.99 and a copy with the Bonus DVD-Video (Making Of...) for $37.99. Can't decide if the bonus DVD-Video is worth $10. That's over $40 after taxes for one album. On the other hand it's $30 w/o. Maybe I should wait till a used copy surfaces and enjoy all of the new titles I've picked up recently. Agh, decisions, decisions.

it's actually a really easy decision, nightenrock. go join yourmusic.com and order the 2sacd/1dvd set for $11.98.

HiRez Poll John, Elton - GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD [SACD/DVD-A/BDA]

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2: Forget it, Get the CD

1: A Waste of Plastic

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