HiRez Poll Adams, Ryan - GOLD [DVD-A/SACD]

[JonUrban]

Please post your comments, thoughts and observations.......

 

[daved64]

Had the DVD-A but traded it for the SACD. Couldn't get any bass out of the DVD-A. The SACD sounds great. IMHO a very good songwriter and this disc shows it. An 8

 

[Guy Robinson]

I had the same issue with the DVD-A that Dave had so I bought the SACD. Huge improvement over the DVD-A to my ears and I believe that the increase in "perceived" quality was due to more than just the bass increase. I give the SACD an 8. Great music 4, pretty good mix also a 4. I can't rate it twice but I would give the DVD-A a 6. 4 for the music and 2 for the sonics.

 

[Kazaam]

A subtle surround mix. I'd prefer more in the rears. There's no center channel, but honestly I'd rather have the total absense of a center channel than a mix that abuses the center channel. So that part isn't so bad.

I'm a very casual Ryan Adams fan. I like some of the songs here, like "When The Stars Go Blue" (covered by Bono and The Corrs on VH1), but other songs are forgettable.

I went with a 4. Still... I can't help shake the feeling I've been too harsh with my rating.

 

[Chris Gerhard]

My first album by Ryan Adams. This is a pleasant surprise for me, I like the recording really well and he is a pretty good lightweight rocker, pleasant voice and music. I give it a 7.

Chris

 

[buc18]

I don't know why I waited so long to pull the trigger on this one. It was one of the lonely SACDs still available at my local BB and I decided to go ahead and purchase it (still supporting the format!), and boy am I glad. Really liked the music and the surround mix. I didn't even realize that nothing was coming out of center channel (but I will take everyone's word for it). I will add this to my late night listening selections (even though it has a few rocking numbers as well). I would rate it a strong 7.

 

[Kazaam]

A subtle surround mix. I'd prefer more in the rears. There's no center channel, but honestly I'd rather have the total absense of a center channel than a mix that abuses the center channel. So that part isn't so bad.

I'm a very casual Ryan Adams fan. I like some of the songs here, like "When The Stars Go Blue" (covered by Bono and The Corrs on VH1), but other songs are forgettable.

I went with a 4. Still... I can't help shake the feeling I've been too harsh with my rating.

Wow... I can't believe I went with a lowly 4 on this way back when. Is it worth a 10? No, but it's gotta be better than 4! I was wrong. I've changed my mind. Here's my current thinking: The SACD may not be mind-blowing surround, but it's a pleasant enough mix. Plus, if Adam's had trimmed some of the songs from this album, it would've been much stronger overall. That said... it surely must be worth at least a 7, right???

 

[fredblue]

I love this quirky "quad" but not quad, really, mix! (only 4 channels here! Crikey!)

already played the album to oblivion when the CD first came out and this is a great example of a (then-modern, ok) modern multichannel mix of a hit album done really well. I don't play it so much now but it still stands up today as a great album and a nice unusual surround mix that is sympathetic to the music.

An "8".

 

[wavelength]

I have the sacd. Sounds mostly like big stereo to me. Such a great collection of songs - it kills me to think what Elliot Scheiner would have done with this.

 

[Cibola]

I'm leaning towards a solid nine for this and waited a long time for it. I can't get enough of the variety and talent plus it has a good WAF for some reason. A lovely 4.0 disc. I somehow originally missed that it was a quad even though fredblue said as much.

 

[wavelength]

I have the sacd. Sounds mostly like big stereo to me. Such a great collection of songs - it kills me to think what Elliot Scheiner would have done with this.

I had another listen to this album last night and "big stereo" is a bit harsh. But I still rank the mix as conservative; you know... when you are listening and your mind goes "yeah, c'mon bang it out of the rears" (like on a Steven Wilson mix) but it doesn't happen.

 

[skherbeck]

This sounds like a completely different artist than the guy who created the "Rock N Roll" album! Not only does his voice sound completely different, but this is a modern country album, meaning it's country that sticks its toes into the rock and roll pool, maybe even wades onto the second step, but never quite jumps in. The music is mostly just alright for me with a few exceptions... "When The Stars Go Blue" is really, really beautiful, and I also like "The Rescue Blues"... I think I would like more of the album if the surround mixing was a little more consistent (some of the songs are pretty sparse in the rear channels), but even more importantly if the sonics were better: this mix is really mid-range dominant, with very little low end. Also, at times the vocals are over-powering (as on "New York, New York"). Fidelity: 1.5/3; Surround 2/3; Content 2/3; 1 bonus point for the American flag on the cover (even though it's upside down), so 6.5 rounded to 7.

 

[edisonbaggins]

Feel pretty much the same as skherbeck

 

[HomerJAU]

This was one of my very first surround SACDs, so it was played a lot. I really like the music (I had never heard any RA music prior to purchasing).

I only just discovered (while redoing DR for the new poll) is actually a quad SACD. There’s nothing in the centre channel.

 

[J. PUPSTER]

This was one of my very first surround SACDs, so it was played a lot. I really like the music (I had never heard any RA music prior to the purchasing).

I only just discovered (while redoing DR for the new poll) with is actually a quad SACD. There’s nothing in the centre channel.

Have you got a cover photo you can post here Garry?

 

[HomerJAU]

Added scan to the OP.

I also did the disc: