HiRez Poll Beck - SEA CHANGE [DVD-A/SACD/BluRay Audio]

[Chris Gerhard]

I have listened to this 3 tiimes now and love it. It gets better for me with each listen. Although he is not a great singer, he is capable with this material. I am trying to decide what else I might like by him. "Guero" doesn't interest me much based on the little I have heard but "Odelay" sure does. I doubt it will ever be available in high resolution so I will likely have to settle for a CD.

Chris

 

[grimace]

Easy 10 here, folks... my favorite hi-res mch release so far. Sends shivers down my spine daily. (SACD Version)

Sonics = drool inducing
Mix = drool inducing

 

[SWL]

Nice mix .... full and enveloping.
A few songs are a complete bore.... just my opinion.

Beck is quirky - but i dig his versatility; authentic or not.

 

[lolbroek]

Let's see:

music? Great!
sound? Great!
surround mix? Great!

Hmm... 11/10 maybe?

 

[filper]

I know where to get the last copy on the shelf at a local store... I'm tempted, but downer music and I don't agree.

 

[buc18]

I know where to get the last copy on the shelf at a local store... I'm tempted, but downer music and I don't agree.

Get it. There is one left at my local BB as well and I'm tempted to buy it just in case anything ever happened to my original copy. There is a lot more to this than just "downer" music IMHO. Put this on on a rainy Saturday afternoon and turn out all the lights and just enjoy the fidelity. A 10 for sure for me.

 

[filper]

I got it.

A sonic treat for sure and not a 'gimme-a-razor-blade' downer.

 

[buc18]

I got it.

A sonic treat for sure and not a 'gimme-a-razor-blade' downer.

Told ya

 

[filper]

Told ya

Owe you one !

 

[jarofclay73]

My first album from Beck was the DVD-A for Guero. While I liked the first 5-6 tracks of that album, it gets bogged down.

I went to the Bellevue Best Buy on vacaction and bought "Sea Change." I had read somewhere that Beck wrote this album after he broke up with his girlfriend, hence the sadness.

It really is a beautiful album and the surrounds really help. I think this one needs time to grow on me. I liked the Guero album because I like the Dust Brothers. And, yes, Sea Change does get bogged down a bit with the same weepy mantra. Still, it's a work of art.

 

[SpeedDemon]

I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Beck is awesome, the music was great, the sound quality was near perfect on the DVD-A, and the surround mix is very enveloping.

This is definitely one of the better discs in my collection.

P.S. Although not as good of sound quality, if you liked this album... give Beck's Guero DVD-A a try as well (not in MLP unfortunately though).

 

[Barbazul]

I bought the dvd-audio version because of the reviews in this forum. Wow! what an excellent mix for great music! I give this an absolute 10! Melancholic music that I really enjoy. Fortunately yesterday I found the SACD version for the equivalent price of 7 dls!! I've learned to look into the sale zone of this cd store =) Ok, I was kind of dissapointed because I thought it was Hybrid but it's not, just the hi-rez stereo and multichannel versions...It really bothers me to buy the cd version when I already bought 2 versions of the same album. But well, let's get to the point: I compared the dvd-a vs. sacd, and definetively SACD takes all the stars for me. Even when in the dvd-a the sound is louder (and excellent 88.2/24 quality), in the SACD everythig sounds really pristine and crystal-clear, the low frequencies are exquisite, the voice of Beck is like he was there in front of me (the same case for Bjork's Vespertine SACD vs. DVD-A), and finally the sound creates a unique surround atmosphere!... If you can buy the SACD, you'll find it better for sure!

 

[BananaSlug]

If you can buy the SACD, you'll find it better for sure!

Your profile doesn't list which player(s) you are using, can you fill us in? I have never bought the same title on both formats, but I find both to be generally excellent. It's not that I doubt your claim, I just find it unexpected and wonder if it may be (partially) due to your hardware?

 

[SpeedDemon]

Your profile doesn't list which player(s) you are using, can you fill us in? I have never bought the same title on both formats, but I find both to be generally excellent. It's not that I doubt your claim, I just find it unexpected and wonder if it may be (partially) due to your hardware?

I would have to agree here. I don't see how the SACD could possibly be better unless it is due to your better SACD hardware compared to DVD-A hardware. Sea Change was surely recorded and mastered in 96/24 PCM so the DVD-A is essentially just an exact copy of the studio masters.

The SACD would simply be a PCM to DSD conversion that will in most people's hardware also be converted back to 88.2/24 PCM. I'm a HUGE FAN of SACD, but in this case I think that the DVD-A is technically the better of the two formats. I'm sure that the SACD though is damn near equal in quality and I don't think you could find someone in a blind test that could discern the difference if they could theoretically be played back through the same hardware and processors.

 

[Barbazul]

Your profile doesn't list which player(s) you are using, can you fill us in? I have never bought the same title on both formats, but I find both to be generally excellent. It's not that I doubt your claim, I just find it unexpected and wonder if it may be (partially) due to your hardware?

Hello! I have modest surround boxes: A/V:Yamaha RXV 659, universal player: Onkyo DV-SP502, front/rear: Bowers & Wilkins DM303, center: Bowers & Wilkins LCR3, sub: Bowers & Wilkins ASW300. I must say that I just have a few dvd-a and sacd's (no more than 20) and I'm just getting in this multichannel world, I assume that I have to educate my ears and that I don't have the best equipment but for me is in this conditions SACD version sounds better, even when the dvd-a sounds a little bit louder. I perceive the same diference between the two versions of Vespertine (I know that is evident since the dvd-a version of this album has a resolution of 48/24). But well, I would really be happy to know the opinion of someone else with a better hardware and more experience

 

[BananaSlug]

Hello! I have modest surround boxes: A/V:Yamaha RXV 659, universal player: Onkyo DV-SP502, front/rear: Bowers & Wilkins DM303, center: Bowers & Wilkins LCR3, sub: Bowers & Wilkins ASW300. I must say that I just have a few dvd-a and sacd's (no more than 20) and I'm just getting in this multichannel world, I assume that I have to educate my ears and that I don't have the best equipment but for me is in this conditions SACD version sounds better, even when the dvd-a sounds a little bit louder. I perceive the same diference between the two versions of Vespertine (I know that is evident since the dvd-a version of this album has a resolution of 48/24). But well, I would really be happy to know the opinion of someone else with a better hardware and more experience

Thanks for the info. I don't have first hand experience with that gear, but it seems like a very good setup. I'm just surprised that you hear such a difference between formats. You are definitely listening to the DVD-A's MLP stream, right? It wouldn't be a fair comparison if you were listening to the Dolby Digital or DTS streams compared to the SACD.

I just might have to buy a second copy of this on SACD for comparison. I've been tempted for years to buy the same title in both formats, but always figured it was better to spend the money on a new title. As far as someone else's opinion, what does it matter? If you prefer the SACD, then the SACD is better for you. I generally just buy whichever I see first

 

[Barbazul]

… I'm sure that the SACD though is damn near equal in quality and I don't think you could find someone in a blind test that could discern the difference if they could theoretically be played back through the same hardware and processors.

Ok, here I’m sure sacd sounds a little bit different, I don’t mean that is as huge or clear as the diference between dvd-a/sacd vs. dolby/dts, is just that I like more the clearness, smoothness and shimmering sounds. By the way: I’ve read many terms that you use to describe the sound: warmth, spacy, compressed, etc. Is there anywhere a dictionary so I can see what’s the sound context of this terms?!!

Anyway I find interesting your comments.

Thanks for the info. I don't have first hand experience with that gear, but it seems like a very good setup. I'm just surprised that you hear such a difference between formats. You are definitely listening to the DVD-A's MLP stream, right? It wouldn't be a fair comparison if you were listening to the Dolby Digital or DTS streams compared to the SACD.

Yep, sure that I’m comparing the dvd-a side (MLP stream) vs. SACD’s. I didn’t mention this but I’m just comparing the multichannel mixes, not the stereo where I hardly found differences.

I just might have to buy a second copy of this on SACD for comparison. I've been tempted for years to buy the same title in both formats, but always figured it was better to spend the money on a new title. As far as someone else's opinion, what does it matter? If you prefer the SACD, then the SACD is better for you. I generally just buy whichever I see first

Well, I don’t buy everything I like in both formats, I bought Bjork’s Vespertine in both formats because that album is like a jewel to me. I bought Beck’s sacd because was really cheap (here in Mexico you can’t find a sacd under 20 dls, this just cost 7 dls. =) ) and was an excellent chance to compare.
Hehe.. you’re so right, finally I’m the one who sits and enjoy all of this, but I’m just curious to know if there’s some there that finds the same differences.

 

[Analogueghost]

Great music, well reproduced, very well mixed. I'd give the DVD-A a slightly lower score for the lack (on my machines at least) of gapless playback. Anyone else have this issue? Is it an authoring problem or a player problem?

 

[YmSeb]

Finally managed to buy the SACD on eBay for a not-too-ridiculous price.
I just read the whole thread, there is nothing more to add, really... Gave it a 9.

 

[cardinal4]

Sea Change is the gold standard for me sonically, definitely a 10. The Golden Age, Paper Tiger, Already Dead and Little One are my favorites. Listening to Sea Change made me a believer in hi-def music back in 2003 when I first picked this up. Finding titles that compare to this have been far and few.