HiRez Poll Bloomfield, Kooper & Stills - SUPER SESSION [SACD]

[sjcorne]

Please post your thoughts and comments on this 2023 reissue of the 1968 album Super Session by the 'supergroup' of Mike Bloomfield, Al Kooper, and Stephen Stills.
The new SACD from Sony Japan contains the original 1970s Quadraphonic mix, remastered and re-released for the first time in over 50 years!
The original SQ-encoded LP (CQ 30991) credits Don Young as Quadraphonic remix engineer and Jim Reeves for Quadraphonic sound supervision.

Note that this poll only concerns the 2023 Sony Japan SACD containing the Quadraphonic mix, whereas the 2014 Audio Fidelity SACD instead featured a new 5.1 surround sound mix by Al Kooper.



Pre-release thread for all shipping/ordering queries and non-poll related posts:
https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/fo...xt-sony-japan-7-quad-sacd-sept-13-2023.34695/

 

[4-earredwonder]

An unmistakable late '60's vibe permeates all of Super Session .... described in the liner notes as a 'spontaneous' jam session with horns added as an afterthought! Always a favorite then ... and even NOW, it always brings a nostaglic smile to my face.

Again, having lived with Audio Fidelity's Al Kooper 5.1 mix on SACD, I have to give very high marks to Sony Japan's latest QUAD SACD remaster. Never has the music come so ALIVE in what I consider extraordinary sonics.

And kudos to SONY for continuing their highly commendable SACD QUAD remaster program in stunning 7" packaging.

Only wish I could read Japanese!

Another 10, IMO and well deserved!

 

[beerking]

Fully agree with Ralphies comments.

The music is not dated in any way even though its 55 years old!!

The mix is just a total joy.

Fidelity is wonderful.

Just shows what can be done with the right people at the helm steering these fantastic 7 inchers in the right direction.

10+

 

[Quad Linda]

10

Bought 2ch LP when it hit the street. Bought the Quad when it originally hit.

Spectacular guitar work from Bloomfield! One of the greatest rock guitarists ever! Great Quad mix. Great music. YOU NEED IT!!

 

[GOS]

10, sounds super.

 

[CINERAMAX]

I loved the other one but this one is just an 11.

 

[GOS]

I loved the other one but this one is just an 11.

agree, blows the previous one away IMO.

 

[himey]

agree, blows the previous one away IMO.

Does that mean you never liked the 5.1 mix or are you being a bit hyperbolic?

 

[GOS]

Does that mean you never liked the 5.1 mix or are you being a bit hyperbolic?

It means I'm being hyperbolic.

 

[par4ken]

I received my copy of this and Love Devotion and Surrender on Friday. Got around to listening today. WOW, I've owned the SQ LP for years and years and I'm sure that I rated it a ten. We almost need a floating point scale to properly measure this, ten is not enough. What can I say perfect sound quality and the perfect mix! It out shines the previous LP, Q8 and especially the 5.1 remix!

Although the album includes a lot of covers there is not a week track on the album, the covers are unique enough that you don't think to compare them to the original version they stand up very well on their own. Stop does remind me a lot of The James Gang version making me wish that quads were done of their early stuff.

I have always liked Al Kooper's vocals, whether with BS&T or solo.

 

[RustyM]

An unmistakable late '60's vibe permeates all of Super Session .... described in the liner notes as a 'spontaneous' jam session with horns added as an afterthought! Always a favorite then ... and even NOW, it always brings a nostaglic smile to my face.

Again, having lived with Audio Fidelity's Al Kooper 5.1 mix on SACD, I have to give very high marks to Sony Japan's latest QUAD SACD remaster. Never has the music come so ALIVE in what I consider extraordinary sonics.

And kudos to SONY for continuing their highly commendable SACD QUAD remaster program in stunning 7" packaging.

Only wish I could read Japanese!

Another 10, IMO and well deserved!

Your enthusiasm got me so excited that I just ordered this, Welcome, and Love Devotion Surrender.

 

[Mesozoic Mike]

I gave this release a 9. Loved it all except for His Holy Modal Majesty. That cut was interesting once but I will skip it in the future. Great album, though, with great sound. I recommend it.

 

[shakti]

I voted an 8 for this. The mix and fidelity (for its age) is superb and a 10, but overall I don’t think this is an album that holds up too well and shows its age a bit. Bloomfield is great but did even better work with Butterfield Blues Band. The backing is great, but Al Kooper repeats himself a bit and the Stephen Stilks tracks have not aged well. Too much of a jam type record by the hipsters of their day. I like all of them individually and I enjoy the record, but a masterpiece it is not. So overall an 8 for me.

 

[Ranasakawa]

I voted an 8 for this. The mix and fidelity (for its age) is superb and a 10, but overall I don’t think this is an album that holds up too well and shows its age a bit. Bloomfield is great but did even better work with Butterfield Blues Band. The backing is great, but Al Kooper repeats himself a bit and the Stephen Stilks tracks have not aged well. Too much of a jam type record by the hipsters of their day. I like all of them individually and I enjoy the record, but a masterpiece it is not. So overall an 8 for me.

You gotta love the phased guitar solo on You Don't Love Me

 

[Matt Wilson]

Geez, this is fantastic. I gave a 9 to the AF 5.1 disc, so this has to be a 10!

 

[armyjazzer]

I picked this up, but don't have the Audio Fidelity 5.1 version. It appears everyone favors the Quad version over the A.F. 5.1. Is it still worth picking up a used copy of the Audio Fidelity SACD for the Steve Hoffman stereo remaster, or is everything on the new Japan version as good or better than the A.F. version?

 

[Daras]

Encouraged by your favorable comments, I bought this SACD. The music is great, the recording quality is great too. The sound is warm, analog-like and very clean. But I don't like this 4.0 mix at all. Each instrument plays only one channel. The bass is in the rear left, the drums are in the rear right, the guitar in the first songs is in the front left and the keyboards are in the front right, but then they switch. This is a very annoying mix for me. I definitely prefer listening to this album in 2.0. Everything in it's right place in stereo.