HiRez Poll Chicago - CHICAGO (II) [DVD-A]

[neil wilkes]

Sadly I don't own this one - yet - but I did hear it recently so feel qualified to vote.
I had not heard the CD either, and when this was played to me it was suggested I hear the CD first - and I am glad I did. There is quite simply no comparison whatsoever between the two.

This disc is now at the top of my "To Buy" list, right underneath the Diana Krall DualDisc that is unavailable in the UK.

Superb

 

[Frantic]

Scratch this one off of my "To Buy" list.

I picked it up over the weekend and gave it two good listens.
My first listen left me a little unmoved. The second made me appreciate what I had just purchased. As was stated before, this was recorded in 1968. I pulled out my vinyl copy and gave it a spin between listens. There is no comparison. The separation and clarity is very impressive. My support of DVD-A is once again proven.

 

[analogdemon]

My old man had this on double vinyl when I was a kid and I LOVED to listen to it as a teenager, so when I got this on DVD-A, I was absolutely blown away. The sonics blow even the original LP out of the water. The surround mix is excellent and the sonics, oh man, you just can't say enough. I never would have dreamed that the album could sound this good. My only gripe is, same as always, I just think this album is a little too long. It gets monotonous after a little while. But that's no knock on the DVD-A. A 9.5, rounded up = 10.

 

[bliss_band]

I compared the SQ LP to this DVD-A. The DVD-A uses the stereo version of the album. No altered lyrics/vocal lines or instrument parts of the old quad lp. The surround mix also puts instruments in different places vs. the old SQ mix.

 

[JonUrban]

I compared the SQ LP to this DVD-A. The DVD-A uses the stereo version of the album. No altered lyrics/vocal lines or instrument parts of the old quad lp. The surround mix also puts instruments in different places vs. the old SQ mix.

Interesting. Never noticed that. Good catch!

 

[cupboy]

What caused this particular DVD-Audio disk to totally disappear from even those obscure record stores that never seem to sell anything, and when did this occur? I know I saw it at the most recent xmas sale back in December. Gone now. Gone everywhere.

 

[Dylan Berichon]

What caused this particular DVD-Audio disk to totally disappear from even those obscure record stores that never seem to sell anything, and when did this occur? I know I saw it at the most recent xmas sale back in December. Gone now. Gone everywhere.

A lot of disks are getting recalled and placed out of print.

 

[JonUrban]

A lot of disks are getting recalled and placed out of print.

Are the recalled and destroyed, a la MFSLs? (or cut out)

 

[Dylan Berichon]

I sure hope they aren't being destroyed...

There were a few titles I was looking for at Frys a few weeks ago and I asked a store employee to look up a couple of disks I couldn't find. One was Donald Fagen "Kamakiriad", I don't remember the other titles I was looking for.

Anyhow, the Frys worker looked it up on the computer, and showed me that the disks had been sent back to the manufacturer.

Off to another store that stocks DVD-A and SACD. This time I asked the guy behind the counter if he could look up the Donald Fagen DVD-A, and he found out the disk went out of print in July of this year.

I get the feeling that as the next few months progress, we will be seeing more titles vanishing in this fashion.

 

[rusinurbe]

Is this in preparation for Warners DVD album ?

 

[Quadchuck]

Perhaps this has been remarked elsewhere and time;
I play the dolby 5.1 in my car and found the
rear channels scarcely more than an echo/delay of the front,
however just when I was ready to give up on the disc,
I put it on my Pioneer DVD-a player and Viola' all
the separation comes flowing thru in DVD-A format.
I don't get it,but it does,
Make Me Smile....
Que Bueno!

 

[Rudy]

I finally got this DVD-A a few months ago--even the stereo version on this disc is fantastic! I recently did a comparison needle drop of an early LP pressing of this album to compare it to the DVD-A. Checking it in Wavelab's spectrum meter, there is scant information above 5,000Hz in the LP version. Having this better version just opens up the whole recording musically--I can actually sit all the way through it now! The surround mix is good, but overall the improved sonics get a strong rating from me.

 

[Chris Gerhard]

I just picked this one and Chicago V up in a lot of 19 used DVD-A/SACD discs. I had a roomate in college that played the stereo album constantly back in 1970-1971 so I have heard that more times than I could count and even purchased it myself although I don't recall ever playing my LP even once. Maybe I can find it if some girlfriend didn't end up with it 35 or so years ago. This was my favorite Chicago album and this version sounds far better than any other I can recall although I don't know if any quad versions were available, but I wouldn't like them as well as this DVD-A if they did exist. A 9 from me.

Chris

 

[Spencer1812]

I also just picked this up. I love the way Terry Kath's guitar jumps out of the mix. Overall, this is one great sounding DVD-A. Picked it up used, nearly mint, $24.00 delivered. Good investment.

 

[timbre4]

The DVD-A sounds so much better than it even has a right to! Just amazing work on these Chicago discs. Never owned the stereo LP or quad tape but knew the hits.

FYI - Suddenly one day in 1974, ALL Chicago catalog (except Live Carnagie Hall) albums (CTA, II, III, V, VI & VII) were available in quad as SQ records & Q8 tapes. I saw this as proof that quad had arrived. (not seeing it's departure) This was followed by Chicago VIII, Greatest Hits and Chicago X.

 

[Chris Gerhard]

I also just picked this up. I love the way Terry Kath's guitar jumps out of the mix. Overall, this is one great sounding DVD-A. Picked it up used, nearly mint, $24.00 delivered. Good investment.

My case was cracked once again, but otherwise mine is in great condition as well. Out of the 19 purchased I got 5 cracked cases, otherwise all 19 look and play fine. I stopped by a couple of my favorite stores for used discs looking for Blu-ray discs. FYE at the Battlefield Mall and Entertainmart across the street in Springfield, MO had a pretty good selection of used Blu-ray and HD DVD discs to my surprise and I bought 8 at FYE using a buy 3 get 1 free promo offer. At Entertainmart I was about to leave and saw a rack with nothing but used DVD-A's/SACD's, I grabbed a basket and filled it up quicker than you would think was possible for somebody my age. They were all in weird large plastic cases, I guess mostly to distinguish them form CD's and DVD's. Although about half of my 350 DVD-A/SACD discs have been purchased used, it had been some time since I had found much. I was like a kid in a candy shop and wasn't taking any chances any of the ones I wanted would get away.

Chris

 

[timbre4]

I LOVE shopping success like that! Doesn't happen too often, good for you.

 

[ChristopherLees]

The DVD-A sounds so much better than it even has a right to! Just amazing work on these Chicago discs. Never owned the stereo LP or quad tape but knew the hits.

FYI - Suddenly one day in 1974, ALL Chicago catalog (except Live Carnagie Hall) albums (CTA, II, III, V, VI & VII) were available in quad as SQ records & Q8 tapes. I saw this as proof that quad had arrived. (not seeing it's departure) This was followed by Chicago VIII, Greatest Hits and Chicago X.

Yes sonically it's alot better than the quad, but the quad Lp/Q8 does have an unedited guitar solo on 25 or 6 to 4 (the faders on the guitar track don't seem to have been used on the quad mix at all ...which is kind of neat....also happens in quad on steely dan's reelin' in the years)...other than that , for everything else I'd rather always hear the DVDA of this one..

 

[jarofclay73]

One of the most starkest differences from CD to DVD-A. It's amazing this was recorded in the late 60s. It sounds like a retro album made today. I'm not a big fan of the early Chicago stuff but I bought II & V and I'm not disappointed at all. 10.

 

[ChristopherLees]

I sure hope they aren't being destroyed...

.

Sadly detruction has been going on for years...here is a photo my brother took at the Sonoma tip back in about 1988...MFSL woodstock vinyl box sets , Carmen box sets and UHQRs being thrown away by the company because their licensing deal had run out...Somewhere at home ,I also have some other photos of an electric saw going through about the first 2 inches of vinyl before they're thrown out...(same batch)...
the link to the photo is
http://www.netstra.com.au/~trevlees/MF.htm