HiRez Poll Clapton, Eric - 461 OCEAN BLVD [SACD]

[JonUrban]

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

This poll concerns the NEW SACD, not the DTS release, although comparisons are always interesting and welcome!

 

[ChristopherLees]

Well I have both the dts and sacd and they are both really good.

The dts cd is from the original quad mix and the sacd is a 5.1 remix, but the
ambience/feeling of both are very similar (unlike the sacd quad mix vs 5.1 dvda remix of deep purple's machine head)..
the sacd has 3 bonus tracks from the sessions remixed into 5.1 and the sound quality is (like all the other songs on this release ) fantastic.

I think "Motherless children" sounds better on the 5.1 sacd .."Give me strength" is awesome on both formats and so is "let it grow" and "please be with me" ...actually this is (I.M.O.) Eric Clapton's best ever lp...If you had to pick one lp of his from either the Yardbirds, or Cream or Blind Faith or Derek and the Dominoes or his solo career, this would be the one...

 

[Guy Robinson]

It amazes me that no one is voting much on this title. I picked up the 3 Clapton SACD's and this one is my first listen. The other 2 won't get played until Christmas as they were purchased as presents. Nothing like buying something you really want for yourself. In my opinion the sound quality on this is better than any of the Elton John discs. The warmth analog type sound is present on most of the tracks and there is as well, a "proper" high end. Sometimes the cymbals sound a bit processed but that is minor. This disc sounds great played very loud and unlike those other titles just mentioned this one actually sounds better as you crank it. Based on the fact that it is chocked full of great music I must give it a 10.

 

[Foxman]

I really enjoyed this disk as well. I never owned a lot of Claptons work but always enjoyed what I had. I purchased this one and the Slowhand disk as I have not yet stepped up for Layala. I will say that I have posted about these disks on 2 other sights and none of these disks are getting much discussion which really kinda blows me away. Even Claptons Crossroads DVD release which BTW was phenominal in every way, didnt get a lot of discussion. I really don't understand why he is being largely ignored.

Anyway, I have to agree that this disk sounds superb. The back up vocals really stand out on this disk to me but not anything that is distracting. The music for the most part is ambiant in the rear channel but the content is top shelf. I gave it a 8.

 

[Guy Robinson]

I really enjoyed this disk as well. I never owned a lot of Claptons work but always enjoyed what I had. I purchased this one and the Slowhand disk as I have not yet stepped up for Layala. I will say that I have posted about these disks on 2 other sights and none of these disks are getting much discussion which really kinda blows me away. Even Claptons Crossroads DVD release which BTW was phenominal in every way, didnt get a lot of discussion. I really don't understand why he is being largely ignored.

Anyway, I have to agree that this disk sounds superb. The back up vocals really stand out on this disk to me but not anything that is distracting. The music for the most part is ambiant in the rear channel but the content is top shelf. I gave it a 8.

If you haven't listened/watched the DVD of "The Sessions For Robert J" run out and get it. It's absolutely phonomenal. To me it is the DVD music release of the year.

 

[Foxman]

If you haven't listened/watched the DVD of "The Sessions For Robert J" run out and get it. It's absolutely phonomenal. To me it is the DVD music release of the year.

Yeah I just read the review about this...was that your review?

Anyway, I intended to get it the day it came out and forgot about it. Since then I have looked for it at BB and havent seen it. Is it usually in with the music or the DVD concerts?

 

[Guy Robinson]

Yeah I just read the review about this...was that your review?

Anyway, I intended to get it the day it came out and forgot about it. Since then I have looked for it at BB and havent seen it. Is it usually in with the music or the DVD concerts?

I did post a review on the applicable DVD-Video link here. It may appear in both as the same thing comes in a DVD box and a CD box. Both contain a DVD and a CD.

 

[Cosmic Debris]

Great Sounding Disc. If you like Clapton I think it is a must have ! Surround is awesome and used wisely .

 

[timbre4]

Some classics on this album; Q8 to DTS to SACD what a change...

 

[Ge Someone]

When this was released, long ago in 1974, I though it was disapointing. Now (after Eric Clapton unplugged) this SACD sounds better than I could hope for. Surround without gimmicks.

 

[Eggplant]

Q8 to DTS to SACD what a change...

This classic album has, sonically, a very troubled history.

The original stereo master was quite noisy (possibly NR was not used).
The album release had a lot of rough edges that I guess some blues fans found appealing. The rest of us found it -- rough.

Worse, the stereo master was "unavailable" during most of the CD era, resulting in many releases produced from even noisier, later-generation dubs. And so this title joined a short list of CD's to avoid, including Wings / Venus and Mars and much of the Queen catalog.

The original quad mix was limper and noisier still, though quite discrete.

Around 30 years later, the current label finally got around to dealing with this album properly. A massive track cleanup, brand new 5.1 mix and high resolution release finally gave this title its due, not only patching up past sonic wrongs, but bringing the sound into the 21st century. Not as discrete as some would prefer, but as to which version your ears will appreciate most? An easy choice.

 

[neil wilkes]

Interesting summary!
The DTS-CD of 461 is indeed sonically shabby.
I do have a really nice sounding CD of Queen II though, where it is actually not overcooked!

 

[filper]

Here's a poser... I thought I bought '461' SACD at my local Best Buy today, but it contained the 20th Century Masters CD of Clapton.

The shrinkwrap was intact and had the silver and white SACD sticker on the outside of a superjewel case.

Lunch bag let down.

Any thoughts on pleading my case with Best Buy.

 

[neil wilkes]

Much, much better than the DTS Entertainments offering - by a fairly long way as well.
The most immediate thing I spotted was the solo in "Motherless Children" no longer vanishes half-way through. Then it carries on getting better & better all the way through.
One poster commented on this title that at long last it is sonically as good as it's going to get - and I have to agree with this summary.
A true classic, and one day I will find the Quad version and be able to compare all 3.

Well worth buying.

 

[Eggplant]

one day I will find the Quad version and be able to compare all 3.

The DTS-CD is a repurposing of the quad mix. That and the newer 5.1 are the only surround versions.

 

[neil wilkes]

Thanks for the details eggplant, Appreciated.
Why I wanted to track down the original Quad mix is because AFAIK, DTS Ents will undoubtedly have fiddled with the original mix. There is - at the very least - the additive LFE & possibly even a centre channel in use. I also suspect they have used some form of NR on the original masters too.
I'd just like to hear the original mix - I cannot believe that the solo in "Motherless Children" as it is on the DTS version was allowed to escape on the original release. It almost beggars belief, and knowing what was done to - for example - Band on the Run, with the intro being chopped off, I sort of lost confidence in DTS a little.
Additionally, the DTS release is - by definition - lossy. I guess what I would really like to hear is a HIgh Rez transfer of the CD-4 (if it exists) or even the SQ.

 

[Lucanu]

....I guess what I would really like to hear is a HIgh Rez transfer of the CD-4 (if it exists) or even the SQ.

I have that on CD-4, but I didn't know of a SQ version

 

[Dylan Berichon]

I have that on CD-4, but I didn't know of a SQ version

I thought I had read, but I could be totally wrong about this, that there was also a Q4 of this title.

 

[neil wilkes]

Can someone who has got the Quad version - *not* the DTS-CD release though - please check the opening track "Motherless Children" for me & let me know if the second part of the solo disappears?
It certainly does on the DTS-CD, which sounds lifeless & muddy to me as if they just went far too far with the NR.
This SACD though is just getting better every time I play it. I am so glad I listened to the advice about it finally being as good as it will ever be sonically. It's superb.

 

[Lucanu]

Hi Neil, I listened to it right now and I don't think it disappears. I don't have the DTS-CD to make a comparison though