HiRez Poll Cobham, Billy - SPECTRUM [SACD]

[GOS]

I did a quick listen. I gotta say WOW! When you consider the age of the material and how absolutely "FULL" this sounds. This is the sort of sound I like.....
No, I had not heard of Billy, nor any of the music, but it's spectacular. So my vote is easy....

10 for content
10 for mix
10 for fidelity.

I guess that averages to a 10. This is one that I will get out often...and crank it. If you want discreet...this is your disc. If you want it loud with excellent depth (bass), this is your disc. If you want cool, funky vibes...this is your disc.

I don't need more time to think about my vote. I love this on first listen...it's a 10!

 

[blue.monk]

Oh my, yes. Much better than the DVD-A. Content, mix & fidelity all first rate. 10!!

 

[skherbeck]

This SACD is an excellent surround experience... The mix is really discrete, generally presenting guitars and synths individually isolated in the rears, bass phantom center and drums spread across the fronts (my favorite arrangement for quads.) No fancy room spinning or anything like that... Just extreme discrete perfection. The fidelity is gorgeous. The music is all instrumental; funky jazz-rock fusion played by musicians with mind-boggling prowess... These guys really kick-ass, and the overall groove should appeal to anyone who enjoys rock (like me). I give it a very enthusiastic 9! If I file this disc next to "Birds of Fire" and "Blow by Blow", I guess I could say I have a jazz-fusion section in my library! (Wow, I never thought that would happen... Surround not only makes your music bigger, but your musical tastes as well!)

 

[kap'n krunch]

Soooooooooooooooo--
THIS is how those "Fibes" drums REALLY sound like....

Got this (and "Thrust") last night...could only listen to part of it, but I know this LP / DVD-A quite well (I even rehearsed "Red Baron" about 12 years ago...too bad we didn't get to play it)...

You guys know me, I'm always "dissing" SACDs, especially the SH ones, but THIS ONE ...ahhhh , this one is a real gem....whoever did this should do all the transfers ....warm yet with edge...blows the DVD-A away big time...

The 1st AF SACD I'm REALLY HAPPY with...


And, yes, the DRUMMER'S name is the one on the cover , so DRUMS should be the main feature....what I don't understand is the panning...it's as if we were in front of the drums, but there are cymbals ....in the rears(??)....minor gripe...but , definitely a SOLID 10...Jan and Tommy going bonkers!!!...awesome....just awesome...

 

[cornwall198]

Oh my goodness - I LOVED this. This so puts the DVD-A to shame, right? Just leaping out of the speakers, all around, so much impact. And Tommy Bolin's contributions? Just stunning... Brilliant job all around. Straight 10.

 

[arnold_layne]

Just got this disc on today. I've only had the stereo 8 track release of this album and that's how I discovered it. This quad mix is great. Loving it. Very clean and dynamic.

 

[sbrom]

Best played at high volume, or else given the large dynamic range you lose the quiet parts!

Did I imply the dynamics are amazing? Let me clarify: Amazing

The mix has instruments coming pointedly from each of the rear channels. The concept is growing on me, but doesn't sound natural yet. Discrete and interesting, especially drum solos that place you in the middle of Cobham's drum set

EQ is on the bright side. Almost crystalline. Works for my aging ears but would not want any more.

Net score: 9

 

[himey]

Hidden gem from two years ago now. The 5.1 DVDA sux. The 4.0 quad SACD kills all! More unreleased quad please in 2018.

 

[quicksrt]

I'm convinced that this is the rarest of the AF 4.0 layer SACD releases. It dried up at retail weeks and months before it should have when compared to other SACD releases around the same time.

So if one is looking for it, and you find it but price seems high at $50 to $75 plus shipping, this is not a rip. It simply was not offered for sale very long. Grab it and rest well knowing you got a prime vintage quad mix that was previously unissued, and even now remains somewhat rare.

 

[sjcorne]

I'm convinced that this is the rarest of the AF 4.0 layer SACD releases. It dried up at retail weeks and months before it should have when compared to other SACD releases around the same time.

So if one is looking for it, and you find it but price seems high at $50 to $75 plus shipping, this is not a rip. It simply was not offered for sale very long. Grab it and rest well knowing you got a prime vintage quad mix that was previously unissued, and even now remains somewhat rare.

Even AF is offering it at an inflated price- https://audiofidelity.net/product/billy-cobham-spectrum

Leave it to me to skip the rarest AF disc...when this came out I didn't really care for Jazz Fusion, but since then I've come to enjoy other surround titles in this genre (Birds Of Fire, Head Hunters, Musicmagic, etc).

Oh well...another OOP one to track down.

 

[leevitalone1]

I have a friend a little younger who says his music teacher in HS played this for his class, and he took the teachers copy (LP) Always had this one from years ago! I got the chance to see BC at Hamilton College chapel of all places! Very small venue a very intimate show, like you were eye to eye with the band. Big deal, Brecker Bros. played with the band that night! One of my favorite shows ever.

I live like 10 minute drive from the school.

 

[quicksrt]

Even AF is offering it at an inflated price- https://audiofidelity.net/product/billy-cobham-spectrum

Leave it to me to skip the rarest AF disc...when this came out I didn't really care for Jazz Fusion, but since then I've come to enjoy other surround titles in this genre (Birds Of Fire, Head Hunters, Musicmagic, etc).

Oh well...another OOP one to track down.

I think AF is pushing the limits of what they can get outta their "held back stash box" of OOP goodies. All over-priced. But this title might be the least over-inflated of what they are offering.

 

[Scott65]

Awesome. Super music and mix. Sooo much better than the dvda mix, which i listened a couple times, then sold. I prefered the stereo mix than the dvda. But this mix is super. I vote 10.

I gave it a 10 too

 

[JonUrban]

This disc is truly the gem of the AF quad SACDs. It has all of the traits of a 3 figure future value: Unreleased incredible quad mix, superb mastering, famous album, honest to goodness limited edition, under the radar release, out of print and sold out.

I should have bought a few extras!

 

[steelydave]

This disc is truly the gem of the AF quad SACDs. It has all of the traits of a 3 figure future value: Unreleased incredible quad mix, superb mastering, famous album, honest to goodness limited edition, under the radar release, out of print and sold out.

I should have bought a few extras!

I tried my best to warn people, but alas...

Completely agree with you though, this is as good as it gets for a quad SACD reissue!

 

[4-earredwonder]

This disc [Spectrum] is truly the gem of the AF quad SACDs. It has all of the traits of a 3 figure future value: Unreleased incredible quad mix, superb mastering, famous album, honest to goodness limited edition, under the radar release, out of print and sold out.

I should have bought a few extras!

And ironically, one of the last instances Warner/Rhino licensed ANY of their QUAD masters to ANY of the REISSUE COMPANIES!

 

[Beefalo]

Managed to get a brand new sealed copy for less than my $100 limit. Very happy to finally have this in my collection.
This is probably the only MCH where I had to dramatically increase volume on the front channels to get a balanced sound. Gave it an 8.
I would have enjoyed it more with LFE & center channels. Similar to my preference with Jeff Beck's Orange SACD. I bought the Japanese 5.1 and the the AF quad versions. Granted there are no vocals on Spectrum to place in the center channel....
But the Japanese Jeff Beck Wired SACD makes good use of the center channel. I like bass guitar out of a capable center speaker.

 

[sjcorne]

But the Japanese Jeff Beck Wired SACD makes good use of the center channel. I like bass guitar out of a capable center speaker.

The center channel on that disc is a mono sum of all four channels (like Spectrum, it’s a ‘70s quad mix) that’s very low in volume, so most of that bass guitar you’re hearing is actually imaged between your front speakers.

 

[Beefalo]

I'm always willing to learn something new...Thanks!

 

[J. PUPSTER]

The center channel on that disc is a mono sum of all four channels (like Spectrum, it’s a ‘70s quad mix) that’s very low in volume, so most of that bass guitar you’re hearing is actually imaged between your front speakers.

Have you removed the center channel audio from the Japanese Jeff Beck Wired and the Spectrum SACDs on your copies Jonathan?