HiRez Poll Elias, David - THE WINDOW [SACD]

[JonUrban]

Please post your thoughts and comments.........

 

[eelkiller]

Another Winnah from Mr. Elias

 

[bmoura]

Another Winnah from Mr. Elias

Sonically it's a stunner. The Surround Sound mix is appropriate for the material.

 

[byrdman7]

I have both of David Elias's SACD releases and they play 5.0, no sub activity. I purchased another disc of The Window from a "out of work" friend yesterday and it has no sub activity either. Do I have (2) problem discs?

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Cannot vote because there is too much of a dichotomy between the program content and the recording quality. The former is boring while the latter is superb.

 

[The Rang]

Cannot vote because there is too much of a dichotomy between the program content and the recording quality. The former is boring while the latter is superb.

Thanks for answering the question I was about to ask:

The SQ seems to be almost universally acclaimed, but what about the music itself?

Not surprised, there are countless audiopphile recordings that fit this description.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Thanks for answering the question I was about to ask:

The SQ seems to be almost universally acclaimed, but what about the music itself?

Not surprised, there are countless audiopphile recordings that fit this description.

Undoubtedly but you should sample it rather than taking my opinion blindly. I listen to classical music almost exclusively and am not predisposed to any of the popular genres.

 

[bmoura]

Thanks for answering the question I was about to ask:

The SQ seems to be almost universally acclaimed, but what about the music itself?

Not surprised, there are countless audiopphile recordings that fit this description.

If you check CD Baby.Com, you can hear song samples from the two David Elias Surround Sound SACDs. Personally I like both the music and the sonics.
Take a listen and decide.

 

[Fourplay]

Short take: I recommend this for purchase if Folk/Roots is a favored style in your player.

This is a very hard SACD to locate, but a very easy DSD download to purchase if you are capable of direct DSD playback:

https://skettisandwich.nativedsd.com/albums/the-window

The Mix: This has been recommended so highly around these parts that I have been excited to check it out, and I confess to being underwhelmed on the first hearing. There are plenty of discrete elements on the rears, but I found them to be weakly balanced compared to the fronts. After most of the disc had run I got into the amp and boosted the rears by +6.5db. This makes a huge difference, and to me brings the recording alive. +6.5 db may in fact be a tad excessive, but each to their own taste. I do recommend a boost, after which the mix is wonderful.

Sound Quality: This recording was made direct to DSD, and indeed it sounds pristine. Very natural and clear sounding - perfect for this style of music.

Content: Elsewhere someone suggested David (the only vocalist on the disc) sounds like JJ Cale, and I would suggest a blend of JJ & John Prine. A bit more smokey than Prine. His voice is pleasant to my ears, if not gripping. Instrumentally the ensemble (which played mostly live) is excellent. Sally Van Meter is a dobro player I am familiar with and her work here is excellent. I'm a little mixed on the lyric writing. Some is quite good, some is OK. I have certainly heard worse in this genre. As with the vocal, the overall presentation is pleasant.

Free points: David Elias has taken the trouble to record, mix, and release in surround. The effort to capture the effort in high quality is evident, and deserves at least an exploratory listen. The SACDs (this and The Crossing) are now expensive, and this leaves DSD downloads. He does offer a memory stick version that can be mailed, but one has to be able to play DSD files. I still can't, but I was lucky enough to find the SACD at a decent price.

Summary: Very good folk/roots music with pristine sound. Points off for a weak surround balance, but this can be corrected manually. Once the balance is found, it sounds great! An 8.

 

[bmoura]

Short take: I recommend this for purchase if Folk/Roots is a favored style in your player.

This is a very hard SACD to locate, but a very easy DSD download to purchase if you are capable of direct DSD playback:

https://skettisandwich.nativedsd.com/albums/the-window

Summary: Very good folk/roots music with pristine sound. Points off for a weak surround balance, but this can be corrected manually. Once the balance is found, it sounds great! An 8.

A quick note. If you like David Elias, be sure to look for his second Multichannel DSD recording "Crossing".
Also out of print on Multichannel SACD - copies pop up from time to time. But available as a Multichannel DSD Download.
https://skettisandwich.nativedsd.com/albums/crossing

I use both of these albums when testing and reviewing DACs - they are reference quality.
Definitely worth looking for and buying as Fourplay notes. I totally agree.

 

[The Bright Side]

Listening to this right now. Every time I listen to both the David Elias surround albums, I'm all taken away by their strong moods. Truly beautiful music, and I love his voice.

One could argue there should be a little bit more going on in the rears, and on "Crossing," there is. But that doesn't diminish the enjoyment of this album in the least. This is a perfect example of flawless hi-res sound and surround mixing drawing you up-close into an already intimate recording. You feel like he's right there.

Sublime.

 

[sbrom]

I just listened to the mch download from nativedsd. I remember starting the playback with track1, then the room disappeared while the music played. It was as if I went into a trance, captivated by a great performance and wondrous sonic. 10.

 

[DuncanS]

I've just got this as a DSD DVD (plays on the Oppo as a data disc) and really like the album, the music is good (think Folk with a Fairport/JJ Cale feel), sound quality is excellent, the mix is immersive wrap round with instruments appearing in the rear channels. I think my favourite track is Half An Hour Away, love the intro. So its a solid 9.