HiRez Poll Fagen, Donald - THE NIGHTFLY [DVD-A/SACD-JAPAN]

[JonUrban]

Here was a classic album recorded in the digital medium that lends itself to an excellent 5.1 mix. Let's get some opinions on this release from a Steely Dan member.

This title was also released in 2011 by WB on SACD in Japan.



:-jon

DVD-A/V scans:

2011 Multichannel SACD scans:

 

[MIDIQ]

Great surround mix, great music. I had the regular CD of this, and was more than happy to buy it again in surround. I gave it a 10.
By the way i really like this new section, its nice to see what everyone else thinks about some of the surround discs.

 

[MC Weissbier]

Music: 10
Surround-Sound: 9
Extras: 6

Total: 9 (M:40%/S:40%/E:20%)

 

[JNewberg]

I give a solid gold 9. The sound is wonderful (WMHH-with my humble hearing). When I am in the mood for it, Nightfly is an exactly perfect disc. Somehow, it isn't as solid and listenable all the way through as Aja or Gaucho (IMO, it's nearest cousins) and I don't reach for this one as often as the others. Maybe that comparison isn't fair to Nightfly, but I can't help it.

 

[Bob Romano]

One of my all-time faves!! Tis is one of the discs I play on my little home theater system with bookshelf speakers and an ok sub and just say"WOW". Great job!!

 

[Larry Geller]

Best album of the entire 80s! The DVD-A is a religious experience. 10 all the way!

 

[Eggplant]

Much as I loved this when it first came out -- in vinyl -- in '82, I simply have played the stereo version too much to enjoy it now. Got excited about the DVD-A, bought it, played it, then put it away. Would have been a wet dream in '82, but now . . . As such, I didn't cast a vote.

Alas, some things just come too late.

 

[Rudy]

I rated it a 10 based on the music--it is one of my "must have" discs, for sure. I haven't heard the MCH version yet, but IMHO the recording was always a bit sterile. Played it to death when it was released, and still like it today!

 

[EMB]

A slamdunk '10' for me....maybe because I enjoy it so much, but the mix just seems perfect for the album....hard to explain, but if anything, reawakened my interest in it after many years of the vinyl sitting on the shelf.


ED

 

[blackbirdr]

It's a beautiful world! We need more Dan DVD-A

 

[Cosmic Debris]

Awesome ! Probably my favorite DVD audio disk so far. Great discreet full blown surround that sounds pure and rich. Great Bass too. I love this release and highly recommend it.

 

[NicS]

Love this recording, just cant get sick of it ! (10)

 

[Frantic]

Steely Dan was always one of my fav's.
This album was a classic before 5.1
Now it is off the charts!

 

[VACamper]

This has always been a favorite CD of mine. Used it for years as a demo disc for buying speakers and A/V gear. As a DVD-A mix, it really shines. I had this cranked up to dangerous levels the other night (while the wife was out), and it still sounded clean and vibrant. Now the DVD-A disc is my new reference recording for auditioning speakers. Unfortunately, I'll need to take a DVD-A player with me because most A/V stores don't have one on display!

 

[analogdemon]

I just recently bought this and had never heard it. After two listens I'm sold. Very nice! 9

 

[ted_b]

Love it, always have, always will. Kamakiriad is a 10, too. See'n him Wednesday night at the Palace (Cleveland), row J. !!!

 

[aquadad]

Hello,
What can I say that hasn't been said already, another great mix by Elliot Scheiner. Now I'll have to get the other two to complete the trilogy.

I bought a few titles over the weekend that I had no idea of what to expect from them. One was even a typically bad Silverline.

I saved this Scheiner mix to listen to last, to keep me from going off the deep end if the others were bad mixes (some of which were). I am so glad I did too, we get into this surround thing for just this kind of sound. Thanks Elliot wherever you are.

 

[Felix E. Martinez]

Very nice re-mix to 5.1; however, I still find the sonics a bit thin, as opposed to Kamikiriad - which is a big improvement over the CD in every respect.

 

[Cai Campbell]

I still find the sonics a bit thin, as opposed to Kamikiriad.

Probably due to the fact that this is a pure digital recording (i.e. the master session tapes are digital). Not only that, but it is a digital recording early in the life of the technology. That said, it still sounds pretty damn good. Better than I would expect, actually, given the technological limitations.

 

[Felix E. Martinez]

Probably due to the fact that this is a pure digital recording (i.e. the master session tapes are digital). Not only that, but it is a digital recording early in the life of the technology. That said, it still sounds pretty damn good. Better than I would expect, actually, given the technological limitations.

Yes, engineer Roger Nichols gave me the scoop on the original recording format (if anyone's interested, my archived review is here and includes the technical info). While there's no doubt it's an early digital recording, I have a sneaky suspicion that the tracks could have been given a bit more body in the 5.1 re-mix.

A few years after I wrote that review for DVDAngle, I upgraded my meager home studio to include 5.1 mixing, and dove right in. An early demo which was mic'd with a Yamaha condenser had always had a thin, mid-rangey tone to it, compounded by my wife's higher alto notes. I said, well, here's where rubber meets the road - can I fix that? Can I walk the walk? It only took two EQ decisions - a very narrow 4db cut around 2.5k and no rolloff of lows - which is sometimes done to "seat" a vox in the mix so that the accumulation of low-mid info doesn't cloud the mix. But in 5.1, it is a mistake to make EQ decisions based on what works in stereo. Just listen to AIX's recordings - which are flat (no EQ at all!). Well, the difference was striking. Night and day to my ears.

No, the tracks in Nightfly were, IMHO, very well recorded, and any "thinness" could have been compensated for in the 5.1 mix.

I still love the album and like the mix - just my little perfectionist gripe