Format fun, et. al.

[Dwight]

John, When SWING was given the nod as a "Recording Of The Month" in Stereophile it was for the SACD release, yet the DVD-A preceded it and was ignored by them. My point is that there are consistent differences between the two systems but they in no way can be used to pronounce one so inferior that it should be assigned to the rubbish heap! It seems to me that most of the attack propaganda is coming from one direction and it is not warranted! My home comparison wasn't meant to be a definitive test. I was trying to determine why the DVD-A had been glossed over when it was the first to appear. I can see no just reason for it, considering the sonic attributes that we heard. The DVD-A deserved the nod.

 

[Dwight]

P.S. The wine came with the DVD-A......none with the SACD. It might have had an impact on the others, but certainly not me!!!!

 

[John Kotches]

Dwight,

You missed my point though. Any comparison between these is inherently biased towards the DVD-A release, since the native format is PCM.

As far as what S'phile has to say, we'll leave it at "they are entitled to their opinion".

Regards,

 

[Dwight]

John, I really appreciate your reply. I did not miss your point!! For our test to have been "scientific" there would have to have been a DSD and a PCM stream.(sans wine). I understand that! If this recording, an historic DVD-A recording for 2,4, or 6 channels is released and causes a stir for it's realism, but is ignored in favor of a later 4 channel SACD release, anyone has a right to listen to the available releases and come to some conclusion about why the award was given by THE STEREOPHILE to the SACD version. What we did was fair because WE LISTENED TO BOTH!!!!! They chose not to listen to both! I don't think that is supportable!
Dwight

 

[Cai Campbell]

The award was for the recording, not the format. Who gives a flying fig which format they chose for their review? It's a great recording, regardless of the media.

Enjoy the music!

 

[Solar]

#1. DVD-A and SACD for lack of support from the recording industry
#2 The recording industry for putting all the eggs in a 44x16 basket and losing out to the MP3.
#3 music fans for paying $12 to $20 for a 3 cent product.
#4 Multi-channel music fans for setting up a 5.1 system to listen to stereo only SACD,s.
#5 Hi Res music fans for the prices of some of the stereo SACD releases.
#6 DVD-A fans wating for new releases

Too bad there is not some format out there that could destroy the appeal of MP3's and save the Recording Industry.
:lol: :evil: :evil: :x 0] :|
Have both love both give me more more more
:x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :| :| :| :| :| :| :|

 

[Dwight]

Cai, I haven't said that anything "sucks" here! Have I? Both Systems are fantastic, but the invective is coming from one side only...enormous pressure and criticism is coming from one side only, ( Am I wrong?) and everyone knows which side that is! Guy Robinson has correctly pointed out that the past could be future and we could lose MC a second time. Well, he didn't say a second time, I'm saying that! Don't ask us to leave our brains on the cyber-doorstep Cai! When I went listening, at the beginning of the new format wars, I only heard one side of the propaganda phru-phru! IT was right from the seventies! ....... Tower Records didn't have a HIGH REZ listening room, they had a SACD listening room! There was no DVD-A in that room, but They were selling both!! You infer Cai! The two systems are fantastic but one is getting slammed..$$..and I'm not sure the best system is winning.. My ears tell me that something stinks! ...and if the system designed for multi-channel doesn't win, there will be less multi channel..... I hope I'm wrong....end of issue for me!

 

[Guy Robinson]

Well my name has been mentioned so I am drawn in now. If it comes down to having to decide on one format it would be DVD-A for me. The fact that it consistently presents titles with ACTIVE more descrete surround usage does it for me. I am not interested in stereo titles at all and one format is consistently putting out entire artist catalogues this way except for maybe one token surround title from each of these artists. I believe that this is just to get the total number of titles up. There are some great SACD titles out such as Every Breath You Take, Time Out, The Stranger and my favourite Sea Change. However if I have to choose from a sonic perspective it would again be DVD-A. If it wasn't for that damn Sea Change (which is still the best sounding surround disc I have) this would be an easy choice. Of course this surround mix was also done by a guy that is usually associated with DVD-A titles.

 

[Cai Campbell]

I'm not asking anyone to check their brain when they come here. I'm just saying there are tons of other forums out there for this type of discussion. You are free to continue, but you should just get used to the fact that I'm going to be a constant fly in THIS ointment!

 

[shark42]

Ah, "Cai the Fly Guy".... you keep talking about other forums, but, frankly, I don't really go to other forums (well, except AVS and DigitalHomeCanada, but they're different).

I still think you don't believe that I want this to be an open discussion without the ire you've obviously been subject to elsewhere.

I'm in a funny position, as I've outlined above - surround, when done well, rocks. Surround, when done in a strictly gratuitous, non-musical way (or is just pumped up using some unfolding process) does not necessarily, for me, make for a better recording. I am finding new life in my 2ch CDs now with Logic 7 - for example, Frankie Goes to Hollywood just rocks with Logic 7 - the SACD mix would have to be a new, descrete mix for me to beat it.

I agree that DVD-A is certainly in the lead in terms of features/multi chanel options, and I've mentioned elsewhere in this forum that I really can't hear the difference between the SACD of Synchronicity and the Remastered CD from way back (this through Senheisser monitor headphones, literally no tonal or colouration differerences... same mix, same sound... ). On the other hand, stereo releases like the Stones discs do seem to shine more in their SACD version, but I'm not convinced this is because the SACD layer is better, it just might be mastered differently (you see this all the time with DD/DTS differences, where, for example, Spielberg movies pump up LFE and rear surrounds so the DTS "sounds" better by being louder...)

I think 5.1 Entertainment got it right - the difference is certainly more evident with added features and multi-chanel mixes than it is simply with a hi-res treatment, particularly for more contemporary digital recordings. I'm all for SACDs that are stereo only that go to the trouble of presenting a really beautiful remastering of a classic analogue disc. I'm not convinced, however, that, say, the new PG discs (like So, for example) will necessarily shine on the new format any more than they do on CD.

No SACD, however, can top what Rumours DVD-A brings to the table. Sure it can't be played in a car (well, not many cars), but the added features (especially comentary track) simply take the music to a new level. Owning that disc makes you love the album more. And that, whatever format it comes out on, is what may drive these hi-rez discs off the shelves.

Any other discs that come close to Rumours in terms of quality of extras? The EPK for Buena Vista's pretty cool... The booklet for DSOTM is very nice as well (though a different beast, good packaging is certainly important).

 

[Cai Campbell]

Yep, I'm a pessimist. I hope you guys prove me wrong and show me that a discussion pitting SACD against DVD-A doesn't degenerate into mindless squabbling. If you can pull it off, it will be a first! Good luck and more power to ya!