Herbie Hancock Headhunters - the next Sony Japan 7" quad SACD (September 9th)

[steelydave]

Discovered this today (translated from Japanese):

"Herbie Hancock's most important album "Head Hunters" (1973), which will lead the times, will be released on September 9th as an SA-CD multi (4 channels front and rear) hybrid disc for the 80th anniversary year ..

SA-CD stereo/CD is newly mastered from analog master, and SA-CD 4ch & 2ch and CD will be a unique hybrid disc release in Japan, which will be released in Japan. Also, the artwork will be reprinted with an analog single size = 7 inch paper jacket specification, and it is a limited edition version."

Catalog number from the artwork appears to be SICJ-10014, which would make sense given Miles Davis' Live Evil was SICJ-10012/10013.

 

[marpow]

Here is the order link for CDJapan CDJapan Order Link

 

[McCrutchy]

Great news! The price is ¥3,500 + tax (¥3,850 in Japan) which is pretty reasonable for Japanese product. Here it is at Amazon, though they aren't shipping pre-orders to the USA right now:

Amazon.co.jp: 「ヘッド・ハンターズ」-SA-CDマルチ・ハイブリッド・エディション- (完全生産限定盤): 音楽

 

[humprof]

Discovered this today (translated from Japanese):

"Herbie Hancock's most important album "Head Hunters" (1973), which will lead the times, will be released on September 9th as an SA-CD multi (4 channels front and rear) hybrid disc for the 80th anniversary year ..

SA-CD stereo/CD is newly mastered from analog master, and SA-CD 4ch & 2ch and CD will be a unique hybrid disc release in Japan, which will be released in Japan. Also, the artwork will be reprinted with an analog single size = 7 inch paper jacket specification, and it is a limited edition version."

Catalog number from the artwork appears to be SICJ-10014, which would make sense given Miles Davis' Live Evil was SICJ-10012/10013.

View attachment 54297

Nice find. Glad to see they're continuing with the program. I'd be gladder still if it were an album that we didn't already have on SACD.

If there are lost quad mixes of any of the other Mwandishi albums (excluding Sextant), that would be nice. Or, if they were gonna keep going with Miles, then how about Jack Johnson? Weren't we recently reminded that there's an unreleased 5.1 mix in the vaults?

 

[4-earredwonder]

Wonder if it will sound better than Acoustic Sounds QUAD SACD released a few years ago:

https://store.acousticsounds.com/d/104679/Herbie_Hancock-Head_Hunters-Hybrid_Multichannel_SACD
Love the Japanese 7" packaging but during this covid~19 pandemic, be aware shipping/handling charges to the USA from CDJapan are RIDICULOUS!

 

[J. PUPSTER]

Nice find. Glad to see they're continuing with the program. I'd be gladder still if it were an album that we didn't already have on SACD.

Not sure which version SACD MC I have, but it sounds great. There are multiple releases of this title already, and not sure if there is much difference for the sound between them? There is a space between Head and Hunters, if you search for it, BTW.

 

[McCrutchy]

More specifically, I didn't realize this has already had its quad mix released on SACD before, too, by Analogue Productions in 2016: It is disappointing, then, that Sony Japan chose to use their resources for yet another issue of this title, although clearly, they're entitled to release the quadraphonic mix for the Japanese market (both the US and Japan apparently already had 5.1 SACDs).

 

[marpow]

Not sure which version SACD MC I have, but it sounds great. There are multiple releases of this title already, and not sure if there is much difference for the sound between them? There is a space between Head and Hunters, if you search for it, BTW.

Oh my, there is already 4 versions out there in Hi Res
HR Audio . Net

 

[J. PUPSTER]

Ugh, give me Santana's Caravanserai Sony, or give me a good @steelydave acidic diatribe of why that may not ever happen (death may not be an option.)
* At least they're doing something

All together now, sing along with this beautiful rendition:

If I am dead, as dead I well may be,
Ye'll come and find the place where I am lying,
And kneel and say an Avè there for me.
And I shall hear, though soft you tread above me,
And all my grave will warmer, sweeter be,
For you will bend and tell me that you love me,
And I shall sleep in peace until you come to me-my blessed Caravanserai !

 

[4-earredwonder]

Oh my, there is already 4 versions out there in Hi Res
HR Audio . Net

And I already have 2 of them [the original SONY 5.1 and the AP 4.0 SACDs].

 

[sjcorne]

Nice find. Glad to see they're continuing with the program. I'd be gladder still if it were an album that we didn't already have on SACD.

My thoughts exactly. The frustrating thing about this is that there aren't any more quad titles from HH left to release - AF did Thrust, DV did Sextant, and the Secrets quad turned out to be an upmix from stereo. Maybe there's a previously-unknown/unreleased quad mix of Man-Child in the vaults?

 

[marpow]

Yes, my Dear Ralphie but you don't have the 7".

 

[4-earredwonder]

Yes, my Dear Ralphie but you don't have the 7".

YOU GOT SOME SET OF BALLS, MARKIE ......But you're right! The only thing I hate about those 7" packages is getting them back in those poly enclosures after spinning the disc.

But they sure are PRETTY!

But currently, CDJapan is charging an additional $20 for DHL s/h from Japan. Maybe I'll wait for ImportCD TO LIST IT.

 

[musicmemorabiliashoppellc]

Discovered this today (translated from Japanese):

"Herbie Hancock's most important album "Head Hunters" (1973), which will lead the times, will be released on September 9th as an SA-CD multi (4 channels front and rear) hybrid disc for the 80th anniversary year ..

SA-CD stereo/CD is newly mastered from analog master, and SA-CD 4ch & 2ch and CD will be a unique hybrid disc release in Japan, which will be released in Japan. Also, the artwork will be reprinted with an analog single size = 7 inch paper jacket specification, and it is a limited edition version."

Catalog number from the artwork appears to be SICJ-10014, which would make sense given Miles Davis' Live Evil was SICJ-10012/10013.

View attachment 542977

Where are my AEROSMITH 7" SACD/HYBRID Quads of Rocks, Wings & Toys?

 

[4-earredwonder]

Where are my AEROSMITH 7" SACD/HYBRID Quads of Rocks, Wings & Toys?

Waiting in the WINGS while you get you get your ROCKS off playing with those [sex] TOYS!

 

[sjcorne]

...but you don't have the 7".

Who needs the 7" when you have the original 12"

 

[kap'n krunch]

.. I really don´t get why they are choosing a title that has been released TWICE in quad already...oh well...

 

[Sonik Wiz]

.. I really don´t get why they are choosing a title that has been released TWICE in quad already...oh well...

Roger that:

Original SQ, stereo CD, SACD MCH. If I didn't have the previous version SACD I would jump at the chance to have this new one. Did I read right... new remix? That can be very good or bad. I'd wait to hear what fellow QQ'ers would say after listening.
Thanks steelydave for the heads up. Very familiar with CDJapan. But mostly I buy, you know, Japanese entertainment from them.

 

[steelydave]

Nice find. Glad to see they're continuing with the program. I'd be gladder still if it were an album that we didn't already have on SACD.

If there are lost quad mixes of any of the other Mwandishi albums (excluding Sextant), that would be nice. Or, if they were gonna keep going with Miles, then how about Jack Johnson? Weren't we recently reminded that there's an unreleased 5.1 mix in the vaults?

I think like everyone, I wish it was something "new", but I think there are positives in this - to start with, as you've pointed out, it's a good sign that Sony Japan are continuing with this program.

I think beyond that, we have to remember that not everyone has been collecting surround discs for as long as some of us have - one of my biggest frustrations when trying to 'sell' surround to uninitiated friends is I always have to get into the explanation about how almost everything is out of print when they ask "where do you buy this stuff?"

It's also worth keeping in mind that this series has been a mixture of quad mixes that are new to digital with rehashes of old stuff - for every Miles Davis title (or two) there's a Jeff Beck title (or three) that's been previously released on SACD or DTS CD. If Headhunters leads to even more Herbie Hancock, I'd say that's a good thing - AF's release of Thrust is long out of print and I'd rather whatever money's being spent on digital quad versions of that album goes to a record company rather than predatory eBay profiteers. Beyond that, I've preferred the Sony Japan masterings to their previously released counterparts - their versions of Jeff Beck's orange album and Beck Bogert Appice both have a visceral gutsiness that the previous versions don't come close to matching. I was grateful that AF managed to get us Thrust at all, but like several of the AF quad SACDs, Gus Skinas' "transfer" (which I read as non-remaster) was a bit anemic sounding and I have no doubt a Sony Japan remaster of the same title would be a noticeable improvement.

 

[kap'n krunch]

Dave...I apologize...I should have started my post with :
THANK YOU FOR THE NEWS!!!!

do not want to come across as ungrateful....
I mean , it IS a classic and it deserves to be rereleased...

I did not mean to kill the messenger.