HiRez Poll JEFF BECK GROUP - Jeff Beck Group [SACD]

[JonUrban]

Please post your thoughts and comments on this August 2015 SACD release with the classic 1970's Columbia Quadraphonic mix of the Jeff Beck Groups self-titled album (The Orange one), from Audio Fidelity.



PRE-RELEASE DISCUSSION THREAD: https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/showthread.php?20733

 

[skherbeck]

I love the fidelity of this disc... It has a warm, rich, clean sound; the bass and drums are full and kicking; the high end is crisp and clear. The surround mix is discrete with the keyboards and guitars isolated in various speakers while the drums are spread across the front or back depending on the song. The music is rocking, bluesy, soulful and moving. Standouts for me include "Going Down" (of course), "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You" (my favorite), and "Definitely Maybe", but really every song is either great or very good. The more of these AF discs I get, the more I'm finding that I prefer quad mixes to 5.1 mixes. This is a classic and I'm glad I got to discover it in this format. A 9.

 

[oxenholme]

Quadraphonic mix - 10. Sound quality - 10. Music isn't for me. I thought it might grow on me, but it isn't doing. Such is life.

 

[Jim the Oldbie]

I can't get enough of Jeff Beck. And I have always loved this album, ever since it first came out when I was a teenager. This is also the first quad record I can remember hearing, hanging out at the local stereo shop all those years ago. So I've been eagerly anticipating this AF release ever since its announcement - I even bought an SACD player mainly to hear this disc. I've had it for several days now, but have been too damn busy to listen to it! Finally had some time to devote to it this evening, and I'm enjoying every minute.

As others have mentioned, it's obvious that these quad masters are in amazingly good condition for their age, and for me that's a large part of the appeal of this one. I must admit that, nostalgia aside, I'm not as enthusiastic about the mixing choices that were made on some of these "discrete" 70s quad mixes, especially when the lead instruments wind up in the rear channels (huh?). But Good Lord, the clarity of this is wonderful! It's hard for me to quibble about Jeff & Max getting crammed into the back corners on "Ice Cream Cakes" when Bob Tench is standing right in front of me, singing his ass off! Holy crap. Besides, this only applies to some of the songs anyway - many others have a great quad sound, particularly "I Can't Give Back..." and "Highways," among others. Listen to Jeff's instant-classic guitar solo on "Going Down," for example - sounds like it's echoing across a giant prehistoric canyon somewhere! Hell yes I gotta love that.

Anyway - I tend to be conservative with polls so I gave this an 8, but that should probably be a 9. When I factor in how it's making me feel like a kid again, that makes it a 10 at least - although it's hard to even put a number on that.

-- Jim

 

[edisonbaggins]

It occurred to me while listening to Birds of Fire, quad:
If you seriously don't like the arrangement you can just adjust your chair 90 to 180 degrees and all is good!

 

[Tornado Red]

I've played it through a few times now, this last run through I turned it up a notch and listened at about 90db. This disc is very crankable as you would expect. Playing it loud did not make me weary at all. Just excellent fidelity, so very discrete. The surrounds are in high use, almost feels like a Steven Wilson mix Of note, in several songs the instruments are moved around, quite out of the ordinary. Going Down has the percussion in the right surround for example, Sugar Cane has it in the left surround. Other songs have it in the front stage. I like the variety here, though others may not, YMMV as always. Some favourite songs are Ice Cream Cakes, Going Down and Definitely Maybe, this latter one having such great guitar work from Jeff. Very quiet between the notes, but if you put an ear close to a speaker, you can hear just the lightest hint of hiss, not disturbing at all, and just enough to know the top end hasn't been chopped off. Cymbal action is very crisp, always a good sign. Bass is top notch as well, not overbearing and not too light. A lot of the music has a bluesy feel to it, I'm quite happy with the purchase. My biggest complaint is that it's too short!

Bill

 

[edisonbaggins]

If mine would hurry up and get off of back-order!

 

[ArmyOfQuad]

If mine would hurry up and get off of back-order!

ImportCDs?

Can't help but wonder if there's some sort of game between them and Audio Fidelity that we're getting caught in the middle of...

 

[edisonbaggins]

ImportCDs?

Yeah

 

[Clint Eastwood]

ImportCDs?

Can't help but wonder if there's some sort of game between them and Audio Fidelity that we're getting caught in the middle of...

my Jeff Beck just got shipped yesterday from ImportCds.....I learned to be patient when I order from them...it pays off with better prices...when I want something in a hurry...I pay more somewhere else...you gotta know that going in...it's a tradeoff...

 

[Jim the Oldbie]

I've played it through a few times now, this last run through I turned it up a notch and listened at about 90db. This disc is very crankable as you would expect.

Yes! I've discovered that as well.

...Cymbal action is very crisp, always a good sign. Bass is top notch as well, not overbearing and not too light.

I was kind of shocked by how smooth and clear this sounds. I mean, it's obviously the same performances as the stereo version (with a couple of brief exceptions - I hear a different vocal line here & there), but the sound quality is on a whole different level from any stereo release I've ever heard of this album in any format. Even when I listen to the SACD stereo mix on this same disc, it goes right back to that slightly fuzzy, tinny sound this album has always had, to my ear at least. I dearly love the music, so the sound has been a bit frustrating down through the years. Not any more!

A lot of the music has a bluesy feel to it, I'm quite happy with the purchase. My biggest complaint is that it's too short!

I really hope they are able to release Rough and Ready, which came just before this one (same band lineup). I love that record every bit as much, and there was definitely a quad version of it as well.

-- Jim, fingers crossed

 

[fredblue]

I'm finding quite a lot of old Quads sounding much nicer than the stereo

 

[edisonbaggins]

After a long wait, it's finally in the mail!

 

[quicksrt]

After a long wait, it's finally in the mail!

Me too, I got the shipping notification today like you. I was only a few days from being very PO'd.

But I have learnt my lesson now with ImportCDs. They are fine with instock items, prices are great, shipping is fine.

The Beck and MO SACDs are both two titles that are special and are potential low sellers. I really wanted to help prop them up for AF, and so ordered in advance which I never do. Happy abouit the Billboard charting or MO.

Anything never out on reel to reel, and mastered this well is worth the wait actually.

 

[quicksrt]

I'm finding quite a lot of old Quads sounding much nicer than the stereo

It brings a fresh perspective to older albums we may have heard enough times already. I'm not going to cue up my CD of the JB Group album in advance of getting the quad SACD, I want it to be a fresh experience, as much as possible.

 

[Philip Spinner]

I was looking through my old Quad Incorporated catalog last night and noticed Jeff Beck is spelled Jeck Beck. I've looked through this catalog hundreds of times and never noticed it.

 

[fredblue]

I was looking through my old Quad Incorporated catalog last night and noticed Jeff Beck is spelled Jeck Beck. I've looked through this catalog hundreds of times and never noticed it.

Haha! Good catch! ..I prefer Jilly Boel to Jeck Beff

 

[edisonbaggins]

Impossibly crisp and clear. Infinitely crankable. Tasteful mixes, for the style. Great songs.
Immensely enjoyable. Meets or exceeds all expectations.
10.

 

[blue.monk]

First, I gotta say how much I’m loving this AF program. Getting first-rate transfers of these vintage quad recordings has been a real treat and, being of a certain age, the material has been right up my alley. The great stereo masterings by Mssrs. Hoffman & Gray have been getting plenty of attention as well, particularly during late-night headphone sessions. Keep up the terrific work AF!

I really enjoy the content on this disc. I was only partially familiar with it beforehand. Good balance of original material and creative covers (I was especially pleased with the Stevie Wonder tune). The band is terrific, and it is very much a band effort throughout (kudos to Beck for that). I was particularly taken with Bobby Tench’s soulful vocals and Max Middleton’s keyboard work (a shame to have the LP fade so early on his Rhodes solo!). The sound is good and the mix is classic quad with hard separation between front and rear. My only quibble is the few tracks where drums are placed in surrounds, often with their own hard separation left and right. A very happy ‘9’ for me.

 

[MIDIQ]

I voted a 9, A real surprise, I had never heard this album. Liked it quite a lot, and the surround is SUPER. Also the sound quality is great.