HiRez Poll John, Elton - CAPTAIN FANTASTIC.... [SACD]

[Cai Campbell]

...others sound very similar to GYBR from a sonics perspective.

Hmm, I did not find this at all. For me, GYBR and Captain Fantastic are like night and day. I found Captain Fantastic to sound incredibly lush and warm compared to GYBR, which is exceptionally bright and harsh (but still an excellent surround-sound title).

I listened to parts of Captain Fantastic loud and parts of it not-so-loud. I did not find this to affect my perception of the level of "brightness".

 

[Guy Robinson]

Hmm, I did not find this at all. For me, GYBR and Captain Fantastic are like night and day. I found Captain Fantastic to sound incredibly lush and warm compared to GYBR, which is exceptionally bright and harsh (but still an excellent surround-sound title).

I listened to parts of Captain Fantastic loud and parts of it not-so-loud. I did not find this to affect my perception of the level of "brightness".

Well I guess the point is that to my ears there is a wide range of quality across the disc. Some songs sound great and others are grating. I guess you could say it is sonically a bit more consistent than GYBR. I wouldn't really classify it as warm either. Now "Slow Train Coming" is warm. Try them both back to back.

 

[solaris]

I really think GYBR sounds like it should, yea it's a little hot. That is the sound Gus was after I think. Unless you tell me the record has all this warmth to it the SACD is missing, I'm loving it the way it is. Captain Fantasic is more laid back and never harsh from what I hear. The only thing I find harsh and grating is Bob Dylans voice from 70-97, he's better now. Really I would love to love Dylan but that voice stops me cold.

 

[Guy Robinson]

So after reading this:
http://www.musictap.net/Reviews/JohnEltonMATWHCSACD.html#MATW

and listening to CF at a much lower level than usual. I am in agreement that the SACD surround is fantastic when played at a lower volume level. As is stated in the MusicTap article for Madman and Honky, the recordings are loud. This is the same with CF and was my main issue. This issue largely disappears at a lower volume.

 

[Cai Campbell]

So after reading this:
http://www.musictap.net/Reviews/JohnEltonMATWHCSACD.html#MATW

and listening to CF at a much lower level than usual. I am in agreement that the SACD surround is fantastic when played at a lower volume level. As is stated in the MusicTap article for Madman and Honky, the recordings are loud. This is the same with CF and was my main issue. This issue largely disappears at a lower volume.

So, they don't seem as loud when played at a lower volume? Whoa! Stop the presses! That's the strangest thing I've ever heard!

(sorry, couldn't resist)

 

[Guy Robinson]

So, they don't seem as loud when played at a lower volume? Whoa! Stop the presses! That's the strangest thing I've ever heard!

(sorry, couldn't resist)

Yeah, it did sound dumb, didn't it?

 

[Cai Campbell]

Yeah, it did sound dumb, didn't it?

I wouldn't say that... just... entirely logical!

 

[dprokopy]

Not an album I'm terribly familiar with (I've never actually owned any EJ albums, just various hits packages - I'm using the SACD rollout as my excuse to finally buy them all), but I did love listening to this the other day, as I had with "Yellow Brick Road" when I picked it up. Makes me wanna go out and get the rest now, if I can find them reasonably-priced!

By the way, I think the mix for "Philadelphia Freedom" is pretty good, although perhaps the horns in the rear are a bit overpowering at times.

 

[kvsawilson]

Finally got this one and gotta say that I love it. Great mix,great sound and even better music with the extra's. A 10 from me.

KW

 

[Foxman]

Everyones essesment that they are better at lower vollumes is interesting. Since owning these new ones I havent been able to listen to them loud as it is usually after the lil ones have gone to bed.

Maybe thats why I enjoyed these so much.

 

[Guy Robinson]

Everyones essesment that they are better at lower vollumes is interesting. Since owning these new ones I havent been able to listen to them loud as it is usually after the lil ones have gone to bed.

Maybe thats why I enjoyed these so much.

I have them all now and it's a common "problem" other than maybe "Tumbleweed Connection" which seems to be more crankable than the others.

 

[bobou2]

As stated in the BIA poll, Denis, my friend said this is the 2nd best disc he has ever heard. He only has DVD-A and was not happy when I told him that it looks like Uni. will not be releasing this album on DVD-A

 

[jrahrah]

I am playing the LP and SACD side by side. The thing I like about the new mix is that every nuance can be heard-every note as it ascends and descends, and of course no crackles. Some of the instruments that just blend in in stereo are given their own stage or speaker so that you can pick it out. As I play all surround mixes of material that I am familiar with, I am always able to pick out things that I swear were never there before. I give it a 10 mostly because I guess that I am a big Elton fan and these albums meant so much to me when growing up.

Sounds like a lot of you like the 'Writing' mix, me too. I have often thought that 'Writing', if released as a single, would have been one of his most noted songs.

I'm having no problem with playing it at wife gone volume-it hangs in there just fine. I'm looking forward to the rest being released since I read that Elton told Penny to do the 'lot'.

 

[qtheking]

Amazing Album. Amazing mix! 10!!

 

[buc18]

I gave this a 9 only because I rate Madman a 10 and it is just a notch below Madman (but just by a hair). I will also chime in that Writing is very, very good, but I would also add that We All Fall in Love and Curtains are exceptional as well. And last but not least, Philadelphia Freedom flat out rocks!

 

[fredblue]

A "10".

See what this 'nut' fredblue had to say about it.
I agree with him wholeheartedly..!

http://www.sa-cd.net/showreviews/2535#6480

 

[Old Quad Guy]

I remember KSAN getting an advance copy of the record about a week before it came out and playing the whole record at once. Elton was certainly on a high. Great album, great 5.1 mix by Greg Penny. These E J titles could have easily been mucked up, but he did a great job with being sympathetic and understanding of the material. It's like getting the 70's Quad mixes that never were until now. Absolute must have's and stand-outs from the 2000 era.

This title also has John Lennon singing backup vocals and guitar on "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," now with a 5.1 mix. If I'm not mistaken, only SACD with John Lennon.

 

[kap'n krunch]

I only have 3 of EJ's SACDs (I also broke down and got GYBR in DVD-A...what can I say? I'm a DVD-A freak!)...and all of them are extraordinary
...this one has the bonus of "Philadelphia Freedom". one of the first 45s I ever bought , along with Abba and other way back in 75(?).
You can't go wrong here...was never a big EJ fan , but these SACDs really open up a new dangeroustrend (getting ALL of them!)

 

[rtbluray]

Not only is this the best EJ album, but I also think this is the best surround mix that Greg Penny has produced for EJ (so far...)

The only track I can't stand on this record is 'Writing' as it reminds me of some of those cheesy 70s TV theme songs like 'Maude' but even that track sounds acceptable in 5.1

One of the best things about Penny's mixing is he somehow instinctively knows what fans want to hear from a surround mix (very similar to the way Steven Wilson's mixes sound).
Loud, discrete, well-mixes rear channels! I love it!

It's always a bittersweet feeling listening to these Elton SACDs knowing that there's still more laying in the vaults collecting dust, all thanks to the greed-driven record company execs at Universal...

 

[Quad Linda]

8. I've been a huge EJ fan since the beginning. I love the mix. The sonics are good for the time frame. Musically, Writing has always been my fave track here, and in my top 20 EJ tracks. Someone Saved deserved to be the hit that it was. LSD w/Dr. Winston O' Boogie is a superb bonus track. While Philadelphia Freedom is good, it never impressed me as all that spectacular a track.

Since I have no wife, I can crank it as loud as I damn well please.