HiRez Poll Loggins & Messina - FULL SAIL [SACD]

[JonUrban]

Post your thoughts and comments on this August 2016 4.0 SACD release from Audio Fidelity containing the original quadraphonic mix of Loggins & Messina's FULL SAIL album.
The Quadraphonic mix is also available to stream in Dolby Audio via Apple Music:
https://music.apple.com/us/album/full-sail/158407801
PRE-RELEASE DISCUSSION THREAD: Loggins & Messina - Full Sail - Audio Fidelity 4.0 Multichannel SACD (July 2016)

 

[quicksrt]

High quality is all around on this Audio Fidelity SACD. The songs still sound fresh to me, the production is not dated at all, and the sound quality (mix) is state of the art analog 1970s. The quad mix avoids anything remotely trendy or "of the times", and so to me it sounds classic and still fresh.

The material supports the production which supports the 4.0 mix so well. This is what it's all about. It only took four decades to hear this quad one right. It was worth the wait.

10/10

 

[ar surround]

Finally got to listen to this. This release is going to get extremely high marks from me, but I want to hear it a couple of more times before voting. I listened to the quad layer and then the stereo layer enhanced to 7.1. Even though I loved hearing this album in faux quad back in the day and also like the stereo layer in 7.1, there's really no comparison. I consider the discrete quad the definitive version of this album. About the only thing that bothers me a wee bit after the first listen is the bass guitar coming from the side channels instead of dead center front.

Watching The River Run: This lovely waltz in 6/8 time is a quad production masterpiece. In the stereo version, both Loggin's and Messina's voices are both dead center. Initially, I thought something to be amiss with the quad channel balance as Loggin's voice is clearly coming from left of center. But when Messina joins in, he is clearly placed right of center. So the front sound stage has instruments full left and full right with the two singers panned left and right of center. Then you've got instruments in the rears along with the vocal harmonies. Sweet. (If there is ever an argument for not needing a center channel then this is it.)

 

[JonUrban]

To me this album is more of an adventure in music than their first quad album/AF SACD. And it sounds so good a clear, with a terrific quad mix, I have to give it a 10. So there, 10.

 

[ar surround]

After a couple of more listens, I would rate this a "9" on an absolute basis when compared to something like a modern Steven Wilson or Elliot Schieiner top-end 5.1 remix. However, on classic albums such as this, I like to skew my vote a bit based on what I've heard on previous incarnations. Having owned this record on vinyl and DBX encoded vinyl, and also having listened to the SACD stereo layer in 7.1, I would say that the quadraphonic mix and sound on this disc deserves a well earned "10."

(Sorry to be repetitive, but I am still totally blown away by the treatment of the vocals on Watching the River Run. Comparatively, the vocals on the stereo version even when enhanced to 7.1 sound dead.)

 

[sperezmore]

Post your thoughts and comments on this August 2016 4.0 SACD release from Audio Fidelity containing the original quadraphonic mix of Loggins & Messina's FULL SAIL album.

PRE-RELEASE DISCUSSION THREAD: https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/showthread.php?22119

View attachment 26946

Hi Jon,

Can you post an scan of the back cover?

This SACD is a "10" for me.

Thank you

Regards,

 

[JonUrban]

Hi Jon,

Can you post an scan of the back cover?

This SACD is a "10" for me.

Thank you

Regards,

I will when I get my retail copy!

 

[quicksrt]

To me this album is more of an adventure in music than their first quad album/AF SACD. And it sounds so good a clear, with a terrific quad mix, I have to give it a 10. So there, 10.

The condition of the tapes made some of the difference here. It sounds like it was mixed yesterday. The original mix was also quite great, tape hiss on those quiet parts is just not there as I expected. Had there been some hiss, and signs of aging tapes, it still could have been a 9 for me, but since there is not one thing I can find wrong it gets a 10. I don't mind the bass off centered either. The bass player was not positioned in center stage when I saw them live.

 

[Snood]

Wow Just Wow - 1st time ever hearing the album and the discreteness of the Quad is freaking Awesome. Listened to it twice thru

Just amazing - to think what this guy/s could do with say Led Zep III

Very mucho enjoyable - on a rare weekday off listen. MY only nitpick and after checking the stereo version and a couple other sources - Song 2 Travelin Blues...the intro...........the Sax sounds very scratchy and not smooth. It is not the mix and indeed the stereo source is like that too. Thought my speaker left surround was going lol.........

Other than that small thing that is not a fault of the quad........very AWESOME enjoyable Quad. This is one of the ones Snood would pull out to impress.

Hate to give it a 10, just always thinking reserving 10s for major faves that are AWESOME or iconic releases that are AWESOME............but the mix is that good - Snood rarely goes back to back listens in one sitting then picks a few of my fave tracks then listens again..........but did that with this one.

but a 10 it is :banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana:

 

[quicksrt]

Wow Just Wow - 1st time ever hearing the album and the discreteness of the Quad is freaking Awesome. Listened to it twice thru

Just amazing - to think what this guy/s could do with say Led Zep III

Very mucho enjoyable - on a rare weekday off listen. MY only nitpick and after checking the stereo version and a couple other sources - Song 2 Travelin Blues...the intro...........the Sax sounds very scratchy and not smooth. It is not the mix and indeed the stereo source is like that too. Thought my speaker left surround was going lol.........

Other than that small thing that is not a fault of the quad........very AWESOME enjoyable Quad. This is one of the ones Snood would pull out to impress.

Hate to give it a 10, just always thinking reserving 10s for major faves that are AWESOME or iconic releases that are AWESOME............but the mix is that good - Snood rarely goes back to back listens in one sitting then picks a few of my fave tracks then listens again..........but did that with this one.

but a 10 it is :banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana:

Same on mine. And I had mentioned that the mic'ing of Loggin's vocals also has a raspy or gritty sound to it. Maybe they were trying to keep this from becoming an sugary sweet easy listening program, and choose some grit in certain areas. Or else it does actually have some sonic shortcomings in the recording.

I also listened to this album twice back to back.

 

[ar surround]

...I also listened to this album twice back to back.

If this had been vinyl, I would have worn it out by now. Take that you vinyl freaks!!!

I need to revise my initial review. Although I rated this quad a "10", I said that it would be a "9" on an absolute basis compared to a modern Steven Wilson or Elliot Scheiner 5.1 mix. Well, I listened to a couple of those modern 5.1 mixes followed by Full Sail with cranked up volume. This L&M recording is every bit as good as those 5.1 discs...a mega "10" even on an absolute scale.

 

[MIDIQ]

I voted 8. I liked the first release better. Still good. The surround mix is quite good, a 9. Enjoyable.

 

[sperezmore]

Hi Jon,

Sorry for asking again.

Can you post an scan of the back cover?

Thank you.

Regards,

 

[rtbluray]

Hi Jon,

Sorry for asking again.

Can you post an scan of the back cover?

Thank you.

Regards,

I found a picture of the back cover online, so I added that to the first post in this poll thread.
If you want a scan of the back of the slipcase, that's on Jon.

 

[sperezmore]

I found a picture of the back cover online, so I added that to the first post in this poll thread.
If you want a scan of the back of the slipcase, that's on Jon.

Thank you. Would love to have one of the back of the slipcase but that will do.

Regards,

 

[JonUrban]

Hi Jon,

Sorry for asking again.

Can you post an scan of the back cover?

Thank you.

Regards,

Ooops. Sorry, You know what? I don't think I got a retail copy to scan. I'll have to look. Too many piles of stuff.....

 

[rtbluray]

Ooops. Sorry, You know what? I don't think I got a retail copy to scan. I'll have to look. Too many piles of stuff.....

Jon, if you find that you do not have a retail copy, let me know, and I'll scan and upload the back of the slipcase myself.

 

[sperezmore]

Thank you guys

Regards,

 

[quicksrt]

I feel like the more high quality vintage quadraphonic mixes that get reissued in a modern format (like this one), the more it's a testament to why it's worth doing these. There needs to be demo titles out there that really show off the quad mixes when played on current modern formats, SACDs that really bring it home what discreet means in a tasteful way.

This title is such a perfect "pop" album that everyone likes something on it. Where things like the Blue Oyster Cult and Alice Cooper recent quads are thrilling and exciting hard rock which I personally really like, but they are not everyone's cup of tea.

"Full Sail" is the perfect demo disc for an old quad mix playing on a modern system, and is convincing as a desirable item. It will be sad when this goes out of print.

 

[John Svensson]

This baby is a 10er in my Quad book....even in stereo ever since it was released.