HiRez Poll Santana - SANTANA III [SACD]

[rtbluray]

Please post your thoughts and comments on this 2021 reissue of the classic album "Santana III".
This reissue from Sony Japan contains the original 1970s Quadraphonic mix, remastered and released on Multichannel SACD for the first time in over 40 years!

 

[gene]

So much extra instruments on this. Mix is amazing. Made my favorite Santana even better

 

[musicmemorabiliashoppellc]

Gave it a 9 because Santana and Abraxas are 10’s in my books

 

[zimmy]

I think this one even sounded better than i had hoped for. It is almost like listening to an new album. I have heard files from the Quad LP and liked it but i could not imagine that it could be improved so much compared to what i have heard already.

 

[Tribby2001]

Compared the new 7" Japan Quad SACD stereo track to the 2016 MoFi Stereo SACD.

Unfortunately my new listening room is being constructed and my current room is now stereo only (surrounds are boxed to move) and has become a storage/office space while construction continues at a snails pace in the new room - i.e. labour and material shortages are real. So, not an ideal listening area at the moment.

I don't like to make these comparisons simply because I'm not in the trade and my tastes, hearing, equipment, room, etc. is different from anyone else. But to make a cursory stereo comparison through speakers I can say that the Japan release is a tad louder and the Mofi has a tad more bass. That's it! Maybe a comparison through headphones would be in order.

Forgot to add for both but a for Japan's 7" packaging presentation. Buy two and store one for perpetuity.

 

[Todd 987]

It’s like hearing the album for the first time again. All sorts of new sounds
10

 

[Ranasakawa]

It's a 9
I agree with some others the only thing this Quad Mix is missing is some 'Bass'
I have the fan made DVD-A of this but this is superior of course.
A completly different mix from the stereo version with different guitar parts etc etc...

 

[Quad Linda]

10 ESSENTIAL!

The 9's are perplexing, yet it might deserve that in light of the flaws. My criteria is the most listening I've done is Q8 and SQ. Both lacking in bass. The US SQ so much so that the experience is diminished greatly. Still, a fantastic Quad mix and performance. Perhaps the best Santana album ever.

I bought that MoFi 2ch SACD. Have yet to compare it to the 2ch SACD layer here. Bought CD, expanded CD and 2 CD expanded, too.

Flaws, sure. Quad was new, so was noise reduction. Perhaps that explains this record's surround past. Light years better than any Quad version before it. Judge it by that.

 

[marpow]

I voted 10. What a great disc. I agree with others, a album that I know intimately, so cool to hear things that where buried before, or other things that are now more open. The 4.0 and the 2.0 are actually both worth listening to.

Keep polls pure, no off topic or shipping chatter.

 

[Scott65]

Forgot to add for both but a for Japan's 7" packaging presentation. Buy two and store one for perpetuity.

With the high shipping cost to Australia, I wish I had bought 2 copies!

EDIT - nearly forgot to mention - it's a '10'!

 

[kap'n krunch]

an "11"!!!!

 

[Tribby2001]

That's it?! Only 15 votes?

 

[Albert Dagger]

16 now
It's a 10 for me. I knew this quad mix from a tape conversion and the 360 from Tidal. This SACD is the definitive version (it does sound close to the 360 though).
The stereo layers are generally underwhelming on these JP releases. This one is definitely louder than the Mofi, but it is quite a good sounding remaster.
I can't recommend this highly enough!

 

[4-earredwonder]

A simply gorgeous, meticulous remaster played DSD out through an all analogue chain direct to 4 full range speakers. I thought the bass response was more than sufficient.....and the 7" packaging: exquisite!

We have waited literally years for these QUADRAPHONIC SANTANA albums and SONY JAPAN has delivered in spades. I, for one, am on board for ALL future SANTANA QUAD reissues because from what I'm hearing, whether you think or don't think some of their core albums are worthy because of either poor discrete elements or the possibility of being UPMIXED, they are clearly superior to ANY and ALL the SQ VINYL or Q8s which came before..and you will most probably experience flourishes and inner detail absent from the STEREO master tapes!

AN ABSOLUTE 10!

 

[par4ken]

Excellent sound as expected/hoped for. This is the way Quad/Surround should be mixed. Listed to it via the Oppo in native DSD fantastic. Lots of bass, I don't know what some others are complaining about. I'm voting ten because that's as high as the poll goes!!

 

[edisonbaggins]

A blind date with Santana!
(Spoiler alert: we hit it off...)

 

[jefe1]

Good segment Mike
You could mention the other DV Santana quad mix release the one with Alice Coltrane Illuminations. I wonder if DV can get the rights to the Santana Mclaughlin collaboration too.
I read here that the booklet in III lists Caravanserai as coming out next.

 

[quicksrt]

A blind date with Santana!
(Spoiler alert: we hit it off...)

Very nice, enjoyed it. It would have been cool had you pulled out and presented the other two Santana Japan quad SACDs just as as you mentioned them. But if you don't own them then what can you do. If you do own them - it was the perfect moment to show them off as a part of the same series. One can not buy everything, especially at these prices.

 

[The56Kid]

I guess I’d not previously noticed the lead guitar disappearing at the 3:30 mark of No One To Depend On. The solo starts in the LF at the 3:00 mark and proceeds to literally disappear at the 3:30 mark when it shifts to the RF speaker. It’s there and can be faintly heard, but that’s about it. It’s the same way on an old quad conversion I have but it didn’t jump out at me like it does now. Maybe I’m noticing it because of the new higher resolution on the CDJapan SACD. Hard to believe it didn’t similarly jump out to Larry Keyes back in the day.

Holding off on a rating until I can digest it a few more times.

 

[sparkydog1725]

I've tried analogue out from my Pioneer Elite DVD player and HDMI from my Sony Blu-ray player and the bass still sucks. I tried various settings and I did everything but sing Mammy to it and I simply can't get the subwoofers involved at all with this disc. The front channel speakers can provide OK bass but it ain't happening there either. Other than that it sounds fine I guess. I do hate that "James Brown" sounding song though.


Polk Audio T50 front + 4 Polk satellites, a center and 2 Polk subs.
Yamaha RX V-1800 receiver
Pioneer Elite DV-79AVi player
Sony UHP-H1 player