Suggestions for Audio Fidelity Multichannel SACD Releases

[quicksrt]

Sure wish AF could get the "That's the Way of the World" album, but I guess it's already been done or claimed by "others". The lead off 1-2 punch of "Shining Star" into the title track was always a great quad demo for me.

I know, such a great recording and a commercially successful album.... At some point another quad label will spring up and do this one. There is a Kickstarter quad label dyin' to be born. And if piracy weren't so rampant, I'd give it a go myself.

 

[fredblue]

When AF goes back to do an album on SACD by an artist that they just previously did, it must mean that the title did well for them, and that it was not a poor seller.

Yes and to think that only hours ago another Earth Wind & Fire Surround SACD from Audio Fidelity was off the table..

 

[quicksrt]

Yes and to think that only hours ago another Earth Wind & Fire Surround SACD from Audio Fidelity was off the table..

No... it was probably a year or more ago when it became totally 100% off the table.

 

[fredblue]

No... it was probably a year or more ago when it became totally 100% off the table.

Oh, ok I thought you said on here only the other day there are 6 artists that are off the table.. including EW&F.. no mention was made of that being old news and a situation that had since changed, it sounded like that was the current state of play.. thanks for the clarification. Either way it's great news, mega excited about this one! Is there an Amazon pre-order or placeholder yet? I don't wanna miss out on this puppy! :kitty:

 

[bmoura]

A bit extreme, cupboy. Sure, we'd ALL like Multichannel SACDs from MoFi (NOT likely as we're ALL well aware) but MusicDirect has been my go to place for some excellent advice and equipment upgrades for the past few years. Like Analogue Productions their first priority is VINYL with SACD added as an 'afterthought.' Let's not be too harsh or we'll lose another source for hi res physical discs.

Yes, Music Direct owns Mobile Fidelity these days. So MoFi is unlikely to be going away anytime soon.
As for Analogue Productions and Acoustic Sounds, they are planning more SACD releases. As Chad Kassem says "SACD isn't going anywhere".

 

[bmoura]

Yes and to think that only hours ago another Earth Wind & Fire Surround SACD from Audio Fidelity was off the table..

I don't remember anyone at Audio Fidelity using the expression "off the table" with me when it comes to potential releases.
But there are artists that have not given approval for reissues. So there are some catalogs that are not available when it comes to Multichannel SACD reissues.

 

[quicksrt]

I don't remember anyone at Audio Fidelity using the expression "off the table" with me when it comes to potential releases.
But there are artists that have not given approval for reissues. So there are some catalogs that are not available when it comes to Multichannel SACD reissues.

The expression "off the table" was used in relation to titles that are not available for quad SACD, and not because of artists' approval but another strong reason. Surely you know what other reason(s) we are talking about.

 

[4-earredwonder]

The expression "off the table" was used in relation to titles that are not available for quad SACD, and not because of artists' approval but another strong reason. Surely you know what other reason(s) we are talking about.

Whatever the 'politics' involved, for a company [Audio Fidelity] that was producing Gold RBCDs only a scant few years ago and graduating to a 'slew' of Quad hybrid SACD releases as their follow up 'act,' they certainly must be doing something RIGHT!

SONY and Warner's BD~A launch was hotly anticipated but NEVER materialized and Universal's BD~A launch came and went with little fanfare but out of the blue, Audio Fidelity, IMHO, has produced a business model which is steadfast and true and continues to surprise with each and every upcoming release.

 

[bmoura]

The good news is that Fred can put away his "off the table" list of artists.
More Multichannel SACDs to come, along with a few surprises, in the months ahead.

 

[GOS]

The good news is that Fred can put away his "off the table" list of artists.
More Multichannel SACDs to come, along with a few surprises, in the months ahead.

Hell yes! :banana:

 

[bmoura]

Whatever the 'politics' involved, for a company [Audio Fidelity] that was producing Gold RBCDs only a scant few years ago and graduating to a 'slew' of Quad hybrid SACD releases as their follow up 'act,' they certainly must be doing something RIGHT!

Actually there is a connection.

When Gold CDs ended at Audio Fidelity, that's when they started exploring Vinyl LPs and other opportunities.
And one of those other opportunities was my long standing request that they consider Multichannel SACDs, along with Stereo SACD reissues.

The rest, as they say, is history....

 

[4-earredwonder]

Actually there is a connection.

When Gold CDs ended at Audio Fidelity, that's when they started exploring Vinyl LPs and other opportunities.
And one of those other opportunities was my long standing request that they consider Multichannel SACDs, along with Stereo SACD reissues.

The rest, as they say, is history....

Ah, we now have a Quadfather Part II.

Now Brian, your next job, should you accept it, is to lure MoFi away from their stereo centric stance.

 

[bmoura]

Ah, we now have a Quadfather Part II.

Now Brian, your next job, should you accept it, is to lure MoFi away from their stereo centric stance.

Mobile Fidelity has a Stereo mastering studio. The 4 Classical Multichannel SACDs were sent out and transferred from Analog Tape by Paul Stubblebine who has Surround Sound capabilities at his studio.
I'd guess that the added cost of using an outside studio is part of the hurdle for Mobile Fidelity issuing Multichannel SACDs vs. Stereo SACDs.

 

[Clint Eastwood]

Mobile Fidelity has a Stereo mastering studio. The 4 Classical Multichannel SACDs were sent out and transferred from Analog Tape by Paul Stubblebine who has Surround Sound capabilities at his studio.
I'd guess that the added cost of using an outside studio is part of the hurdle for Mobile Fidelity issuing Multichannel SACDs vs. Stereo SACDs.

I don't know how recent this newsletter is but there are some interesting tidbits in it HERE

 

[4-earredwonder]

Mobile Fidelity has a Stereo mastering studio. The 4 Classical Multichannel SACDs were sent out and transferred from Analog Tape by Paul Stubblebine who has Surround Sound capabilities at his studio.
I'd guess that the added cost of using an outside studio is part of the hurdle for Mobile Fidelity issuing Multichannel SACDs vs. Stereo SACDs.

Thanks for that tidbit, Brian. Who does the SACD surround mastering for Analogue Productions: Gus Skinas?

 

[4-earredwonder]

Couldn't agree more with this - the PIR quad mixes (O'Jays, MFSB, Harold Melvin) are amongst the very best of the format and the lush instrumentation lends itself perfectly to surround. Add in the fact that 5 of the 12 albums they released in quad were SQ vinyl-only releases (including Wake Up Everybody as Adam mentions above) and for me it pushes these in to 'most desired' territory.

As Adam also says, the remastered CD of Wake Up Everybody is pretty lousy sounding - I think pretty much all of the Harold Melvin CD's are because none of them were released before the 'loudness war' era. The same goes for MFSB, the only digital release of any of their music that hasn't had the dynamics smashed out of it is one of their greatest hits CDs from the mid 90's. The O'Jays fare better in this regard, aside from 'Survival' who's only US/EU CD release is a single digit dynamic range abomination from the mid 2000's. Coincidentally this is one of their albums that had a SQ vinyl-only release and is a great album to boot...hmmm...

'Wake Up Everybody' is an absolutely beautiful song...can't wait to hear it on the AF compilation and I hope we get to hear more stuff like this in the future.

+100, steelydave

I have been a huge PIR [Philadelphia International Records] fanboy my entire life and would love to see ALL these magnificent recordings released as AF QUAD SACDs.

And like yourself and Adam, Wake Up Everybody has been on my 'hit list' forever in QUAD!

And please, some MFSB is a necessity......talk about gittin' your groove on.........because Love IS the Answer!

And totally agree with Clint....let's stop nitpicking AF's choices (especially on this wonderful sampler).......if you have a problem.... I suggest you start your OWN reissue companies.

 

[fredblue]

Couldn't agree more with this - the PIR quad mixes (O'Jays, MFSB, Harold Melvin) are amongst the very best of the format and the lush instrumentation lends itself perfectly to surround. Add in the fact that 5 of the 12 albums they released in quad were SQ vinyl-only releases (including Wake Up Everybody as Adam mentions above) and for me it pushes these in to 'most desired' territory.

As Adam also says, the remastered CD of Wake Up Everybody is pretty lousy sounding - I think pretty much all of the Harold Melvin CD's are because none of them were released before the 'loudness war' era. The same goes for MFSB, the only digital release of any of their music that hasn't had the dynamics smashed out of it is one of their greatest hits CDs from the mid 90's. The O'Jays fare better in this regard, aside from 'Survival' who's only US/EU CD release is a single digit dynamic range abomination from the mid 2000's. Coincidentally this is one of their albums that had a SQ vinyl-only release and is a great album to boot...hmmm...

'Wake Up Everybody' is an absolutely beautiful song...can't wait to hear it on the AF compilation and I hope we get to hear more stuff like this in the future.

Dave, you are a prince among men.. for your tireless and peerless efforts in the name of Quad preservation, documentation and salutation, I applaud you :worthy

afaik, those stunning SQ LP-only Quads from Philadelphia International are/were;

Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes - Wake Up Everybody (alarm bells ahoy! :yikes )
MFSB - Philadelphia Freedom (took me knee high to a man! :yikes )
O'Jays - Family Reunion (we all love music, just as long as its groovin'! :yikes )
O'Jays - Survival (you've got to give the quaddies, give the quaddies what they want! :yikes )

What was the fifth PIR SQ LP, Dave?

 

[steelydave]

Oops, I miscounted, there's only 4.

On second thought, let's say I was referring to the unreleased Lou Rawls 'Unmistakably Lou' quad mix so I don't have to admit I was wrong.

 

[fredblue]

Oops, I miscounted, there's only 4.

On second thought, let's say I was referring to the unreleased Lou Rawls 'Unmistakably Lou' quad mix so I don't have to admit I was wrong.

Ooh.. very smooth of you, multichannel maestro!

"I'll see you when I git there.." (I realise I'm in a minority of approximately 1 who gives a tuppenny toss about Lou Rawls in Quad but seriously that man could sing sing SING and with those sublime Philly Int'l arrangements of Gamble & Huff, those albums he did for PIR are long overdue a reappraisal imho.. all the better in Surround/Hi-Res.. more of the stuff of dreams I suppose..)

 

[Q-Eight]

How about doing Blood, Sweat & Tears Greatest Hits, but using the longer, album versions of the songs instead since we already have the edited versions on BS&TII.
I know, that's completely bass-ackwards to the way it should be, but the issue wasn't corrected on BS&TII, soooooooo.......

Besides, It's a good album. One I'd probably keep in the car.