Suggestions for Audio Fidelity Multichannel SACD Releases

[cupboy]

:violin
We've just been discussing how that's pretty much impossible now because of MOFI.
The only way that could change is if Sony decides they want to release the classic Santana Quad mixes themselves on DVD and/or Blu-Ray, cause SACD is out of the question right now…

SACD is always out of the question for Sony, except for the renegade Hong Kong operation.

 

[bmoura]

SACD is always out of the question for Sony, except for the renegade Hong Kong operation.

But Sony Music does license Santana and other artists to the reissue labels for SACD release.

 

[leahypc]

SACD is always out of the question for Sony, except for the renegade Hong Kong operation.

...and Grace by Jeff Buckley (ORG release)...

 

[bmoura]

...and Grace by Jeff Buckley (ORG release)...

Yes, another Sony Music title licensed to a reissue label for SACD release.

 

[steelydave]

I wonder if they found the other missing L&M Quads? That would be kind of neat.

After 'Full Sail' the only other L&M quad mix that AF haven't done is 'Native Sons' from 1976. Mark Anderson confirmed in another thread that the listing of a Japanese SQ release of 'Sittin In' was erroneous and it was stereo-only. I've seen a photo of that LP jacket too and it looks like plain stereo to me too, it doesn't bear the SQ and 'SX-74' logos that all the other CBS/Sony Japan quads have.

Unless there are unreleased quads of 'Motherlode' (1974) or 'So Fine' (1975) or the 'On Stage' live album from 1974, in which case all bets are off. All three of them were engineered by Alex Kazanegras so it's not out of the realm of possibility given he worked on the released quad mixes of Full Sail and Native Sons.

 

[quicksrt]

I think it's also worth mentioning that the release of Full Sail augurs well for the unearthing of more missing/lost quad mixes, because when AF put out the quad mix of the self-titled Loggins & Messina album they said it was the only L&M quad mix Sony could find in their vaults. At the risk of sounding like a broken record (no pun intended, ha ha) when labels (especially enormous conglomerates like Sony) can't find something in their vaults it's infinitely more likely that it's just lost (either poorly catalogued or uncatalogued in a huge warehouse with a million other tapes) rather than having actually been stolen or destroyed. I hope that AF and other reissue labels like Vocalion continue to prove this theory of mine correct in the months and years to come.

I agree in general, things are more often misplaced or mislabeled and are there to be found if one has the time and money to spend searching. Universal Music Group might be the exception where things that appear lost or gone are in fact gone. I fear some quad masters did end up in ashes there. I had been waiting for anything quad from A&M appearing and am thrilled that a Rick Wakeman quad mix title has recently appeared.

 

[4-earredwonder]

I agree in general, things are more often misplaced or mislabeled and are there to be found if one has the time and money to spend searching. Universal Music Group might be the exception where things that appear lost or gone are in fact gone. I fear some quad masters did end up in ashes there. I had been waiting for anything quad from A&M appearing and am thrilled that a Rick Wakeman quad mix title has recently appeared.

The Rick Wakeman QUAD DVD~A of Journey to the Center of the Earth was, in fact, derived from an Q8 (Quad Eight Track). Unfortunately, the original QUAD master tapes are lost or.....misplaced.

Perhaps one day some of the A&M and missing QUADS from other labels will be found, when least expected, searching for other masters.

Prince had the right idea. Keep them all locked up in one place, meticulously labeled for future prosperity.......er, posterity {but I think I said it right the first time}.

 

[rtbluray]

Prince had the right idea. Keep them all locked up in one place, meticulously labeled for future prosperity.......er, posterity {but I think I said it right the first time}.

Yes, but in order to do that, Prince had to first wrestle control away from Warner Music (his major label) and there's not many recording artists that have successfully done that.
(Of course it's always best if you can retain control of your recordings from the start, but that's not usually how the system works.)

 

[fizzywiggs41]

Very good news! It sounds like you have heard an early test of it! I had not given up on that one being located at some point, like the tapes found at a mastering facility or overseas office of Columbia Records.

I hope we hear of how these master tapes were found after first try was not successful. Sony Japan was my first thought.

I saw L&M on the tour for Full Sail, so it's a special title for me. I'm buying it for sure.

You bring up an excellent observation by mentioning SONY JAPAN.

I often wonder when we might be able to see some of the SONY JAPANESE quads of European and U.S. artists that were only issued in quad in Japan.!! Hopefully one day soon....they will provide A.F. access for quad sacd's, from these foreign quad vaults.I mean after all Sony is Sony Worldwide.

 

[DuncanS]

Plus its hard to imagine a Japanese company in Japan losing its master tapes!

You bring up an excellent observation by mentioning SONY JAPAN.

I often wonder when we might be able to see some of the SONY JAPANESE quads of European and U.S. artists that were only issued in quad in Japan.!! Hopefully one day soon....they will provide A.F. access for quad sacd's, from these foreign quad vaults.I mean after all Sony is Sony Worldwide.

 

[Q-Eight]

The Rick Wakeman QUAD DVD~A of Journey to the Center of the Earth was, in fact, derived from an Q8 (Quad Eight Track). Unfortunately, the original QUAD master tapes are lost or.....misplaced.

Perhaps one day some of the A&M and missing QUADS from other labels will be found, when least expected, searching for other masters.

Prince had the right idea. Keep them all locked up in one place, meticulously labeled for future prosperity.......er, posterity {but I think I said it right the first time}.

Richard Carpenter did an interview a few years back in which he stated unequivocally that the Carpenters multitracks perished in the big Universal Fire. He was asked if he would go back and do any other remixing to which he sadly stated the above and that the 5.1 SACD was the last project they did with the multitracks. When they'd finished the SACD project, the tapes went to that Universal warehouse and were waiting to be transferred to a safe(r) location when the fire happened. He was unsure but doubtful that digital copies were made. As far as he was aware, all that remains now are the stereo masters and the SACD masters. The Quad masters were lost/destroyed eons ago. Possibly some mono masters have been spread around to alternate locations as a few have surfaced recently.

Cool to see 'Full Sail' happen. Going from big disappointment that it was "lost" to absolute elation now that it's "found". Might as well complete the trilogy with the 'Native Sons' album as that was SQ only. Would be prudent for them to do a serious cull of the archives to be doubly sure there isn't another unreleased Quad Gem in there. Even though there was some disappointment with Sittin' In not being in Quad, at least we got closure and can now absolutely declare it never happened.

My hopes are that Audio Fidelity pushes for more Quads that were SQ-only so we can finally hear them in their fully-discrete glory. An awful lot of late-era titles (1975, '76, '77) are SQ-only.

The irony is not lost on me however in regards to B,S&T's GH now coming soon. This was I titled I was told previously "wouldn't happen" due to various BS reasons. Never say Never. But can we please get the correct edits on this one? BST II got the radio edits due to time limitations on the original Quad tape. Can we have the full versions on this GH so as not to have the same songs twice?

 

[quicksrt]

Richard Carpenter did an interview a few years back in which he stated unequivocally that the Carpenters multitracks perished in the big Universal Fire. He was asked if he would go back and do any other remixing to which he sadly stated the above and that the 5.1 SACD was the last project they did with the multitracks. When they'd finished the SACD project, the tapes went to that Universal warehouse and were waiting to be transferred to a safe(r) location when the fire happened. He was unsure but doubtful that digital copies were made. As far as he was aware, all that remains now are the stereo masters and the SACD masters. The Quad masters were lost/destroyed eons ago. Possibly some mono masters have been spread around to alternate locations as a few have surfaced recently.

I'm waiting word that Joan Baez' Diamonds and Rust stereo and quad mixed masters are both there and in good shape. A&M do not have that deep a quad catalog, but there art some real gems in it and that is one.

Yeah, the news that Full Sail was not happening in quad back when, was a real downer which I had a hard time with. It was like like, why? I just don't get it. And now, we find that that master is found and in immaculate condition!!

The surround format continues to pick up steam. Each new thing that AF issues seems to make the majors kick out a box set or two or three. I sense healthy competition.

 

[4-earredwonder]

I'm waiting word that Joan Baez' Diamonds and Rust stereo and quad mixed masters are both there and in good shape. A&M do not have that deep a quad catalog, but there art some real gems in it and that is one.

Yeah, the news that Full Sail was not happening in quad back when, was a real downer which I had a hard time with. It was like like, why? I just don't get it. And now, we find that that master is found and in immaculate condition!!

The surround format continues to pick up steam. Each new thing that AF issues seems to make the majors kick out a box set or two or three. I sense healthy competition.

I've also long petitioned for the release of Diamonds and Rust on QUAD SACD but I believe the answer was that the Quad master no longer exists. A number of Joan's Vanguard albums were also released in QUAD .... among them Blessed Are, David's Album and a Greatest Hits album. Would like to see those albums released, as well.

 

[fizzywiggs41]

I've also long petitioned for the release of Diamonds and Rust on QUAD SACD but I believe the answer was that the Quad master no longer exists. A number of Joan's Vanguard albums were also released in QUAD .... among them Blessed Are, David's Album and a Greatest Hits album. Would like to see those albums released, as well.

If ever Audio Fidelity gets the inclination to seek out VANGUARD'S Quad's please consider all of Joan Baez album's and the two by Country Joe And The Fish, Greatest Hits and "From Haight Ashbury To Woodstock"

Country Joe and Joan Baez are uppermost on my re issue list, for Vanguard (Welk Music, now) and they likely have a few mixed in quad but withdrawn last minute, such as the Country Joe's solo, and Seigal Schwall Band just to name a couple.

 

[fizzywiggs41]

...and Grace by Jeff Buckley (ORG release)...

Question-4 anyone.

Was the Cd/Dvd of Buckley's Grace mixed in 5.1DD ?????? I always wondered when I looked it over, and well,Sony is notoriuosly bad for not indicating surround on some cd/dvd's I've noticed.

 

[timbre4]

Question-4 anyone.

Was the Cd/Dvd of Buckley's Grace mixed in 5.1DD ?????? I always wondered when I looked it over, and well,Sony is notoriuosly bad for not indicating surround on some cd/dvd's I've noticed.

PMFJI - I have this Grace stereo SACD import, that's what this is.

 

[JonUrban]

If ever Audio Fidelity gets the inclination to seek out VANGUARD'S Quad's please consider all of Joan Baez album's and the two by Country Joe And The Fish, Greatest Hits and "From Haight Ashbury To Woodstock"

Country Joe and Joan Baez are uppermost on my re issue list, for Vanguard (Welk Music, now) and they likely have a few mixed in quad but withdrawn last minute, such as the Country Joe's solo, and Seigal Schwall Band just to name a couple.

"Paradise with an Ocean View" - Wow, had not thought about that album in decades. Good pick, was set for CD-4 release from Fantasy when the quad plug was pulled. Wonder if the quad mix was done, I would guess yes. The song "Breakfast for Two" got a lot of play around Virginia Beach at the time and that's what got me to buy the album back there, my wife really liked that tune.

Funny thing is, I just played it for her off YouTube and she did not remember it. Quite frankly, I haven't heard it myself in over 30 years. Funny how songs disappear on you as you get older. No "Stairway to Heaven" effect on this one!

 

[fizzywiggs41]

"Paradise with an Ocean View" - Wow, had not thought about that album in decades. Good pick, was set for CD-4 release from Fantasy when the quad plug was pulled. Wonder if the quad mix was done, I would guess yes. The song "Breakfast for Two" got a lot of play around Virginia Beach at the time and that's what got me to buy the album back there, my wife really liked that tune.

Funny thing is, I just played it for her off YouTube and she did not remember it. Quite frankly, I haven't heard it myself in over 30 years. Funny how songs disappear on you as you get older. No "Stairway to Heaven" effect on this one!

Yes that FANTASY Records disc would be great, Jon .And if AUDIO FIDELITY could access the Fantasy cataloge, well great I think.Now that particular disc is with UMG, however.
The disc on Vanguard I was thinking about is Country Joe-Paris Sessions VSQ-40022 and a quick check of Mark's quad discogrophy states there was a second unreleased/withdrawn quad by Country Joe, titled simply Country Joe VSQ-40043.

Well who knows one day we may all get our quad wish, for me the more A.F. seeks out hidden quads, withdrawn last minute by the respective labels involved, the happier I become.

It's good to know as were on the same page, I think, when comes to these elusive gems.

 

[cupboy]

If ever Audio Fidelity gets the inclination to seek out VANGUARD'S Quad's please consider all of Joan Baez album's and the two by Country Joe And The Fish, Greatest Hits and "From Haight Ashbury To Woodstock"

Country Joe and Joan Baez are uppermost on my re issue list, for Vanguard (Welk Music, now) and they likely have a few mixed in quad but withdrawn last minute, such as the Country Joe's solo, and Seigal Schwall Band just to name a couple.

And especially PDQ Bach.

Richard Carpenter did an interview a few years back in which he stated unequivocally that the Carpenters multitracks perished in the big Universal Fire. He was asked if he would go back and do any other remixing to which he sadly stated the above and that the 5.1 SACD was the last project they did with the multitracks....

They could make some pretty good sounding surround SACDs from those Japan Quad reels, for example Now & Then.

 

[DuncanS]

I didn't know Country Joe had some Quad recordings, I'd like those to be released! Seen him twice, once in around 75/76 and then at the Cropredy Festival in 2005, picked up a brilliant live album of his "Live In Berkeley" there.

If ever Audio Fidelity gets the inclination to seek out VANGUARD'S Quad's please consider all of Joan Baez album's and the two by Country Joe And The Fish, Greatest Hits and "From Haight Ashbury To Woodstock"

Country Joe and Joan Baez are uppermost on my re issue list, for Vanguard (Welk Music, now) and they likely have a few mixed in quad but withdrawn last minute, such as the Country Joe's solo, and Seigal Schwall Band just to name a couple.