Thanks for the clarification and feedback!
I really really wish D/V would provide 30-second samples of their SACD quad content, so I wouldn’t feel like I was diving in blind. I’m so tempted to place a big classical order, but I’m afraid the discs won’t end up discrete enough for my tastes. The only D/V classical(ish) SACD I’ve taken a chance on so far is the Bernard Herrmann film score one, and although I love his music, I didn’t find a ton of discrete excitement to my ears.
So... if I’m significantly more of a discrete guy than an immersive guy... if a priority to me is stuff tickling my ears from the rears (not that I want a totally incoherent mix, of course)... if I’m a big fan of the mixes on, say, the Elton John SACDS, or Fragile, or Larks’ Tongues In Aspic, or (in the D/V library) the Earth Wind & Fire 2fer or Tale Spinnin’... which of D/V’s classical issues are likely to make me the happiest?
Or are my ears the problem, and I just need to recalibrate my expectations for classical quad?
Of the 'roughly' 15K SACDs released to date since the late 90's to present, MOST of them remain Classical and only a handful are really discrete...and most of them hail from that early to mid 70's period when labels like RCA and Columbia [now SONY] were pushing their various matrix systems.
The classical label TACET known for their REAL SURROUND discrete classical mixes is probably the exception but if you want to really hear a full blown Beethoven Ninth in DISCRETE surround, the TACET 9th is NOT IT [but remains highly enjoyable].
And if you're a frequent reader of QQ forum, even a LOT of the Rock, Pop and Jazz multichannel SACDs and DVD~Vs produced today lack in what I would term high quality surround remixes.
But if you enjoy all types of music [I know I DO], in terms of discreteness, I take the good with the bad as long as the performances are worthy and in most cases with Classical, the recordings are state of the art, are UNCOMPRESSED, and will tax even the FINEST of audio systems [read separate components and credible tower speakers].
A few years ago, classical label Pentatone embarked on releasing literally dozens of very high quality QUAD SACDs from European labels Philips and DGG and out of those only a handful had any discrete elements and most of them were operas [like Leonard Bernsteins CARMEN]. These QUAD treasures were NEVER until that time released even as physical QUAD LPs but those performances are legendary and well worth adding to one's collection.
Before I go any further, I LOVE discrete surround as much as the next 'guy' but I also love beautiful, well performed, well recorded music and just sampling a few seconds of a classical piece is hardly representative of the piece itself.
I do own ALL the classical multichannel/stereo SACDs released by Dutton Vocalion and LOVE THEM ALL. They are superbly remastered from the original QUAD/Stereo analogue masters and while some are way more discrete than others, with the bonus tracks included on most of those SACDs and at the price D~V is charging, no brainer purchases, IMO. If you do NOT like opera [I'm really not a big fan] steer clear of them but also realize all of them are LIMITED EDITIONS and once they're gone ... you'll be paying outrageous prices on ebay, etc.
I just posted in the D~V thread that their new batch of 11 Rock/Jazz and Classical SACDs represent over 20 single LP Discs [stereo and QUAD] and with priority s/h from the UK to the States are priced at under $10 per single LP. When one considers what US reissue companies AP and MoFi charge for a single Stereo/MONO SACD [$30 list with little to no discounting], D~V is literally giving their SACDs away. But rather than take my word for it, carefully research each title and make up your own mind and read the various reviews on QQ forum to finalize your purchasing decisions.
In any event, happy listening!