HiRez Poll Tomita - PLANETS ULTIMATE EDITION (SACD)

[JonUrban]

Please post your thoughts and comments on this 4.0 SACD issue of Tomita - The Planets (Ultimate Edition), which is derived from the old 1970's RCA Quadraphonic release "THE PLANETS".

Please note this disc is only available from Japan and mail order vendors who obtain stock from Japan. If you have one, please mention where you got it so that other interested members can get a clue as to the best places to get one for themselves.

 

[DuncanS]

Well its weird I'd just been looking at getting this disc, and decided to have a look on the forum for comments, saw this and thought what the heck. So just purchased from amazon.co.uk £39.70, not in stock so I'll have to wait. Most of the other out of stock Japanese SACDs I've bought from amazon have arrived within a few weeks of ordering. I'll post my thoughts once it turns up. I once had a cassette of this, whereabouts now unknown. I did once see Cozy Powell do a storming version of Mars as a drum solo on a Whitesnake tour - complete with gas flames!

I've got a 1991 Dolby Surround CD of Tomita's 1974 Snowflakes are Dancing on RCA-Victor imprint - not the best sound quality.

 

[Scott M4]

My "Ultimate Planets" just arrived today and I had just played half before my wife arrived and I began filling her in on how thrilled I was about the sound and the surround mix. This is a "stellar" active quad mix and has not just been remastered or remixed but also overdubbed by Tomita. The mix is truly immersive with each speaker performing equal duty and the arrangements let the music fill the room. This is what I'm always looking for in a surround mix and rarely experience. I'm looking forward to the full album tomorrow.

I own the RCA 1991 Dolby edition and enjoyed it but this stands high above it with discrete and full sound.

I ordered it from cdjapan on March 19 and it was shipped March 24 with a notice that it usually takes 1-3 weeks to arrive and may take up to 12 weeks. Fortunately it arrived in Toronto by 3 weeks. Including shipping I paid $32 Canadian as I had a 300 Yen deduction for ordering Tomita's "Clare du Lune" ("Snowflakes Are Dancing") the month before.

Highly recommended if you enjoy electronic and/or classical music. A big 10 from me.

 

[Quadro-Action]

The new Cover looks very interesting, but for me the Q4 with the original Tomita sounds well-balanced . I have git this japanese SA-Cd from Amazon. Together I have bought the "Planet Z" from Tomita, because I thought, that thsi would be a new composition with real new electronic music, but it is "only" a further variation of "Planets". Now I own 4 Tomita "Planets" (beneth other Tomitas) - the Q4, the CD-4, The Dolby CD and now the SA-CD. But very interesting is the comparison with the version of an classical orchestra. It is amazing, how similar both versions sounds. Tomita plays exactle the classical score. A real fun to make such an comparison.

Dietrich

Dietrich

 

[kap'n krunch]

I personally have not listened to the original version often enough to compare it to this version,so I really can't hear where the differences are...
If Isao did it , he must have had a photographic memory or have had taken extensive notes to recreate these tracks, since, they sound the same to me...maybe someone can be kind enough to post where the differences are...
With that in mind, as with any Tomita Quad/Surround" release (even the botched DVD-A), the mix is spectacular and I echo my fellow members' opinions (their wives too).
And, since I can't help it, I'm posting the freq spectrum of this SACD , which is THE ONLY one of the ones I have examined that has a REAL extended frequency response for a SACD.
Of course a tenner!(mix, music, etc. AND for having a real freq response not truncated at 20-23K!!

View attachment 10060

 

[Scott M4]

This fellow has a good post discussing some of the changes in the Ultimate edition:
http://www.classitronic.net/tag/tomita-planets-ultimate-edition/

 

[DuncanS]

Its a pretty amazing SACD. I'd love to hear a proper 4.0/5.1 of "Snowflakes Are Dancing".

 

[jberger]

Apparently there is a 4.0 SACD hybrid version of "Snowflakes Are Dancing" available here: http://www.farsidemusic.com/acatalog/TOMITA.html

 

[Scott M4]

Steve Hillage will be playing live with Tomita today and the performance with be streamed live. Details are at Steve's FB page: https://www.facebook.com/steve.hillage?ref=ts&fref=ts There will definitely be music from The Planets in the show.

 

[inquadwetrust]

Too late to the party - I missed the Hillage/Tomita stream. Did you catch it? I love the tweaked version and the sonics are glorious and there is a palpable sense of a journey taking place through the cosmos. As much to do with psychedelia as classical music, I can hear Tomita's influence far and wide and as recent as the new Daft Punk album. I've been watching old Japanese SF movies with Tomita as the sound track, especially 'The X From Outer Space'. Another favourite audio visual combo is the original Tron movie with 'Intergalactic trot'.

 

[edisonbaggins]

Wow. 7/7 10 votes. Kinda says it all.
If you like the recording AT ALL, acquire this POST HASTE...

 

[MrSmithers]

I was delighted to get the SACD and have it completely live up to expectations. It's truly sensational! A must have as far as I'm concerned. I know it's been out on a variety of platforms so very happy to have it now. When your speakers take on their own personality and start talking to each other you just have to smile. The mix, fidelity, content (obv!) is just top notch. I hope Isao and Gustav are having a good old laugh somewhere.... 10.

 

[Rickko]

A few succinct comments about the SACD "Planets".

This all-instrumental release is special. The music pushes my imagination to places of pure auditory pleasure.

The mix is highly creative in placement of sound effects and instruments. The surround parameters are extraordinarily immersive. The spacial qualities allow an airy essence providing for exceptional detail and clarity.

And the sonics are ...... dazzling!

A demonstration quality multi-channel disc. Enough said.

 

[kap'n krunch]

A few succinct comments about the SACD "Planets".

This all-instrumental release is special. The music pushes my imagination to places of pure auditory pleasure.

The mix is highly creative in placement of sound effects and instruments. The surround parameters are extraordinarily immersive. The spacial qualities allow an airy essence providing for exceptional detail and clarity.

And the sonics are ...... dazzling!

A demonstration quality multi-channel disc. Enough said.

Well I'd say that's basically true of all of Tomita's 70's releases!!!

 

[beerking]

One proud owner of a truly remarkable, sonic masterpiece.
If I could vote 11 ( well even 12+ etc), I would. Its that good.
Again, a massive thanks to this site and peeps contributions, without which, I would be floundering around in the surround wilderness.
Voted a massive 10.
Got it via Amazon. com for £23.70, as it shipped from Switzerland!!

 

[skherbeck]

Well, I decided to finally listen to this last night (I hated seeing "Dark Side" displaced from #1 in the polls)... problem is, the mix and fidelity on this disc is perfect! So discrete, so active... and the music is excellent! "The Planets" is great just as a classical piece, but here you get such a cool take on it with all kinds of cool effects and bits... I won't listen to this as often as "Dark Side", but I can't fault it for being a different genre. 10 (sorry Roger & Dave ).

 

[GOS]

Is my browser wonky? Or are there no votes on this?

 

[skherbeck]

Is my browser wonky? Or are there no votes on this?

I see 14 votes...

 

[GOS]

I see 14 votes...

 

[skherbeck]

Usually nothing shows up until you vote... have you voted?