Universal Japan SHM-SACDs

[Bob Squires Jr]

Rumored to be coming on November 27th, 2013:

Cream – Disraeli Gears
Rod Stewart – Every Picture Tells A Story
Supertramp – Breakfast in America
The Sex Pistols – Never Mind the Bollocks
The Police – Regatta de Blanc

All stereo of course.

-B

 

[cupboy]

Now I need to sell my Blu-ray Pure Audio Supertramp. Good thing I never did open it. Overall those are fairly weak titles, mostly from the 60s. Glad to see them re-starting the program though. I'll be buying some for sure.

Surprise: Looks like the two Queen Hits collections are un-cancelled!

http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/search/musi...formattype_1/pagesize_1/year_2013/?fmtSacd=on

http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/artist_Rod-...m_Every-Picture-Tells-A-Story-Ltd-Pps_5542464

 

[Bob Squires Jr]

Glad to see them re-starting the program though. I'll be buying some for sure.

Yeah, I thought they were done and gone.
All the others appeared to go out of print.
I have the original Regatta (this one is supposed to be a total new remaster) and
I have the BDA of Supertramp.
I'll probably be getting the other 3 though.
I'd have rather seen Disraeli Gears than Wheels so now...
Need them to do Thin Lizzy's Jailbreak instead of Black Rose and
Uriah Heep either Demons & Wizards or Sweet Freedom instead of Look At Yourself.
It seems when given a choice, they'll pick the most off the wall album about 70% of the time.
Others they do OK on.

 

[Quad Linda]

The SHM-SACD's of Wheels of Fire, Who's Next, Blind Faith & Aja sound like crap. The standard CD's sound better, although ALL Cd's I've heard of Who's Next sound like crap, except the German CD which sounds great.

Innervisions, John Barleycorn and Who Singles sound good.

 

[bmoura]

The SHM-SACD's of Wheels of Fire, Who's Next, Blind Faith & Aja sound like crap. The standard CD's sound better, although ALL Cd's I've heard of Who's Next sound like crap, except the German CD which sounds great.

Innervisions, John Barleycorn and Who Singles sound good.

Like many remasters, it always depends on the source used and the mastering. The Who - The Singles is very good on SHM-SACD along with Steely Dan's Aja and the Stevie Wonder albums, among others.
Interestingly, I've been told that some recording artists actually got involved in providing better master sources for later releases in the SHM-SACD series. So the Japanese audiophiles must be very vocal about what they expect from such a premium reissue series !

 

[bmoura]

Yeah, I thought they were done and gone.
All the others appeared to go out of print.
I have the original Regatta (this one is supposed to be a total new remaster) and
I have the BDA of Supertramp.
I'll probably be getting the other 3 though.
I'd have rather seen Disraeli Gears than Wheels so now...
Need them to do Thin Lizzy's Jailbreak instead of Black Rose and
Uriah Heep either Demons & Wizards or Sweet Freedom instead of Look At Yourself.
It seems when given a choice, they'll pick the most off the wall album about 70% of the time.
Others they do OK on.

Some of the SHM-SACDs are out of print, but most are still available.

For a run down, visit the CD Japan web site and their SHM-SACD section at http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/popular_formats/SHM-SACD/index.html and
their list of the 177 SHM-SACD discs still available in best selling order at http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/popular_formats/SHM-SACD/next_SHM-SACD.html

If you visit the individual music categories in that section (Pop/Rock, Jazz, etc.) it shows all SHM-SACD releases including those out of print and ones that
were announced but then later cancelled.

I just sent another order to them for more....

 

[Quad Linda]

Of course, it all depends on the source and mastering. Garbage in = garbage out.

Like many remasters, it always depends on the source used and the mastering. The Who - The Singles is very good on SHM-SACD along with Steely Dan's Aja and the Stevie Wonder albums, among others.
Interestingly, I've been told that some recording artists actually got involved in providing better master sources for later releases in the SHM-SACD series. So the Japanese audiophiles must be very vocal about what they expect from such a premium reissue series !

 

[bmoura]

Of course, it all depends on the source and mastering. Garbage in = garbage out.

Agreed.

One of the great things about the early days of the SACD format is the Sony SACD Project team was very careful about the albums issued. How they were prepared, sources, mixing, mastering, etc. They focused on audiophile labels like Telarc, DMP and FIM long before majors like Sony Music even started releasing SACDs. The result is that some of the earliest SACD releases are very, very good and a number are direct to DSD original recordings vs. reissues. Ah, for a return to those days....

 

[soundboy]

Some of the SHM-SACDs are out of print, but most are still available.

There are SHM-SACD titles, like Dire Straits' "Communique", that went out-of-print and then go back in print again.

 

[bmoura]

There are SHM-SACD titles, like Dire Straits' "Communique", that went out-of-print and then go back in print again.

Is that right? Well, I'm not following them that closely. But I do grab the ones I'm interested when they first come out - just in case.... !

 

[Quad Linda]

Japan's history is that things regularly go in and out of print.

There are SHM-SACD titles, like Dire Straits' "Communique", that went out-of-print and then go back in print again.

 

[CPR]

Linda;

I've listened to all of them on a Goldmund Super system; not mine
Agree on Wheel's of Fire, & Blind Faith
Neutral on Who's Next; (Best version is the re-master), IMO; not sure if that's the German version
Strongly, disagree on Aja; sonics are awesome; ditto, dynamic range
Goldmund doesn't lie; one listen, & you're hooked

 

[bmoura]

Linda;

I've listened to all of them on a Goldmund Super system; not mine
Agree on Wheel's of Fire, & Blind Faith
Neutral on Who's Next; (Best version is the re-master), IMO; not sure if that's the German version
Strongly, disagree on Aja; sonics are awesome; ditto, dynamic range
Goldmund doesn't lie; one listen, & you're hooked

Same experience here with the SHM-SACD of Aja by Steely Dan. Very good !

 

[holland123]

I have not heard the aja disc but the 4 or 5 that i have heard were flat and lifeless. Sounded filtered. The best way to describe the sound to my ear is Similar to the effect achieved with a bedsheet over a microphone. So i have to agree with linda on this one. They need to do alot better than that if they want my money.

 

[bmoura]

Now I need to sell my Blu-ray Pure Audio Supertramp. Good thing I never did open it. Overall those are fairly weak titles, mostly from the 60s. Glad to see them re-starting the program though. I'll be buying some for sure.

Surprise: Looks like the two Queen Hits collections are un-cancelled!

http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/search/musi...formattype_1/pagesize_1/year_2013/?fmtSacd=on
http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/artist_Rod-...m_Every-Picture-Tells-A-Story-Ltd-Pps_5542464

Last time I looked, Queen's Greatest Hits was the #1 selling SHM-SACD on CD Japan. So it's doing very well within that format for them.
I also had a laugh when I saw that Universal Japan also released Queen's Flash Gordon Soundtrack on SHM-SACD. That could be fun.

 

[soundboy]

Is that right? Well, I'm not following them that closely. But I do grab the ones I'm interested when they first come out - just in case.... !

At their price, I had to grab each SHM-SACD one at a time. I was working towards completing my Dire Straits SHM-SACD collection when "Communique" went out of print at cdjapan. I checked Japan HMV.....also not available. Waited for several months....nothing. Maybe it is out of print.....for good. Then, while cruising cdjapan's website, I noticed the "Communique" SHM-SACD available again. I ordered it immediately.

 

[cupboy]

Last time I looked, Queen's Greatest Hits was the #1 selling SHM-SACD on CD Japan. So it's doing very well within that format for them.
I also had a laugh when I saw that Universal Japan also released Queen's Flash Gordon Soundtrack on SHM-SACD. That could be fun.

Greatest Hits was canceled last year, then came out in 2013. In the meantime I bought the individual discs to get the songs I wanted. USA retailers don't seem to know that this got released finally.

 

[bmoura]

Greatest Hits was canceled last year, then came out in 2013. In the meantime I bought the individual discs to get the songs I wanted. USA retailers don't seem to know that this got released finally.

Just received that one this week. It has a date of 12/2012, so it was finished awhile back. Definitely out in Japan, even if it hasn't hit the U.S. stores.

 

[cupboy]

Rumored to be coming on November 27th, 2013:

Cream – Disraeli Gears
Rod Stewart – Every Picture Tells A Story
Supertramp – Breakfast in America
The Sex Pistols – Never Mind the Bollocks
The Police – Regatta de Blanc

All stereo of course.

-B

Except for Disraeli Gears. It has the stereo version and the mono version. Buying this one for sure!

 

[bmoura]

CD Japan is also showing Singles 1969-1973 by the Carpenters as a December 18th SHM-SACD release.
http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=UIGY-9542