Take Five SACD

[Brad225]

I picked up the Dave Brubeck Take Five SACD (non hybrid on Columbia) disc this week to compare to the Redbook disc I already have.
I noticed immediately that the mix appeared much different. The left speaker content seems to be at a much lower level that the right. On the first track Blue Rondo A La Turk the cymbal that is very pronounced on Redbook is very faint on SACD. Over all the sound of the disc is great but just the faintness of the left side.

I have no problem with any other discs that I both versions of.

I would not have thought anything about it if I had not have been used to hearing it on the Redbook version.

Do any of you have this disc and does it sound like that. Is it possible for it to just be a bad disc.

 

[User211]

I believe I can help here - I was given a free SACD at the Hong Kong hi-end show this year. I am listening to the one Dave Brubeck track - Take 5. It has a very right hand side balance. Someone has made a mess of it. A bad mess.

I heard this same track many years ago via some French Cabasse speakers and it sounded sublime. No channel imbalance either.

The SACD I have doesn't sound great, to be honest. But it is not SACD as a format's fault. This is just a duff version. An original vinyl pressing will blow what I am hearing away... god knows how available that is and what it would cost, though.

 

[miljac]

I have a hybrid Columbia Time Out SACD and it's just great. No imbalance at all.

 

[User211]

Must have come from a different source.

No need for an original vinyl version then! Cool.

 

[zaphod]

Must have come from a different source.

No need for an original vinyl version then! Cool.

hate to burst it for you, but my redbook mix is different than my vinyl mix.

 

[User211]

Possibly cooler still...? Thoughts Brubeck fans? For alas, I am not. Good stuff, though.

 

[zaphod]

the higher end - particularly the cymbols - sound a lot better. more like the true sound of a cymbol being whacked. cf. the opening of Blue Rondo.

 

[risabet]

An original vinyl pressing will blow what I am hearing away... god knows how available that is and what it would cost, though.

Classic reissue available for $32.99

http://store.acousticsounds.com/browse_detail.cfm?Title_ID=11733

The 45rpm reissue (backordered) is stunning and is "only" $99.99.

 

[amey01]

I've got a few albums that sound different, particularly Natalie Merchant's Tigerlilly on CD and DVD-A (the CD is far superior!).

I don't know enough about the mastering process to guess as to what is responsible for making such wildly differing sound quality happen.

But given the abovementioned CD sounds so brilliant, I was miffed that the DVD-A was much lower in the pecking order.