HiRez Poll Blue Oyster Cult - SECRET TREATIES [SACD]

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Rate the SACD of Blue Oyster Cult - SECRET TREATIES


  • Total voters
    48

JonUrban

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First off let me say, growing up, Snood was a huge BOC fan, the earlier stuff was never my faves...............

The thing about this release is that you can start to hear the BOC that would be. Especially on the last 3 tracks Harvester of Eyes/Flaming Telepaths/Astonomy which could have easily slid into Agents or Spectres album tracks

ME262 and Dominance & Submission are classics tooooooooooooooo

So how does this album sound in Quad?? Prettttttty freaking Kooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Yeah everyone is gonna rave about ME262 and Dominance and they were very very good..........

Snood was real impressed with the last 3 songs and also thought that Subhuman was impressive. Career of Evil was meh and altho Cagey Cretins is a mehh song - it was Quadded out pretty well.

Most songs have Rhythym guitars left and right rears and leads shared L & R fronts. Drums (a lil light) mainly in front spread - Snood did have to get up a couple times to make sure the vocals were not coming out of my center. Which is Gooooooooooooooooooood lol

Snood did have a smile on my face for a lot of songs.......:D

And yes Radios Appear in the rear right with some other surprises :yikes

Some songs would rate a 9 and most others about an 8 - so overall Snood giving it 8 bananas :banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana:

Very enjoyable if you like some early 70s rock and also early just starting to find their feet BOC

Oh forgot to mention - listen to it loud - My neighbors enjoyed it:mad:@:
 
My first listen and owning almost all of the MCH Audio Fidelity discs this is a top 5 for me with AF. The 4.0 is absolutely discrete, fun, moves around. Phantom front stereo is great. If this was released in stereo only I would be, whatever, not that thrilled, but this release is a must for audiophiles who enjoy surround. I gave it a 10, definitely will listen again.
 
I gave it a 9 because I'm a generous guy, but otherwise ..what Snood said. Never really a fan back in the hey day, or is it hay day?, but hearing more of them they are rising in esteem with me. Maybe its nostalgia.... I remember some guys in freshman dorm playing "Astronomy", that tune rocks and is a great closer.
 
Decent mix, and decent music. I would love to get their second album quad mix on sacd, i like the music on that one better. Enjoyable. I vote 8.
 
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I just came across this title on eBay. I never saw a B.O.C. quad album in the stores back in the day, but I did get copies of this and Tyranny and Mutation years later (eBay I think). My LP's are not quite mint so I'm really looking forward to this release.

As for the cleaner packaging it looks like they are downplaying the 4.0 aspect of this release, reminds me of the latter days of Quad when the Quadraphonic information and logo were almost invisible.

I wonder why the surround releases are always packaged in silver while the stereo only are in gold, it should be the other way around.

My only other bitch is that it would be nice if the discs were packaged in SACD jewel cases, instead of ordinary CD cases, The SACD boxes are a much better design. I thought of replacing my cases but then you would have to cut down the inserts a bit, I guess that I won't bother.
 
Never owned the album in full before. Had heard the "hits" - I have the Workshops 2 CD set. At any rate, love the songs, love the Quad mix. Only negative I'll bring up is I find albums where tracks run together for no particular purpose kind of annoying. (ie is there really any reason Flaming Telepaths should run into Astronomy? On the other hand, it makes perfect sense on something like Dark Side. Maybe it is just me...) Astronomy moves up in my favorite songs list every time I hear it. :)
 
Been a Blue Oyster Cult fan since the beginning, and always thought of Secret Treaties as being the third of a trilogy. This is probably my fave BOC album with Tyranny and Mutation a close second. Audio-wise, the Quad has a thick mid-range sound with a somewhat veiled high-end, but that's exactly as I remember the stereo LP. The great thing about the multi-channel is that you can now hear the instruments with much greater clarity. It's an amazingly discrete mix with most of the rhythm guitars in the back and leads in front with plenty of great panning sound effects from time to time.

As others have commented, Astronomy is a highlight of the album, and I think the best track they ever cut. Harvester of Eyes (that blistering ode to the horror of television) is also an unforgettable standout. Secret Treaties is an all-around great classic album of sinister, intellectual meta-metal that is still a kick-in-the-head decades later. Oh yeah, and the louder played, the better :)

It's an easy 10 for me.
 
I have had a (well-played) DTS CD of the Quad LP in my car for ages, so this was an insta-buy for me. I've never been the biggest fan of AF (or Steve Hoffman) but I am glad someone is resurrecting these quad mixes in good quality for those of us that care. I'd be interested to see if they can get ahold of any of the Aerosmith titles. Rocks is another quad disc I spin often.

Only thing that sucks is I have to rip the disc and convert to DTS for car playback.
 
Got this on Sunday, and cranked it. A little dull without EQ but that's fine, really. The fidelity is what I love. Much clearer than the Quad rip, especially towards the end of the sides - "ME 262" sounds fantastic. Well worth the buy.
 
The proverbial "lifting of the veil" applies here, I can finally hear everything clearly, especially the vocals. Count me as another who had to walk over to the center speaker and double check it was not in play, the vocal imaging is spot on. Lots of stand outs, my favorite track off this title is Dominance and Submission and it's just outstanding. Subhuman is greatly enhanced by the quad mix and now immerses you in its off-kilter vibe and the creepy Harvester of Eyes with its scorcher of a guitar solo never sounded better. Best version I've heard by far, it's a 10.
 
yup, I'd agree witht he phantom center being spot on..
OTOH, I'm sure this has nothing over 22K, but , hey, this was 74 and also, their records from that era were never too bright sounding...
 
There doesn't seem to have been as much interest in this title as a lot of others, but next to Tales (which is being delivered today!) this was my most anticipated release of the year. And it didn't disappoint. I spent many an hour as a teenager in a 1974 Toyota Corolla with a Q8 deck listening to this one with friends and have always loved it. Radios have been appearing in my right rear speaker for decades! This mix was the only way I heard this album for years and is the way it's supposed to sound to me. I don't think anyone will confuse it with an audiophile recording as it's raw and basic sounding, but great stuff for me. The lyrics are so great. Not for the meaning, but just for how cool they sound.
Sure hope they bring out Tyranny and Mutation also.

K
 
Sounds excellent in terms of fidelity, mix is discrete well-balanced quad, and music rocks. 3/3 for fidelity; 3/3 for mix; 2/3 for content... 8 overall. If you are a Harvester of Quads, this is a must have.
 
BÖC is one of my favourite bands, I tend to appreciate their entire catalogue except perhaps for the latest two. Always moving, thoughtful, well executed and that mysterious feeling that only this band is able to create.

I was thrilled that Audio Fidelity released this. First off a very well made midrange spot-on stereo mix (Steve Hoffman may very well be a bit childish on the master/remix matter but he do know how to master an album, I give him that).

Surround wise I'm very pleased with the mix, it's very careful made with just enough balance between the fronts (mainly drums, bass, lead vocals) and rears (more guitar, organ). ME 262 doesn't sound as messy in the refrain compared to stereo. The three last tracks, by many considered to make up for their strongest side of an LP, including me, work wonderful in surrround, big sounds, many elements, groovy and melodic at the same time. Last but not least, this is VERY easy to crank up. In fact it calls for cranking.

A 10.
 
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Apart from THAT track, don't know anything about BOC. Missed them along the way. Got this disc, just to see. And what a brilliant album - I loved it! And the surround mix is beautifully discrete and nicely messy too - the style that really appeals to me. Makes it worth having those rear speakers... Currently addicted to Dominance & Submission - and that various voice interaction towards the end. What terrific listening fun indeed! Bright, sharp, impactful - with lots of lovely guitar work along the way... Yet another great find! 10 from me.
 
I guess maybe it's just me after reading the above but the dynamics seem flat to me, I have to kick in the DBX expanders to get this punched up. Love BOC since I was 13!
 
That’s par for the course for Hoffman-mastered stuff. At least it sounded good, EQ can take care of the lack of bass.
 
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