HiRez Poll Carpenters - SINGLES 1969-1981 [SACD]

QuadraphonicQuad

Help Support QuadraphonicQuad:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Rate the SACD of Carpenters - SINGLES 1969-1981


  • Total voters
    124
I gave it a 10. Wasn't a big fan back when but this disk is awesome sounding for all the reasons mentioned above. Clean, clear and well-mixed. One of the best pop SACD releases so far. (y) (y) (y)
 
I finally had a chance to give this one a spin. I fully expected not to like it since Richard saw fit to remix the (generally quite favorable) quad mixes.

Okay Richard, ya done good! Yeah, the original quad mixes (for the most part) are on the aggressive side, and for this I appreciate them. But Richard's attention to the cohesiveness of the soundfield have not gone unnoticed here. Not overly discrete, but enough to satisfy the earbuds, and ultimately extremely well balanced.

Clarity and resolution are top-notch. Yep, there is noise reduction, but it is tastefully employed. I am quite happy with the results.

One thing about this mix is that the center channel is quite active and is not compromised in any way. In other words, I find myself wishing for a fully realized center channel in my system! I can certainly tell that I'm missing out here...

All in all, a great collection of songs, spectacular performance and production, with a tasteful well-balanced surround mix. It all adds up to to 10 points in my book!
 
Cai Campbell said:
I finally had a chance to give this one a spin. I fully expected not to like it since Richard saw fit to remix the (generally quite favorable) quad mixes.

Okay Richard, ya done good! Yeah, the original quad mixes (for the most part) are on the aggressive side, and for this I appreciate them. But Richard's attention to the cohesiveness of the soundfield have not gone unnoticed here. Not overly discrete, but enough to satisfy the earbuds, and ultimately extremely well balanced.

Clarity and resolution are top-notch. Yep, there is noise reduction, but it is tastefully employed. I am quite happy with the results.

One thing about this mix is that the center channel is quite active and is not compromised in any way. In other words, I find myself wishing for a fully realized center channel in my system! I can certainly tell that I'm missing out here...

All in all, a great collection of songs, spectacular performance and production, with a tasteful well-balanced surround mix. It all adds up to to 10 points in my book!

I'd agree. It's an excellent 5.1 Surround Sound SACD. Al Schmitt and Richard Carpenter did a fine job here.

As to adding a Center Channel speaker, once you have a number of 5.1 Hi Rez discs, you really owe it to yourself to do that. On discs that use the Center Channel for vocals and instrument solos, it adds quite a bit to the enjoyment of the performances.
 
bmoura said:
As to adding a Center Channel speaker, once you have a number of 5.1 Hi Rez discs, you really owe it to yourself to do that. On discs that use the Center Channel for vocals and instrument solos, it adds quite a bit to the enjoyment of the performances.

Oh, I have a center channel, it's just that it is compromised compared to my main speakers. My fronts/rears are identical with 28 Hz to 22 kHz frequency response (+/- 3 dB). However, because of the freakin' TV, my center channel is a compromise (sound familiar, anyone?). I can't recall the lower extension of my center channel, but it's somewhere around 50 Hz. At least it has the same tweeter as my mains, but...

I really need a dedicated audio system where video monitor considerations are eliminated! Most center channel mixes assume a compromised center channel, but for those that make no consolation (such as the Carpenters disc) the limitations of the center channel cannot be ignored.
 
I give this a 9 out of 10. I was really happy to see that Bless The Beasts And The Children was included in this set of Greastest Hits.
Yep i said to my wife during the 1st track that there were a couple of things there that i had never heard before ( new piano part ) ect. Her response " That's Nice Dear " lol , my wife just doesn't get this surround sound stuff lol.
I was comparing this disc to the Quad 70's mix , both are different in their own ways , but i was happy with the new mix . Bought this online at Amazon.com since i had not seen it up here in Canada yet ( typical ) took 14 days to get here , but it was worth the wait. Highly recommended.
 
dougi said:
I give this a 9 out of 10. I was really happy to see that Bless The Beasts And The Children was included in this set of Greastest Hits.
Yep i said to my wife during the 1st track that there were a couple of things there that i had never heard before ( new piano part ) ect. Her response " That's Nice Dear " lol , my wife just doesn't get this surround sound stuff lol.
I was comparing this disc to the Quad 70's mix , both are different in their own ways , but i was happy with the new mix . Bought this online at Amazon.com since i had not seen it up here in Canada yet ( typical ) took 14 days to get here , but it was worth the wait. Highly recommended.

It's Going to Take Some Time also has some newly recorded material (at the start of the song). But overall the SACD is still a winner.
 
One aspect of this disc I'll give Richard much credit for was really using all channels to create an enjoyable listening experience, which pretty much negated my initial dislike over what some of us consider needlessly re-recording certain parts. But unlike Frank Zappa(the most obvious example)he has created a consistent soundfield, which Zappa often did not(listen to the difference between tracks on FREAK OUT!, which were so cohesive on mono and stereo vinyl; the remixes, by contrast, stand out way too much and sound at times unnatural). Had Zappa lived to do 5.1, of course, he could have had a great time and probably done very well. And while I still bristle at the new parts, there's no denying he worked overtime to make it sound as authentic and natural as possible, which is probably no easy trick, I imagine.

In other words, I'm very glad it's out, and do hope he will break down and do the same for some individual Carps albums.

ED
 
My universal player (Dennon 2200) won't read the multi channel layer on this disc, .... only the cd layer. Anyone else experience this? I have no problems with other 5.1 SACD titles.
 
raggal62 said:
My universal player (Dennon 2200) won't read the multi channel layer on this disc, .... only the cd layer. Anyone else experience this? I have no problems with other 5.1 SACD titles.

No, the CD and SACD layers of the Carpenters SACD are working fine here.

And as others have said - it's a must have disc in Surround Sound !
 
Try accessing the 5.1 through your menu first....if that doesn't work, however, yes, it may be you got stuck with a redbook disc that claims SACD. A bizarre situation, to be sure, but entirely possible.

ED
 
JonUrban said:
(I also posted this at the A&M Corner)

;)

My feelings are mixed. I gave it an 8 for overall presentation. (y)

Great surround mix here--the rears are put to good use. Best example for me is "This Masquerade": the combo is up front, but all the sweetening and backing vocals come out of the rears. And KC's vocals front and center. It's evident Richard took a lot of time to make this into a quality release, and I'm thankful for that. He could have had just any old mix thrown out onto the marketplace--his attention to detail is what made them successful originally, and he hasn't forgotten that when compiling a new project such as this one.

For someone who grew up with the albums, though, the remixed and/or rerecorded parts do not cut it for me. Other than the LP of Singles: 1969-1973 (which I only recently bought), I've always owned the original LPs, and the "Remastered Classics" CDs which are straight transfers of the original albums. To hear new parts added, mixes changed, or whatever, it just doesn't quite click with me.

Also, I find that some of the rerecorded parts sound very "80s" or "90s" in terms of sound quality, where the vocals and other basic tracks are pretty much 70s-era analog sounding (that slight "gauze" over the sound from the original sessions). I can very slightly hear the difference between when the tracks were recorded.

Just minor issues--the surround is still a real treat to listen to!
 
raggal62 said:
My universal player (Dennon 2200) won't read the multi channel layer on this disc, .... only the cd layer. Anyone else experience this? I have no problems with other 5.1 SACD titles.

I got two of these from yourmusic.com, and they were mis-manufactured, only having a CD layer and no SACD layer. I have since gotten a "real" A&M version of it, and it has been fine.
 
I am only voting on the mix and sound quality, not the music. I would give this disc a 9 based on that. The sound is excellent and the use of the center channel is very natural. The surround mix is also well done.
 
steelydave said:
C'mon Guy, tell us how much you love the music! :D

You are going to get me in trouble with Cai again. :eek:

I actually sat through the entire disc in order to evaluate it. I did notice some cartoon bluebirds on top of my center speaker about halfway through it though.
 
I give it a 7 having owned most of the music on vinyl or open reel but no quad or surround versions, I was hoping the surround mixes might add new life to the music for me. The music is a 5 and the surround mix a 9 for me right now. I might listen again in 10 years and see if nostalgia for the 70's means the music is once again something I want to hear. For now, the music is way down on my list of what I want to hear even though this SACD is a good effort. Give some better music such treatment and I will be happy.

Chris
 
Rudy said:
I got two of these from yourmusic.com, and they were mis-manufactured, only having a CD layer and no SACD layer. I have since gotten a "real" A&M version of it, and it has been fine.

Has anyone figured out how to tell which one is the real SACD and which one is not? I'd hate to order one online only to get the wrong one. Thanks. :phones
 
Back
Top