Oasis/Police

Couple q's - anybody have the new Oasis release yet? Thoughts? Great, fat sounding album, wondering what the SACD multi version's like.

Also, anybody pick up the Police Greatest Hits that already had the DTS version? Noticeable difference? Did they actually re-go back to the master tapes, or is this the same master used for the DTS ver?

The Police Greatest Hits uses the same master tape as the DTS recording - except for the last 2 cuts which are Stereo to 5.1 using an "unwrap" program.

As for the sonics, I'd rate the Multichannel SACD ahead of the 5.1 DTS Music Disc.

...enough to warrant buying again?

I would recommend it on SACD as well as DTS 5.1. I have it in both versions.

Brian,

What about the Oasis? I saw it at the local BB, but must admit that I have never heard this band. I know that people compare their sound to The Beatles, so maybe I would like them.

How is the surround on this SACD??

:-jon

yeah, I find Oasis to be really excellent... and this is certainly one of their finest albums. The stereo mix is THICK, red-lining throughout the album. Heavilly influenced by the Beatles, but I think in a good way.

Much better than being influenced by, say, Nelly. heh.

Jon,

Actually the SACD that impressed me in that batch from Sony was the "Johnny Cash Silver" of all things. Not a sonic spectacular, but some good songs & interesting instrumentations.

The sonics on the Oasis SACD weren't that great as I recall.

-- Brian

I've always liked Oasis' music, but their production sucks. It sounds like they just put all the faders up to the red line and blast away. They need a Mitchell Froom or a Jeff Lynne to corral their sound

...you're kidding, right? JEFF LYNNE?!

I picture 70s era Ringo-ish drums thumping away... heh

Sometimes Redlining's alllll good.

Funny you should mention Best Buy. Just spotted the Oasis SACD at the Best Buy in San Carlos, CA yesterday - along with several other Sony SACDs they hadn't stocked before.

ok....maybe Jeff Lynne was a stretch....but they need someone to say "Noel...we don't need 92 tracks of guitar!"
Oh well, screw them anyway...I got John Hiatt on right now! ".......smashing a perfectly goooood guitar......"

Well, I gave in and bought the SACD of the 5.1 Police greatest hits disc. Seems to be the same mix as the 5.1 - I thought what the heck, getting the hybrid disc, and it was pretty cheap.

What's a bit more odd is that I picked up Synchronicity SACD, a 2-ch, non-hybrid version. I had heard that, seeing as the CD was already really wonderful-sounding, there wasn't going to be much of a difference. I've got the Message in a Box release from a while back (a nice 4-cd set with all of their album tracks in order), and A/B'd the Synchronicity tracks with the CD release. I played through my speakers, with two pairs of studio Senheiser headphones, and, well, nuthin.

Not a damn bit of difference. I kept trying to convince myself I could hear something (I could A/B without any loss of time using a switch-box), trying double blind testing, and didn't hear a thing. There are slight differences in mastering speed, but in terms of high/low/mid-end sound, clarity, etc., etc., they sound the same.. There may be some Osciliscopic differences, but I just can not hear any difference between the SACD and the old CD release, let alone the newest remastered discs.

Wacky!

heh, I guess this got moved, sorry to the moderators, I guess I took it off topic...

I notice others talking about the DTS version of the EBYT sounding "better" than the DTS ver - clearly an indication of bass managment issues (that I share...)

I find a difference between the DTS and SACD 5.1 mix - there is a bit more space and clarity in favour of the SACD version. This of course makes sense, compression vs. non-compressed audio format. However, I really, as closely as I could listen, though headphones or speakers, cannot tell the PCM CD from the DSD 2ch SACD. Anybody else have better ears than me? heh...

Sad part, of course, is that by using digital connects for the cd playback, with some of the bass going to my sub, the CD version sounds a bit better... ah, new audio formats...

Sweet, I couldn't ask for a more glowing review, that's exactly what I was looking for. Awesome.

I gotta say, it might be in the music press nomenclature, but if not, your use of the phrase "Manchester warehouse effect" is a work of genius...

Yeah, shark42, if you're a fan of the album itself, you'll appreciate it. I've played it about a half dozen times so far and at this point I've accepted this mix as the definitive version. It would have been interesting to hear the whole album opened up the way "She's Electric" and "Champagne Supernova" are, but I realize now that it would have made the album feel lighter, and that just flies in the face of what this album is all about.

Wait till you hear the opening of "Champagne Supernova" with the lapping waves crashing on the pebbled shore. I never realized it was a pebbled shore until I heard this mix. Kinda reminds me of the back cover of the Quadrophenia soundtrack, you can almost smell the eel pie.

I'm also interested to hear your take on the beginning of "Wonderwall" and it's weird, nearly violent, shift with Liam's vocals - it's the only thing I'm still trying to come to terms with.

NOW, I can't wait for Heathen Chemistry to come out! I've kinda slipped out of my Oasis listening over the past few years, but listening to this album again has gotten me back into them the way I was back when Definitely Maybe and Morning Glory were out.

didn't know HC was being released SACD... that's all good, it's a good album, I agree with your statement that it's their best in years.

now I've got to find the DM disc in Toronto! heh