No chance I would buy it either....very odd.
Suggestions for Audio Fidelity Multichannel SACD Releases
- Thread starter fredblue
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Yep. I was thinking the same thing. Just cancel them. What are they afraid of?Something just doesn't add up with these two recently announced stereo-only SACDs.
If AF really tried to license the surround mix of "Ridin with the King" and their offer was rejected for one reason or another, that's understandable, but if I were them, I would pull that one from release and release another BB King or Eric Clapton album that doesn't have a surround mix. Putting this title out with only stereo is a complete waste of time and money, and I certainly won't buy it!
Plus, I'd bet money on the existence of a Quad mix of "So What".
Was that the "Rob Grill with a bunch of other guys nobody's ever heard of" version of the Grass Roots? Because to my knowledge, the group proper: Rob Grill, Warren Entner, Dennis Provisor, Rick Coonce, Creed Bratton (or any of the revolving lead guitarists) has never played together since the late 70's. The always spoke of a reunion, but it never happened. Rob Grill toured with a bunch of musicians who he called the Grass Roots. I hate to speak ill of the deceased, but if it was Rob you spoke to, he wasn't exactly a charming fellow to talk about the record business to. He would never even give an interview to the Official Website of the band while other members were all over it. For whatever reason, the guy could be a real prick if you asked him about the old days. If he'd have refused to sign something of mine, I'd have broken the LP over his head. The other guys he played with never played on any of the studio hits of the 70s.
Years ago, when I got in touch with Dennis Provisor to ask him about the alternate keyboard solo on the oddball 16 Greatest, his first comment was: "We had a Quad album? Groovy." He didn't distinctly remember recording the alternate bit, but he also said that it sounded like something they'd do. They'd experiment a bit in the studio if they were actually playing. They used a lot of session folks on many of their songs.
Can't cancel what I haven't ordered.
At least the Doors is coming. That one is DEFINITELY getting my money, along with a 'maybe' for Billy Joel.
Something just doesn't add up with these two recently announced stereo-only SACDs.
If AF really tried to license the surround mix of "Ridin with the King" and their offer was rejected for one reason or another, that's understandable, but if I were them, I would pull that one from release and release another BB King or Eric Clapton album that doesn't have a surround mix. Putting this title out with only stereo is a complete waste of time and money, and I certainly won't buy it!
Plus, I'd bet money on the existence of a Quad mix of "So What".
You're assuming that the artist and record label would authorize a Multichannel release of another title in their catalog. They may not.
Also, remember that the core audience for the SACD reissues are the Stereo CD + SACD buyers - not the Surround Sound buyers.
If a title with sales potential is available in Stereo only, it's likely that the reissue label will license it.
Be it Mobile Fidelity, Analogue Productions or Audio Fidelity. No mystery there.
I think you misunderstood what I was saying.
I would prefer that AF try to license and release another album for stereo SACD release that doesn't have a surround mix, rather than do a stereo-only disc where a surround mix does exist, especially if the surround mix meets the needed quality standards we have come to expect from AF.
This particular example ("Ridin with the King") is definitely a wasted opportunity and a wasted release as far as I'm concerned, different than the Joe Cocker where the Quad quality didn't match up to AF's standards for release.
Thankfully it's not an album I really care about so the lack of surround doesn't bother me too much. It's just one less thing I won't have to spend money on.
Now if they had released "Winelight" and/or "Homecoming" without the surround mixes, then I would REALLY be upset. But I have those two now and no one can take them away from me.
Audio Fidelity asks for both the Stereo and Surround Sound versions of an album when Surround mixes exist. But there are cases where what is offered for licensing is only the Stereo SACD/CD or in some cases only the Vinyl LP reissue rights (no SACD rights at all).
Then the question is do they proceed with the title as a Stereo SACD or Vinyl LP vs. a Multichannel SACD? If the sales potential is there, AF is likely to move ahead with what is made available.
That makes sense, but my concern is that if AF decide to go for a stereo only SACD release, things could change later on to where they could get the particular multichannel license. At that point it seems unlikely they would release another SACD just to add multichannel if a pre-existing stereo SACD already exists (whether from them or another reissue label)
All I know is that if they release stereo SACDs for albums that don't have preexisting surround mixes, at least we can't lament that the surround is not on the disc, as I know AF are strictly in business to reissue what already exists and not create new mixes or compilations in the process, so I'm certainly not expecting that from them.
Things could change in the future - or not. If the title is marketable, releasing it in Stereo SACD makes sense before another reissue label grabs it and puts it out in Stereo SACD.
You guys are missing the point. A title is licensed to be released by AF. This is why they are there.
If they ask WB or whomever for both the stereo and the surround mixes, and they are told no, you can just have the stereo, it does not mean that AF should say "F U", if I can't have the surround, then we're not licensing your title, because the bottom line is they are in existence to sell and release product, stereo product, because that's what 98% of what's left of the buying public wants.
We are all in for the surround, but we are a minority. If we're all going to bitch and moan for months because they could not get permission to release every title that had a surround mix with a surround mix on their SACDs, well, that's pretty lame.
I do not have a reason, and may never get one, but you and I can be sure that a surround mix was requested. The reason it was denied could be anything from financial to it being withheld because the owner wanted to use it themselves for something, or anything in between.
No one says you have to buy the stereo SACD.
If they ask WB or whomever for both the stereo and the surround mixes, and they are told no, you can just have the stereo, it does not mean that AF should say "F U", if I can't have the surround, then we're not licensing your title, because the bottom line is they are in existence to sell and release product, stereo product, because that's what 98% of what's left of the buying public wants.
We are all in for the surround, but we are a minority. If we're all going to bitch and moan for months because they could not get permission to release every title that had a surround mix with a surround mix on their SACDs, well, that's pretty lame.
I do not have a reason, and may never get one, but you and I can be sure that a surround mix was requested. The reason it was denied could be anything from financial to it being withheld because the owner wanted to use it themselves for something, or anything in between.
No one says you have to buy the stereo SACD.
Spot on Jon...I think we are getting a little spoiled and losing sight of the big picture...we should just be grateful that there are ANY new releases...although my preference is surround I'm just happy to just have quality sounding titles...whether they are mono...stereo....3 channel.. quad...or 5.1...some of the Beach Boy discs are a dream come true for me...and hearing what can be achieved in 3 channel...like Nat King Cole...just amazing...and for the most part we are involved in a niche market(surround)within a niche market(hi rez products)... a million miles away from mainstream consumer trends...we are a HUGE risk for a business to invest in heavily...people forget that this is a "hobby" for us but it's how people in this business earn a living...people like Marshall should be applauded not criticized...I've said this before...if we just think in terms of surround and nothing else we are as bad as that "other" forum that thinks
that stereo is the only acceptable way to listen to music and multi channel is "evil"...
I would love JOE WALSH-SO WHAT in quad sacd
That being said there were 3 abc/command quad titles announced but never released
Besides Joe Walsh and Mack & Mabel ST, there was THREE DOG NIGHT-JOY TO THE WORLD ( a best of).So quad title may exsist in a vault somewhere gathering dust or may have been sold when MCA did their purge! Anyway it's one for AF to consider.
That being said there were 3 abc/command quad titles announced but never released
Besides Joe Walsh and Mack & Mabel ST, there was THREE DOG NIGHT-JOY TO THE WORLD ( a best of).So quad title may exsist in a vault somewhere gathering dust or may have been sold when MCA did their purge! Anyway it's one for AF to consider.
hirez
Senior Member
As somebody previously noted there are a lot of Best Of releases in these AF Quad releases. For me I'd love to see the C C R Gold released. I know several tracks don't lend to surround but what does should be phenomenal.
LizardKing
2K Club - QQ Super Nova
Yes - Jackson 5 - Greatest Hits - CD-4 Japan release.. IIRC
That would be a nice release for Audio Fidelity to try for. I also think it would be a phenomenal seller because to be honest I'll look at a lot of their releases and pass because it's just not my cup of tea. But getting ABC, Never Can Say Goodbye, Goin' Back to Indiana and I Found That Girl in multichannel would be pure perfection.
That Three Dog Night Best of was assigned the number CQD-40018, which ended up being used for their "Coming Down Your Way" album. As for the masters just sitting in a vault gathering dust, I wish that were the case. They were destroyed in a warehouse fire, along with some from A&M. So as much as I'd love to see those titles, too, they no longer exist.
Given all the alternate mixes, takes, and sundry compilations--both in America and overseas--we've seen in the digital age, you would think reissuing the quad album would be easy, but I'm not so sure. The J5 and Supremes material was not mixed with a lot of scholarship, IMO, compared to the Rare Earth and Marvin Gaye material. But why not? Motown began remixing for stereo in 1964, and after the company was sold, we've had some great (the mono singles box sets, individual artist comps) and strange collections, and a lot of alternate or unreleased material has surfaced from just about anyone at Motown who mattered (and some that really didn't). The bigger question is: would AF or anyone else be interested in giving it a go? We have to assume they're not interested in doing remixing themselves, they just use the tapes they're given and master them as best they can (which so far has been exemplary).
ED
Assuming that Universal can find the tapes.
When I asked about the Motown Japan titles in Quad in the early days of SACD and DVD Audio, Universal told me they didn't have them. So unless they magically reappear, I think we can assume they won't be available for Audio Fidelity or the reissue labels today.
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