June 2019 DV Releases (MFSB, Guess Who, Herbie Hancock, and Donald Byrd)

[quadsome]

I received my copies of new Donald Byrd and Guess Who discs today. Great liner notes on both! The Donald Byrd disc is well mastered with all channels perfectly balanced. I was a little disappointed in the Guess Who disc. I have NO doubt that Michael Dutton carefully mastered it to reflect the quad master tape, however there are several tracks where the rear channels should have been raised 1 or 2 db. As with many Guess Who quads, there are often moments where a lead guitar will move around from front to back, and that's where I notice it most. The leads just sort of fizzle when then arrive in the rear. Also no fault of Dutton, clearly Burton Cumming's lead vocal on "Broken" was just mixed too low by the original quad engineer. I was hoping that may have just been a CD-4 issue but it's obviously that way on the master where in spots you can barely hear his vocal. Beyond that though, this disc will be a real joy for anyone who hasn't enjoyed these mixes before. This is the only the second example of this SACD series where I noticed balance problems. The Art Garfunkel Breakaway disc has a lower front channel volume than it should, with Art's vocals too low in the mix. I guess that is one slight benefit to doing your own conversions, having the ability to correct any volume issues in the source material. Thanks again to Michael Dutton for bringing these quad gems for the masses to enjoy in 2019! Let's all continue to support him with our orders!!!

 

[esimms86]

I just got through ripping my 5 D-V SACDs to DSD dsf files. Interestingly, on Sextant the discrete quads were ripped using the "Multi" setting on the free iso2dsd software and the SQ encoded quads were ripped using the "Dual"(a.k.a. stereo) setting. Tracks 1-3 on the stereo layer is the original stereo and tracks 4-6 on the stereo layer are the SQ encoded quads. Haven't had a chance to do any listening yet.

 

[sjcorne]

Also no fault of Dutton, clearly Burton Cumming's lead vocal on "Broken" was just mixed too low by the original quad engineer. I was hoping that may have just been a CD-4 issue but it's obviously that way on the master where in spots you can barely hear his vocal.

I noticed that myself - and you are correct that it sounded that way on the CD-4 too. The "break the spell away" part with the backing vocals sounds fine, but then the volume totally drops on Burton's solo "turn me back into a man".

I actually thought the rears were a bit too hot in places - particularly the piano intro to "Guns, Guns, Guns". I guess it's all a matter of different tastes, different systems, etc. If you rip your discs to files, you can make volume adjustments to each channel using a DAW program such as Audacity or ProTools.

 

[sjcorne]

Interestingly, the discrete quads were ripped using the "Multi" setting on the free iso2dsd software and the SQ encoded quads were ripped using the "Dual"(a.k.a. stereo) setting.

Not quite sure what you mean here. Only the Sextant disc includes an SQ-encoded mix (tracks 4-6 on the stereo layer): the rest just have the discrete quad mix and the original stereo mix.

In fact, most of the quads in this batch were never issued in a matrix format to begin with. Best Of The Guess Who Vol. II and Firebird were on CD-4 vinyl and Q8 (I think there was a Firebird reel as well?), while Rockin' and Black Byrd were Q8-only.

 

[georgeshannon]

Ordered Best Of The Guess Who Vol II on 6-14-2019. It shipped the same day. Received it today 6-27-2019. A very successful transaction. I wanted to support Vocalion in the job they're doing releasing these multichannel discs. Hope this little bit helps.

 

[esimms86]

Not quite sure what you mean here. Only the Sextant disc includes an SQ-encoded mix (tracks 4-6 on the stereo layer): the rest just have the discrete quad mix and the original stereo mix.

In fact, most of the quads in this batch were never issued in a matrix format to begin with. Best Of The Guess Who Vol. II and Firebird were on CD-4 vinyl and Q8 (I think there was a Firebird reel as well?), while Rockin' and Black Byrd were Q8-only.

Yes, I was specifically referring to Sextant. I’ll edit my post to make it clear. Thanks for picking up on that.

 

[Imbobman]

My four arrived From DV today Hancock guess who blackbyrds and MFBS. Unfortunately 3 of the 4 cases are broken with the guess who case in Pieces and the tray card bent up. The disc looks ok. I have occasionally received a cracked case from them but never this much damage. I have let them know.

Sorry to here about the damage to the cases. The four I ordered arrived yesterday, all in perfect shape...So I took a hammer to one of 'em. No, not really!
DV is using bubble wrap on the inside now & that may be helping.
Shipping time was 10 days from UK to New Berlin, WI, USA. Very fast. Going to listen to the Guess Who disc 1st, asap.

 

[marpow]

I received all 4 today also. Wanted to go directly to listening to the hard disc but my McIntosh all purpose player is not reading the SACD layer, it gets finnicky some times. I don't worry. I am ripping them via the OPPO now and will listen later. I have been a little hung over today, pizza just arrived and I have been binge watching the Netflix show called Ozark, super awesome show can't stop watching, later.

 

[quicksrt]

Sorry to here about the damage to the cases. The four I ordered arrived yesterday, all in perfect shape...So I took a hammer to one of 'em. No, not really!
DV is using bubble wrap on the inside now & that may be helping.
Shipping time was 10 days from UK to New Berlin, WI, USA. Very fast. Going to listen to the Guess Who disc 1st, asap.

Glad to hear about a simple layer of bubble wrap added, should make a big difference for international packages. I’ve gotten a couple of cracked cases as well, I never bothered mentioning it before. Seems a bit common.

 

[LuvMyQuad]

My order of the Guess Who disk arrived a few days ago. A single disc order, it arrived in perfect shape, going against the GOS "odd numbered orders will arrive cracked" rule.

 

[shakti]

Just received two packages from the UK to Norway, not a scratch or crack on any of them. Same as al my previous orders. I order them two and two due to customs rules and prices, but that seems to work very well.

Got the Hancock and Byrd from this batch, and finally got around to ordering the Return to Forever and George Benson from previous batches. Not sure if Guess Who and MFSB is entirely my cup of tea, but might give them a chance later on.

 

[hirez]

CD/SACD cases are like concrete either they're cracked or are going to crack!

 

[JonUrban]

I jut got my 4 and they were all fine. No cracks.

Best advice I can give to anyone ordering from D-V -> ORDER IN EVEN NUMBERS!! The only time I've gotten cracked cases is when I ordered 3 or 5.

 

[Larry Geller]

I got my 1 Guess Who, no cracks. Is awesome.

 

[The56Kid]

I’ve ordered both even and odd - including the dreaded 3 disc order where they’re laying side-by-side and have never experienced a cracked case. Thank you, D-V!

 

[marpow]

The Guess Who track 22 Broken with the Geetars going around the speakers is cool.

 

[marpow]

Just finished the 2fer SACD stereo of MFSB Summertime. Just as good as the 4.0 of Philadelphia Freedom. The best thing about this SACD disc is the music is great, added with 4.0 for Philadelphia Freedom I will be playing this for a long time. The lack of 4.0 for Summertime is not a problem for me.

 

[ctoelle]

I received my latest order today, 3 discs (Sextant, Black Byrd and MFSB) No cracked cases!

 

[zabble]

Well, I go on and on and on about it, but really...that Hancock album is an obvious 5-star affair for me. It is a truly groundbreaking album. It's an album I would buy on SACD even if it only had the stereo mix. With the quad mix, it could easily end up as reissue of the year for me.

If you like that album in stereo, you’re going to absolutely love it in quad. One hell of a wild mix.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[4-earredwonder]

I’ve ordered both even and odd - including the dreaded 3 disc order where they’re laying side-by-side and have never experienced a cracked case. Thank you, D-V!

Every time I receive an odd numbered shipment of QUAD SACDs from D~V, I can only think of the scene from RISKY BUSINESS with that dreaded 'crack in the egg!'