Hiromi Iwasaki 'Pandora's Box' - 1978 Japanese Quad Album Reissued on SACD

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Atama ni kuru!

So I placed my order for Hiromi through Zen Market. Seemed straight forward enough at 1st. I pasted the Tower Records product URL into the ZM search bar & was ready to order. In US it was about $44 so I deposited $60 to be safe via PayPal. Being a new customer the $3.00 acquisition fee was waved. A few days later they told me the product was in their possession & I need to pay for shipping. I did so thinking it was quite reasonable. Then I get another request for shipping charges again. It seems the 1st one was just for Japanese mail to get it to UPS international delivery. For whatever reason the cheaper slower shipping methods are not available because of the COVID. So for UPS I had to deposit another $30. So right now this one SACD disc has cost me $90, or as I like to think of it, almost a$100. This is gonna be a one shot experience & boy that disc better blow me away.

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This whole Wuhan flu screwed up cheap shipping that's for sure. You are better off buying multiple items and having them shipped vs just one CD.

I bought a few live 5.1 concert dvds and Sinatra in surround due make shipping worth while.
 
So it's one of those stereo sound CD-4 discs. How's the music? How's the surround?
Hiromi Iwasaki - Pandora No Kobako SACD Quad

Listening to this now.

First impression is, I'm really diggin' this; and sure I don't have a clue as to what she's singing (maybe @steelydave can find translation to this online ;))

I guess I'd call this music "Pop-Funk with Orchestration." It has good front channel Phantom Center presence and plenty of action in the rears.
On the song Biyaku, there's her main vocals Center, background vocals fronts and rears, some guitar in Right Rear, Horns Left Rear, Bass and Drums in fronts and some percussion in Left Rear.
I really liked the song "Conversation" with some circling percussion at the beginning and some nice Larry Carlton style Guitar. Another highlight is "Mr. Puzzle" Funky but with a slight country feel (pedal steel guitar, believe it or not) and some more Carlton style guitar.

Song number 11 tagged as Nannansei No Kaze No Naka De, which I believe translated out to something like: "In the South-Southwest Wind"?

At some point I'll scan the inside pamphlet as it has some interesting stuff in it, albeit in Japanese.

Overall, I'm really glad to have this, but yeah, the price with shipping is onerous.

Ultimately, I'd like to hear @steelydave's take on this, as he has a much more experienced, refined and discerning ear for dissecting surround music than I do.
So, you're on call for this Dave :)

and here's the flac wave forms for the song Conversation- looks like 5.0 with silent Center. (confirmed by oppo & Foobar2000)

Conversation -flac wave forms.jpg


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ๅฒฉๅดŽๅฎ็พŽ-ใƒ‘ใƒณใƒ‰ใƒฉใฎๅฐ็ฎฑSACDใ‚ฏใƒฏใƒƒใƒ‰

็ฌฌไธ€ๅฐ่ฑกใฏใ€็งใฏๆœฌๅฝ“ใซใ“ใ‚Œใ‚’ๆŽ˜ใ‚Šไธ‹ใ’ใฆใ„ใพใ™ใ€‚ใใ—ใฆๅฝผๅฅณใŒไฝ•ใ‚’ๆญŒใฃใฆใ„ใ‚‹ใ‹ใฎๆ‰‹ใŒใ‹ใ‚ŠใŒใชใ„ใ“ใจใ‚’็ขบ่ชใ—ใฆใใ ใ•ใ„๏ผˆๅคšๅˆ†@steelydaveใฏใ“ใ‚Œใฎ็ฟป่จณใ‚’ใ‚ชใƒณใƒฉใ‚คใƒณใง่ฆ‹ใคใ‘ใ‚‹ใ“ใจใŒใงใใพใ™;๏ผ‰๏ผ‰

ใ“ใฎๆ›ฒใฏใ€Œใƒใƒƒใƒ—ใƒ•ใ‚กใƒณใ‚ฏใจใ‚ชใƒผใ‚ฑใ‚นใƒˆใƒฌใƒผใ‚ทใƒงใƒณใ€ใ ใจๆ€ใ„ใพใ™ใ€‚ใƒ•ใƒญใƒณใƒˆใƒใƒฃใƒณใƒใƒซใฎใƒ•ใ‚กใƒณใƒˆใƒ ใ‚ปใƒณใ‚ฟใƒผใฎๅญ˜ๅœจๆ„ŸใŒใ‚ˆใใ€ใƒชใ‚ขใซใฏๅๅˆ†ใชใ‚ขใ‚ฏใ‚ทใƒงใƒณใŒใ‚ใ‚Šใพใ™ใ€‚

ๆ›ฒBiyakuใงใฏใ€ๅฝผๅฅณใฎใƒกใ‚คใƒณใƒœใƒผใ‚ซใƒซใ‚ปใƒณใ‚ฟใƒผใ€ใƒใƒƒใ‚ฏใ‚ฐใƒฉใ‚ฆใƒณใƒ‰ใƒœใƒผใ‚ซใƒซใฎใƒ•ใƒญใƒณใƒˆใจใƒชใ‚ขใ€ๅณใƒชใ‚ขใซใ‚ฎใ‚ฟใƒผใ€ใƒ›ใƒผใƒณๅทฆใƒชใ‚ขใ€ใƒใ‚นใจใƒ‰ใƒฉใƒ ใŒใƒ•ใƒญใƒณใƒˆใซใ€ใƒ‘ใƒผใ‚ซใƒƒใ‚ทใƒงใƒณใŒๅทฆใƒชใ‚ขใซใ‚ใ‚Šใพใ™ใ€‚

็งใฏๆ›ฒใ€Œใ‚ซใƒณใƒใ‚ปใƒผใ‚ทใƒงใƒณใ€ใŒๅฅฝใใงใ€ๆœ€ๅˆใฏใ„ใใคใ‹ใฎใƒ‘ใƒผใ‚ซใƒƒใ‚ทใƒงใƒณใŒๅพช็’ฐใ—ใฆใ„ใฆใ€ใƒฉใƒชใƒผใƒปใ‚ซใƒผใƒซใƒˆใƒณ้ขจใฎ็ด ๆ•ตใชใ‚ฎใ‚ฟใƒผใŒใ„ใใคใ‹ใ‚ใ‚Šใพใ—ใŸใ€‚ใ‚‚ใ†1ใคใฎใƒใ‚คใƒฉใ‚คใƒˆใฏใ€ŒใƒŸใ‚นใ‚ฟใƒผใƒ‘ใ‚บใƒซใ€ใƒ•ใ‚กใƒณใ‚ญใƒผใงใ™ใŒใ€ใ‚ซใƒณใƒˆใƒชใƒผๆ„ŸใŒๅฐ‘ใ—ใ‚ใ‚Šใพใ™๏ผˆใƒšใƒ€ใƒซใ‚นใƒใƒผใƒซใ‚ฎใ‚ฟใƒผใ€ไฟกใ˜ใ‚‰ใ‚Œใชใ„ใ‹ใ‚‚ใ—ใ‚Œใพใ›ใ‚“๏ผ‰ใจใ€ใ‚‚ใ†ๅฐ‘ใ—ใ‚ซใƒผใƒซใƒˆใƒณใ‚นใ‚ฟใ‚คใƒซใฎใ‚ฎใ‚ฟใƒผใ€‚

ใ€Œๅ—ๅ—ๆ˜Ÿใฎ้ขจใฎใชใ‹ใงใ€ใจใ‚ฟใ‚ฐไป˜ใ‘ใ•ใ‚ŒใŸๆ›ฒ็•ชๅท11ใฏใ€ใ€Œๅ—ๅ—่ฅฟใฎ้ขจใฎไธญใ€ใฎใ‚ˆใ†ใชใ‚‚ใฎใซ็ฟป่จณใ•ใ‚ŒใŸใจๆ€ใ„ใพใ™ใ‹๏ผŸ

ๆ—ฅๆœฌ่ชžใงใฏใ‚ใ‚Šใพใ™ใŒใ€ไธญใซใฏ้ข็™ฝใ„ใ‚‚ใฎใŒใ‚ใ‚‹ใฎใงใ€ใ„ใคใ‹ไธญใฎใƒ‘ใƒณใƒ•ใƒฌใƒƒใƒˆใ‚’ใ‚นใ‚ญใƒฃใƒณใ—ใพใ™ใ€‚

ๅ…จไฝ“ใจใ—ใฆใ€็งใฏใ“ใ‚Œใ‚’ๆ‰‹ใซๅ…ฅใ‚Œใฆๆœฌๅฝ“ใซๅฌ‰ใ—ใ„ใงใ™ใŒใ€ใใ†ใงใ™ใ€้€ๆ–™่พผใฟใฎไพกๆ ผใฏ้ขๅ€’ใงใ™ใ€‚

็ตๅฑ€ใฎใจใ“ใ‚ใ€@ steelydaveใฎๆ„่ฆ‹ใ‚’่žใ„ใฆใฟใŸใ„ใจๆ€ใ„ใพใ™ใ€‚ๅฝผใฏใ€็งใ‚ˆใ‚Šใ‚‚ใ€ใ‚ตใƒฉใ‚ฆใƒณใƒ‰ใƒŸใƒฅใƒผใ‚ธใƒƒใ‚ฏใ‚’ๅˆ†ๆžใ™ใ‚‹ใŸใ‚ใฎใ€้žๅธธใซ็ตŒ้จ“่ฑŠๅฏŒใงๆด—็ทดใ•ใ‚ŒใŸ็›ฎใฎ่‚ฅใˆใŸ่€ณใ‚’ๆŒใฃใฆใ„ใ‚‹ใ‹ใ‚‰ใงใ™ใ€‚

ใ ใ‹ใ‚‰ใ€ใ‚ใชใŸใฏใ“ใฎใƒ‡ใ‚คใƒ–ใ‚’ๆฑ‚ใ‚ใฆใ„ใพใ™:)
 
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FOR ALMOST $100 IT BETTER BE STUPENDOUS. Never want to hear anyone again bitch about $100 box sets! I, personally, have NO interest in this title. And think how many D~V QUAD two~fers 100 bucks buys....or UHD4K and/or 3D Movies?????????
Party pooper! I'll cry if I want to; and who here spends ungodly amounts of money on audio/video gear :whistle: !
 
Party pooper! I'll cry if I want to; and who here spends ungodly amounts of money on audio/video gear :whistle: !

Yo, JP .... sounds to me like one of those 'novelty' titles you'll play once and file away ...... forever. And SHAME on Tower Records in Japan for not shipping to the U.S. All those luscious ECM Stereo SACDs had to ordered through CDJapan's PROXY service [a REAL PITA] or if lucky, showed up on ebay....and were outrageously priced @ $60 each at Acoustic Sounds when their Japanese list was HALF THAT!

And at least my audio gear is not vaporware and allows me to hear EVERYTHING AS IT SHOULD SOUND....and my center channel is not [gasp!] FIVE FEET ABOVE THE TV!!!!!!!! The voice of, er, GOD!!!!!!

Oh, I can verily hear a sarcastic JP๐Ÿถ reply a' comin'.........๐Ÿ˜บ fight??????
 
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Yo, JP .... sounds to me like one of those 'novelty' titles you'll play once and file away ...... forever. And SHAME on Tower Records in Japan for not shipping to the U.S. All those luscious ECM Stereo SACDs had to ordered through CDJapan's PROXY service [a REAL PITA] or if lucky, showed up on ebay.
I assure you I will play this often, it's really good IMO.
 
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Hiromi Iwasaki - Pandora No Kobako SACD Quad

Listening to this now.

First impression is, I'm really diggin' this; and sure I don't have a clue as to what she's singing (maybe @steelydave can find translation to this online ;))

I guess I'd call this music "Pop-Funk with Orchestration." It has good front channel Phantom Center presence and plenty of action in the rears.
On the song Biyaku, there's her main vocals Center, background vocals fronts and rears, some guitar in Right Rear, Horns Left Rear, Bass and Drums in fronts and some percussion in Left Rear.
I really liked the song "Conversation" with some circling percussion at the beginning and some nice Larry Carlton style Guitar. Another highlight is "Mr. Puzzle" Funky but with a slight country feel (pedal steel guitar, believe it or not) and some more Carlton style guitar.

Song number 11 tagged as Nannansei No Kaze No Naka De, which I believe translated out to something like: "In the South-Southwest Wind"?

At some point I'll scan the inside pamphlet as it has some interesting stuff in it, albeit in Japanese.

Overall, I'm really glad to have this, but yeah, the price with shipping is onerous.

Ultimately, I'd like to hear @steelydave's take on this, as he has a much more experienced, refined and discerning ear for dissecting surround music than I do.
So, you're on call for this Dave :)

and here's the flac wave forms for the song Conversation- looks like 4.1 with silent LFE ?

View attachment 56414

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ๅฒฉๅดŽๅฎ็พŽ-ใƒ‘ใƒณใƒ‰ใƒฉใฎๅฐ็ฎฑSACDใ‚ฏใƒฏใƒƒใƒ‰

็ฌฌไธ€ๅฐ่ฑกใฏใ€็งใฏๆœฌๅฝ“ใซใ“ใ‚Œใ‚’ๆŽ˜ใ‚Šไธ‹ใ’ใฆใ„ใพใ™ใ€‚ใใ—ใฆๅฝผๅฅณใŒไฝ•ใ‚’ๆญŒใฃใฆใ„ใ‚‹ใ‹ใฎๆ‰‹ใŒใ‹ใ‚ŠใŒใชใ„ใ“ใจใ‚’็ขบ่ชใ—ใฆใใ ใ•ใ„๏ผˆๅคšๅˆ†@steelydaveใฏใ“ใ‚Œใฎ็ฟป่จณใ‚’ใ‚ชใƒณใƒฉใ‚คใƒณใง่ฆ‹ใคใ‘ใ‚‹ใ“ใจใŒใงใใพใ™;๏ผ‰๏ผ‰

ใ“ใฎๆ›ฒใฏใ€Œใƒใƒƒใƒ—ใƒ•ใ‚กใƒณใ‚ฏใจใ‚ชใƒผใ‚ฑใ‚นใƒˆใƒฌใƒผใ‚ทใƒงใƒณใ€ใ ใจๆ€ใ„ใพใ™ใ€‚ใƒ•ใƒญใƒณใƒˆใƒใƒฃใƒณใƒใƒซใฎใƒ•ใ‚กใƒณใƒˆใƒ ใ‚ปใƒณใ‚ฟใƒผใฎๅญ˜ๅœจๆ„ŸใŒใ‚ˆใใ€ใƒชใ‚ขใซใฏๅๅˆ†ใชใ‚ขใ‚ฏใ‚ทใƒงใƒณใŒใ‚ใ‚Šใพใ™ใ€‚

ๆ›ฒBiyakuใงใฏใ€ๅฝผๅฅณใฎใƒกใ‚คใƒณใƒœใƒผใ‚ซใƒซใ‚ปใƒณใ‚ฟใƒผใ€ใƒใƒƒใ‚ฏใ‚ฐใƒฉใ‚ฆใƒณใƒ‰ใƒœใƒผใ‚ซใƒซใฎใƒ•ใƒญใƒณใƒˆใจใƒชใ‚ขใ€ๅณใƒชใ‚ขใซใ‚ฎใ‚ฟใƒผใ€ใƒ›ใƒผใƒณๅทฆใƒชใ‚ขใ€ใƒใ‚นใจใƒ‰ใƒฉใƒ ใŒใƒ•ใƒญใƒณใƒˆใซใ€ใƒ‘ใƒผใ‚ซใƒƒใ‚ทใƒงใƒณใŒๅทฆใƒชใ‚ขใซใ‚ใ‚Šใพใ™ใ€‚

็งใฏๆ›ฒใ€Œใ‚ซใƒณใƒใ‚ปใƒผใ‚ทใƒงใƒณใ€ใŒๅฅฝใใงใ€ๆœ€ๅˆใฏใ„ใใคใ‹ใฎใƒ‘ใƒผใ‚ซใƒƒใ‚ทใƒงใƒณใŒๅพช็’ฐใ—ใฆใ„ใฆใ€ใƒฉใƒชใƒผใƒปใ‚ซใƒผใƒซใƒˆใƒณ้ขจใฎ็ด ๆ•ตใชใ‚ฎใ‚ฟใƒผใŒใ„ใใคใ‹ใ‚ใ‚Šใพใ—ใŸใ€‚ใ‚‚ใ†1ใคใฎใƒใ‚คใƒฉใ‚คใƒˆใฏใ€ŒใƒŸใ‚นใ‚ฟใƒผใƒ‘ใ‚บใƒซใ€ใƒ•ใ‚กใƒณใ‚ญใƒผใงใ™ใŒใ€ใ‚ซใƒณใƒˆใƒชใƒผๆ„ŸใŒๅฐ‘ใ—ใ‚ใ‚Šใพใ™๏ผˆใƒšใƒ€ใƒซใ‚นใƒใƒผใƒซใ‚ฎใ‚ฟใƒผใ€ไฟกใ˜ใ‚‰ใ‚Œใชใ„ใ‹ใ‚‚ใ—ใ‚Œใพใ›ใ‚“๏ผ‰ใจใ€ใ‚‚ใ†ๅฐ‘ใ—ใ‚ซใƒผใƒซใƒˆใƒณใ‚นใ‚ฟใ‚คใƒซใฎใ‚ฎใ‚ฟใƒผใ€‚

ใ€Œๅ—ๅ—ๆ˜Ÿใฎ้ขจใฎใชใ‹ใงใ€ใจใ‚ฟใ‚ฐไป˜ใ‘ใ•ใ‚ŒใŸๆ›ฒ็•ชๅท11ใฏใ€ใ€Œๅ—ๅ—่ฅฟใฎ้ขจใฎไธญใ€ใฎใ‚ˆใ†ใชใ‚‚ใฎใซ็ฟป่จณใ•ใ‚ŒใŸใจๆ€ใ„ใพใ™ใ‹๏ผŸ

ๆ—ฅๆœฌ่ชžใงใฏใ‚ใ‚Šใพใ™ใŒใ€ไธญใซใฏ้ข็™ฝใ„ใ‚‚ใฎใŒใ‚ใ‚‹ใฎใงใ€ใ„ใคใ‹ไธญใฎใƒ‘ใƒณใƒ•ใƒฌใƒƒใƒˆใ‚’ใ‚นใ‚ญใƒฃใƒณใ—ใพใ™ใ€‚

ๅ…จไฝ“ใจใ—ใฆใ€็งใฏใ“ใ‚Œใ‚’ๆ‰‹ใซๅ…ฅใ‚Œใฆๆœฌๅฝ“ใซๅฌ‰ใ—ใ„ใงใ™ใŒใ€ใใ†ใงใ™ใ€้€ๆ–™่พผใฟใฎไพกๆ ผใฏ้ขๅ€’ใงใ™ใ€‚

็ตๅฑ€ใฎใจใ“ใ‚ใ€@ steelydaveใฎๆ„่ฆ‹ใ‚’่žใ„ใฆใฟใŸใ„ใจๆ€ใ„ใพใ™ใ€‚ๅฝผใฏใ€็งใ‚ˆใ‚Šใ‚‚ใ€ใ‚ตใƒฉใ‚ฆใƒณใƒ‰ใƒŸใƒฅใƒผใ‚ธใƒƒใ‚ฏใ‚’ๅˆ†ๆžใ™ใ‚‹ใŸใ‚ใฎใ€้žๅธธใซ็ตŒ้จ“่ฑŠๅฏŒใงๆด—็ทดใ•ใ‚ŒใŸ็›ฎใฎ่‚ฅใˆใŸ่€ณใ‚’ๆŒใฃใฆใ„ใ‚‹ใ‹ใ‚‰ใงใ™ใ€‚

ใ ใ‹ใ‚‰ใ€ใ‚ใชใŸใฏใ“ใฎใƒ‡ใ‚คใƒ–ใ‚’ๆฑ‚ใ‚ใฆใ„ใพใ™:)
Thanks for the post. I thought it was a good review & description of the music. I will keep your notes in hand when I get my copy!

Song number 11 tagged as Nannansei No Kaze No Naka De, which I believe translated out to something like: "In the South-Southwest Wind"?

Yeah sometimes Google translate gives hilarious results. For even funnier nonsense translate English to Japanese and back again. I only know Naka translates to "centered" or "in the middle", so I'm not sure where South-Sothwest is coming from.

When people find out I listen to more J or K music than English music they ask the 2 inevitable questions:
Do I speak Japanese? And if I can't understand the lyrics why would I want listen to it? No I don't speak Japanese. But so many times I've heard Western music with completely unintelligible lyrics. Any way if the voice is considered a musical instrument than it can be enjoyed in any language.

Anyway glad you got the SACD & are enjoying it. I think it's rather rare to find pop/rock music from Japan in surround. So it's agood find, IMO.
 
Thanks for the post. I thought it was a good review & description of the music. I will keep your notes in hand when I get my copy!



Yeah sometimes Google translate gives hilarious results. For even funnier nonsense translate English to Japanese and back again. I only know Naka translates to "centered" or "in the middle", so I'm not sure where South-Sothwest is coming from.

When people find out I listen to more J or K music than English music they ask the 2 inevitable questions:
Do I speak Japanese? And if I can't understand the lyrics why would I want listen to it? No I don't speak Japanese. But so many times I've heard Western music with completely unintelligible lyrics. Any way if the voice is considered a musical instrument than it can be enjoyed in any language.

Anyway glad you got the SACD & are enjoying it. I think it's rather rare to find pop/rock music from Japan in surround. So it's agood find, IMO.

I also listen to and enjoy others like Lila Downs music (Spanish-Mexico), although I do understand some of that. So whatever bubbles your bath :giggle:
 
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