Let's A / B...Which One Do You Prefer?

[fredblue]

Will this work for an apple to apples comparison? I have a definite preference for one over the other.

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it's been a long time since i A/B/C'd these with the subsequent HFPA Blu-ray release so i'm a bit hazy on details but i remember being astonished at the time to find the Blu-ray wasn't the same as either the Surround SACD or DVD-Audio!

there may be some of my ramblings about it on QQ from back then, i don't recall

 

[Mr. Afternoon]

Will this work for an apple to apples comparison? I have a definite preference for one over the other.

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That's because the SACD and Blu-ray has inverted fronts, I think.

 

[fredblue]

Whereas I have the DVDA, the Japanese SACD but not the dualdisc. I'm not sure I even knew there was a dualdisc before now.

the DualDisc is really uncommon since it only saw limited release in a couple of test markets in a couple of States for a very short time.

there's a few other test pressing DualDiscs like that to look out for, including REM's "Document" and Fischerspooner "#1".

 

[Uncle Obscure]

"The Nightfly" is a really scarce DualDisc, from the initial test run of the format.

DualDisc was a nice enough idea in theory but in practice it was quite problematic, not least that the discs were slightly thicker than regular discs so didn't play well in many slot loading players, Sony titles often had Dolby Digital 5.1 on the DVD side, it was just a mess that rapidly died a death.

Now that I think of it, I am pretty sure The Nightfly was the DualDisc I bought and returned due to playback issues. I lusted after the Talking Heads remastered / extended first 8 LP DualDisc brick, but I resisted buying it. By chance, I happened to be in England at one point and bought them all as individual 2-disc CD/DVD-A releases. They look and still play flawlessly.

 

[mandrix]

I always thought that DVDA on one side and CD on the other was a stupid idea. I don't recall offhand any playback problems on my Oppo's but probably never listened to the CD side on all.

 

[fredblue]

That's because the SACD and Blu-ray has inverted fronts, I think.

yes it's something goofy like that there's probably some chat about it in either the album's QQ Poll or maybe a "steelydave second guesses the engineer" kinda thread

 

[mandrix]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_DualDisc_releases

 

[barfle]

I only have one title in both SACD and DVD-A, and it’s certainly not Donald Fagan. I prefer the sound of the SACD, although that’s probably more due to the mixmastering than the recording format.

 

[fredblue]

Now that I think of it, I am pretty sure The Nightfly was the DualDisc I bought and returned due to playback issues. I lusted after the Talking Heads remastered / extended first 8 LP DualDisc brick, but I resisted buying it. By chance, I happened to be in England at one point and bought them all as individual 2-disc CD/DVD-A releases. They look and still play flawlessly.

ah! it probably was that DualDisc you bought and returned!

to be honest, my "Nightfly" DD is still in the shrink-wrap i dunno.. it may not even play!

oh yes! i too got the Talking Heads 'Brick' but also got the 5.1's all over again in those individual WEA Europe CD/DVD-A sets. such fun times in the hobby!

 

[fredblue]

I only have one title in both SACD and DVD-A, and it’s certainly not Donald Fagan. I prefer the sound of the SACD, although that’s probably more due to the mixmastering than the recording format.

sorry to be a nosey parker (curious moi as ever finds this a strangely fascinating topic! ) do you happen to recall which one it is?

 

[marpow]

Oh boy, I love these geeky subjects.
My little response is in general.
I have always preferred the true DVD-Audios, the sound, the pictures, the lyrics choice.
They all sound good to me and I might be influenced by the little above choices I mention above.
Sadly they do not make those anymore, the special DVD-A case etc.
This hobby is absolutely maddening.
Been listening to music my whole life and can be pretty good at music, artists, etc, my wife always say's I should be on one of those music game shows. People on QQ know more than me.
But how that music gets delivered to our ears, WOW, now that is a subject that will last to infinity.
From the electricity out in the street, to inside the house, to your audio gear, to the format that it comes to you, makes me want to
But I love it.

 

[barfle]

sorry to be a nosey parker (curious moi as ever finds this a strangely fascinating topic! ) do you happen to recall which one it is?

At the moment, no, I don’t remember. It’ll take a bit of digging to find both, I’m sure.

 

[mandrix]

Oh boy, I love these geeky subjects.
My little response is in general.
I have always preferred the true DVD-Audios, the sound, the pictures, the lyrics choice.
They all sound good to me and I might be influenced by the little above choices I mention above.
Sadly they do not make those anymore, the special DVD-A case etc.
This hobby is absolutely maddening.
Been listening to music my whole life and can be pretty good at music, artists, etc, my wife always say's I should be on one of those music game shows. People on QQ know more than me.
But how that music gets delivered to our ears, WOW, now that is a subject that will last to infinity.
From the electricity out in the street, to inside the house, to your audio gear, to the format that it comes to you, makes me want to
But I love it.

I hear you. Love DVDA. I'm still thinking of checking out my breaker box and see how hard it would be to run a dedicated 20A circuit to the audio room. I've started running an air purifier in here all the time (dusty carpet) and I think the 15A is about maxed.

 

[fredblue]

At the moment, no, I don’t remember. It’ll take a bit of digging to find both, I’m sure.

it's ok, whenever you get a chance to dig

 

[barfle]

sorry to be a nosey parker (curious moi as ever finds this a strangely fascinating topic! ) do you happen to recall which one it is?

Pretty sure it’s “Fragile” by Yes.

 

[Uncle Obscure]

That's because the SACD and Blu-ray has inverted fronts, I think.

I never heard anything about this. They both have inverted fronts? Or, is it just one version?

Regardless, In this case, I prefer the SACD. I find it to be more engaging and sonically enveloping. As always, YMMV.

 

[Mr. Afternoon]

I never heard anything about this. They both have inverted fronts? Or, is it just one version?

Regardless, In this case, I prefer the SACD. I find it to be more engaging and sonically enveloping. As always, YMMV.

From the Elliot Scheiner LFE thread.

 

[LuvMyQuad]

I tried to compare the Brothers in Arms release on DVDA and SACD, another early DDD recording. It's not an easy thing to do as I only have one disc player. But I tackled it this way...

Rip the DVDA to flac, play it from my media player. Play the SACD natively with my Oppo. Set volume levels as closely as possible by ear. Put each setup into a preset on the AVP so I could instantly switch. Time the start so one version plays about 5 seconds ahead of the other. Then A/B.

Not the perfect setup to be sure... digital conversion being done in two different devices. No absolute level match. But its the best I could do with my system.

The result? I couldn't tell them apart. And even if there were some minute difference, it's not worth the time and trouble trying to find it. Start listening to the music people. Stop listening to the hardware.

 

[fredblue]

I never heard anything about this. They both have inverted fronts? Or, is it just one version?

Regardless, In this case, I prefer the SACD. I find it to be more engaging and sonically enveloping. As always, YMMV.

https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/fo...d-a-sacd-bluray-audio.3765/page-6#post-336992

 

[Uncle Obscure]

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From the Elliot Scheiner LFE thread.

That's wild. So, the Blu-ray disc that came along almost a decade later, was mastered with the same "out of phase" fronts as the SACD? I can't imagine why I prefer the sound of the SACD over the DVD-A, especially since the mix of the SACD is "technically" defective, but I do.