Rickko
Active Member
Perusing the origins of the upcoming Queen [reissues] on SHM~SACD: Taken from the 2011 96/24 masters by Bob Ludwig. But no mention taken from the original analogue masters. Do the Queen masters reside in the UK or US? I'm sure they weren't the original analogue masters which always sound so glorious on SHM~SACD.
Yes, AB, too bad DTS didn't continue with their awesome DVD~A 5.1 releases as A Day At The Races, IMO, would've sounded superb. I always fondly remember how glorious the Queen vinyl sounded even on my then not so audiophile TT.
And the only SHM worth bothering with does come in a little green baggy..........and makes everything sound AND taste SO much better!
And SCREW SHM~SACD....release the QUEEN 5.1 remasters on BD~A 5.1. In order to accomplish this do we need an edict from her Majesty, the QUEEN...or her heir apparent, Prince CHUCK?
If one is looking for a 5.1 mix of say Queen's "News of the World", the liner notes for the SHM SACD state "this 2011 version has been meticulously re-created using the finest modern analogue and digital technology from first-generation master mixes". A couple of songs, in particular, 'Get Down, Make Love' and 'It's Late' are notably shrill making for questionable audio results. The audio may be okay on most other tracks but in my opinion this release does not reach the bar for suitable audiophile quality. Still it is a solid album with some superb songs.
I have also compared the SHM SACD to the Mobile Fidelity (MFSL) Gold CD. The same issues are mirrored on the MFSL release although the SHM SACD generally has better clarity and fidelity.
So, the master tapes (first-generation) have issues likely related to damaged masters or recording/engineering decisions. A 5.1 re-mix of the multi-tracks of "News of the World" would be only as good as the source tapes. I would suggest a 5.1 release is not likely.