SACD's rebirth in Hong Kong

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soundboy

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Before the major music companies bailed on SACD, Hong Hong was a city that had a disproportionally high number of SACD releases. After about 2005, SACDs releases in HK were basically left to the local small independent labels, i.e. Top Music, Master Music, etc. Beginning in early 2013, SACD releases started picking up again. Still, the major labels sat on the sidelines. However, within the last 48 hours, there has been a frenzy of new SACD announcements from a number of music companies. Perhaps, surprisingly, the headline belongs to HK Sony Music with the announcement of 10 titles, 4 of which are reissues of previous SACD releases, to be released next week.

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Given HK Sony's recent success of its K2HD CD releases (available in the US from Acoustic Sounds, Elusive Discs, etc.), it is not inconceivable that, for example, "The Sound of Music" soundtrack (just released on K2HD CD) or "Belafonte At Carnegie Hall" will once again be reissued on SACD.
 
I have both Los Indios and Belafonte from their original HK release. They're both great!
Here's Los Indios doing the title track: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwHIIVA7NPU

I have those two SACDs from RCA Hong Kong. Enjoy them.

I always wondered if there was a better master tape somewhere for one of the reissue labels to re-do them as remastered SACDs.
Maybe someday....
 
Of course, Sony now owns those and all RCA masters. Is "His Master's Eye" their current catch phrase?
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I have those two SACDs from RCA Hong Kong. Enjoy them.

I always wondered if there was a better master tape somewhere for one of the reissue labels to re-do them as remastered SACDs.
Maybe someday....
 
It will be interesting to see if the Sony Music HK SACD series includes more of the RCA catalog.
Hmm....
 
There are rumors that HK Universal Music will be making a big splashy return to SACD and abandoning its quarterly releases on 24K gold CD/K2HD CDs (kind of like what both Mobile Fidelity and Audio Fidelity have done) . Since HK Universal Music also now controls the catalog of HK EMI, returning to SACD for reissuing titles may prove to be a good profit generating venture.

Btw, here's the latest SACD title announced in HK....Dadawa's "Sister Drum". It was released in the US on Warner Music's Sire/Elekra label, but doesn't look like it's being released by HK Warner Music.

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There are rumors that HK Universal Music will be making a big splashy return to SACD and abandoning its quarterly releases on 24K gold CD/K2HD CDs (kind of like what both Mobile Fidelity and Audio Fidelity have done) . Since HK Universal Music also now controls the catalog of HK EMI, returning to SACD for reissuing titles may prove to be a good profit generating venture.

If the 24K Gold CD blanks are truly no longer available, Universal Music HK will have to exit that market. As for returning to SACD, great news from my listening post!
 
If the 24K Gold CD blanks are truly no longer available, Universal Music HK will have to exit that market. As for returning to SACD, great news from my listening post!

The 3 "Best of" compilation SACD titles below are confirmed to have been reissued by HK Universal Music. There is no promotion for these reissue titles; instead, these 3 out-of-print titles are suddenly available again.

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Leslie Cheung's "Best of" SACD, seen in the middle, was previous featured on highfidelityreview.com.
 
It's already available on Hong Kong HMV's website....Patti Page's Golden Hits. Based on the catalog number, it looks like this is a SACD released by New Century Workshop. You will not find the label's name on sa-cd.net, but the label specializes in non-major label reissues. NCW led the return of SACD in HK, having released about 10 SACD since January 2013....with 3 new SACD titles just this week, including a new DMM (Direct Metal Mastering) SACD.

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Here are some of NCW's SACD releases from last year....

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It's already available on Hong Kong HMV's website....Patti Page's Golden Hits. Based on the catalog number, it looks like this is a SACD released by New Century Workshop. You will not find the label's name on sa-cd.net, but the label specializes in non-major label reissues. NCW led the return of SACD in HK, having released about 10 SACD since January 2013....with 3 new SACD titles just this week, including a new DMM (Direct Metal Mastering) SACD.

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Here are some of NCW's SACD releases from last year....

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Interesting. The Patti Page SACD could be one to get. Have you heard it yet?
 
I wonder how that differs from the "26 Greatest Hits" SACD by Connie Francis on Top Music.

Note that the New Century Workshop SACD says the disc was made in Germany. I wonder if the Sonopress plant in Germany has resumed SACD production? I noticed that a recent Top Music SACD release also says it was pressed in Germany.
 
Note that the New Century Workshop SACD says the disc was made in Germany. I wonder if the Sonopress plant in Germany has resumed SACD production? I noticed that a recent Top Music SACD release also says it was pressed in Germany.

I've seen a few SACDs lately from Sonopress as well. So I'm sure they're making them these days.
 
I'm holding out for Doris Day's Greatest Hits.

Speaking of SACDs from Hong Kong, the "Super Audio Best" SACD of greatest hits by Nancy Sinatra is a good one. I'd try that one while you're waiting for Doris on SACD!
It's In Stock over at Elusive Disc and Acoustic Sounds.


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Super Audio Best - Nancy Sinatra (Hybrid Stereo SACD, Top Music International, TM-SACD 7017.2)
http://www.elusivedisc.com/NANCY-SINATRA-SUPER-AUDIO-BEST-SACD/productinfo/TMISA7017/
http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/84777/Nancy_Sinatra-Super_Audio_Best-Hybrid_Stereo_SACD
 
I bought the Nancy disc from HMV Japan at least a year before it showed up at those two USA retailers, and am very happy with it. It contains the legit original recordings.
 
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