Select Your "Must Have" Audio Fidelity Surround SACDs

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POLL: Select the Audio Fidelity SACDs that you think are the "Must Haves" of the collection


  • Total voters
    104

JonUrban

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Although we've had a previous thread asking us to list our top 10 AF AF SACDs, I wanted to compile an official poll with viewable results that listed all of the released titles. Since we now know there will be no more forthcoming, this will be our go-to spot for future eBay searchers to find the most desirable titles.

You can vote for as many titles as you like. You will NOT be able to change your vote on this one, so think carefully, although you probably already know. Remember, there is no limit to how many you can vote for.
 
Great Poll, Jon. Out of the 11 votes cast thus far, I notice the brilliant Al Kooper 5.1 remix of BS&T's Child Is The Father to the Man is on top [and, IMO, rightfully so]. Too bad Al didn't do more 5.1 surround mixes [for OTHER artists] because on my system that album sounds utterly FANTASTIC and exemplifies what surround sound is all about.
 
Great Poll, Jon. Out of the 9 votes cast thus far, I notice the brilliant Al Kooper 5.1 remix of BS&T's Child Is The Father to the Man is on top [and, IMO, rightfully so]. Too bad Al didn't do more 5.1 surround mixes [for OTHER artists] because on my system that album sounds utterly FANTASTIC and exemplifies what surround sound is all about.
Yes, a great poll. I'm also very pleased (early voting though) that Streetlife Serenade has some good traction. It's one of my favorites.
 
And sadly, NO love for Benson's Breezing and the Bob Dylan [ambience in the rears] Bootleg SACDs. It has been said that Breezing was somewhat audiophile on vinyl but, IMO, Warners didn't do AF ANY favors by supplying them with a substandard 5.1 master and the same goes for the Doors Greatest Hits which was bettered [IMO] by Rhino/Warner on their BD~A 4.0 re~release.

And the Jeff Beck Group's AF SACD 4.0 was also significantly improved by the SONY Japan SACD 4.0.

Even though Laura Nyro's Eli and the Thirteenth Confession didn't garner much love, I am so SO gratified that AF decided to release this mini masterpiece in such glowing sonics on SACD! I recall on Elvis Costello's talk show SPECTACLE, he and guest, Elton John, went ON AND ON [and ON] what a brilliant artist she was and how she profoundly influenced subsequent rock, pop and folk artists.
 
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I have to say that I voted by my personal taste. The fact is that nearly all of these are FANTASTIC. If I were a bigger Alice Cooper fan, “Muscle of Love” WOULD be a “must have”.
 
And sadly, NO love for Benson's Breezing and the Bob Dylan [ambience in the rears] Bootleg SACDs.........

That Dylan double SACD had to cost them a fortune, and because of that and the resulting high list price, one can surmise that they lost some bucks on that one. It was a title that even Sony decided not to release, still I understand the draw of putting out a title that was unavailable anywhere else, but we all know that in general, any live surround album is not going to be a surround masterpiece. This title and the Collection disc probably did the most damage to the surround program. Up to this point, Marshall was still very positive. Once the Collection and the Dylan appeared, the enthusiasm level of his emails diminished considerably.
 
I picked up five from the series. For me, I think that Child Is Father... was perhaps the most significant.
 
That Dylan double SACD had to cost them a fortune, and because of that and the resulting high list price, one can surmise that they lost some bucks on that one. It was a title that even Sony decided not to release, still I understand the draw of putting out a title that was unavailable anywhere else, but we all know that in general, any live surround album is not going to be a surround masterpiece. This title and the Collection disc probably did the most damage to the surround program. Up to this point, Marshall was still very positive. Once the Collection and the Dylan appeared, the enthusiasm level of his emails diminished considerably.

Jon, I still think it's too early {too few votes cast} to predict what should've or could've been regarding Audio Fidelity's 'Surround Program' but even MORE puzzling was MoFi's VERY brief foray into multichannel: Heck, they released 8 obscure but IMO excellent VOX Turnabout Classical titles in mostly ambient surround sonics plus one [IMO] obscure Cowboy Junkies [ambient only] surround title and then pulled the plug when ironically almost ALL their Stereo SACDs have/have been classic Rock/Pop titles.

Perhaps the root of all problems relating to a possible [but highly improbable] renaissance in SURROUND has been the reluctance of ALL the major record companies to LICENSE A list titles coupled with a similar resistance from A list artists to 'tamper' with their 'babies!' And a $30 list price PER SINGLE TITLE also didn't aid matters [a LOT of potential buyers still like their FREE music in whatever lowly format they can acquire it].

And if this poll is somehow related to 'educate' Dutton Vocalion in their prodigious SURROUND program as to what to release or not release I would state upfront, Michael Dutton knows what HIS customers want and we should respect his decisions and be grateful for the few popular titles [hardly A list rock/pop/jazz] that he sees fit to release.

And I think we should ALL realize at this juncture that no one does it better, or CHEAPER than the Majors themselves as evidenced by RHINO/Warner's Chicago Quadio boxset which basically cleared out the vaults of all it's QUAD Chicago titles in one fell swoop for a FRACTION of what the reissue companies or their Japanese counterparts could ever possibly do it for [price~wise, especially and realistically.....each title would have had a separate licensing fee].

And, IMO, when those FEW and far between A list Titles ARE released in pricey boxsets with 5.1/4.0 LOSSY CODECS...........I will scream to the top of the rafters.......BULLSHIT. Those titles will never be released again as we're RAPIDLY nearing the end of physical disc replication and why they cannot give us truly HIGH RES codecs to actually represent what is on the master tapes is criminal! Throw the dogs a bone......releasing LOSSY 5.1 DVD~Vs and then including a truly HIGH RES 96/24 STEREO remaster still tells me and should tell ALL of you that they're still catering to the STEREO CROWD .......... As Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes once sang: WAKE UP EVERYBODY.........
 
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I voted for several of these, but the top pick for me is Billy Cobham - Spectrum.
Not only is is a great album, but the quad mix is stellar. Really makes the 5.1 dvd mix sound like trash
 
I left off a personal fave (Alice Cooper) because it's simply not everyone's cup of tea.

I consider Sly Hits, EW&F Open Our Eyes, and Full Sail to be essentials that anyone should own and appreciate. BOC is a favorite of mine, and not one I think everyone needs.

So I did not vote with (only) my own tastes in mind.
 
I have a personal bias toward the Columbia titles because the mixes designed for the SQ matrix system are so discrete and adventurous. I'm surprised so many voted for the Doors title even though it's been clearly surpassed (fidelity and price-wise) by Rhino's new Blu-Ray version. Same thing with the titles that are reissued DVD-A mixes- the old DVD-A versions seem to be cheaper lately.

I voted only for the ones that I really spin on a regular basis- the two Al Kooper 5.1 titles are absolute must haves for any surround collector, and of the quads the Columbia/Sony titles are always a good bet if you enjoy the content.

I didn't spring for Spectrum and I kind of regret it now :(
 
I am heartened that so many people voted for "Hearts". I checked the box thinking I would be the only one. It is truly a forgotten classic. A great album from a band that many consider to be a "singles act". The use of front center (L&R) for the lead singer and rear left and right for the two harmony singers on a given track is one great example of how a surround mix can really elevate the listening experience to the point where it helps you to understand the music more intimately.
 
I was saddened to hear that there will be no more AF surround discs as I enjoy all I have bought. I intend to buy the rest as I find them to get a complete set. My votes reflect only the discs I will repeat play without thinking about it. Thanks be to Marshall for doing as much as he did for us. I am grateful he tried as hard as he did. I only wish that his webstore could have sold the discs at a price competitive to the discount stores did. I would have bought direct and been even happier to pay the source rather than a middle man. I wonder if that might have hurt sales as "some" people were waiting for "deep discounts" that never came on some titles. Maybe now I can catch up on DV titles as they are comparably good quality, if less popular titles.
 
I picked up 27 out of 29 of these and would definitely vote for L&M Full Sail, Open Our Eyes, Billy Joel, Original BS&T, Hearts, Bread as all would be desert isle discs, but....How do you vote on this thing? I'm signed in but don't see any way to make a selection?? Tell me I'm not being dumb and blind.....
 
I picked up 27 out of 29 of these and would definitely vote for L&M Full Sail, Open Our Eyes, Billy Joel, Original BS&T, Hearts, Bread as all would be desert isle discs, but....How do you vote on this thing? I'm signed in but don't see any way to make a selection?? Tell me I'm not being dumb and blind.....
Do you see the list of AF's SACD titles at the top of the page?
 
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